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The Leben CS300XS Thread
Jul 10, 2011 at 10:00 AM Post #856 of 2,300
I would totally have done new side panels if I had the right tools. Something thicker, and in Rosewood, would be killer :D
 
Jul 11, 2011 at 7:08 AM Post #858 of 2,300
Hello Leben owners, I think I have channel imbalance with my Leben when I compared to my Lehmann.  The vocal always shifted to the left, which is dead center with my BCL.  I use the Balancer, but I think the sound is not as nice as if I leave it in at the center, I don't know, maybe just placebo, you know, maybe I keep thinking the Balancer is not dead center, is it make sense?
 
Do you think it's time for me to change my tubes?  or should I just use my Balancer?  I'm using Sovtek EL84 and GE 5751 now.
 
And I find the vocal has a little bit of shrillness compared to BCL, is Sovtek the culprit?
 
Jul 11, 2011 at 8:57 AM Post #859 of 2,300
Try swapping the GE 5751 to see if the balance switches sides as well. I do find the Sovtek borders shrillness (and slightly dry) over Siemens. I am using Sovtek at the moment. Hoarding Siemens for future use.
 
Jul 11, 2011 at 11:16 AM Post #861 of 2,300
Make sure you do them one set at a time so you can isolate which tubes (power or driver) are the issue.
 
Jul 11, 2011 at 11:37 AM Post #862 of 2,300
I just swapped the 5751, channel imbalance is still there, then it would be the EL84 maybe.
Strange thing is that my 'supposedly' 5751 doesn't have any '5751' number on it and it look very new, but GE logo is there.  Now I'm not sure is it really 5751?   if not, what is that? 
confused_face_2.gif

 
Jul 11, 2011 at 11:56 AM Post #863 of 2,300
Tubes can lose the number designation but US tubes all had the tube type etched rather than painted so it almost always survives. You don't see the tube type etched toward the top?
 
Jul 12, 2011 at 8:58 AM Post #864 of 2,300
Rob, dminches, I don't see anything other than GE logo and  ->
 
 
            XY
          188.5 
 
Green color.
 
In the manual, it says it is a GE 5751 and Mullard EL84, but then it also mentioned mine is CS300X, although mine is clearly CS300XS.
For the EL84 I'm sure it is printed as Sovtek.
 
I have swapped the EL84 like this:  AB-CD to CD-AB, full pair swap, the result is still the same, I find the soundstage positioning is weird if I play with the Balancer.  Do you guys use the Balancer at all?
 
Is it worth to swap to AD-CB? I mean swap single tube to single tube.
 
 
Jul 12, 2011 at 9:02 AM Post #865 of 2,300
I would not think you would need to swap the tubes more than you have. Sounds like some other issue. Is the situation the same with all of your headphones?
 
Jul 12, 2011 at 9:13 AM Post #866 of 2,300
I agree with Rob.  It seems like there is another issue.  I never use my balancer.  In fact, the only things I ever touch on the Leben is the volume control and the spreaker/phones switch.
 
Jul 12, 2011 at 9:18 AM Post #867 of 2,300
Good idea, ... as weird as it sounds, it is normal with my HD650 and I almost can say it sounds nicer with HD650 than with LCD-2.
Vocal sounds nicer, more open and more weight.
 
Rob, you sounds like you encounter this issue before with one of the dozens of your amp?
 
Wait, after observing about 5 mins, I realize it's still the same, the left side is louder than the right side  :frowning2:
 
Maybe I'll swap the RCA connections, cable etc.
 
Jul 12, 2011 at 9:24 AM Post #868 of 2,300
Well, at the risk of sounding like a lunatic...

Headphone imaging is an odd thing. It's not like speaker imaging. There have been many times when I have convinced myself that the was something wrong with any given amp I was using at the time...or the headphones...because I thought the soundstage was skewed. What I have come to realize over the years is that soundstage fluctuates wildly with different recordings, and that if you want to assure yourself that there is no issue, you have to control variables.

One thing I used for this is that I only test for how well centered the image is on headphones using MONO recordings. Those should be perfectly centered. I use the mono version of Johnny Hartmann and John Coletrane's "They Say it's Wonderful". That should be exactly in the middle.
 
Jul 12, 2011 at 9:31 AM Post #869 of 2,300


Quote:
redbull said:
Good idea, ... as weird as it sounds, it is normal with my HD650 and I almost can say it sounds nicer with HD650 than with LCD-2.
Vocal sounds nicer, more open and more weight.
 
Rob, you sounds like you encounter this issue before with one of the dozens of your amp?
Click to expand...

This may be totally unrelated but it happens with me and my HD650 and DT990 600 ohms. Because my hearing isn't the same for both ears (unfortunately). I mean it's very close but my right ear picks up frequencies slightly higher than my left. I can tell this with symphony triangles and tambourines off in the distance--one ear picks up the nuances and shimmering sound of those instruments and the other (left ear) picks up just the striking of the instrument making the shimmer of the tambourine sound more like the closing of a high-hat from a drum kit.
 
So the conclusion is (for me at least), since the HD650 aren't as detailed as the DT990, the HD650 sound a bit off balance compared to the 990. I think the 990 frequency extension compensates for my slightly dulled hearing in my left ear. The same thing happens to the same ears when I switch the L/R cups on my ears.
 
So it's all in my head. :frowning2:
 
 
 
Jul 12, 2011 at 9:38 AM Post #870 of 2,300
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