[Clayton SF]

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Hahahaha, I was just have a quick snap, not tripod used, no flash, just wanna have a quick one   and that was 1.8 actually   but yeah, too narrow.

If I had Nikkor 1.2 I wouldn't have the $ to buy Leben, hahahaha ...

Not too narrow for me. It sort of draws me in. It's like the Leben is saying: "Come closer, closer. I am now your Master, and you will listen to me."

 

[arnesto]

 
 
I have been enjoying the Leben with my speakers in the early evenings and switching over to headphones after 10PM.
 
I was pleasantly surprised that 15watts drive my speakers very well. I have to raise the volume setting to 12-2 o'clock and it is loud enough. I can definitely hear the effect of having a tubed amp on my speakers as well as headphones.
 
I am content with my new amp, but the upgradis bug will not leave me alone. I have been contemplating upgrading my DAC or trying electrostats.

 

[Clayton SF]

Very nice setup. I've read that the Lavry DA10 is an excellent DAC? I am very interested in the Bryston BDA-1.

 

[arnesto]

When I first got my Lavry, it sounded alot better than the built in DAC on my Onix CD player. I heard more detail than I ever heard before. But being on this website, alot of the members have owned the Lavry and moved on the different DACs that they say are better. So I eventually want to try the other ones to see what I am missing.
 

 

[shabta]

What kind of speakers are people using with their Leben? I am thinking of getting a pair-but they need to sound good at low volume because of my neighbors. Rockin out is still for my 'fones...

 

[majkel]

Reference 3A monitors or kind of Avantgarde Acoustics.

 

[arnesto]

I have been doing a A/B comparison between my headphones and my speakers.
 
I came to the conclusion that my speakers sound better than my headphones.
 
The difference is not big, but still this kind of disturbs me.
 
I do not think it is the amp's fault, and the limitation is from my headphones.
 
The sound is just more dynamic and natural through speakers.
 
Do you guys know if there are headphones that can beat speakers?
 
I'm thinking of trying electrostatics, but when I listened to them at a meet. It just wasn't my cup of tea. Sounded kind of flat.
 
Any recommendations?

 

[Clayton SF]

Quote:

I have been doing a A/B comparison between my headphones and my speakers.
I came to the conclusion that my speakers sound better than my headphones.
The difference is not big, but still this kind of disturbs me.
I do not think it is the amp's fault, and the limitation is from my headphones.
The sound is just more dynamic and natural through speakers.
Do you guys know if there are headphones that can beat speakers?
I'm thinking of trying electrostatics, but when I listened to them at a meet. It just wasn't my cup of tea. Sounded kind of flat.
Any recommendations?

 
I don't know if you've had a chance to listen to the Beyerdynamic DT900/600 ohm headphones but I own them and I really enjoy them. They do sound incredible when used with the Leben.
 

 

[arnesto]

Thanks for the recommendation. I listened to the DT880 before and I liked them, haven't had a chance to do an A/B comparison yet.

 

[achristilaw]

Well Arnesto, I'm a source first individual...and that pays dividends when you have a neutral amp such as the Leben (with right tube compliment). The signal passes with little in the way of editorializing and makes a great match for a phone such as the Audez'e....
 
I have several home-brew horns that are folded single-element drivers that are silly good from an amp like the CS300XS. Don't forget the near-field possibility and a small monitor like the baby Harbeth (a favorite)!! I have all of these and recommend them...

 

[Clayton SF]

Quote:

Well Arnesto, I'm a source first individual...and that pays dividends when you have a neutral amp such as the Leben (with right tube compliment). The signal passes with little in the way of editorializing and makes a great match for a phone such as the Audez'e....
 
I have several home-brew horns that are folded single-element drivers that are silly good from an amp like the CS300XS. Don't forget the near-field possibility and a small monitor like the baby Harbeth (a favorite)!! I have all of these and recommend them...

The Harbeth, really? I've been interested in those monitors from the UK. They're great looking but a review I read said that their bass response was lacking. I'd really like to get something in that size category because I live in a small apartment. I need to find a place to audition them. Thanks for mentioning them.
 

 

[achristilaw]

 
Quote:

The Harbeth, really? I've been interested in those monitors from the UK. They're great looking but a review I read said that their bass response was lacking. I'd really like to get something in that size category because I live in a small apartment. I need to find a place to audition them. Thanks for mentioning them.
 

I have a couple Harbeth's, the older HL3P's and C7's. The smaller monitor (the HL3P or current P3R) is for small listening areas, or near-field monitoring (like I use them). I don't know your listening tastes or loudness habits, but they (the Harbeth) is best suited for Jazz or small scale Classical. Tone and Timber is their focus and it shows (and good balance with proper placement). Realistic Acoustic Bass differs from the needs of the bump n' thump of modern electronic Music.
 
The power of the Leben and the output of the small Harbeth is for sane listening of Acoustic at just under natural levels.....in small rooms. With a small apartment, they could be on a short list.
 
For 35 years I have always had a small LS3/5a type of monitor about. It started with the Roger's (KEF stopped production of the mid/woof) to a Spendor later...then ten years ago the Harbeth. Always in a bedroom or desk location as a second system, now a near-field. Very clear windows of an acoustic event!

 

[Clayton SF]

Quote:

 
I have a couple Harbeth's, the older HL3P's and C7's. The smaller monitor (the HL3P or current P3R) is for small listening areas, or near-field monitoring (like I use them). I don't know your listening tastes or loudness habits, but they (the Harbeth) is best suited for Jazz or small scale Classical. Tone and Timber is their focus and it shows (and good balance with proper placement). Realistic Acoustic Bass differs from the needs of the bump n' thump of modern electronic Music.
 
The power of the Leben and the output of the small Harbeth is for sane listening of Acoustic at just under natural levels.....in small rooms. With a small apartment, they could be on a short list.
 
For 35 years I have always had a small LS3/5a type of monitor about. It started with the Roger's (KEF stopped production of the mid/woof) to a Spendor later...then ten years ago the Harbeth. Always in a bedroom or desk location as a second system, now a near-field. Very clear windows of an acoustic event!

That's the ticket then. I usually listen to classical, jazz, and folk; and rock at low-levels. Classical is of the string quartet and chamber music variety with an occasional full-tilt orchestral arrangement like Rachmaninoff--Symphonic Dances (Eiji Oue, MO) but that's when the headphones usually take over. Thanks for your help.

 

[RedBull]

Quote:

I have been doing a A/B comparison between my headphones and my speakers.
I came to the conclusion that my speakers sound better than my headphones.
The difference is not big, but still this kind of disturbs me.
I do not think it is the amp's fault, and the limitation is from my headphones.
The sound is just more dynamic and natural through speakers.
Do you guys know if there are headphones that can beat speakers?
I'm thinking of trying electrostatics, but when I listened to them at a meet. It just wasn't my cup of tea. Sounded kind of flat.
 
Any recommendations?

Other than LCD-2 that has been mentioned, how about T1? it sounded fantastic with Leben too.  Believe it or not, I still prefer HD650 than HD800.  Other than that, yeah, DT880 600 ohms is very nice too, D7000 mentioned has speaker kind of subwofer lows, but I guess it may not suitable for Jazz or classical.

 

[dkyy]

Hi,

After seeing so many good comments about Leben CS300XS, I recently bought it from a local dealer in Hong Kong. I am running in it for about 100 hours.

I like warm and lush female vocal, but I found the CS300XS' treble is quite harsh. I know most of you may not agree to my statement but the situation in my system is the female vocal sounds sibilant, very sibilant - the 'hissssssss' sound is killing me.
 
I have used a Cardas Golden Cross inter-connect but seems not improved much. My set up is

Logitech Transporter (music ripped from CDs in FLAC format) --> Cardas Golden Cross --> Leben CS300XS --> Audio Note AN-La cables --> Cairn floor-standing speakers
 
I also use Denon D5000, but with similar sibilance. I initially used stock tubes but later changed to Mullard 4004 and Philips SQ EL84 but they do not help much.

What went wrong?