Luxman 5T10 (Early 1970s)
The Luxman 5T10 is a vacuum tube FM/AM tuner from the early 1970s, built for the Japanese domestic market. It belonged to Luxman's high-end separate component lineup of that era and was meant to pair with the company's tube amplifiers and preamplifiers. Documentation outside Japan is scarce. Most of what is known comes from Japanese used-audio dealer listings.
Here is what the record shows. The 5T10 sold new in Japan for ¥98,000. It runs on 100V AC (Japanese domestic voltage) and draws 47W. The front panel has FM muting and FM mode switches, and a magic eye tube serves as the tuning indicator. HifiDo listed a used example in "Rank A+" condition - described as very good overall, with minor scratches and age-related deterioration - at ¥88,000 (roughly $838 CAD), with the original instruction manual included.
The 5T10 is a 100V unit and essentially never left Japan, so collectors elsewhere will need a step-down transformer. Owners and technicians report the usual age-related problems. The electrolytic capacitors in the power supply need replacing. FM tuning drifts as the tubes and the variable capacitor age. The magic eye tube goes dim or stops responding. The rubber grommets and the dial string deteriorate. Alignment of the FM front-end and IF stages may also drift over time.
Surviving information on this model is thin. The sources available don't document exact production years, the tube complement, antenna input impedances, output levels, or detailed performance figures (THD, S/N ratio, stereo separation). Audio (January 1979, p.51) covered Luxman's Laboratory Reference Series separates of this period, but the 5T10 itself does not appear to have received significant coverage in the English-language audio press.
- Type: Vacuum tube FM/AM tuner
- Original price (Japan): ¥98,000
- Input: 100V AC, 47W
- Controls: FM muting switch, FM mode switch
- Tuning indicator: Magic eye tube
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