Owner Voice · Luxman Accessories
Luxman AS-44: What Owners and Reviewers Say About the Passive Line Level Switch
The AS-44 is the quiet achiever of the Luxman catalog: a fully passive RCA line level switch built for one job, letting you compare two sources, two DACs or two preamplifiers by ear without touching a cable. The owner footprint is small, so this post is honest about that, and builds the case from what owners of Luxman's switches do say, the engineering details Luxman publishes, and the criticisms worth hearing.
The short answer
The Luxman AS-44 is a fully passive line level switch for listeners who compare gear by ear. Four RCA inputs feed one output through a rotary selector, so you can switch between two DACs, two CD players or two preamplifiers instantly instead of swapping cables. It needs no power, adds no gain and aims to add no sound of its own. We sell it for $895. One honest note up front: this is a quiet, niche product with almost no public owner reviews, so below we tell you exactly where every claim comes from.
What is the Luxman AS-44?
The AS-44 is a passive line level switch. It sits upstream of your amplifier, at the small signal side of the system, and routes up to four RCA line level sources into a single output through a four position rotary selector. Its whole reason to exist is fast, repeatable A and B comparison: two DACs into one input of your integrated amp, two preamplifiers into one power amp, two CD players side by side. You turn the knob and listen, with everything else in the chain held constant.
Because it is fully passive, there is no power cord, no active stage and no gain. Luxman wires it internally with 6N OFC pure copper, fits gold plated RCA terminals, and houses it all in a rigid aluminum chassis. The design brief, in Luxman's own words via its dealers, is "no compromise in sound quality": the only variable in your comparison should be the gear you are evaluating, never the switch.
One clarification that matters: the AS-44 is the line level sibling in Luxman's switch family. The Luxman AS-55 works at speaker level, after amplification, for comparing amplifiers or loudspeakers. The AS-44 works before amplification, for comparing sources and preamplifiers. They solve different problems, and this post is about the AS-44.
The selector is also reversible. Used one way it is a source selector, switching a CD player, a tuner and a DAC into one input. Turned around it becomes an amplifier selector, sharing one source with multiple amplifiers. A headphone terminal is built in as well.
See the Luxman AS-44, $895Luxman AS-44 specifications
| Type | Passive line level switch |
|---|---|
| Signal path | Fully passive, no active gain stages |
| Connectors | RCA (unbalanced): 4 inputs and 1 output |
| Switching | 4 position rotary selector, reversible: four sources to one output, or one source to multiple amplifiers |
| Ground switching | Ground circuit switched per channel to avoid earth loop noise |
| Internal wiring | 6N (99.99997%) pure copper OFC, low signal loss |
| Terminals | High purity gold plated RCA terminals |
| Chassis | Highly rigid aluminum enclosure |
| Extra feature | Headphone terminal |
| Power supply | None required (passive) |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 370 x 71 x 136 mm (14.57 x 2.8 x 5.35 in) |
| Weight | Approximately 2.4 kg |
| In the box | AS-44 switch, owner's manual, warranty documentation |
| Warranty | 3 years parts and labor through Luxman America (authorized dealer purchase) |
| Our price | $895 |
What owners use the AS-44 for
The AS-44 is a tool, not a destination component, so the interesting question is what people actually do with one. From Luxman's own use cases and the way owners of its sibling switches describe their listening, four uses come up again and again.
A and B comparing DACs and digital sources. This is the classic AS-44 job. Connect two DACs, or a CD player and a network transport, to two inputs and switch between them in real time into the same amplifier input. Instant switching keeps the comparison honest in a way that swapping cables never can, because your memory of the sound does not get a chance to fade.
Auditioning two preamplifiers. Feed two preamplifiers into one power amplifier and evaluate their character with everything else held constant. This is the use case reviewers and dealers reach for, and it is exactly what the passive design is for: the switch is not supposed to have a sound, so the differences you hear belong to the preamps.
One source shared across amplifiers. Run the selector in reverse and a single source can feed multiple amplifiers, which is handy when you are deciding between amps or running a second system off one digital front end.
Showroom and review bench duty. An owner of Luxman's sibling AS-55 speaker switch on Audiogon describes using it precisely for this kind of work: quick A and B comparisons without leaving the listening seat. The AS-44 brings the same idea to the line level side of the system, where reviewers and dealers live.
Five things owners praise about the AS-44
Honesty first: the AS-44 is a niche accessory with a small public footprint. We found no verified owner reviews of this specific model on YouTube, Reddit, the Steve Hoffman Forums or Audio Science Review. So instead of inventing praise, here are five things grounded in what actually exists: the engineering details Luxman publishes through its dealers, and what owners of Luxman's sibling passive switches say about the family. Each point is labeled with its source.
1It is designed to disappear from the signal path
The whole point of a passive switch is restraint, and Luxman leans into it: no active circuitry, no gain stage, no power supply to add its own electrical signature. The dealer technical description puts the design goal plainly: "There is no compromise in sound quality." For a comparison tool, that is the highest compliment available. The best thing a switch can do is nothing. Source: Luxman technical description via Noteworthy Audio.
2Build quality owners call out by name
The most detailed owner writing about Luxman's passive switches comes from the sibling AS-55, and it is emphatic about construction:
"I have used a Luxman AS-55. It works great... Good sound and no damaged gear."
Audiogon owner br3098, on the sibling AS-55 speaker switch
Another owner in the same thread goes further on value for money: "It's a brilliant design and is done well. I don't think I could build myself with similar quality for what Luxman charges for these devices." The AS-44 shares the family's construction philosophy: the rotary selector, the rigid aluminum chassis and the short internal wiring runs. Source: Audiogon discussion, "Does any one have experience with a high-end amp switch or the Luxman AS-55."
3Ground is switched per channel, not shared
This is the kind of detail that separates a serious switch from a project box. Luxman switches the ground circuit for each channel individually, specifically to avoid the noise of earth loops. Ground loops are the classic source of hum when multiple sources share a system, and addressing them in the switch itself is exactly the sort of quiet engineering you are paying for. Source: Luxman technical description via Noteworthy Audio.
46N copper wiring and gold plated RCA terminals
Inside the aluminum enclosure, Luxman uses pure 6N (99.99997%) OFC copper wire chosen for low signal loss, terminated in high purity gold plated RCA terminals. Luxman describes the component grade as comparable to a luxury separate amplifier. Whether or not you believe wire makes an audible difference, the contact quality and corrosion resistance of gold plating on every RCA is doing real, measurable work keeping the connection stable over years. Source: Luxman technical description via Noteworthy Audio.
5It works in both directions
Most source selectors only go one way. The AS-44's four position rotary works as a source selector (CD player, tuner, DAC into one input) or reversed as an amplifier selector (one source shared with multiple amplifiers). That reversibility makes it two tools in one box, which matters at this price. Source: Luxman technical description via Noteworthy Audio.
The features people name by name
When the AS-44 does come up in dealer listings and Luxman literature, the same features get named. Here they are, with what each one actually does for you:
- Four channel RCA line level switching (4 inputs, 1 output). The core of the unit. Four unbalanced RCA inputs feed a single RCA output, enough for a CD player, a tuner, a DAC and one more source without ever reaching behind the rack.
- Four position rotary selector. A tactile rotary knob, not a push button or a relay bank. Owners of Luxman's switches consistently mention the feel of the company's selectors, and the rotary action makes A and B comparisons fast and repeatable.
- Per channel ground switching. Each channel's ground circuit is switched individually to keep earth loop noise out of the system. This is the standout engineering detail in the AS-44's description.
- 6N OFC internal wiring. Pure 6N (99.99997%) copper internal wire, chosen for low signal loss across the short internal runs.
- Gold plated RCA terminals. High purity gold plating on every RCA for reliable contact and long term corrosion resistance.
- Rigid aluminum chassis. A highly rigid aluminum enclosure that keeps the switch mechanically quiet and shielded. The unit weighs about 2.4 kg, which tells you there is real metal in the box.
- Headphone terminal. A built in headphone connection, listed in Luxman's own spec table for the AS-44.
- Fully passive operation. No power cord, no power supply, nothing to plug in. It cannot add power supply noise because it has no power supply.
What reviewers say on YouTube
Nothing yet, and we are not going to pretend otherwise. We searched YouTube specifically for AS-44 reviews, impressions and unboxings and found no videos about this model. It is a niche accessory, and video reviewers tend to cover the amplifiers and sources, not the switch box that compares them. If a credible video review appears, we will add it here. In the meantime, the forum record above is the complete public picture.
Honest criticisms of the AS-44
Every product in this series gets its criticisms heard, and the AS-44 is no exception. Here is the honest counterpoint.
The most pointed criticism of passive switches we found comes from an Audiogon poster in the Luxman switch thread:
"A switch such as this, no matter the quality, will decrease detail, damping and overall sq, in my experience."
Audiogon poster, on speaker level switches generally
Two things are worth saying about that. First, it was written about speaker level switching, where the switch sits between amplifier and speakers and the damping argument has real physics behind it. The AS-44 works at line level, switching small signals upstream of the amplifier, so that specific concern does not transfer directly. Second, the underlying purist objection is still fair for any switch: it is another box and another pair of cables in the signal path, and if your philosophy is the shortest possible path from source to amp, any switch is a compromise you should think about.
The practical criticisms are simpler. It is RCA only, so if your system has gone fully balanced XLR, the AS-44 does not fit. It is a manual rotary switch with no remote, unlike its sibling the AS-50R, so A and B comparisons mean getting up to turn the knob. And $895 is real money for a passive box. You are paying for the quality of the switch contacts, the grounding design, the wiring and the chassis, not for features. If you only ever listen to one source, it has nothing to offer you.
Frequently asked questions about the Luxman AS-44
What does the Luxman AS-44 do?
It is a passive line level switch that lets you compare line level components by ear, such as two DACs, two CD players or two preamplifiers, by switching between them instantly instead of swapping cables.
Is the AS-44 active or passive?
Fully passive. There is no active circuitry, no gain stage and no power supply, which keeps the signal path clean and neutral during comparisons.
Does the AS-44 need power?
No. Because it is a passive switch, it requires no power connection at all.
Can I use it to compare two DACs?
Yes. Connect each DAC to an input and switch between them to hear their differences with everything else held constant. This is one of the AS-44's ideal uses.
Can I use it to compare two preamplifiers?
Yes. The AS-44 is well suited to auditioning two preamplifiers feeding a single power amplifier, so you can evaluate their character by ear.
What is the difference between the AS-44 and the AS-55?
The AS-44 works at line level for comparing sources and preamplifiers upstream of your amplifier. The AS-55 works at speaker level for comparing amplifiers or loudspeakers after amplification.
Can it route one source to multiple amplifiers?
Yes. The four position rotary selector is reversible, so it can work as a source selector switching up to four sources into one input, or as an amplifier selector sharing one source with multiple amplifiers.
Does it support balanced XLR connections?
No. The AS-44 is designed around RCA unbalanced line level connections only.
What warranty does the AS-44 carry?
New units include the full Luxman America manufacturer warranty of 3 years parts and labor for the original owner when purchased from an authorized Luxman dealer such as All Elite Audio.
What is the price of the Luxman AS-44?
All Elite Audio sells the Luxman AS-44 for $895 with free shipping.
Hear the difference at All Elite Audio
The AS-44 is the kind of product that makes its case in about thirty seconds: two sources, one knob, no cable swapping. Our Timonium showroom has the listening rooms to run exactly that test, and we are an authorized Luxman dealer, so your AS-44 carries the full three year Luxman America warranty. Walk ins are welcome during showroom hours.
443-402-5055- Showroom: 1921 York Rd, Timonium, MD 21093
- Hours: Monday 9 to 5, Tuesday to Friday 9 to 6, Saturday 9 to 1
- Product page: Luxman AS-44 at All Elite Audio, $895 with free shipping
- Buying notes: Trade ins are welcome. No sales tax is charged on shipments outside Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Bring two sources you have been wondering about. We will put the AS-44 between them and let your ears settle it.
Sources
Every quote in this post is verbatim from the sources below, researched on October 17, 2026. Where the public record on the AS-44 itself is thin, we say so and label each claim with its source rather than inventing owner impressions.
- Noteworthy Audio (Canada), "Luxman AS-44 Passive RCA Line Level Selector Switch" dealer listing, including the Luxman technical description: per channel ground switching, 6N OFC wiring, gold plated RCA terminals, rigid aluminum chassis, source or amplifier selector use, headphone terminal. noteworthyaudio.com Dealer listing, not an owner review.
- Audiogon Discussion Forum, "Does any one have experience with a high-end amp switch or the Luxman AS-55," thread started August 2019, read in full. Owner quotes from br3098 and others on Luxman's passive switch build quality, plus the critical counterpoint on switches in general. forum.audiogon.com About the sibling AS-55/AS-50R speaker level switches; labeled as such in the post.
- All Elite Audio product page for the Luxman AS-44, spec table and Buyer's Guide (type, connectors, switching, wiring, dimensions, weight, warranty). alleliteaudio.com
- All Elite Audio Knowledge blog, "Luxman AS-44 Passive Line Level Switch: A Buying Guide," September 2026. Our companion buying guide; this post covers owner and user sentiment instead.