Originally Posted By: sirquack
as long as the Luxman doesn't go into protect mode, lol ;\)


That would just be my luck! So I paid three months worth of house payments for this? Oy!

But, according to various reviews and info I have gleaned, it's 20 watts at 8ohms and 40 watts at 4ohms and...

From
Paul Seydor @ The Absolute Sound:

 Quote:
Its 20Wpc into 8‑ohm, 40Wpc into 4‑ohm rating may seem light beside many of today’s brutes; but this is pure Class A solid-state, so it plays louder than the numbers suggest. And Luxman’s are very conservatively rated watts that one lab measured at nearly four times the nominal specification before clipping.


It's that damn pesky 4ohm load that makes finding a good power source for the M80's um... interesting.

But I think (barring finding some used higher end audiophile gear cheap) I have found three two channel integrated amplifiers (what, you think I don't really want separates consisting of an expensive pre amp and giant mono-blocks? \:\) ) that I think, could possibly be an excellent match for the M80's.

And at three price points!!!

Cheap option #1: At $369.00, Virtue Audio's Virtue One.2 (a little more $ for power supply upgrade), a class D amp that is getting raves reviews in audio circles. It has a sub out (yeah!), that's cool, but only one source in and no phono stage. But I am very curious about Class D amplifiers.

Linky: http://store.virtueaudio.com/product-p/vrtu-ia-vaone.2-pbf-1.htm

Mid priced option #2: At $1,672.00, the PrimaLuna ProLoue Two. This is the more "rational" higher end choice. Main selling point? Tubes baby! And it has 4 and 8 ohm speaker taps. A phono stage addition adds $199.00 to the price. Still, a modestly priced unit.

Linkyness: http://www.upscaleaudio.com/ProLogue-Two-Integrated-Amplifier_p_592.html

Higher priced option #3 (my budget ceiling basically) the aforementioned Luxman L‑550A II. What interests me about this unit is it's rock solid engineering/build, supposedly amazing phono stage (mm and mc) and balanced input option (would come in handy for my reel to reel and other "pro" level gear) and of course, it's retro 1970's "receiver" look. As I get older, I'm becoming a nostalgic bastard, and I really want a two channel set-up that is decidedly un-digital (except for cd/sacd) in it's presentation and appearance. Oh, and it looks like it is built to withstand a direct nuclear hit and would probably outlive it's owner...

The company has been making amazingly well designed and great sounding audio gear since 1925!

more link-a-liciousness: http://www.luxman.co.jp/global/index.html

Those are just a few of my options. I am also interested in vintage/used stuff as well. Will be on the look out for rich audiophiles unloading kit because they are "bored" or afflicted with "upgrade fever" or are no longer "rich"... \:\)

In fact, I may actually just prefer finding a 1970's era receiver that someone has stashed away in their closet and that has no idea that someone would want such a bulky, heavy, tube-y monster in this day and age of wonderful "digital progress". Now that would be sweet!

"Art is making something out of nothing and selling it."
---Frank Zappa