My (new to me) Leben CS300XS - initial thoughts

[Long, sorry]

Per my previous thread, I jumped on a second hand Leben CS300XS, as I have been so intrigued by the cool retro "hand made" vibe this thing gives off. I bought it without a real good sense of what I intended to do with it, but I've been thinking seriously about taking my system in a new direction, and I knew I wanted this at the center of whatever I would be cooking up in my cauldron later. My other "dreams" include the Line Magnetic 219IA and the Devore Audio Orangoutangs (either one!!). But those are all big spendy, so in due time.

Just a bit of background. I definitely come from a "flat earth" background. Naim (amplification), Linn (tables) and Rega (speakers) since my late teens, with a few unsuccessful flirtations with others (ARC CA-50 was a snoozefest; Audio Note Kit was "blah". Frankly, moving from Naim Olive to Naim black has been a let-down, hence my recent restlessness. Current goods include LP12/Lingo3/Ittok LV2/[Karma or Ortofon 2M black or blue]; [Rega fono MM MK2 or Schitt Audio Mani or Naim Stageline S]; Naim Nait XS-2; [Rega Ela MK1 or Rega RX-5].

So, the Leben arrived around 4pm today, and I had it hooked up and running within about 15 minute. At the time I had the 2M black through the Rega MM MK2. IMMEDIATELY there is a tremendous sense of presence and solidity to the midrange through the RX-5's. Piano sounds HUGE, solid and resolute with a palpable sense of weight. And there is a noticeable projection of color into the proceedings, that, while improved through the Naim black compared to olive stuff, is still a weak point for the Naim gear as a rule. The Leben is simply better in this regard, even if otherwise handicapped by the Rega speakers (another company not known for much in the way of an extensive color palette). Lee Konitz's saxophone is big, meaty, and just THERE - again, a sense of "presence" I have heretofore not experienced in my system before.

But, BUT . . .there is a hardness, (forgive me . . .) a "glassiness", a graininess to the lower treble region up through the upper registers. It was an ever-present burden to the high frequency components of male and female voices, as well as saxophones, horns (to say nothing of muted horns), that the Naim amplifier smoothed over and presented in a more sophisticated way. It made beautifully captured vinyl reproductions sound like cheap digital. I wasn't digging it at all. And there was - If I am being honest - a bit too much bass. I had to make sure the "bass boost" dial wasn't engaged (it wasn't).

Let me pause here for a moment and address one concern I had before I brought the Leben on board - that it would not be enough to drive the RX-5's. These are listed as 89 db/W/M, and soak up a very healthy junk of the grunt the 70 W/ch Naim Nait XS-2 has on hand when arranged firing down the long axis of my 15 x 32 foot room. I needn't have worried . . .at least with the 2M black feeding the Rega Fono MM MK2 . . . the Leben was LOUD with the volume control at around 10:30. 10:45 was scaring the cat. 11 o'clock was boring out his skull.

Which had me thinking - I'd read in another thread somewhere that the Leben was sensitive to having its inputs overloaded. And I wondered if this was possible in this case. The 2M black is rated at 5mV. The Rega fono MM MKII is rated at 200mv at a 3mv input. I won't pretend to know the math (or even if this is the right math), but I had no room on the volume control with this cartridge into this phono stage, so I made a guess that this input was being overloaded. Which was no skin off my nose, because what I had INTENDED to do was run the Karma through the Naim Stageline, into the Nait, and then out through the tape loop and in through the line level of the Leben (temporarily, of course, until I could settle on a appropriate phono stage).

So I set about installing the Karma on the LP12 and hooked it all up. HORRIFIC HUM. 100x louder than the signal. Obviously, this mess was not going to work. I assume it was a ground loop, and MAYBE if I had attached the grounds of the Naim to the Leben, it would have resolved - but I didn't try that. So, I pulled out the Schitt Mani (which in my opinion does not hold a candle to the Rega unit), set it to maximum gain (59 db or 300mv output at 0.3mv input) and hooked it up. My Karma is rated at 0.2mv output.

That's more like it . . .I now have full use of the whole dial, up to about 2 o'clock (and even then, it's LOUD, but not nasty). With the Karma/Schiit combo, the grain is GONE. Voices, horns, saxophones are BIG, solid and smooth as a fresh jar of peanut butter. Nat King Cole has me questioning my sexual orientation. Melody Gardot convinces me I got it right (for me) the first time. And the bass is tamed. This is a BIG sounding amplifier, with rock solid imaging and plenty of "air" around the performers. It's smooooooth and colorful, though there is no loss of detail or sparkle up top.

Bass is DEEP and BIG, but it will not outdo the Naim in this department. It sounds "deeper" and "bigger" than the Naim does, but it lacks two degrees of control, something the boys and girls in Salisbury know a thing or two about. Which brings to my flat earth bona fides - PRAT . . . with MOST material, driven by my LP12 and Karma, the Leben does NOT sound at all slow, ponderous or soporific. It has yet to want for excitement (thank goodness!!) - most of my material is small ensemble jazz and voice, which the Leben NAILS. But on challenging material (ie., "Dizzy Fingers" on Dizzy Gillespie's Big 4), the Leben trips over its feet, at least at moderately high to high volume. It lacks the control and fleet of foot to untangle complex material when the group drops the hammer. I haven't tried Led Zeplin yet, mostly because I'm scared to.

Anyway, this is based on just about 3 hours of listening. So, my thoughts are likely to evolve.

Judd

 

I found this review interesting

Apex Pinnacle vs Leben CS300XS: The Awful Truth

 

Have flirted with Naim and Tubes myself over recent years..My conclusion is that the latest and best of the £1000 integated amps from the likes of Marantz and Yamaha offer far better value for money,build quality,neutrality and power than the more exotic 'small manufacture' amps.

 

If you really want to have killer combo, take a listen to the Leben RS-30eq phono stage in combo with your 300.

 

I don't doubt it for a moment. But that thing is super expensive . . . and then you need to spend another $1,000 on top of that to buy the step-up coil.

Let me ask you something - I have been pretty damned impressed with the ability of this little amp to drive my Rega's in a pretty large room. Do you ever show this amp with Rega's in your shop?

Judd

 

Not typically...but I don't keep many of the Rega speakers here.

I generally run Leben with DeVore, Joseph or Tannoy.

 

Beat me to it. The RS-30eq is quite possibly my single most favorite piece of audio gear I've ever owned. It's why even though I'm completely satisfied with my LM211ia, I continuously peruse sale listings for a cs300, and one day I'll cave.

 

Leben & DeVore. The only way to go in that "school". (Line Magnetic & DeVore too.) You already know this, I think.

 

I tend to agree with everything you detailed in your review. I've had my CS300XS since 2010 or so. Coincidentally, I bought mine from Don Better Audio in Cleveland, where I lived at the time.

You can view my profile for rig details, but I use mine with Harbeth speakers and the match really has synergy. Leben's owner/designer uses this exact combo for his preferred rig. The Japanese really do love Harbeth. I'm also using a Rega Aria phono stage, but my cart is lomc and I tend to use the higher gain setting as a matter of personal preference. I feel the music has more weight at the volumes I tend to play.

That being said, I was fooled for many years into thinking the CS300XS was "plenty loud enough." It's true, you can get the volume to an ear-piercing level. Much of this depends on listening position, room size, speakers, etc. But the amp tends to produce a sort of treble and upper midrange harshness or glare as its warning sign of not having enough power and control. After all, 15 watts is 15 watts. What you begin to hear is distortion. Sometimes tube distortion can be a pleasing sound, but often, and as you noted keenly on complex music passages, it just can't keep up at higher volumes. Things can sound a little slurred or muddled.

Now I'll take the bad with the good, which is an otherwise brilliant sounding amp at the right volumes. There is a great soundstage and air around instruments, and accurate tonality, especially with acoustic, instrumental and jazz. It also may be the perfect headphone amp. That 15 watts never runs out of steam with headphones, at least mine hasn't.

The CS300XS will probably be an amp I'll hold onto for a long time. But, there are occasions that I wish it had more power. Eventually I'd like to get a McIntosh 6900 (or similar model) for those times I want louder rock or more complex and/or remastered titles that tend to be reduced dynamic range. Until then, it's hard to complain if I can keep the volume at the right levels for the amp's power limitations.

BTW, I have also used and tried other speakers in the past including Rega, B&W, etc. Several had higher efficiency ratings and my overall observations are the same. I did demo the Leben with Devore and wasn't really wowed though I know many like Devore speakers. Just another matter of preference. It does help to try different speakers and also tubes. If you like the reduced gain on the input, try some NOS 5751's in the preamp.

 

Aura, your comments much appreciated. I understand this notion of being "fooled" into thinking the Leben has plenty of power. My first comment on the "speakers for Leben" thread after I had the amp hooked up was ear bleeding volume capability . . . And quite early on the volume pot at that. But it seems quite clear that I was overloading the input at that time - nearly all positions on the control were associated with a hardness, as you describe. With the low output MC into the outboard phono stage, I get none of that until I have the potentiometer north of 1pm, or so. 12 is about as loud as I go (and closer to 11 is where I spend most of my time). But, as you say, it is not limitless even when used well within its performace envelope.

I'm VERY glad to hear you are running a Rega Aria for your MC. I'm heavily leaning this way myself (frankly, the Leben phono stage + SUT is too much $$$). But I worry that it too will overload the Leben line inputs, even with a pretty low output MC. Is gain adjustable on the Aria through the MC section?

Judd

 

The gain is adjustable as well as options for resistive and capacitive loading. There is also a MM input. If you have a second turntable wth an MM or HOMC, you can potentially hook up both to the single preamp and switch inputs from the front panel.

 

I think the Leben CS300XS can be a wonderful amp in combination with the right speakers. However, it was not a good match with my Avantgarde Duo Omegas. Unpleasant hardness to the sound. Very happy with my Leben phonoamp though (found used for 1 TEUR).

 

I've lusted after one of these for years, and finally picked up a used CS300XS a couple weeks ago. I would say Plimpington's review is spot on. It's a very punchy, fast-sounding amp that throws the biggest soundstage of any amp I've heard. It does seem like the ultimate small jazz combo amp, as I too was able to summon Lee Konitz into my home.

I also experienced the shouty glare at full volume. Pretty much any rock album was unpleasant to listen to above 80db. I'm not sure I agree with the poster that said it's a power issue. I'm playing it with Zu Omen DW's, so 15 watts should be plenty of juice. It gets really loud at 10 o'clock on the dial, at least with my high output DAC.

I think the biggest problem with the Leben is the stock Sovtek tubes. I thought the little guy might miss his homeland, so I rolled in some Hitachi EL84's and some Mastushita 12AX7's. I bought these on eBay for not much more than the price of a new set of Sovteks. Huge difference. Much of the shout and harshness went away. I cranked some King Crimson and Centro-Matic last night with no problems. It still has limits to how loud you can enjoyably play it, but the tube rolling gave me another 10db of headroom to play with.

 

Had a CS600 until recently. Works better with speakers which present an easier load that’s for sure. Nice smooth grain free mids, but never convinced about the low end grip even on relatively benign speakers.