Luxman P 200

This review is based in part on a post from June of 2009, written soon after I received my Luxman P-200 Headphone Amplifier from TTVJ. It's been now almost two years, and the P-200 continues to amaze me, steadily feeding a parade of headphones that have passed through my arsenal. Currently, it's shinning with two Ultrasone models, the open-back Edition 10 and the closed-back Edition 8 Limited Edition.

Although I promised myself when I first got the P-200 that I would not listen to it until a proper burn in period, the truth is that like a lot of folks on this site, I just couldn't resist a peek, fully aware that I might be initially disappointed. But to my surprise and relief, it sounded incredible right out of the box and since then, I’ve become literally addicted to it.

Before getting into how it sounds, I should mention though that the pictures from Luxman's website don't do the P-200 justice, for it is truly a beauty to look at. And it has nothing of that well known do-it-yourself look, quite the opposite, with a beautiful matte finish and a substantial weight in relation to its size. It should be noted also that the AC inlet on the back of the unit is two pronged, but Luxman's distributor in the US, On a Higher Note, said that there's no problem with using aftermarket two or three prong power cables, as long as you're  "... mindful that if the source is plugged into a different outlet from the amp, you develop a ground hum." Personally, I never had any problems with hum, and actually, my P-200 is dead-quiet.

In my current setup, it is being fed directly from the RCAs of a Sony SCD-XA5400ES SACD player via Kimber Kable Silver Streak interconnects. The headphones back then were an Audio-Technica ATH-ESW10JPN and a Denon AH-D7000, both of which have been now substituted for the two Ultrasones mentioned above.

The music diet consisted mostly of assorted Channel Classics, Telarc, Pentatone, and Exton Super-Audio CDs, all DSD recorded. Actually, I'm a bit amazed by the lack of awareness on this site about the SACD format, which IMHO trumps even the most expensive Transport/DAC combo playing Red-Book CDs. Anyway, disc after disc, the impact of the soundstage and the dynamic range were miles above what my old and reliable Creek OBH-21SE could offer. Mind you though, that at least in the US, the Luxman was then thrice as expensive as the Creek, although in my personal scale, it offers twenty times more resolving and involving power.

Listening to Telarc's SACD of Paavo Jarvi conducting the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra on a program of Britten and Elgar, is a revelatory experience. I can hear minute details now that simply weren't there before. The plucking of the double-basses strings on Britten's "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra" is simply stunning as are the percussion solos in the same piece. And for those bass freaks out there, fear not for while the P-200 does go quite deep, it does so with absolute precision. You will not find sloppy bass reproduction here.

Channel Classics' beautiful edition of Bach's B Minor Mass is another SACD that benefited greatly from the P-200's imaging, revealing entirely new layers to the recording. The placement as well as the space around the performers became much more precise and vivid. The depth and width of the soundstage  expanded way beyond my head, to the point that it felt almost like a surround simulation.

For the sake of diversity, I tried Mobile Fidelity's re-mastering of Yes' Fragile, released as a Gold RBCD. Mind you that it felt a bit dated sonically the last time I played it, in spite of MoFi's incredible transfer, which actually improved on the original. But through the P-200, I was finally able to listen beyond Jon Anderson's silly lyrics and instead just enjoy his amazing vocal range, as well as Steve Howe's guitar work, and the rest of the gang’s ensemble playing.

If there’s a conclusion to be made here it is simply that the Luxman P-200 will not interfere with your music. It will neither paint it with an artificial tube glow, nor will it chill it with a solid-state glare. It will not mask it, make it better or worse. But with great recordings, it has an amazing ability to reveal more of what’s there. And for me, that’s just what the doctor ordered.

I was looking for a new amp for HD800 - I wanted something more than my Lyr could provide.

I experienced M1, Canor Audio TP 10, Luxman P-200 (I also heard SPL Auditor and Phonitor last year and had Schiit Lyr). What I can say? M1 sounds a lot like Lyr, but faster, with a little bit thiner midrange, cleaner heights, slightly wider sounstage and a bit better transparency. Good device for it's price!

But I love TP 10 very much. It sounds perfect with HD800 and in comparison with M1 it has even slightly wider sounstage and airier sound at all because of more articulate heights. Vocals sounded magically - natural, powerful and emotional. It also has a great transparency for tube (hybrid) amp! Very detailed bass, but not as deep as M1 can provide. HD800+TP10 combo sounded full-blooded, warm and clear. It has a great synergy in my opinion! Just upper midrange sometimes sounded a little bit too bright.

P-200 is the best of the best (in comparison with MF M1HPA and Canor Audio TP10) - it has all the advantages of both amps but almost does not have any of their disadvantages. Maybe it's lower bass is not as persuasive as M1's. But it's upper midrange is more comfortable than TP10's although it was raised a little (like in TP10's case) - good feature for HD800 (because they have a bit distant midrange). And, of course, the soundstage. It is the strongest quality of this amp! The voice was not in my head (like it was with Lyr, M1, TP10), it is in front of me - so, it sounds very real. Detail is also the best I've ever heard, especially the bass - I can hear every nuance there! And it is easy to hear the produced echo of all the instruments and vocals (I can not hear it so clear with other amps). All in all it sounds natural - although it has its own colouring, but this colouring fits perfect for HD800!

As a result I bought P-200 (I successfully sold Lyr the same day). I don't know if it shows all the potential of 800s, but I think more than 80%. Now I understand all the claims of people who reviewed HD800 with Luxman P-1. I belive  it sounds better, but even it's younger brother performed amazing and showed me a lot I have never heard in headphones before.

P.S. I think Luxman is far better than any of six amps I have heard. Maybe it is not the best choice for HD800, but one of the best for sure.