NEW Luxman C10X Preamplifier First Impressions / Opinion

[felipe91]

Hello polyrythm9 and Lima_, and the others,

I' ve just sold my M900u and C900u , and just got my C10x ( I refused the first C10x , because it was not correctly placed on the pallet, in vertical position instead of horizontal position, and the seller had not been able to deliver it me in a timely manner).
My C10x has zero operating hours , so full break- in is necessary (at least 200 hours according the French Luxman representative) , but maybe more... My M10x already has 500 hours , and according to the private seller, it's not already broken.

I have just connected C10X/M10X last week, and listened them during 5 years only . My very first impressions:
-More dynamics
-More basses.
-I think there is more gain than before ( for example , what I was listening at -56 db , I now set it at -61 db). The set up of the volume is very accurate 0.5 db vs 1db with the C900 u.

What are your respective experience regarding the break- in and the associated improvements (100 hours, 200 hours..etc) for M10X and C10X?
when did you notice a wider and deeper soundstage?

nota: The M10x , even with 500 hours, have a small specific smelling ( linked with heating) which I didn’t notice with my previous M900u/C900u (which had around 2000 hours when I bought them in 2018). Hope this smelling will completly disappear.

philippe

 

[lima_]

Hi to everyone, bonjour Philippe,

you are right, there are more dynamics and there is more gain compared to the 900u. I already realized that when I listened to it out of the box. I forgot to mention that in my first post here.
I do not really know how many hours I have played them yet. When I had ordered last year, the M10x was in stock at my dealer, but I had to wait for the C10x for a few weeks. So they do not have the same operating hours.
I do have that smell from the M10x too when it is really warmed up and has been used for hours with dynamic (or loud) music. I thought this smell is because of it being relatively new. Like you, I bought my 900u combination used from a dealer (his demo machines), so I don‘t really know exactly how long they had been played before I got them.
My experience is that the machines need to be warmed up / played for a certain time to sound best. Like with the 900u there is absolutely no ear fatiguing and I really love listening to them for hours, different genres. I still rediscover details in music that I know for decades…