The Leben CS300XS Thread

[jjinh]

Beautiful looking amp

 
Quote:

I am very much looking forward to your impressions.

That must be the CS300 then. I wonder if the CS300XS has actually been discontinued or it will just be an indefinite amount of time before the next run. I would feel completely satisfied with the CS300 as well. It is a great amp.
 

 
According to the pricejapan website:
 
Quote:

The limited version of CS300XS was discontinued, around  April 2010.
The limited version is No more available.
 
This is a normal version of CS300XS, which becomes available around June 15, 2010.

 

 

 

[Henmyr]

 
Quote:

 
Very nice! Congratulations. A very good amp indeed and a wise decision.
 
Did you order through Price Japan? They are still saying that the limited version of the CS300XS is discontinued and the normal version will be available around June 15. Is the 'normal version' they refer to actually the CS300?
 
 
x2 on what Skylab wrote!
 
Please update with first impressions and all that. Enjoy!
 

 

Thanks

I bought it used locally, so it's a CS300 for 230V.
 

 

[Born2bwire]

I lucked out.  I got my Mullard EL84's from a box of miscellaneous tubes at the back of a hifi store where we were holding a Head-fi meet.  $20 a tube for the Mullards and a pair of those with a Raytheon blackplate 5751 really sang.  I shudder to think how much those tubes would cost now, one of the reason why I decided to go solid state for my last few amps.

 

[ztsen]

Anyone from Tokyo, any good recommendation for Hi-Fi shop or 2nd hand shop I can hunt for this amp? 
I'll be going there for vacation this month.

 

[Afrikane]

Very excited to be joining the CS-300XS club soon; should have it by Thursday latest. Now to seek out some tubes.

 

[Skylab]

Nice!  Let us know how you like it!

 

[Rdr. Seraphim]

Don't forget the drivers! The magic didn't happened in my Stingray until I fell on the JJ EL84's and Telefunken 12AT7's driver combination. I think the GE5751 is the mil spec part for the 12AX7? If so, you might want to research compatibility and check out some options there too!    
 
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Are you serious?  Like headphones are a second citizen to speakers for music...LOL.  Tubes + cans rule, baby!

 

There is no doubt for me that NOS real Mullards will sound better.  But a nice quad of Mullard EL84's will run $400+.  So I use Sylvanias in mine - got a nice quad of NOS Sylvanias for $100.

 

[Skylab]

Yeah - I'm using Sylvania black-plate 5751's. They're my favorite of the non-stratospheric priced NOS 12AX7 types.

 

[Rdr. Seraphim]

Yah, I paid out the wazoo for my Tele's. And to think these things were less than a buck at one time. The Leben strikes me as a great amp.

 

[MikeLa]

Another Leben CS-300XS in the house - US import.  Currently listening with Mark Modded D7000's (LA7000), HD650's and waiting on a pair T1's.

 

[Gu Sensei]

Nice! Do share your observations and impressions. No one will object to pictures either....
 

 
 
Quote:

Very excited to be joining the CS-300XS club soon; should have it by Thursday latest. Now to seek out some tubes.

 
Quote:

Another Leben CS-300XS in the house - US import.  Currently listening with Mark Modded D7000's (LA7000), HD650's and waiting on a pair T1's.

 

[metalgear]

I'm getting in some reissue goldlions and mullards to pit against the JJ's I received with my 300xs. How many hours should I burn in the tubes? After 6 hours or so, the (cheaper) mullards already sound better than the used JJ's - much more extended and controlled bass on both the Senn 650 and the K1000.

 

[Anders]

Quote:

Very excited to be joining the CS-300XS club soon; should have it by Thursday latest. Now to seek out some tubes.

You are welcome, and also impression compared to other great amps you have owned.

 

[MikeLa]

Here is an iPhone picture of the current setup.
 
 

 

[MrQ]

I just spoke to a Leben dealer who claimed that if one bought a the CS-300XS from Japan then used a step-down transformer it would quote... "sound like a MP3 player". Can any one verify this?