[sphinxvc]

Thanks for posting your notes.  It's odd that the 33hz rated 88s didn't go as low as the Harbeths, but given that you listen to the LL + SR009 on a daily basis, I don't doubt your ability to pick up on how low the bass is going.  Maybe it's rated off, or maybe the decay times have something to do with it.  
 
Btw, I like your wife(ish)'s description of the Leben.

 

[DefQon]

Quote:

 
 
Yep, I'll agree with sphnxvc here.  El Doug said earlier that if " you've heard one, you've heard em all."  Their money is in the build quality, which in a lot of ways is unsurpassed.  But they do all sound particularly "Woo."  To me that's very thin, spacious, detailed, and bright...regardless of the tube compliment.  The WA5 lacks weight and midrage plushness, though it looks great on the coffee table.  By no means did it sound like I paid ~5k for a single ended 300b amp.  This all comes down to their output transformers, they're wound in house but I've no idea how they're made or of what materials, but an amplifier is only as good as it's output trans.  The Audio Note Kits company makes an EL84 based class A amplifier that is for heaphones and speakers, that is something you should also take a look at.  EL84 is a great tube IMO.  Outputs will be of much better quality as they were designed by Andy Grove specifically for use in this application.

 
Guess it's true then that even in balanced mode, the WA22 sounds exactly same as SE mode.

 

[MorbidToaster]

Thanks for posting your notes.  It's odd that the 33hz rated 88s didn't go as low as the Harbeths, but given that you listen to the LL + SR009 on a daily basis, I don't doubt your ability to pick up on how low the bass is going.  Maybe it's rated off, or maybe the decay times have something to do with it.  

Btw, I like your wife(ish)'s description of the Leben.

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/article/test-report-devore-fidelity-gibbon-88-tower-speaker?page=0,2

Pretty significant difference in the tests here I'd say.

Also, man...I can't describe how gorgeous the Leben was on that rack. It matched the Leben's wood perfectly and the good made the whole room just feel warm.

 

[Jmstrmbn]

My guess as to the difference in ratings vs practical use is the effect of the room, unless it was the same room.

 

[HugoFreire]

Here is my HE90 rack project. The rack itself has been assembled this week. Dark environment, bad cell phone pictures, but it looks stunning in person. The HE90 goes on the top. Will post more pictures when I get the rack at the right place and with the rig on it. Cheers!
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

[hfflt]

Quote:

Here is my HE90 rack project. The rack itself has been assembled this week. Dark environment, bad cell phone pictures, but it looks stunning in person. The HE90 goes on the top. Will post more pictures when I get the rack at the right place and with the rig on it. Cheers!

 
It must be stunning system! Really looking forward to it.

 

[Currawong]

Interesting about the Lebel and the Harbeths. I tried the 7ES3s from a Luxman amp and it was too aggressive for my tastes.  The Luxman was nicer with the KEF LS50s. The best I've heard recently (ignoring the Dyna5555 high-end room this week, full of giant speakers fed by no-holds-barred best-of-the-best) was a pair of small ELACs fed by a locally made 12AU7/KT88 pre and power amp with the source a lowly Sony SACD player. The whole rig would cost around $10-15k. The amps didn't sound tubey at all either, just spot-on.

 

[longbowbbs]

So as high end seems a bit fluid...Here is my highest end for me so far headphone system....Description in the signature....The big tube is a USAF-596 Rectifier with a 2359Glenn Quad to Octal adapter.
 
New Toxic Cables Silver Widow's for the HD650's.....
 
 

 

 

[sphinxvc]

Quote:

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/article/test-report-devore-fidelity-gibbon-88-tower-speaker?page=0,2
Pretty significant difference in the tests here I'd say.
Also, man...I can't describe how gorgeous the Leben was on that rack. It matched the Leben's wood perfectly and the good made the whole room just feel warm.

 
That puts things in perspective, thanks for sharing.  I lament that there isn't a standardized, comprehensive Inner Fidelity-like measurements site for speakers.  Since that's the more popular side of audio anyway, it's confusing that there isn't.  
 
Do report back on the Leben vs. LM showdown.

 

[MorbidToaster]

That puts things in perspective, thanks for sharing.  I lament that there isn't a standardized, comprehensive Inner Fidelity-like measurements site for speakers.  Since that's the more popular side of audio anyway, it's confusing that there isn't.  

Do report back on the Leben vs. LM showdown.

Might be hearing an Ayon integrated as well. Will report back with the various findings. Also lookin into TT upgrades so I might report back on some comparisons with those too

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

Interesting about the Lebel and the Harbeths. I tried the 7ES3s from a Luxman amp and it was too aggressive for my tastes.  The Luxman was nicer with the KEF LS50s. The best I've heard recently (ignoring the Dyna5555 high-end room this week, full of giant speakers fed by no-holds-barred best-of-the-best) was a pair of small ELACs fed by a locally made 12AU7/KT88 pre and power amp with the source a lowly Sony SACD player. The whole rig would cost around $10-15k. The amps didn't sound tubey at all either, just spot-on.

 
Any idea which ELAC speakers they were  ?  Thanks. 

 

[MorbidToaster]

 

 
Rearranged and finally hung some LPs/Art. Like this a lot more than the 'stretched' way it was earlier.
 
Those VTI shelves and the 851C will hopefully be sold soon and on the way out. 

 

[Silent One]

Quote:

 
Rearranged and finally hung some LPs/Art. Like this a lot more than the 'stretched' way it was earlier.
 
Those VTI shelves and the 851C will hopefully be sold soon and on the way out. 

 
So, these are the actual album cover art? Nice! Thanks to your inspiration, I received my first two picture discs this week:
 

 

 

[MorbidToaster]

Four of them are the actual art. The Daft Punk is an inner sleeve from Discovery and the bird is from Blunderbuss.

Bad has a picture disc, too. I need to get both.

 

[lyrill]

Quote:

Four of them are the actual art. The Daft Punk is an inner sleeve from Discovery and the bird is from Blunderbuss.
Bad has a picture disc, too. I need to get both.

i just love the fifth song from 2007