[SteveM324]

Steve, please share on the thread your impressions of the HEK SE and how it compares to the V2. Supposedly Fang has "fiddled" with the bass on the SE. My impression is that the bass response is awesome on the V2 using the 750. Thanks.

I received my HEK SE through the HiFiMan upgrade program on Saturday. If you think the V2 sounds awesome, guess what, IMO the SE is better in every way. I liked the V2 a lot but the SE is much more refined. The SE bass is even more awesome (tighter and more of it without muddying up the midrange) and its highs are clear and detailed without being bright. Imaging is more focused and the soundstage is fantastic. The midrange is grain free, textured and absolutely gorgeous. I can't imagine anyone that likes the V1 or V2 not being blown away by the SE and especially if you own a Luxman P700u/P750u.

 

[Dr. Roberts]

I received my HEK SE through the HiFiMan upgrade program on Saturday. If you think the V2 sounds awesome, guess what, IMO the SE is better in every way. I liked the V2 a lot but the SE is much more refined. The SE bass is even more awesome (tighter and more of it without muddying up the midrange) and its highs are clear and detailed without being bright. Imaging is more focused and the soundstage is fantastic. The midrange is grain free, textured and absolutely gorgeous. I can't imagine anyone that likes the V1 or V2 not being blown away by the SE and especially if you own a Luxman P700u/P750u.

Thanks Steve for your concise and educated opinion regarding the SE. You have convinced me to utilize the upgrade program myself.

 

[SteveM324]

Thanks Steve for your concise and educated opinion regarding the SE. You have convinced me to utilize the upgrade program myself.

Recently received the Corpse Cable Gravedigger customized, 14' length, HiFiMan V2 termination and Dual 3-Pin XLR's. Now my wife has to pry the HEK V2 from my cold, dead ears! Huge difference between Balanced and Single-Ended with the 750. This has been said so often it has become a cliche but recordings that have been listened to for years still reveal musical elements never heard before with my rig. That's what a synergistic cable can do.

If you get the V2 to SE upgrade, you'll need to get adapters or re-terminate your Corpse cable because the SE uses 3.5mm plugs vs the V2 2.5mm plugs. I'm getting Eidolic 3.5mm connectors from Norne Audio and my friend, who has better soldering skills than I, will re-terminate my Corpse cable using Cardas solder.

 

[Dr. Roberts]

Thanks for the heads up Steve. The change by Fang takes me by surprise.

 

[geoffalter11]

Question for those 750u owners. I have been ogling this amp for over a year. I currently own a Wells Audio Milo with the upgraded components. I have a Metrum Musette feeding it 1s and 0s. I use a Schiit Wyrd and run Roon Labs thru my iMac. Do any of you have any experience with the Milo? Can you compare it to the 750u? I really want to hear it before too long. My current headphone line-up consists of the Ether Flow 1.1, Beyer T1.v2; ZMF Ori, Alpha Prime and a pair of HD650s. I can’t decide whether or not to upgrade my DAC to a Lampizator, upgrade my Milo to the Milo Reference or go all in with the 750u.

I love my Milo, but the reviews of the 750u tell me it would be that much better. It seems to have a soft musical voicing while remaining highly resolving. The Milo has that soft musical voicing and gobs of power. But it isn’t the last word in resolution. A bit too much bloom.

 

[Fatdoi]

I have someone bringing me a unit on Thursday which I can keep for a few days. It will connect to my 2 channel system and use my LP12 and Linn Klimax DS as sources.

Look at my post above to the Ken Kessler review from the UK. Much more detailed than the Guttenberg one. He says it is the best Headphone amp he has ever heard. Kessler is a veteran who has been around the block quite a few times

Agreed - demo is a must

Any thoughts on the unit?

 

[buzzlulu]

I am going to wait until after I receive and demo the new Headamp GSX Mini. I will then post some comments

 

[AppleheadMay]

Has anyone compared the 750u to the hp-4 or the Zana Deux ?

I have the Lumin T2 coming Tuesday also

Well - while we are at It - anyone compare the 750u to the HeadAmp GSX MK2?

I had a HP-4 at the same time I had a P-1u, a little later I had a GS-X MkII. I owned a Zana and a Zana S as well.
This all was a while back though so here are my impressions from memory.

The P-1u was a very nice and powerful amp with great bass control, slightly warm mids and smooth highs.
To throw in a cliché: maybe the most tube sounding SS amp I heard. And not of the bloomy tube-amp variety but more like a Zana, the more clean SS like tube-amp type.
The HP-4 was nothing special to me, a bit boring even, I wondered what the fuss and high price was about. Not overly tubey sounding though which was a good thing about it.
The GSX was superbright, couldn't get rid of that amp fast enough.
Both the Zanas were the best amps I have ever heard. Clean for a tube amp with a very involving, magical sound.
The HDV 820 I have now is as far as I can remeber the best SS amp I heard so far with my Senns.
I say as far as I can rmember because I can't imagine how it would fare in direct comparison with my P-1u I used to have.
So it makes me wonder how it would compare to a p-750u and the fact I heard the P-750u is quite a bit better than the P-1u, especially when used balanced made me order a P-750u. I should have it in 10-14 days.

And by the way, maybe the thread starter or a mod could change the title of this thread to P-750u instead of P-700u?
Much more has been written here about the former than the latter and the latyter is OOP and hasn't been sold for that long I believe.
Took me quite a while to find this thread.

 

[Mister Crash]

Well there have been two IMPRESSIVE reviews of late. Steve Guttenberg from 2 weeks ago and the esteemed Ken Kessler which I only recently found and linked to above (it was written in September).

Both veteran reviewers called the Luxman "end game".
Normally I take reviews with a grain of salt however these two guys have been doing this for quite a while.

To clarify my post above - Music Direct does not stock this in their warehouse. It gets drop shipped from the distributior. That's why it says 2 weeks delivery.

I also seem to recall reading that with Luxman opening up their own distribution system (and no longer using the original importer) they gave a $2k price reduction to the 750.

I have also been reading good things about their new integrated.

Is the P-750u actually available with a $2k price reduction? I've seen references that indicate that it should be available for $3000, but all the searches that I have done list the price for a US voltage version at $5000. Sure, the Japanese version can be had for under $3000, but that's fixed at 100V, and I haven't seen anyone say that the voltage is easily switchable. Is the US version legitimately available for $3000 (and if so, where)?

 

[a1uc]

there is one on Audiogon

 

[buzzlulu]

The $2k price reduction is compared to the previous model which it replaced

 

[purk]

Honestly $3500 ish for a slightly used top-end amplifier isn’t too bad of a deal. For the same price roughly, you can get the GSX- MKii in new condition. But I think that the P750 may be even better. If anyone is thinking about dropping this kind of money on a headphone amp, I suggest potential buyers to check ECP Audio out.

 

[AppleheadMay]

Honestly $3500 ish for a slightly used top-end amplifier isn’t too bad of a deal. For the same price roughly, you can get the GSX- MKii in new condition. But I think that the P750 may be even better. If anyone is thinking about dropping this kind of money on a headphone amp, I suggest potential buyers to check ECP Audio out.

The GSX has absolutely nothing in common with the Luxman amps. I had the MkII and the P-1u. Superbright vs. smooth and warmish.

 

[Dr. Roberts]

For those looking for a brand new 750. Call Todd the Vinyl Junkie and inform him that Mark referred you.

 

[purk]

The GSX has absolutely nothing in common with the Luxman amps. I had the MkII and the P-1u. Superbright vs. smooth and warmish.

And that's my point that I don't think that they are overcharging for their top-end headamp unit. Luxman is a very proven company and has been in the business for a long long time so spending a $3500 for a slightly used $5K-ish amp should be a no brainer. I spent $3500 for a store demo Audio-Technica HA5050H and can't be happier. I see folks spending the same amount of money for a TOTL DAP that get no way close to a mid-end desktop performance let alone these top-end desktop unit. My WM1Z is staying at home because I prefer the PHA-3 to it.