The Leben CS300XS Thread

[ardilla]

Hi, this is my first post.

Has anyone had trouble with the selector switch? Basically my CD and line 1 positions are dead.

 
What do you mean "basically"? Is there any crackling, noise etc? Most common problem is just dust and corrosion on the internal switches blocking the electrons from moving freely. Electrons  do not like that and refuses to move. Spray some cleaner, like Caig Deoxit D5 in there - it is all open, it seems
 

 

[Yekine]

Hi, thanks for the reply.  "basically" as in no sound.  went from just right channel with intermittent left channel, to nothing at all.  I will try the Caig spray; thanks for the advice. 

 

[BugleBoy]

I would like to try the tubes you've got for the Leben, any chance you can link me some online stores for them.
I'am currently using the Gold Lion reissue and Jan 12ax7

 
I currently use Amperex BB or Philips Miniwatt El-84 with d-getters for power tubes and Raytheon 5751 with windmill getter or Raytheon 7729 for the driver tubes. I have bought them all of ebay as it is next to impossible to find them in any tube store. If you are buying from ebay ensure you have a good tube tester to check them and only buy from reliable sellers...so far I have not had any bad experiences with tubes purchased from ebay.
 
I have tried the Gold Lion reissues but did not warm up to the sound...To my ear Mullard reissues sound better.

 

[deuter]

I currently use Amperex BB or Philips Miniwatt El-84 with d-getters for power tubes and Raytheon 5751 with windmill getter or Raytheon 7729 for the driver tubes. I have bought them all of ebay as it is next to impossible to find them in any tube store. If you are buying from ebay ensure you have a good tube tester to check them and only buy from reliable sellers...so far I have not had any bad experiences with tubes purchased from ebay.

I have tried the Gold Lion reissues but did not warm up to the sound...To my ear Mullard reissues sound better.

I'am really bad at identifying the right tubes, you able to ebay link it for me please. What didn't you like about the Gold Lion?

 

[BugleBoy]

I'am really bad at identifying the right tubes, you able to ebay link it for me please. What didn't you like about the Gold Lion?

 
Identifying the "right tubes" is not an exact science. You can definitely exact match tubes for their electrical properties...but that's just cork sniffing in my opinion and not relevant in a well designed audio amp such as the leben. To me the right tubes are the ones that are not way off from each other...and are reasonably in the ball park. I do not chase perfectly matched quads etc
 
So with the above in mind; most of the power tubes I buy from ebay are strong testing singles or pairs (not necessarily matched). Once I have enough if these I just roughly match them for use in the amp. Also buying singles are a lot cheaper than the ones listed as matched pairs/quads etc.
 
Most of the El-84's I buy are the sittard produced ones with the d-getter. They come in different labels...but the most common ones are Amperex or Philips Miniwatt. You can determine the plant they were produced from the date code. some sellers will mention the date code and some wont. You just have to ask the questions before you commit to buy.
 
A good example of El84 listing is currently on ebay here:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1-pc-NOS-Philips-Miniwatt-EL84-code-rX2-X5k-tested-108-6BQ5-D-getter-rare-tube-/361213641587?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item541a02c373

 

[deuter]

Identifying the "right tubes" is not an exact science. You can definitely exact match tubes for their electrical properties...but that's just cork sniffing in my opinion and not relevant in a well designed audio amp such as the leben. To me the right tubes are the ones that are not way off from each other...and are reasonably in the ball park. I do not chase perfectly matched quads etc

So with the above in mind; most of the power tubes I buy from ebay are strong testing singles or pairs (not necessarily matched). Once I have enough if these I just roughly match them for use in the amp. Also buying singles are a lot cheaper than the ones listed as matched pairs/quads etc.

Most of the El-84's I buy are the sittard produced ones with the d-getter. They come in different labels...but the most common ones are Amperex or Philips Miniwatt. You can determine the plant they were produced from the date code. some sellers will mention the date code and some wont. You just have to ask the questions before you commit to buy.

A good example of El84 listing is currently on ebay here:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1-pc-NOS-Philips-Miniwatt-EL84-code-rX2-X5k-tested-108-6BQ5-D-getter-rare-tube-/361213641587?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item541a02c373

I will say, wow you have confused me even further.
I don't know what year?
Where they were made, etc?

I guess you know enough on tubes and I'am not even scratching the subject.
Let me put it another way, you've highlighted the tubes, but it's not enough for me especially buying individuals as for all I know I might buy 4 El84s 100 years apart and from different countries. Same applies to the 12AX7.

With the Gold Lion it was as simple as clicking on add to cart for the quad.

Same with the JJ 12AX7

 

[BugleBoy]

I will say, wow you have confused me even further.
I don't know what year?
Where they were made, etc?

I guess you know enough on tubes and I'am not even scratching the subject.
Let me put it another way, you've highlighted the tubes, but it's not enough for me especially buying individuals as for all I know I might buy 4 El84s 100 years apart and from different countries. Same applies to the 12AX7.

With the Gold Lion it was as simple as clicking on add to cart for the quad.

Same with the JJ 12AX7

 
To begin with it might be a good idea to digest some info about factory valve codes

. You will find them here:
 
http://eastwoodamps.com/PhilipsCodes.pdf
 
A better explanation of how to interpret the valve codes can be found here:
 
http://www.audiotubes.com/mullcode.htm
 
For example:
The tube in the ebay listing in my earlier post has the date code rX2-X5K. If you break this down it tell us the following:
 
rX = Tube Type > EL84
2 = Change Code (not important as it is internal factory batch code)
 
X= Factory > Sittard Factory Holland
5= Year > 1955
k= Month > Oct
 
Note: upper and lower case letters are not interchangeable.
 
Sorry if this sounds cryptic and confusing; but if you are going to make buying decisions on NOS or vintage tubes it is worth investing some time to understand how to interpret the codes. Just so you don't get burnt .

 

[BugleBoy]

   
What do you mean "basically"? Is there any crackling, noise etc? Most common problem is just dust and corrosion on the internal switches blocking the electrons from moving freely. Electrons  do not like that and refuses to move. Spray some cleaner, like Caig Deoxit D5 in there - it is all open, it seems
 

 
Or maybe the solder joints have come loose on the selector switch. Just a thought.

 

[mrtim6]

Hi Bugleboy - you have a good understanding of tube nomlencuture - one thing I always wonderd is how you knew the Raytheon 7729 are such good tubes - I love the Raytheon 5751 windmill getter as a driver tube myself & bought a nice NOS pair in the UK 3 years ago whilst on holiday. Never could find any 7729 tubes I remember you telling me they are very rare.

I concure the Philips miniwatt el84 are excellent tubes pretty good alternative to the amperex Bugleboy el84s.

Have you tried any Japanese EL84 s or 12XA7 with the Leben - I'll also throw that question out to all on this thread?

 

[BugleBoy]

Hi Bugleboy - you have a good understanding of tube nomlencuture - one thing I always wonderd is how you knew the Raytheon 7729 are such good tubes - I love the Raytheon 5751 windmill getter as a driver tube myself & bought a nice NOS pair in the UK 3 years ago whilst on holiday. Never could find any 7729 tubes I remember you telling me they are very rare.

I concure the Philips miniwatt el84 are excellent tubes pretty good alternative to the amperex Bugleboy el84s.

Have you tried any Japanese EL84 s or 12XA7 with the Leben - I'll also throw that question out to all on this thread?

 
I didn't know they would work so well with the Leben. All I knew before I bought the first pair of 7729 that they were low noise tubes designed for lab application.+ couple of good feedback I had seen in some reviews. So it was a pleasant surprise to find out how good they sound
 
I think the Philips Miniwatt and Amperex EL84 from the sittard plant are exactly the same tubes...with different labels.
 
I have not tried Japanese tubes with the Leben. I am currently restoring a Sansui AU-70 which has 3 Toshiba 12ax7 and 4 Matsu****a 7189A tubes...they sound great on the Sansui.

 

[musixs]

Hi Leben's lovers..
Just wondering how would the CS300F edition sound different from the CS300XS? I'm about to decide which of the two should I opt. A local audio shop has the 300F in stock but not the 300XS. It seems that the 300XS has been evryone's favourite here.. Not to mention that preordering the 300XS would take 1.5 months to arrive.
Also, someone suggested Prautes - Cypherlabs over CS300XS. Any comments to share on that? Thanks

 

[parbaked]

Hi Leben's lovers..
Just wondering how would the CS300F edition sound different from the CS300XS? 
Also, someone suggested Prautes - Cypherlabs over CS300XS. Any comments to share on that? Thanks

I have not heard the 300f, but the 6197 tube it uses, instead of the EL84, is an excellent tube.
I have a 6197 SEP amp that I much prefer to the EL84 based Decware Zen.
 
The Prautes is more suited for headphones as it will only drive high efficiency speakers. It only outputs 2 watts to 8 ohms. 
The Leben is more of a speaker amp that also does headphones. It's 15 watts is more useful for speakers.

 

[Yekine]

Hi, had to order the Caig online since I'm in Canada. Did the trick! Was surprise to see how much dust had accumulated inside the unit. Much appreciated!

 

[dresam]

Has anyone had an issue where the front metal plate, just beneath the headphone jack, becomes bowed in slightly?
 
I've only had my HD800's plugged in, and never had any force applied down on the jack, but the front plate now seems very slightly bent inwards right there, but only really visible from the side. Am I being overly obsessive about a thing that's common... I only ask because I'm thinking of selling it and want to be up front with the buyer.

 

[Topspin70]

Any Leben owners here owned a Auralic Taurus before? Love to hear opinions on how they differ as I'm deciding between the two. Will be driving my LCD3 with the amp. Thanks in advance for any feedback you can share.