[Skylab]

I think the HD800 sound very good on the CS300XS, myself, although I'm sure that surprises no one

 

[jovi007]

It works very well on my hd800 and t1 ~

 

[shabta]

Quote:

Is the CS300XS are a great amplifier for the HD800 headphones? I would like your opinions
 
Thanks.

YES!
 
The slight sibilance that I find on some recordings is tamed when pairing this headphone with a Leben.
 
 

 

[Pingvin]

Congrats Steve. I've been enjoying my CS600 for a year now, and it's really opened my ears to what audio reproduction should be about. In fact, I'm basically rebuilding a new system around the Leben.
 
Any Head-fiers in the Washington DC area who'd like to hear a CS600? I'd like to try some high-end phones -- I'd especially like to hear the LCD2s -- and hopefully some of you with such phones in the area would be curious to hear the Leben. I have a range of power tubes to play with: SED EL34, Genelex KT77, Russian NOS 6P3S-e, Sovtek 5881.
 
Cheers,
Pingvin

 

[tme110]

THere is a DC area headfi meeting coming up next month, is there any way you could bring the 600?  I'd love to hear it.
 
Quote:

Congrats Steve. I've been enjoying my CS600 for a year now, and it's really opened my ears to what audio reproduction should be about. In fact, I'm basically rebuilding a new system around the Leben.
 
Any Head-fiers in the Washington DC area who'd like to hear a CS600? I'd like to try some high-end phones -- I'd especially like to hear the LCD2s -- and hopefully some of you with such phones in the area would be curious to hear the Leben. I have a range of power tubes to play with: SED EL34, Genelex KT77, Russian NOS 6P3S-e, Sovtek 5881.
 
Cheers,
Pingvin

 

 

[googleli]

Yesterday a super High end audiophile friend visited me for the K01. He has over $100K worth of gear and has heard numerous setups of more than that, some close to a million. He had some very good impressions of the K01, but he was also impressed by the Leben. We did not try any headphones, but just listening from the speakers out. He told me that with my tubes on, the CS300XS is "the best 15w output one can get". He was also impressed how that 15w could drive my Monitor Ausio floor standing speakers so well. Only with some super large scale orchestral music like Strauss' "Also sprach Zarathustra" would the bass became a bit muddy because of insufficient power. With jazz and vocal it is more than enough for my speakers and sounded really good so he said. I think this goes a long way to say how good the Leben is, given his experience with high end gear. Now I am considering the CS600 which would definitely have sufficient power for my speakers and what's more, it has pre amp bypass which would allow me to use it as power amp only when I connect it through my AV amp as front speakers amplifier.

 

[Skylab]

Nice googleli! Thanks for sharing that. The Leben never fails to impress me - glad it impressed your high end friend!

 

[Wedge]

Yeah I had a friend over yesterday as well, funny enough, anyways he was extremely impressed with the Leben as well.  I guess he's not super high end, but he designs and builds all of his own amps.

 

[Wedge]

Rob, have you tried your Leben with the Havana at all?  Also what source are you using with the Leben.  Last question, with the LCD-2 what do you keep the volume dial at for your optimal listening level?

 

[dminches]

I will answer the last one with my LCD-2s.  I can't really get past 9 o'clock or it gets too loud.

 

[Skylab]

Yep, same as with David, I'm right at about 9:00.  I actually have not used the Havana with the Leben.  While I have tested the Leben with my high-end sources on several occasions, my normal everyday use of it is with an RWA iMod iPod and ALo VCap douck as source, and driving Sony R10's.  That's my bedside rig - no room for a bigger source.

 

[IntoTheMusic2]

Different topic, if I may... What kind of tube life have you folks been seeing on the Leben?
 
Been a solid state guy all my life, and the thought of having to periodically replace tubes -- rather expensive ones at that (for NOS upgrade) -- has been holding me back from pulling the trigger on the CS300XS (for a year+). So I'd like to ask for your input.
 
I've looked at the general discussion threads on this topic, but it seems that there are many parameters that can affect the lifespan. This is why I'm looking to get a better idea for the Leben specifically. Also, I was wondering if people tend to remove the top cover: unlike most other tube amps I've looked at, the Leben does not leave the tubes exposed to the open air. So I expect that they run hotter than they might otherwise, shortening tube life at the same time.
 
Apart from tube concerns, the Leben is a perfect fit for my intended application: desktop amp + headphone amp in one, with the sonics I'm looking for. I'd say that abt half the time I'll be listening on speakers (Harbeth P3-ESR) and the other half on headphones (ATH-W5000). Typically shorter listening periods during the week (<= 1 hr/day), couple hours at a time on the weekend, with abt 10 hrs/week total.
 
Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Skylab]

You should expect at least 5,000 hours from NOS/New production (meaning not "used") tubes - so ay 10 hrs/week, you could use them about 10 years

 
And they might last longer than that.  My uncle has a Scott amp that used 12AX7/EL84 tubes - and they lasted 30 years!  Not sure what his weekly usage was, but he did listen to music regularly.

 

[IntoTheMusic2]

Thanks Skylab, that's re-assuring. Would you advise buying a set of backup tubes at abt the same time then? (With the current popularity of NOS tubes, who knows what will be left in 10 years.)
 
Also, I'd like to return to the question of the cover. Do you think it makes much difference whether it's on or off? I don't have any experience with tubes and enclosures. Or with the Leben: perhaps its tube temps remain in a perfectly acceptable range with the cover on, so removing it would not make much of a difference to tube life. What I do know is that heat is a number one killer of electronics. And I have seen significant temperature drops when removing the cover of a passively cooled computer. Not sure if that is a meaningful analogy though.

 

[Skylab]

I have multiple sets of tubes, but only because I want lots of NOS tubes - there are current production tubes available for the Leben.  So there are lots of options.
 
I never take the top off.  Not an issue, IMO.  Plenty of ventilation.