Luxman PZ-24 (1965)
The Luxman PZ-24 is a tube-type control amplifier released in October 1965 at ¥38,500. It was the successor to the PZ11, the very first phono equalizer preamplifier in Japan to use germanium transistors. The PZ-24 itself went back to tubes, using five carefully selected low-noise 12AX7s. Luxman said it drew on experience from both the popular transistor PZ12 and the professional tube PZ21 preamps.
Documentation on this model is thin. Most of what survives comes from a single detailed source (audio-database.com), and no independent period reviews have surfaced. What that record shows is a well-specified unit for its time. It had phono inputs (2.8mV/100kΩ) with RIAA equalization, plus tape head inputs switchable for NARTB curves at 9.5 cm/s and 19 cm/s, and two AUX inputs with a level set on AUX2. The tone control was an NF-type with six switchable turnover frequencies (150 Hz through 6 kHz) plus defeat. A blend control collapsed stereo to mono, with an L+R signal available for playing mono records with a stereo cartridge. It also had a loudness control, presence control, an LC-type high-cut filter for scratch noise, tape monitor, and a DIN connector. The heater supply was DC in all stages, and the B supply used silicon-diode full-wave rectification.
Output impedance was a low 1.2kΩ. The unit measures 363 × 127 × 235 mm and weighs 7.6 kg.
Surviving examples do turn up on the used market. One Russian seller noted a 1965 unit in clean cosmetic condition with capacitors replaced during a repair several years ago, and a Korean listing praised the phono stage. Beyond that, little is recorded about the PZ-24's reputation, common failure points, or service parts availability.
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