Luxman's retro-styled SQ-38u is the 11th installment of a now 25wpc EL34 push/pull integrated with auto bias and a classic Ultralinear Mullard circuit. The company first introduced it in 1963. Now the firm's current president Kazuyuki Doi has reinvented it for 2009. It includes a 2-stage PK-NF type MM/MC-hi/MC-lo phono stage with MM step up transformer and defeatable 30Hz rumble filter. There are tone and balance controls. There's a headphone output, rec/monitor loop and remote control for volume/mute. Very clever, a front panel switched pre-out/main-in loop avoids sound-degrading metal jumpers but offers a serious upgrade path (or even the option to insert a black box for crossover, room correction or similar ).
A wonderful blend of old & new; the SQ-38u incorporates many modern features in a classic design that exudes luxury & class.
Another remarkable design from Kazuyuki Doi - who brought us the MQ-88 / CL-88 as well more recently the NeoClassico.
Conservatively rated @ 30 watts per channel, has multiple inputs and tone controls (fully defeated at the touch of a button). On board phono stage with selectable MM, MC low or high output. MC duties are handled by a step-up transformer. High quality headphone output terminal.The SQ-38u delivers a linear Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier output as well as reliable performance for many years to come. Here is an amplifier that can be inherited by the next generation.
We release our new VACUUM TUBE INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER SQ-38u with traditional wooden box as a chassis. SQ-38u not only consists of classical audio components such as a square-shaped wooden chassis that reminds you classical products and various knobs with sophisticated workmanship but also has been designed under the concept that SQ-38u is a powerful machine with necessary and sufficient performance and convenience, which sufficiently functions as a pre-main amplifier from various sources selection/adjustment to speaker drive with only 1 unit. Most of vacuum tube products lately have a power amplifier circuit as a main component and a simple input selection device and a simple sound volume adjustment device additionally, but those are still named a pre-main amplifier.
SQ-38u is equipped with even a phono equalizer amplification circuit in which a step-up transformer with impedance selector supporting a variety of phono cartridges is embedded as well as a full-fledged separate structural vacuum tube pre-amplifier and a 30 watts power amplifier owing to EL34 push-pull UL connection to literally achieve integrated functions and performance at the same time. SQ-38u is supplied with a remote control that has hardly been supplied to conventional full-fledged vacuum tube products.
Therefore, you can stay in your favorite listening position even to readily adjust the sound volume. In addition, SQ-38u also features the selector that switches between 2 speaker systems, headphone output terminal, separate switch, pre-out terminal, main-in terminal, the last three of which are designed to improve the system in the future, and more. These different kinds of specifications allow users who have selected a specific taste such as vacuum tube products not to be patient with functions. SQ-38u has “38” that is LUXMAN’s golden number in its name, and we integrate high performance of the cuttingedge model into mellow and warm sound that is created by very a vacuum tube and that meets the demands of existing users in the name of it, and then we suggest new sense of values about modern vacuum tube amplifier.
The combination of 16 mm MDF and wood coated square-shaped wooden chassis remarkably contributes to beauty in design that provides people with sense of safety and to strength of the whole product.
The orthodox push-pull UL connection of output tube EL34 manufactured by Sovtek in Russia has achieved proven assured sound quality and necessary and sufficient rated output 30 watts (at 6W) in consideration of elongated bulb life.
SQ-38u is equipped with 2-staged PK-NF type of phono equalizer amplification circuit. Signal phase rotation has been minimized and the distortion rate has been successfully reduced to low levels.
You can use the MC step-up transformer with gain selection device at the use of MC cartridge to enjoy welldeveloped sound quality specific at using a transformer.
We use the less undulated traditional LUX type (first model: SQ5b in 1962) with gradual variation characteristic for the tone control circuit adjustable to your favorite sound quality at fine levels.
A nitrogen-capsulated audio relay is used for all of the function selection devices. As compared with direct wiring to switches, contact resistance, time-dependent change, and noise on lines become less. You therefore can implement safe and secure selection even for long-term service.
The speaker selector with A/B selection function is provided, which allows you to select between 2 speaker systems according your music taste or favorite era.
Separate configuration (pre-amplifier + power amplifier) of the unit allows flexible system upgrade in the future. The one-touch separate switch on the front panel is user-friendly to separate between pre-amplifier and power amplifier.
The headphone output terminal allows you to casually enjoy vacuum tube sound even at midnight.
The mute function is convenient at cartridge replacement. The low-cut function (cutoff 30 Hz) is provided to cut lowfrequency signals generated due to warped records.
Extensive functions that must satisfy analog record fans are provided such as monaural switch suited for monaural record play.
Our commitment to the exterior is comprehensive, for example, the up/down lever switch that reminds you of the LUXMAN amplifier series in early years, power ring indicator that can be said to be the identity of the 38 series, knobs with different treatment between front and surrounding, etc.
As much as 8 mm aluminum is applied to the front panel composing the chassis with wooden box to express rigidity impression and vigorous face.
Gold plated tight tube sockets are used because of their characteristic of low contact resistance.
A compact aluminum remote control is supplied as standard equipment capable of sound volume adjustment (including mute) remotely from your listening position.
All of the vacuum tube components are basically designed to be serviceable for a long time, selected after 24-hour aging, and finally integrated into the product.
Output: 30W +30 W (6Ω), 25W +25 W (8Ω, 4Ω)
Inputs: 1 phono (MM / MC high / MC low), 4 line inputs
Recording input and output: REC output, monitor
Speaker Outputs: A, B (independent switching, with simultaneous output)
Remote Control Functions: Volume up / down, mute
Tube Compilment: EL34 x 4, ECC85 (6AQ8) x 5, ECC82 (12AU7) x 2
Dimensions: 400 x 196 x 310mm
Weight: 20 KG
The NCD1 player uses Philips CD Pro 2 transport, one of the best CD modules currently available, inserted in a particular semi-rigid system, composed of a steel and wood mass suspended on anti-vibration mounting pads.
Thanks to the high sampling frequency, it was possible to use a first order analog filter made up of a metal film resistor and an exceptionally high quality silver mica capacitor.
