Ok, confession time. I don't really miss the Leben! It's a beautiful thing, lovely to behold and I have a deep appreciation for it. In the end, though, I think I'm not a tube amp enthusiast - a tube preamp with ss amp is my wheelhouse. So, there it is - truth will set me free! Or, as George Clinton said back in the day in the classic Good Thoughts, Bad Thoughts (funk philosophy 400 level listening): Free your mind and your ass will follow. Play on, children!
Tannoy Everyone?! with Leben CS600 or Pass XA25/30.5?
Wow. 200 hours and the Stirling are sounding really great!
My Leben cs600 seems to run out of juice though - especially on the digital side. The gain from my phonostage leaves some room, but the 2mV output from my DAC not so much.
I'm thinking Pass Labs w/a tube pre and am curious if an XA25 will drive them? Or an XA30.5 might be better? Any experience would be helpful. Gracias, amigos.
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Leben like skin girl with big beamer mid body need sunglass look at otherwise get mesmerize. Some tube like love letter write with fountain pen romantic but lack big ball big driver need ss or tube mono like my ref 750. Wife sister have old Arden power with nagra pyramid mono I get her sound big. Big driver need power like big women need big man. I no care for big woman but they alway try because I bud strong like bull. Jack I bench big weight. |
Leben CS600 cannot drive a Stirling. I know it because a close buddy has the Kensington and he was using CS600. It simply doesn't have the grunt. Consider that Kensington is easier to drive than Stirling because of its alnico magnet. I personally use Turnberry SE. Pass XA-25 will happily drive your Stirling but you will miss the touch and lushness of Leben. I would suggest a Rogue Stereo 100 or Audio Research Ref 75se. A proper 70+ watt tube amp which can be used in triode mode (not ultralinear) will give you the sweetness and power you are looking for. Here is an interesting review for you
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@pani That is right on point for me! Thank you so much for all that clarity and clarification!! The Rogue may be the ticket. I'm also looking seriously at the XA25, but the 'hyperdynamics' is exactly my concern - I was/am thinking/imagining some tube integrated in front of that might attenuate that a bit. The other possibility for me is an Accuphase E480, but it's overpriced and class A/B. The further simplifying phono module is inviting, though. (If only there was a way to easily internally modify a 230V version to 120V). |
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