Luxman D-500 (1985)

Name: Luxman D-500
Brand: Luxman

The Luxman D-500 was Luxman's first CD player and the flagship of its early digital lineup. The record on it is thin. Almost everything known comes from sales listings and forum chatter, not period reviews or official documentation. No technical specifications have survived in the archive: no frequency response, no THD figures, no DAC chip confirmation, no dimensions or weight. Period advertisements from HiFi-Stereo place the D-500 within the mid-1980s CD player market, with prices for CD players of the era listed alongside other audio components (HiFi-Stereo, November 1985, p.143). What is documented is the model's position and its collectibility.

Production dating is slightly uncertain. Sources are split between 1985 and 1984-1985. A separate variant, the D-500X, appears alongside the D-500 in some listings, but no available source clearly separates its specifications from the base model. The two are sometimes sold together, which suggests they were close siblings from the same era, likely sharing much of the same internal architecture.

Surviving market data shows the D-500 still commands serious money. Recent listings have ranged from roughly $1,100 to $1,600, with European sellers asking €1,150 to €1,550. One listing notes the unit was in "excellent condition and working order" after a recent assessment, which is about as close to a reliability note as the record gets. No original price, no contemporary review comments and no detailed sound quality impressions have been captured.

Known facts: