Accuphase or Leben for heavy metal


Guys, I have a short and practical question. I have an opportunity to buy either Accuphase E600 or Leben CS600X at good price. I listen to a wide range of music, but particularly interested in which if these two amps is better for heavy metal particularly. Under all other equal conditions, speakers are easy to drive 90db Piega at the moment. Maybe none of these two, which is also an option.

apanhc

Showing 2 responses by piebaldpython

Extremely underpowered amps. Metal has a lot of energy so the average power consumption requirement is rather high. Add in transient peaks and you can see the problem. Metalheads don't listen at 90dbA very often (or 100dbA for that matter) so having extra in the tank of the amp will help. The metal genre is actually very demanding on a system. Some call speed of their speakers the ability to reproduce the subtleness of some recordings, I challenge them to try to reproduce some metal songs and keep it's clarity throughout. 

 

I would consider class A/B to get the power output up to near the 250W/ch 8Ohm range but with a ton of stiffening capacitance and large toroidal transformer. Metal sure can sound compressed as the volume rises and with an amp with a ton of power in reserve will elevate that. 

OP has speakers already. They are 90db 1W/1m in his original post manufacturer is Piega. Might be the Coax line. If so nice speakers. Worth driving well.

 

I would be searching something near the 250W/ch @ 8ohm or more, 0.1 Farad of capacitance min and 1KVA torridal transformer min. Not saying a nice Luxman won’t fit the bill however moving up the power scale will help tremendously.

 

My decision (I’m a metalhead too) was to purchase something that can do almost anything very well and leave that component alone for a very, very long time. For me I purchased a Pass Labs X350.5 as a power amp moving away from the Luxman M02’s I purchased in 1987. Once the power is done for me I can focus on preamplification and sources. I have a good smattering of speakers so I am good there for a while too. Used the same process of getting what I need for what I listen to......

 

Cerwin Vega AT15’s for some dancing fun when company comes over or if I just want to wail on it with say.... METAL!! Stratovarius Visions of Europe. Excellent power metal.

 

Monitor Bronze used for connecting anything new to the system just to ensure that if something goes wrong (short in a cable) then good chance this will be the failing component, at a low cost.

 

PSB Stratus Gold I’s because they were a great deal for a rather quality speaker that can lend itself to projects like fully active.

 

Day to day

 

For the delicate stuff Maggie 1.7’s with active crossover and subs.

 

For the main’s Krell Resolution 1’s.

 

Exchanging gear can get costly so I prefer to make moves that I won't have to make again for a while such as in amps, preamps, turntables, etc. Rule is if I buy something I have to sell something. For speakers it's a bit more fluid but if OP has the Coax line then I would stop there!