Description
Luxman D-38u tube CD player. Fully revitalized.
The company was founded by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita in Tokyo in 1946 as the Tokyo Tsushin Kenkyu-jo research institute, initially running the business based on service activity. A year later, it was transformed into a company called Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Totsuko for short), whose main goal was to produce telecommunications equipment and voltmeters. The 1950s proved to be a breakthrough period for the company. At that time, a tape recorder and a transistor radio were created, and in 1955, the decision was made to use the SONY logo on Totsuko products. The name came from the Latin word “sonus” – sound and “sonny boy” – used in the USA to describe a little boy. The 1960s were a period of rapid development and international expansion for the company. The TA-1120, the world’s first amplifier based on silicon transistors, was also created at that time. In 1979, the iconic SONY product, the portable cassette player “Walkman” was launched. In the following decades, the company also introduced and promoted such trademarks as Discman, Trinitron and PlayStation.
The company’s rapid development impacted the growth of sales and strengthened its reputation. In 1960, a decision was made to open the first foreign branches in the USA and Switzerland, making Sony a true international corporation.
The Luxman D-38u is an exclusive CD player manufactured in Japan in December 2009. It was equipped with modern digital circuits and analog technologies tested in the D series. Unlike other Luxman players, the D-38u was matched stylistically and sonically to the 38u amplifier – mostly in terms of the “old school” design, i.e. a wooden casing, a front panel styled in the 70s and the use of vacuum tubes in the amplification system. This model is equipped with a function of switching the output to a tube circuit (ECC82) and a solid-state circuit. Thanks to the use of a high-quality digital-to-analog converter containing a 24-bit, 192-kHz Burr-Brown PCM1754 DAC chip, a tube-like sound can be obtained: warm and extremely pleasant to the ear. The drive mechanism is supported by a thick 15-mm base plate made of pure aluminum to increase stability and reduce vibration. The beautiful classic enclosure is a nod to the iconic SQ-38u integrated tube amplifier. The elegant minimalist front panel is made of 8-mm brushed aluminum, which increases the rigidity of the housing. The large, easy-to-read display offers a 3-step dimmer function (brightness adjustment).
The enclosure has been completely revitalized, made of teak wood. The wood finish is Chinese oil produced from natural oils, and natural turpentine-based beeswax. The device has been fully reviewed and serviced.
Collector’s set. The device is in perfect condition.
The device has been fully reviewed and serviced.
– replacement and replenishment of lubricants
– cleaning of the laser
– cleaning of the front panel and the remote control in an ultrasonic cleaner
– cleaning and adjustment of the mechanics
– removal of cold solder joints
– complete service of the mechanics
– washing of the stepping stone boards
– adjustment of parameters according to the service manual
Technical data:
– disc format – CD
– frequency response – solid state – 20Hz to 20kHz (+0, -0.2dB), vacuum tube – 20Hz to 20kHz (+0.1, -0.3dB)
– D/A converter – Texas Instruments PCM5102A – 192 kHz/32 bit
– THD distortion – solid state – 0.005% – vacuum tube – 0.8%
– signal to noise ratio – solid state – 115 dB – vacuum tube – 105 dB
– dimensions – 40.2 cm x 28 cm x 17 cm (width, depth, height)
– weight – 12 kg
– Japanese production from 2009/2012