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OK, here's a rare piece - in Australia anyway. It's a Nordmende 2001 Super, which is a vintage German valve stereo system in a box. It has the turntable, amplifier and a multi-band tuner section. Similar in concept to the Braun but not as trendy in finish. But wait, the Braun is only mono, even though it looks fabulous. I have one of the Nordmende. These models are known as Snow White's Coffin due to the large clear lid!

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I just withdrew my Luxman L530 from sale after realising a Nichicon cap was looking funny when I popped up the lid (that was my first time). But funnily I for the first time realised it had a 'phono straight' function. I knew the amp featured good phono loading options but I feel the designer wanted to make it a vinyl-head's dream integrated.

 

Now I'm pretty keen on restoring this beauty. Even with the dwarfed Nichicon it still sounds pretty damn good after cleaning the volume pot a little. Thinking of pairing this to my AR-3a speakers along with a nice table for a secondary vintage system I don't really need lol.

Edited by Happy
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7 minutes ago, Spinnergeoff said:

I had a Luxman L530 years ago that was dead and needed repairing. Gave it to a very trusted repairer some hundreds of miles away to assess and advise, and his advice was to bin it! I've regretted that ever since. Never saw it again.

 

he prolly kept it in his drawer :P

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 8/24/2017 at 3:00 PM, Happy said:

I just withdrew my Luxman L530 from sale after realising a Nichicon cap was looking funny when I popped up the lid (that was my first time). But funnily I for the first time realised it had a 'phono straight' function. I knew the amp featured good phono loading options but I feel the designer wanted to make it a vinyl-head's dream integrated.

 

Now I'm pretty keen on restoring this beauty. Even with the dwarfed Nichicon it still sounds pretty damn good after cleaning the volume pot a little. Thinking of pairing this to my AR-3a speakers along with a nice table for a secondary vintage system I don't really need lol.

The L530 was a pretty decent amp, BUT, obtaining output devices can be challenging. Can you post a photo of the funny looking cap? Top and bottom, if possible. It is quite likely that the 'funny looking' aspect is nothing to worry about. The L530 would not be my first choice to run AR3a speakers, as the 3a is rated at a nominal 4 Ohms and has dips to below this figure. The L530 is not comfortable with 4 Ohm loads. 

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The L530 was a pretty decent amp, BUT, obtaining output devices can be challenging. Can you post a photo of the funny looking cap? Top and bottom, if possible. It is quite likely that the 'funny looking' aspect is nothing to worry about. The L530 would not be my first choice to run AR3a speakers, as the 3a is rated at a nominal 4 Ohms and has dips to below this figure. The L530 is not comfortable with 4 Ohm loads. 


It's being taken care of as we speak. The funny caps were filter caps and we've got the replacement.

I'll see how it sounds with 3a. The best sounding amp with these was tpa3116 who'd have thought


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Then they absolutely must be replaced. Either way, not a great match for the 3a, or, indeed, most old AR models. More current ability is needed. 


As we discussed before I do consider this lots of power for 3a is a must a bit of an exaggeration.

Yes I know what I'm talking about I actually restored them myself and tried numerous amps with them in my own system.


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15 minutes ago, Happy said:

 


As we discussed before I do consider this lots of power for 3a is a must a bit of an exaggeration.

The AR3a needs lots of CURRENT. 

 

15 minutes ago, Happy said:

 



Yes I know what I'm talking about I actually restored them myself and tried numerous amps with them in my own system.


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So have I. I know most of the old ARs quite well. After a crossover rebuild (essential), the 3a is a very good old speaker. It still has a tough impedance characteristic though. 

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So have I. I know most of the old ARs quite well. After a crossover rebuild (essential), the 3a is a very good old speaker. It still has a tough impedance characteristic though. 


Well Ken Kantor seems to disagree with you last time I spoke to him elsewhere


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1 minute ago, Happy said:

 


Well Ken Kantor seems to disagree with you last time I spoke to him elsewhere


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I don't care what Ken Kantor (or anyone else) says. He and others are entitled to be completely wrong about any topic they wish. I KNOW the 3a very well indeed. I KNOW what works and what doesn't. The L530 has very aggressive current limiting systems (common with many Japanese amps of the early 1980s). The L530 will work. It just won't allow the 3a to reach it's full potential. My first experience with this kind of thing was with the AR10pi and a Marantz 2325. Unlike the L530, the Marantz was rated to drive 4 Ohm loads. It could manage around 200 Watts at 4 Ohms. The 10pi (admittedly, a more difficult load than the 3a) caused the current limiters in the Marantz to be triggered at around 30 Watts, at certain frequencies. 

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11 minutes ago, Happy said:

He made those AR speakers man. Chillax


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I am aware of that. I, too, have spoken to Ken about NHT speakers. He is approachable and generous with his time. However, I should have added, that, since 1980, through to when Luxman folded, I was their main service agent for Sydney (via International Dynamics). Not only am I intimately familiar with AR speakers, but I know the Luxmans very well indeed. The ARs need plenty of current. Not all Luxmans can deliver the required current. 

Edited by Zaphod Beeblebrox
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18 minutes ago, Zaphod Beeblebrox said:

 

I am aware of that. I, too, have spoken to Ken about NHT speakers. He is approachable and generous with his time. However, I should have added, that, since 1980, through to when Luxman folded, I was their main service agent for Sydney (via International Dynamics). Not only am I intimately familiar with AR speakers, but I know the Luxmans very well indeed. The ARs need plenty of current. Not all Luxmans can deliver the required current. 

 

then the right approach should perhaps be your view is different rather than saying you don't care what the author of those speakers has to say. 

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Just now, Happy said:

 

then the right approach should perhaps be your view is different rather than saying you don't care what the author of those speakers has to say. 

Or, does Ken have an intimate knowledge of the L530? Has he, for instance, repaired (probably) several dozen of the amps, like I have? 

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Just now, Zaphod Beeblebrox said:

Or, does Ken have an intimate knowledge of the L530? Has he, for instance, repaired (probably) several dozen of the amps, like I have? 

it's not that he says Luxman amps are adequate or inadequate. What he says is that you don't need that much of an amp to drive 3a well. His view on the amps is probably different from yours, as you probably know if you spoke to him. 

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