In the world of analogue hi-fi, simplicity has long been king. Conventional wisdom has it that fewer features mean a purer signal path with the bonus that more of the build budget can be allocated to sound-critical components rather than paying for extras that may or may not be used. In our experience, such a purist approach does indeed tend to lead to better-sounding products, but then again, there are exceptions like Luxman’s L-509Z.
On paper, this classy integrated is about as far from the minimalist ideal as an all-analogue amplifier can get. You have a built-in switchable phono stage, tone, loudness and balance controls, the ability to switch between two pairs of speakers and a choice of headphone outputs. It is also possible to separate the pre and power sections and use them individually should you want to upgrade. The unusual thing is that the L-509Z offers all this while still delivering sound quality that rivals the very best minimalist designs at the price.
