LuxmanMQ-68cusedLuxman MQ-68c Tube Amplifier, Vintage Japanese ClassicLuxman MQ68C Amplifier The MQ68C is a 30W-35W stereo amplifier made by the renown Japanese audio company Luxman. It was hand made in Japan from the highest quality materials of the time and b...1999.00

Luxman MQ-68c Tube Amplifier, Vintage Japanese Classic

Listing ID: lis8i278 Classified 
 Listed  · 619 Views

0 Watchers

Items from this seller

Time Left: Listing Sold

This listing has ended.

Condition
7/10
Payment methods

Contact seller after sale to pay viaCertified check, Personal check, Wire Transfer or Express Checkout

Ships fromGlen Rock, NJ, 07452
Ships toUnited States
Package dimensionsunspecified
Shipping carrierUPS
Shipping cost$49.00
AverageResearch Pricing


Luxman MQ68C Amplifier 




The MQ68C is a 30W-35W stereo amplifier made by the renown Japanese audio company Luxman.  It was hand made in Japan from the highest quality materials of the time and benefit greatly from the quality of the transformers in particular which contribute to the lush warm dynamic sound quality.



Luxman tube amps from the era are a rare find in the US.  Most were sold oversee and kept in the Asian market.  You can buy them from Japanese websites but it will cost you an arm and a leg and may not be the correct voltage.   This amp has bene well cared for and babied.  It was part of a large collection that we just purchase local  collector which included dozens of amplifiers so you can imagine how little use it got.  



The MQ68C was designed to run on proprietary Luxman/NEC 50CA10G  tubes.  This example is loaded with just that and the tubes are in great shape and test strong.  I suspect there are many years left in them.  If you find another MQ36 out there it likely has been converted to work on common 6L6GL or KT88 tubes.  There is a simple conversion available in case you do not want to some day have to buy the much more expensive 50CA10G tubes.  They are out there so if you pocketbook allows you can keep this original over time which is my suggestion and that of many other conesseiurs.  



Overall physical condition is good but there are a few scratches or scuffs throughout.  



On the back you will binding posts and RCA jacks.  You will also find variable input adjustments for the audio signal.  



The amplifier is in perfect working condition and the tubes test strong and clean.  We ran the unit on our workbench to its full rated power and it measured clean.  It was also tested in our listening room for some time to ensure that what the test equipment reported translated to good quality audio.  



This is a rare and beautiful unit (specially with the original output tubes) and is priced accordingly.  No low ball offers please. 




The item will be professionally packaged and insured for safe transit to your home. 



Available for pickup in Ridgewood, NJ or Union Square NYC.



NJ Residents will need to pay NJ Sales Tax



Use the buy it now button and we will cover the PayPal fees.



Thanks for looking and be sure to call 646 852 2073 with any questions. 



Please visit our Audiogon e-store to see the rest of the items we have for sale www.audiogon.com/stores/skyfi




Here is a bit of a review I found online.  



LUXMAN today is not typically associated with the manufacture of high end tube components. The company has been reticent in the United States. I have not heard any of its latest equipment rated in any of the high end audio journals. The last one was their tube hybrid integrated amp, the BRID LV105, which was rated class D by Stereophile in 1988. There was a time when Luxman's star was ascending indeed. This was in the late 1970's and early 1980's when the company unveiled an aggressive new line of tube components. It was the first time that a Japanese company entered the hallowed halls of the American high end market and competed with the best tube audio equipment manufacturers. (I understand that Luxman still manufactures on a very limited basis and for selective distribution tube components that are very expensive and very high quality. But these are not available in the U.S. market.) 


What was radical in their approach was the development of new tubes for their amps. This was in an era when tube usage was in fast decline. Using tubes of their design and produced for them by NEC, Luxman introduced the Lux MB3045 tube mono amps. These amps received encomium from the high end press. I had at one time possessed those beauties and remember enjoying many hours of listening pleasure. 



The MQ68C follows in the footsteps of the MB3045. Like the MB3045, the cage toggles a safety switch that turns off the power when you lift the cover. Both models utilize point to point wiring, triode outputs tubes (50C-A10 for the MQ68C and 8045G for the MB3045) and the same input complement of 6240G and 6267/EF86 tubes. The 50C-A10 output tube was likewise manufactured by NEC. There still are a number of 50C-A10 tubes out there though it does take some effort to locate them. Luxman recommends the 6CG7 as the substitute for the 6240G. This is in fact the tube that is being used in the unit under review. 



Packaging 



The Luxman MQ68C with its slim rectangular box resembles most tube amps of its vintage. It's presentation is simple. In front there are the insignia and power-on orange led. On the top plate, two 50C-A10 tubes are positioned on each side with the power transformer in between. Behind them are the two output transformers and input tubes followed by the choke and high capacity/high voltage capacitors. At the back are the gold input RCA jacks, input level controls, fuse holder, speaker terminals, power-on switch and negative feedback switch. 



The fit and finish are first rate. The top plate is made of machined aluminum which provides a decorative touch to the brown color of both the cage and circuit housing. The MQ68C measures 15.75" x 6" x 6.5" (W/H/D), and weighs about 30 lbs. 



While biasing the unit, I had a chance to look at the innards of the amplifier. The MQ68C utilizes point to point wiring (a pleasant surprise) and high grade resistors and capacitors. Biasing the unit may appear challenging but is actually simple. After placing the amp on its side, unscrew the bottom plate, locate the four trimmers, measure the voltage at the two bias points and adjust the trimmers accordingly. A multimeter and small screwdriver are required. If you are unfamiliar with biasing procedures, I suggest you get someone to show you how. Beware, there are lethal voltages crisscrossing the cicruitry. 



The MQ68C is specified at 30 wpc at 8 Ohms. You will therefore need to partner this amp with logically sensitive speakers. 






WHO WE ARE 


Skyfi.nyc is a small startup business specializing in the purchase, reconditioning and reselling of select high end audio equipment.  We only buy equipment the we admire and are passionate about.  No mid-fi, no gimmicks and no junk.  



Each piece of equipment is cosmetically restored and fully tested in our well-equipped lab by an engineer with 30+ years of experience in the Hifi world.  If it does not meet or exceed the original manufactures specifications, it will not be sold.  We are select about the equipment we purchase, focusing on mostly analog, high-build quality, American and European built units.



Through our sister company, which is an authorized dealer for McIntosh, Audio Research, Sonus Faber, ClearAudio, Project and Sony ES, we have access to OEM parts and service support.  If you are local and are looking for any new equipment for the above mentioned manufacturers, please drop us a line as we can arrange both sales and professional installation in the tri-state area




PURCHASING GUIDELINES


If you would like to make an offer, please don't email or message us unless you are looking to trade something in.  



If we are accepting offers, you will see a button on the listing page to do so.  Please use it, as it is very hard to track offers through email or messaging.  This way, we are all also better protected.   If you don’t see a “offer” button its because we are not taking offers on this item.  Please don’t bother to make one.  



PAYMENTS


We prefer working through PayPal, which allows you to use a credit card or bank transfer.  We do not charge extra for any payment fees.  You can also send us a personal check (which will need to clear before shipping), certified check, money order or wire transfer.  International clients without access to PayPal should use a bank wire transfer. 



If you are picking up an item, we don not accept PayPal, you must pay in person with cash, certified or bank check or wire transfer.  If you make a PayPal payment it will be returned. 



TRADE IN POLICY 


We accept trade-ins of equal or lesser value under certain conditions.  Simply ask and let us know the exact model, condition and what accessories are included such as a box, remote, manual, etc.  We will only consider high-end equipment from mainstream manufacturers such as McIntosh, Mark Levinson, Audio Research, Krell, etc. and will typically pass on displays, projectors, receivers, dated processors and mid-fi equipment of any type.  We will offer a fair value for your equipment, but keep in mind we are running a business and will need to be able to sell the equipment at a profit after investing a great deal of time and resources in testing, certifying, repairing, cleaning and packaging the incoming equipment.  If you are looking for top dollar we suggest attempting to sell it directly to an end user.  



SELL US YOUR GEAR (Working or Broken)


We will also purchase your used or broken gear and arrange pickup if you are in our local market.  Just drop us a note for a quote, but be sure to include the condition and what is included.  



HOW TO VISIT US


We are currently operating from a residence in Ridgewood, NJ.  You are welcome to make an appointment if there is a piece of equipment you would like to see in operation before or after purchase.  We have a well-equipped, dedicated listening room with tons of equipment of all makes and models.  We are not a store, so please don’t make an appointment if you are just curious as to how a speaker or piece of equipment sounds.  In essence, no tire kickers please.  



If you are in NYC and cannot make it out to Ridgewood, we can arrange pickup in Union Square (14th Street) after the purchase.   You can call or text  (646) 852-2073 with any questions or to schedule an appointment.  We can also arrange to install, calibrate and tune the gear in your listening room if you are in the local area.  This is super useful when purchasing large speakers or heavy amplifiers.  It is also great for ensuring your new turntable is setup correctly in its final resting place.  



Thanks for looking and please send us your email address if you would like to receive a list of the equipment we receive from time to time.  We promise not to bombard you with junk email.  

No questions have been asked about this item.

Ask the seller a public question

You must log in to ask a question.

Return Policy

Return Window

Returns are not accepted on this item.