Stereophile review of the CL-38u vacuum tube preamplifer (May 2015)

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A very nice review of the Luxman CL-38u in the recent issue of Stereophile by Art Dudley, though I disagree with his verdict on Tone Controls. Especially when they can be disengaged when not in use. Everyone has a sizable portion of their music collection that is too bright and needs a little help to bring it back to listenable, especially when you increase the listening level to a realistic level.

Listening
"Fully warmed up, the Classic CL-38u presented music with natural, realistic warmth and color, and fine bass-to-treble balance. Its perspective was neither recessed nor excessively forward, and its spatial presence tended toward the larger end of the scale."

"Equally impressive with large-scale music were the Luxman's dramatic expressiveness, and its ability to remain unfazed during the highest and densest peaks. The CL-38u's handling of the many unexpectedly powerful crescendi in Strauss' Metamorphosen was especially notable: The sound remained free of strain, even as the music was, emotionally, nearly overwhelming."


Conclusions
"... the CL-38u is a distinctly musical product whose sonic strengths happened to nicely mesh with my own priorities."

"$4,200 for a full function (line plus phono) Japanese made preamplifier of this caliber is not just a good value: It's exceptional value."

Art Dudley, Stereophile, May 2015

Measurements
“These days, full-fuction preamplifiers such as this one, offering MM and MC phono inputs as well as versatile tone controls are rare - but the measured performance of Luxman’s Classic CL-38u doesn’t appear to be compromised in any way, either by its verssatility or by its exclusive use of tubes.”

John Atkinson (editor), Stereophile, May 2015
 
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