Pre/Power Amplifiers

For the sake of brevity, and as this is a review of the P-750u rather than a study of single-ended-vs-balanced, all of the observations are about the sound of the amplifier. As you read this, though, please note that when balanced operation was possible, the sound was audibly if not monumentally better. To put it another way, I would use balanced for personal listening whenever feasible, but wouldn’t lose sleep over it if I couldn’t. In other words, I ain’t parting with my Beyer DT-48s.

Immediately apparent was an openness, a delightfully out-of-the-head soundstage on a par with what I think is the champ in this field – the Audio-Technica. As the mix of headphones included both sealed and open-backed on-ear, over-ear and circumaural types, it was a joy to hear this consistently from model to model. I’d started with some raucous head-banging from the Eagles Of Death Metal, revelling in ‘Poor Doggie’ off Death By Sexy… [Downtown Music 82876 873492].

The track’s drum opening sounded as cavernous via cans as it does through massive speakers, and, indeed, the transparency and spread afforded by the P-750u allowed the thwacks to resonate with loads of air. Within seconds, twin fuzz-tone guitars joined from either side, some inches from my ears. Despite the onslaught of power-chords, the sensation was bracing rather than invasive. In the head, but spreading out to my shoulders, it was like being in a wall of sound. It was like entering the skull of Phil Spector.

When things turned folksy on ‘Bag O’Miracles’, the spatial changes were uncanny, with off-mic calls seeming to come from behind me. In the middle, I heard whistling that sounded as real as if the performer was in the room. The handclapping had a genuinely natural sound, utterly free of the Rice Krispies effect that usually massacres the sound of applause.

Having immediately sated my need for scale, I felt secure in turning to The Mills Brothers Collection 1931-1952 [Acrobat FADCD2043] and a 74-year-old mono recording of ‘You Always Hurt The One You Love’. This was perfectly placed dead centre, affording an opportunity to test the sweep of the balance control. I always wondered what need one has for a balance control with headphones, as such usage doesn’t suffer, say, the asymmetrical acoustics of a room with loudspeakers, but this will be a boon for older listeners who might be down a few dB in one ear.

That said, each of the brothers’ voices could be discerned with eye-squinting, fist-clenching concentration, but I preferred to the let the harmonies rule. As this track was recorded with but a lone guitar and bass, ‘Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone’, with the group backed by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (date unknown!), exploited much more of the P-750u’s skill set.

Honeyed Vocals
With woodwinds and trumpet so sweet that the net effect of backing the quartet’s honeyed vocals was the creation of a blanket of sound, even the more crisp of the headphones sounded less aggressive. The purity of the recording, and its relative calmness, made it a prime enabler for evaluating the effect of the sensitivity adjustments. Again, the best sound wasn’t always the setting anticipated, so I implore you to use whatever value you like.

Wandering down Memory Lane to the time when I started in hi-fi retail in Orono, Maine, I couldn’t resist listening to Jethro Tull’s ‘Teacher’ from the new 50 For 50 collection [Chrysalis/Parlophone 0190295659295]. Forty-five years on from my old Superex ST-Pro B-V headphones, probably the last time I heard the track via cans, and I’m still staggered by the effect of double-tracking Ian Anderson’s voice. That, plus the crisp percussion and rich bass, always dazzled in the shop. The P-750u dug out more detail than I recall and a more vivid presence for Anderson’s breathy noises.

A vocalist from the same era, but recorded this year: Roger Daltrey’s latest, the astounding As Long As I Have You [Polydor 6751615], is virtually a new Who album in all but name thanks to the presence of Pete Townshend. It features a stunner in a cover of Stephen Stills/Manassas’ ‘How Far’. This track is truly epic, bursting with fabulous, woody, twangy guitar sounds, rich, deep bass and slamming percussion.

Here the power of the Luxman P-750u delivers dynamic contrasts and attack that will have you thinking that you’ve found a circa-1985 Krell Class-A 200-watter for the head. It nestles in the space occupied by hybrid headphone amplifiers, the needle tilting toward the solid-state but free of any transistor nasties. My goodness: this unit is something special.

Hi-Fi News Verdict
This heavyweight unit, in terms of both mass and performance, is one of the finest headphone amps I’ve had the pleasure to audition. While I fancy a mere hint of extra warmth, having been spoiled by valve or hybrid units, Luxman’s coolness has its own appeal. It’s one of the most transparent amps I’ve used, regardless of type. So even if you can’t afford this, don’t buy a pair of cans till you’ve heard them through a P-750u.