[arnesto]

I'm finding that the Leben sounds smeared on the high frequency range. Mid range, sounds better on the Leben.
There is a little decay on the sound that gives it a more natural sound.
On the Low frequency range, there is more impact and sounds full and tight.
 
On the Lavry, the high frequency range sound crisp, clear, and detailed. Mid range sounds thin is comparison to the Leben.
The Low frequency has punch, but also sounds thin, too crisp, not natural.
 
The perfect amplifier for me, would be an amp that can have the Lavry high frequency sound and the Leben mid and low frequency sound.
 
I tried changing out the Sovtek driver tubes and replaced them with the JJ tubes. There is a slight difference, but not enough to fix the issue I
 
am having with the high frequency sound.
 
I don't think the Leben nor the Lavry will be my last stop on headphone gear. I do really like the HD800 and I think I need to find
an amplifier to pair with it.
 
Right now I am thinking I need to listen to the Luxman P-1u and the new Stax Omega 3?. To figure out my next upgrade.
 
I do think the Leben is a keeper for driving speakers. It is an unique amp that will be hard to find something like in the future if
Leben stops making them.

 

[daveDerek]

Quote:

The perfect amplifier for me, would be an amp that can have the Lavry high frequency sound and the Leben mid and low frequency sound.

I don't think the Leben nor the Lavry will be my last stop on headphone gear. I do really like the HD800 and I think I need to find an amplifier to pair with it.
 
Right now I am thinking I need to listen to the Luxman P-1u and the new Stax Omega 3?. To figure out my next upgrade.

you've probably perused the threads where folks discuss different amp pairings with the 800s. aside from that i'd strongly recommend attending meets, in particular canjam, and listening to different rigs with your cans. it'll really help the process!

 

[BebopMcJiggy]

So I am torn between a CS300 or CS300XS.  The price difference would be about $1k (2300 shipped vs 3200).  Since they both seem to come with the Sovtek tubes now, would I be better off going with the CS300 and spending the difference on tubes?
 
By chance does anyone know what a 120v CS300 would cost new, is the price ~$1k less than the 3500 a new 120v CS300XS seems to cost?

 

[Skylab]

A new 120V CS300 is $2,995 in the USA.  In my comparison of the 120V CS300 and the 100V CS300X via a step-down transformer, I slightly preferred the 100V CS300X, but only slightly.  They amps are very similar.

 

[BebopMcJiggy]

I see, I will probably just go for the 100v CS300 then I suppose.  I can't really imagine it's worth $600 to avoid the step-down transformer but who knows...
 
Thanks for the help.

 

[MuppetFace]

After spending time with the WA22 I realized I was definitely a tube amp kind-of-girl.
 
With that in mind, I'll be getting a CS300XS soon hopefully! I've been working with an importer and he ordered one for me. Now I just have to find reasonably priced tube replacements...

 

[Skylab]

Congrats, Muppet!  I think you'll like it.  I know I do - it's the best sound I ever hear from headphones.  It's absolutely terrific with the Edition 8, BTW

 

[RedBull]

Quote:

After spending time with the WA22 I realized I was definitely a tube amp kind-of-girl.
 
With that in mind, I'll be getting a CS300XS soon hopefully! I've been working with an importer and he ordered one for me. Now I just have to find reasonably priced tube replacements...

Welcome to tube-amp world

  and tube rolling

Glad you like them.

 

[Clayton SF]

MuppetFace--I'm sure you'll love your new Leben as much as I love mine. Welcome aboard!

I understand that they're built to order. I had to wait about 6 weeks for mine to be built. But it was well worth the wait.

 

[shabta]

Congrats Muppetface. Since you have all the cool headphones it will be great to hear which you find have the best synergy with the Leben.

 

[shabta]

So I have been thinking to try tuberolling with the Leben to see the effect that different tubes have on the sound. Since the amp is self biasing, I am wondering how important it is to get a matched quad or will 2 sets of matched pairs be enough? Any thoughts?

 

[Double F]

You will love the Leben.

  Hope the wait is not too long. 
 
Not sure about needing a matched quad.  I have tried mine with 2 matched pairs and could not detect any change besides the actual tube tone. 
 
Currently looking for a quad of 7189 power tubes.  Heard they kick the Leben up a notch!

 

[Anders]

CS300 is a push-pull amplifier and the power tubes works in tandem and should ideally be identical. So power tubes should be matched at least as pairs. Matched pairs is enough although there could be a channel imbalance (different output and volume) if the pairs deviate much. For similar reasons it is not a disadvantage if input tubes are close to each other.
 
Unfortunately, the quality of matching varies much between vendors. It takes time, equipment is required and you need a large set of tubes to be able to match properly. The tube also changes during the first days of operation and some burn-in before matching is necessary for precise matching. Some match on more than one parameter after some burn-in while others seem to only match on a single parameter without burn-in. Worst case may be that someone states that they are matched while the only "matching" is that they come from the same batch.
 
 
 
 

 

[godog]

Quote:

Congrats, Muppet!  I think you'll like it.  I know I do - it's the best sound I ever hear from headphones.  It's absolutely terrific with the Edition 8, BTW

the Leben is definitely gorgeous

 

[InnerSpace]

Quote:

So I have been thinking to try tuberolling with the Leben to see the effect that different tubes have on the sound. Since the amp is self biasing, I am wondering how important it is to get a matched quad or will 2 sets of matched pairs be enough? Any thoughts?

Technically two matched pairs will be fine.  But - happily - I have found the Leben incredibly responsive to great tubes.  I don't know why, exactly - other than it has a great circuit beautifully executed with fine parts, topped off with some of the best transformers in the world.  (Don't forget that with a tube amp, you're listening to the transformers as much as the tubes, and whereas modern tubes have gotten worse, modern transformers have gotten way better.)
 
So I put my best tubes into my Leben - a matched quad of EL84s and a matched pair of 12AX7s, all 1957 BugleBoys made in Holland.  (I like to think they were made on July 6th, 1957, the day that John Lennon met Paul McCartney.)  And the result is just fantastic - easily the best sound I have heard from headphones, ever.  Heaven.