Luxman LMC-5
The Luxman LMC-5 turns vinyl into a richly textured, spacious performance, blending sonorous midrange warmth with musical detail and lively transient expression. Its Shibata stylus and resonance-conscious aluminum body underpin a refined, coherent presentation that Stereophile and Part Time Audiophile found immersive, natural, and remarkably resolving for the class.
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Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
94/100
Build Quality
92/100
Features Usability
80/100
Value for Money
95/100
Pros
Rich, organic tonal balance combines smoothness with convincing inner detail and resolution.
Deep, well-organized soundstage with strong image focus and spacious placement.
Excellent tracking and articulate, controlled bass performance.
Strong value for a meticulously constructed moving-coil cartridge at its price level.
Cons
Treble is voiced on the polite side, with less bite and sizzle than some listeners may want.
Needs a suitably substantial tonearm and careful VTA/SRA adjustment to achieve its intended balance.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 94/100
Reviews consistently describe a rich, refined and highly musical presentation, combining smoothness and tonal density with strong clarity and resolution. Its principal voicing is warm and sonorous rather than overtly analytical, with a slightly polite top end noted by one reviewer.
Overall Sound
94/100
Stereophile heard richly toned, organic and well-textured sound with tonal purity, speed and refinement, while hifitest.de found it relaxed, full-bodied and energetic without excess. Part Time Audiophile likewise praised its warm, smooth character and inner detail; Tracking Angle notes that listeners seeking more treble “sizzle” may find its upper end somewhat polite.
Tracking Retrieval
94/100
Its Shibata stylus extracts inner detail without turning analytical, according to Stereophile and Part Time Audiophile. Tracking Angle found clean tracing at 70µm on an Ortofon test record and only the slightest buzz at 80µm, calling it an excellent MC tracker.
Soundstage Imaging
93/100
Stereophile heard a deep, well-scaled stage that integrated ambient cues, textures and solid human images. Tracking Angle reported wide, deep staging with harmonies clearly placed, while other reviewers highlighted focused images, space between instruments and a broad panorama.
FEATURES USABILITY PERFORMANCE 80/100
Tonearm compatibility / system fit.
Tonearm Compatibility
80/100
Its low compliance and modest 8.5g mass make it most suitable for a reasonably high-mass arm; hifitest.de found it an excellent match in a Reed 3P. As a low-output MC it requires an appropriate phono stage or step-up solution, and Tracking Angle stresses that adjustable VTA/SRA is important to achieve its intended balance.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
92/100
The LMC-5 combines a solid diamond Shibata stylus, aluminum cantilever, high-purity copper coils and an aluminum body in a carefully executed assembly. Reviewers describe the sample as very well constructed, free of apparent cost-cutting, and solid in the hand.
Value for Money
95/100
At around $2,695/€2,300, reviewers consider the asking price strongly justified by its musical performance and construction. Tracking Angle calls the price more than reasonable, while Part Time Audiophile describes its value as incredible and argues that Luxman could have charged substantially more.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
YouTube Reviews
Forum Mentions
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Specifications
- Type
- MC (MOVING COIL)
- Internal impedance
- 4.7Ω (1kHz)
- Tracking force
- 2.1 to 2.3g (2.2g as standard)
- Output voltage
- 0.4mV (1kHz, 3.54cm / sec.)
- Frequency response
- 10Hz to 35kHz
- Channel separation / balance
- 28dB (1kHz) / 0.5dB (1kHz)
- Recommended load impedance(when head amplifier is connected)
- 40Ω or more
- Recommended load impedance(When step-up transformer is connected)
- 2.5 to 10Ω
- Dynamic compliance
- 8 x 10-6cm / dyne (100Hz)
- Stylus
- Solid diamond / SHIBATA stylus
- Cantilever
- Φ0.5mm aluminum
- Vertical tracking angle
- 25°
- Magnet
- Samarium-cobalt magnet BH20
- Coil
- 30μm UEW
- Material of magnetic circuit
- Pure iron
- Terminals
- Φ1.2mm, White (L+) , Blue (L−) , Red (R+) , Green (R-)
- Body
- Aluminum A6063
- Dimensions, Threaded holes
- 17.0 (W) x 18.3 (H) x 21.3 (D)mm (excluding terminals),M2.6mm x 2
- Weight
- 8.5g
- Accessories
- Manual, Washer x 2, Screws M2.6 (5mm x 2, 8mm x 2, 10mm x 2), Hex wrench and stylus cover
Manufacturer's Description — Luxman
Stylus and power generation engine
LUXMAN has consistently designed components for vinyl playback such as our PD series analog players and our E/EQ phono equalizer amplifier series. After a development period of 2 years, the LMC-5 is LUXMAN’s first original cartridge in 40 years. For the stylus, in order to read the musical information pressed on the record accurately and reliably, we selected a combination of an aluminum cantilever with high tracing ability and a SHIBATA stylus to pick up a large amount of information with less audible noise. In order to secure the fulcrum of the vibration system, a low distortion structure has been realized by using the one-point “piano wire” support method. The MC type power generation engine uses a cross mounted iron core with the coils for the left and right channels wound symmetrically. Adopting a magnetic structure with a small field area reduces the intrusion of external noise. We have achieved significant size and weight reductions.
Body structure and design
From our experiences with closed body designs, the coil and cantilever can act like a microphone, picking up the reflected sound, therefore reducing the enclosure results in less sound coloration. In order to prioritize weight reduction and resonance countermeasures, the housing is crafted down to a minimal design which still firmly supports the power generation engine. The minimized outer chassis has an inverted egg-shaped curve that suppresses unnecessary reflected sound and vibrations. The machined aluminum body is anodized to a deep red, which is LUXMAN’s corporate color, and with the L mark logo laser-etched on the front, it subtly asserts LUXMAN’s identity. Each one is carefully assembled by our team of craftspeople, the best in Japanese cartridge manufacture, and delivered to music lovers, worldwide.
Dimensions
This unit has a fixed stylus tip. If you wish to replace it due to wear on the stylus tip over time, please consult with the store where you purchased it or contact your local LUXMAN distributor.
Frequency response
Replacement of stylus tip
Verified Dealers
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- In Living Stereo — in-store — New York City, New York, United States (website)
- Acoustic Sounds — online and in-store — Salina, Kansas, United States (website)
- Acton Gate Audio — online and in-store — Cymru, United Kingdom (website)
- All Elite Audio — online and in-store — Perry Hall, Maryland, United States (website)
- Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
- Alta Fedelta — online and in-store — Lombardia, Italy (website)
- Analog Emporium - GEM Dandy — in-store — Memphis, Tennessee, United States (website)
- Analog Matters — online and in-store — Ormond Beach, Florida, United States (website)
- Analogue Seduction — online and in-store — Whittlesey, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Arizona Hi-Fi — in-store — Phoenix, Arizona, United States (website)
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