Luxman E-07

Ask us to talk about some of our favourite high-end phono stages of all time, and it wouldn't be long before Luxman's excellent valve-based EQ-500 is mentioned. What Hi-Fi? tested this immaculately engineered unit back in 2017, and it made such an impression that we used it in our reference system for a while.

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The Luxman E-07 replaces that capable model, and quite clearly has a lot to live up to. This new design is no mere tweak of its predecessor - it uses a solid-state circuit rather than valves - but in terms of build and performance, it is every bit as impressive.

Luxman is currently celebrating its centenary, a milestone that few rivals can match. All that experience shines through in the construction of this phono stage. The company's products have always been understated in appearance, and the E-07 is no different. Its casework is reassuringly solid and well-damped, while every switch and control dial works with quite lovely precision.

The base of the chassis is made of two copper plates stacked together to a thickness of 3.6mm. This type of construction not only adds mass and helps to control resonances, but also improves chassis rigidity. In addition, the E-07's feet are made of dense cast-iron to provide greater resistance to unwanted mechanical vibrations entering the phono stage's structure.

Its all-in weight is a hefty 13.2kg, which is heavier than most premium integrated amplifiers that come through our test room.

NO-NONSENSE AURA

There is definitely a no-nonsense aura about the E-07, though don't take that to mean that it is a stripped-down, bare-bones design. It has three inputs, one of which is balanced, and that connectivity is mirrored on the output side. Multiple gold-plated, solid brass posts offer slightly different grounding options to allow the user to minimise hum. And, as is typical for the price point, there is a full complement of cartridge loading options on offer.