As is so often the case with brands that are now industry mainstays, Luxman’s beginnings were modest – yet even then, they showed foresight and a willingness to break new ground.
The story of Luxman began in 1925, when the company’s founders, T. Hayakawa and K. Yoshikawa, decided to set up a radio division within their picture-frame import business – before the first Japanese radio broadcast had even aired that same year. For many people, the otherwise unremarkable shop in Osaka was their first encounter with the new phenomenon of radio. In 1926, the two created the brand name “Lux” for their imported devices and began manufacturing various parts themselves to reduce import costs. They had such a knack for it that Lux Corporation soon became known for transformers and switches of exceptional quality. It was only natural that the first complete tube amplifiers would soon follow.
It was only when the hi-fi boom swept Japan in the 1970s and ’80s that Luxman achieved true international recognition. Models such as the legendary CL-32 preamplifier from the 1970s played a major role in establishing the brand’s reputation as a specialist in warm, detailed sound. The L-507 integrated amplifier and the M-05 power amplifier from the 1980s are also considered classics today.
Sensing a shift away from high-end hi-fi and toward inexpensive mass-market products in the 1980s, then-owner Atsushi Miura sold Luxman to Alpine. The new owner’s vain attempt to position the brand as a competitor to Yamaha proved disastrous for both the company’s finances and its reputation.
In 1994, Alpine divested the brand, and Luxman wasted no time reclaiming its place in the high-end segment. The excellent reputation of newer products – such as the L-590AXII Class-A amplifier and the D-10X SACD player – impressively demonstrates the success of the company’s recent strategy.
We warmly congratulate Luxman on its 100th anniversary – and look forward to another century of uncompromising high-end components from Japan!