Luxman

Japan1925–5 archived pages

Luxman began in June 1925 as the radio equipment department of the Kinsuido picture frame store in Osaka, set up by T. Hayakawa and his brother K. Yoshikawa under the name Lux Corporation. The company became one of Japan's best-known makers of tube amplifiers and kept building them long after most rivals had gone solid-state.

Atsushi Miura, who had married into the founding family, took over in the early 1980s and sold Luxman to Alpine in 1984; Alpine sold it on in 1994. The brand is now part of International Audio Group. Wikipedia's article on the company carries warnings about missing citations, so dates beyond these are best checked against Luxman's own literature.

The archive covers several Luxman classics: the SQ38FD Mk II and MQ60 tube amplifiers, the L-480 integrated amplifier and the C-120/M-120 pre and power pair.

From the original manufacturer page

Luxman Corporation produces a variety of high-end hi-fi products, such as turntables, amplifiers, receivers, tape decks, CD players and speakers. Lux Corporation was founded in Japan, in June 1925, by T. Hayakawa & his brother K. Yoshikawa. It began life as the radio equipment department of Kinsuido Picture Frame Store in Osaka, until then an importer of picture frames, and was founded just ahead of the time when radio was first broadcast that year.

So began the creation of the Luxman brand. As a result of this pursuit, Luxman became famous for the output of various quality transformers and switches in Japan, and today is one of the oldest manufacturers in Japan of electronic components. This is reflected in the company’s motto Ultimate Fidelity since 1925.

In the mid 1970s and early 1980s Luxman came to prominence of the world hi-fi community due to the quality of sound of their equipment. Luxman were primarily specialists in making vacuum tube amplifiers of the highest caliber. In most cases Luxman designed equipment combined the quality and warmth of vacuum tube sound with powerful electronics and often beautiful aesthetic designs. Pre and Power amps such as the Luxman C-05 and M-05 with their champagne gold finish, highest-calibre electrical designs (pure copper interconnects, Class A amp design, separately powered channels with dual AC cables, copper-plated chassis), beautiful sound and rock solid build became the dreams of audiophiles everywhere.

Luxman: quick answers

Where did Luxman start?

In Osaka in June 1925, as the radio equipment department of the Kinsuido picture frame store, under the name Lux Corporation.

Did Luxman keep making tube amplifiers after the 1970s?

Yes. It kept tube models in its range long after most Japanese rivals had moved to transistors, which is one reason the SQ38FD line has such a following.

Who owns Luxman now?

Alpine bought it in 1984 and sold it on in 1994; the brand now belongs to International Audio Group.

Luxman

Luxman: quick answers

Luxman in the archive