[Skylab]

I had a very faint hum with a few high-efficiency low impedance headphones like the JVC DX-1000, but none with the HD800, T1, or LCD-2.  Or even the Sony R10.

 

[wuwhere]

Quote:

After suffering with a humming Leben I tried the output tubes fitted with rubber damping rings. Initially my thoughts were positive but on extended listening I found that the hum was very little reduced and the sound seemed robbed of some life.
 
This morning I decided to clean all the tube pins with Caig Deoxit and after refitting I can happily report that I now have a dead silent Leben.
 
I highly recommend this to all Leben owners 

I had some noisy NOS amperex 6DJ8s, after I cleaned their pins, most of the noise went away. I only used 91% isopropyl alcohol (I didn't have Deoxit at the time).

 

[googleli]

On my 220V unit, the hum is only noticeable if I stick my ear to the speakers when there is no music, but using headphone out from the Leben, there is no hum at all.
 

 

[martook]

Thanks for your replies everyone! It's helpful to have that information when talking to the seller and local agent. The more satisfied customers I can point to, the more power I have when talking to them I think. So if there are any more owners around, please tell me about your experiences with hiss/hum. A PM would do just fine as well, although it is rather nice to liven up this thread a bit, I get tired of wading through the LCD-3 threads...
 
I really hope they are able to solve the problem, although right now I'm rather turned off by tube amps in general and Leben in particular. With all the problems I never got a fair chance to compare it to my Phoenix, but I haven't had a single issue with that amp, it's completely silent and also has a remote, which is rather nice to be honest.

 

[ironear]

I to benefit since many months my "CS300x" with tubes NOS of the type 6P14P reflector (they are incredibly honest from the sound) and JAN Phillips ECC83. My HPare  LCD-2
Rev.1 / Rev2 and K701. Both are able to do the strengths of this amplifier KH really excellently in
Scene put.
So from my side a big praise to the developers and all owning a lot of fun with this
Amplifier. I could not discover a rushing up to now by my device with the best will in the world.

Now I still wait for LCD-3 hopefully very well with the "CS300x" harmonises.

 

[RedBull]

I have the 220 (or 230v, I'm not Shure.  Are they the same?).  I don't have any hum issue at all, clean all the way.

 

[hedphonz]

Hi guys - potential new C300xs owner here - potential because i read in a thread in this forum by Skylab who rated all the tube amps he had listened to and the C300xs was rated the best.
 
I know the best is subjective but if i want the best sounding tube/hybrid amp to provide some warmth to my HD800's  is the Leben still generally regarded as the go to tube amp?
 
I particularly like the fact it can double as an amp to drive external speakers for a small room setup which is where i do my listening and therefore would have broader appeal when it comes to reselling in a couple of years which is what i historically tend to do.
 
There is a local reseller who has a new one on display here {230v} so availability is not a problem if you guys say go for it and its christmas so theres another reason to self indulge
 
 
 
 
.
 
 
 
 

 

[shabta]

I have an HD800 and a Leben (230v). It sounds fantastic. I wouldn't trade it for anything else I have heard except maybe a stax 009 and a BHSE. I also use it with proac tablettes in a near field setup and they sound amazing. So yes go for it! Indulge, Indulge 

Quote:

Hi guys - potential new C300xs owner here - potential because i read in a thread in this forum by Skylab who rated all the tube amps he had listened to and the C300xs was rated the best.
 
I know the best is subjective but if i want the best sounding tube/hybrid amp to provide some warmth to my HD800's  is the Leben still generally regarded as the go to tube amp?
 
I particularly like the fact it can double as an amp to drive external speakers for a small room setup which is where i do my listening and therefore would have broader appeal when it comes to reselling in a couple of years which is what i historically tend to do.
 
There is a local reseller who has a new one on display here {230v} so availability is not a problem if you guys say go for it and its christmas so theres another reason to self indulge
 
 
 
 
.
 
 
 
 

 

 

[googleli]

Depending on the type of music you listen to, I suggest try the Liquid Fire as well. I own both and they bring out the best of the LCD2 and LCD3 in different kinds of music. But either way you can't go wrong. Really good tubes can cost more than half the price of either amp though.

 

[Anders]

Quote:

 
There is a local reseller who has a new one on display here {230v} so availability is not a problem if you guys say go for it and its christmas so theres another reason to self indulge
 
 

Why not listen to it instead? That others like it is no guarantee that you do. I have read tons of recommendations for bad gear.
 
 

 

[Sweden]

I've listened to both the CS300 and a DNA Sonett hybrid amp with a pair of HD800 and the Sonett was better IMO.
Just amazing clarity, detail and musicality. The Sonett was the first amp that made the HD800 a great sounding headphone to me. 


 
Quote:

Hi guys - potential new C300xs owner here - potential because i read in a thread in this forum by Skylab who rated all the tube amps he had listened to and the C300xs was rated the best.
 
I know the best is subjective but if i want the best sounding tube/hybrid amp to provide some warmth to my HD800's  is the Leben still generally regarded as the go to tube amp?
 
I particularly like the fact it can double as an amp to drive external speakers for a small room setup which is where i do my listening and therefore would have broader appeal when it comes to reselling in a couple of years which is what i historically tend to do.
 
There is a local reseller who has a new one on display here {230v} so availability is not a problem if you guys say go for it and its christmas so theres another reason to self indulge
 
 
 
 
.
 
 
 
 

 

 

[hedphonz]

Quote:

Why not listen to it instead? That others like it is no guarantee that you do. I have read tons of recommendations for bad gear.
 
 

good point - i bought the lehmann BCL solely on the great reviews i read about on here and at first i thought it was fantastic but over 3 months of listening the treble and the lack of tonal warmth became more and more apparent until it started to gnaw at me. Thats when i started reading that others had similar experiences and went tube.
 
I will audition the cs300 at home for a week and hope that is enough time. Good thing about tubes i suppose is its tweakability in case over a few months i decide that something needs changing.

 
Quote:

I've listened to both the CS300 and a DNA Sonett hybrid amp with a pair of HD800 and the Sonett was better IMO.
Just amazing clarity, detail and musicality. The Sonett was the first amp that made the HD800 a great sounding headphone to me. 
 

 

Thanks for that recommendation, the DNA sonnet,Cavalli  liquid fire and the red wine isabellina are 3 other recommendations that I would love to listen to but they would require importing especially into NZ as there wouldnt be any demo units or even distributors.Living in a small country has many advantages but unfortunately the market for high end headphone listening is tiny. I suspect that living in sweden you probably have similar issues ?
 
Out of all the most highly regarded tube HP amps the leben is the only one i can audition and thats because it is an integrated stereo amp and therefore has broader appeal.
 
In reality its probably my best option and as soon as i get back from holiday i will be heading down to the store
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[shabta]

Quote:

good point - i bought the lehmann BCL solely on the great reviews i read about on here and at first i thought it was fantastic but over 3 months of listening the treble and the lack of tonal warmth became more and more apparent until it started to gnaw at me. Thats when i started reading that others had similar experiences and went tube.
 
I will audition the cs300 at home for a week and hope that is enough time. Good thing about tubes i suppose is its tweakability in case over a few months i decide that something needs changing.

 
 

I am sure you will like the CS 300XS after the Lehmann. That is the exact same switch I made. I found that the Leben had much of the qualities of the BCL in terms of soundstage and resolving power, but you get the tonal warmth in spades. But be warned, the Leban is not a super warm tube amp. It is still pretty neutral. 

 

[Anders]

Listening for a week at home is a great opportunity. I have not compared Leben and DNA Sonett side by side but both are very good amps. I think the Sonett is more neutral and Leben a little more colored, but in a good way. A week should be more than enough to know if you like it, but stock tube are not the best.
 

 

[Sweden]

I will not stop you, the Leben is great with the right tubes..
Remember that the Sonett is much cheaper priced at 1200 compared to the rest of them.
 
Quote:

 

Thanks for that recommendation, the DNA sonnet,Cavalli  liquid fire and the red wine isabellina are 3 other recommendations that I would love to listen to but they would require importing especially into NZ as there wouldnt be any demo units or even distributors.Living in a small country has many advantages but unfortunately the market for high end headphone listening is tiny. I suspect that living in sweden you probably have similar issues ?
 
Out of all the most highly regarded tube HP amps the leben is the only one i can audition and thats because it is an integrated stereo amp and therefore has broader appeal.
 
In reality its probably my best option and as soon as i get back from holiday i will be heading down to the store