Luxman C-12

Part of the beautiful and renowned series of ultra-slimline components taking things where the Laboratory Reference Series left off :
C-12, M-12, B-12, T-12.

Several other siblings were also around for those who couldn't spend 500,000¥ for a complete "12" set : L-10 integrated, T-10 tuner and the (completely different and not slimline at all) L-11.


The C-12 is a compact preamplifier based on the Lux Realtime-Processed DC circuit.
Regulated stage is in Class A, Realtime-Processed DC relies on a proprietary IC, the DML-01 and/or DML-02 which holds the 1st stage FET differential amp and its supporting cascode, current mirror and constant current circuits all in one (little) box.

The non-phono part of the first stage has a constant current cascode circuit and Class A SEPP output circuit : the flat amp section holds similar DML ICs arranged with an output circuit of constant current emitter-follower.
Those ICs are alas NLA and have proven not completely reliable...

The chassis was arranged so as to avoid long runs of wiring : EQ and flat amp are on one single boards, carefully arranged in dual-mono.
The volume control is (or seems to be) a 2- or 4-gang ALPS.
A small front pot allows to preset an attenuation level between 15dB and 40dB ; the attenuate switch bypasses that pot or mutes the signal entirely.
Output is a low 100 Ohm, too.

A Twin T-filter manages most of the DC circuit for the phono stage : caps and resistors sans active components, to remove the 5Hz...10Hz record warps and tonearm resonances without altering the musical signal.

Lux's usual Linear Equalizer was added, as inherited from the L-308 : 4-position up-tilt or down-tilt of the entire frequency response with 1Khz taken as turnover center. Very effective, smooth.


There are two versions of the C-12 : the one shown here and one which seems to have an added ground post and level pot at the back for... I don't know.
An optional wood enclosure was available but that is an xxx-rare item ; I don't even have its model number - it may have been a later import from the Luxkit lineups.


Luxman sold some C-12 but not nearly as much as the M-12 or B-12 amplifiers.


T-Tag is yet to be discovered but should (could) be an LCJ.
C-12s were "customed" by LCJ, customed meaning here that the 12s were limited edition - small numbers.



Still awaiting more from Japan even if the Luxman single-component japanese catalogs are almost always quite disappointing.

One C-12 in its wood enclosure at hifi-do's.
Warning, schematics and possible DML mods here.