[Clayton SF]

Quote:

Do you mind to share a bit how the Leben sounds different with the WA22, this question also applies for Rob

, and other who may have WA22.
My combination of NFB-2 + Acrolink RCA + Leben + LCD-2 proven to be a little too lush to a level of too much weight at the vocal.
If I skip the NFB-2 and use my CDP DAC directly, the sound is more leaner, but to the expense of slightly more grain.
I'm curious how WA22 sound different from the Leben, WA22 look very nice too. 
I find Leben has a little bit of upper mid emphasize compared to my BCL, which is very flat, but timbre and attack is more realistic on the Leben.
 
What DAC do you guys use with your Leben?

I'm about to say you have dedicated audio powerline but yet you still have hum.  Man! this dimmer is very powerful!  Luckily I don't have any dimmer around.

Leben with stock tubes, PS Audio DLIII + Cullen Mods IV, Bren1 Vida IC interconnects, Emotiva ERC-1 (link is to the ERC-2). Beyers DT990 600 ohms.
WA22 with CV1863, CV2987, RCA 6SN7 cleartops, Cambridge Audio DacMagic, Bren1 Vida IC interconnects, Marantz CD 67SE. (Same headphones.)
 
The Leben is very detailed and so revealing that I though tubes were a little grainy but when I played the new Thomas Dybdal--Songs (incredible acoustic guitar and separation of channels--very separated in a aural-stimulating way) on the WA22 rig it was the recording and not the tubes. The bass is full but not bloated and the mids are wonderful. Not recessed or too forward (what's the word?--neutral?). Anyway the SQ is lovely.
 
The WA22 was slightly brighter with and the bass not as pronounced as the Leben--weird. Perhaps it's the rectifier? The CV1863, a 1940s tube--pretty to look at and presents a warmer bass sound than the Leben but the highs are a bit to bright with these hp. I wouldn't discount the WA22 because of my combo of tubes. I'm sort of burnt out on trying to find the right tubes so I'm settling in on enjoying the music--no matter the faults between the two, these amps scream way past anything I would put up with like iPods etc. So it's enjoyment time and not Holy Grail time.
 
The one amp I'm pretty surprised with is the Musical Fidelity X-CAN V8p. It's between the WA22 and Leben and it's a hybrid and although slightly less rich in its sq it has a little more punch in the lower register. It's a great amp. IMO.
 

 

[Skylab]

I find the WA22, regardless of the tubes I have tried, to be a little warmer and more romantic sounding than the Leben. The Leben is a pretty neutral amp, with just a very slight lean toward the euphonic. The WA22 is very firmly in the lush camp, IMO. Works better, for me, with the HD-800 than with the LCD-2, as a result. In fact I prefer the Decware Mini-Torii for the LCD-2 over the WA-22, but for the HD-800 the WA22 is my top choice of amps. Leben still rules the roost for the LCD-2 and for the Sony R-10, though.

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

Unfortunately, according to my electrician, no.  And even plugged into a power line filter, the problem persists.  But it isn't just the Leben at all.  My subwoofers buzz.  I can hear a buzz through speakers in either of my speaker rigs.  Turn the dimmers off - all is well.  And this is even on my main hi-fi, which has its own dedicated 20A home-run circuit!
 

Rob, this is a lark but you might try special variable wattage lightbulbs that are made for rural areas with unstable power. It solved the problem of buzzing bulbs with my dimmers in a home I used to live in. I am not sure if this could possibly have any effect on amps. (Is it the dimmer that is the problem or the dimmer + bulb combination?) It might be worth a try. Hardware stores have these bulbs (in Toronto anyway).
 
 

 

[Skylab]

Worth a shot! Thanks.

 

[BK_856er]

 
Quote:

Worth a shot! Thanks.

Dimmers are notorious for generating RF noise and apparently some models are worse than others.  Maybe your audio equipment is picking this up?  You can use a portable AM radio tuned between stations to sniff them out and compare against other devices (wall warts, etc.) to locate an offender.  I did this a few years ago trying to figure out a funky DSL line.  Maybe worth a shot?
 

 

[Skylab]

It's not RF. It's on the power line itself.

 

[googleli]

I find my Leben will emit some electrostatic hiss through my speakers when my plasma tv is turned on, but not through headphones. Pretty sure it is the Leben because I tried connecting the same speakers and speaker cables to another amp and no hiss. Anyone experienced that?

 

[Wedge]

Quote:

Wedge, what is your definition of "lush?"

A rich, warm, smooth, euphonic, etc.  Sound is lush to me.  I like some amount of lush, say like the Leben, but I don't like too much, the WA-22 was closer to the edge of too much for me than I though the Leben was.  I find it hard to define audiophile terms.  
 
Pretty much my opinion of the comparison between Leben and WA-22 mirrors, Robs.  I would agree the Leben is closer to neutral for sure, but it leans in the euphonic side of things.
 

 

[RedBull]

Quote:

 
Leben with stock tubes, PS Audio DLIII + Cullen Mods IV, Bren1 Vida IC interconnects, Emotiva ERC-1 (link is to the ERC-2). Beyers DT990 600 ohms.
WA22 with CV1863, CV2987, RCA 6SN7 cleartops, Cambridge Audio DacMagic, Bren1 Vida IC interconnects, Marantz CD 67SE. (Same headphones.)
 
The Leben is very detailed and so revealing that I though tubes were a little grainy but when I played the new Thomas Dybdal--Songs (incredible acoustic guitar and separation of channels--very separated in a aural-stimulating way) on the WA22 rig it was the recording and not the tubes. The bass is full but not bloated and the mids are wonderful. Not recessed or too forward (what's the word?--neutral?). Anyway the SQ is lovely.
 
The WA22 was slightly brighter with and the bass not as pronounced as the Leben--weird. Perhaps it's the rectifier? The CV1863, a 1940s tube--pretty to look at and presents a warmer bass sound than the Leben but the highs are a bit to bright with these hp. I wouldn't discount the WA22 because of my combo of tubes. I'm sort of burnt out on trying to find the right tubes so I'm settling in on enjoying the music--no matter the faults between the two, these amps scream way past anything I would put up with like iPods etc. So it's enjoyment time and not Holy Grail time.
 
The one amp I'm pretty surprised with is the Musical Fidelity X-CAN V8p. It's between the WA22 and Leben and it's a hybrid and although slightly less rich in its sq it has a little more punch in the lower register. It's a great amp. IMO.
 

 
Thanks for the impression Clayton, very useful.
 
Quote:

I find the WA22, regardless of the tubes I have tried, to be a little warmer and more romantic sounding than the Leben. The Leben is a pretty neutral amp, with just a very slight lean toward the euphonic. The WA22 is very firmly in the lush camp, IMO. Works better, for me, with the HD-800 than with the LCD-2, as a result. In fact I prefer the Decware Mini-Torii for the LCD-2 over the WA-22, but for the HD-800 the WA22 is my top choice of amps. Leben still rules the roost for the LCD-2 and for the Sony R-10, though.

 
Thanks Rob, I agree Leben is a little  euphonic amp with a little emphasize on the upper mid, but not too much, overall tonality is very enjoyable.
 
From your experience, is tube amp tendency to slightly having channel imbalance?  cos my DV337 last time also I have to dial one channel louder than the other channel. 
Is it due to the more 'traditional', purist design of the amp?

 

[RedBull]

Quote:

A rich, warm, smooth, euphonic, etc.  Sound is lush to me.  I like some amount of lush, say like the Leben, but I don't like too much, the WA-22 was closer to the edge of too much for me than I though the Leben was.  I find it hard to define audiophile terms.  
 
Pretty much my opinion of the comparison between Leben and WA-22 mirrors, Robs.  I would agree the Leben is closer to neutral for sure, but it leans in the euphonic side of things.
 

That's why I have Lehmann BCL, when I'm in the mood of dead neutral, flat, relax, smooth sound, I go with BCL, when I want to listen to a more exciting sound, I turn on my Leben

 

[Skylab]

 
Thanks for the impression Clayton, very useful.
 
 
Thanks Rob, I agree Leben is a little  euphonic amp with a little emphasize on the upper mid, but not too much, overall tonality is very enjoyable.
 
From your experience, is tube amp tendency to slightly having channel imbalance?  cos my DV337 last time also I have to dial one channel louder than the other channel. 
Is it due to the more 'traditional', purist design of the amp?

The pots on my DV337 were not calibrated with each other very closely, I didn't think, as they did always have visually different settings. But whether that was really a channel imbalance or not was impossible to say on the 337 with it's completely dual-mono design.

 

[RedBull]

Right, DV337 is dual mono, I always have to turn the left pot .5 hrs up
 
Do you think it is alright to just leave my Balancer always turn at around 2 o'clock position all the time, or about 60 degree to the right from Normal?
I feel guilty do it this way.

 

[Clayton SF]

Quote:

Right, DV337 is dual mono, I always have to turn the left pot .5 hrs up
 
Do you think it is alright to just leave my Balancer always turn at around 2 o'clock position all the time, or about 60 degree to the right from Normal?
I feel guilty do it this way.

I'd feel slightly guilty too but after all, Mr. Taku Hyodo-san included the Balancer in the Leben's design for a reason. So use it to your advantage and kick back and enjoy the music. Soon you'll forget about the whole deal until you have to adjust it again.
 

 

[RedBull]

That's very comforting Clayton

, I agree Mr. Taku Hyodo-san must have provided the Balancer there for a reason, ok, I will just use it and enjoy, life is short to sweat small things.

 

[TruBrew]

I can't remember who first said the Leben was a pleasant smelling amp, but I do agree. It is the fist amp I have actively smelt, but I plan on doing it to all amps in the future. 
 
I remember reading at one point that is is a bad idea to connect headphones to the speaker terminals in the back. I did not see that mentioned anywhere while reading through this thread. I think it was Skylab who said it somewhere in the the HE-6 thread. I don't currently own any cans I would want to hook up that way, but just wanted to clarify for any future use. What is the reason I should not do it, and does it apply to all headphones?