http://www.remusic.it/index.php?MasterId=g1_109&id_item=109&lng=3&node=330&rif=b68eae0bd1
a pleasure to look at, a pleasure to use, and delightful to hear.
a pleasure to look at, a pleasure to use, and delightful to hear.
This is the third Diapason GOLD Medal granted to Leben products:
* CS-660P : 2007 GOLD Medal
* CS-300 : 2006 GOLD Medal
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue46/awards.htm
http://www.avguide.com/magarchive/hifiplus/2009
It is almost unbelievable that one could prepare such great product for this money.
RS-28CX can be compared only with the best (the most pricey) preamplifiers on Earth.
It is supremely flexible for tube types, allowing the owner countless hours of joy experimenting with different vacuum tubes and their overall effect on the amp's voicing. The Leben CS660P is an easy Blue Moon award winner as a high-fidelity power amplifier.
Leben CS-600 achieves a flawless harmony of form and function, in which the visual aesthetics perfectly reflects the musical performance. The CS-600 is an integrated amplifier which will not prove easy to replace for an upgrade, and qualifies without reservation as an exit-level component. At least in my system, as I suspect in many others, it will stay put for many years: Leben CS-600 is a classic, today.
Retro look of the Leben CS600 (EL34 tube-based, hand-built in Japan, with point-to-point wiring) which just oozes quality in a way that recalls the classic Marantz components. http://blog.stereophile.com/fsi2008/040708proac/
we have a CR circuit here, completely without feedback (it was used in amplifiers like the Harman/Kardon Citation IV). The choice of elements and tubes allowed to prepare a preamplifier with the RIAA curve precision below 3%.
Evaluated as "Incomparable Musicality"
Here are few exeptions from text:
"To cut a long story short, CS 300 is...simply magic. I expect that very few listeners will not be overwhelmed by its absolutely expressive and minutely consistent mid range. What could one possibly comment on its energy rich, harmonically flawless treble, which catalytically contributes to the realistic reproduction of natural instruments, or its truly deep bass, with the typically "valve like" flow and timing?"
"This is brilliant, little, cute amp with fast transients and deep,
deep bass. Your friends will be looking for subwoofer that won't be there..."
"If CS-300 is great amp, it is even greater as an headphone amp and
could be sell for this one purpose. Thus if you are looking for amplifier
you are pleased with free, high end headphone amp.
Otherwise, if you are looking for a great headphone amp - you get great,
briliant amp for free."
Nostalgia, when we see this little LEBEN !, we remember Leak and
Fisher from the 1960's, the golden age of the tube.
This amplifier brings out music with flexibility with a very
lifelike presentation.
The Leben RS-28C gets the highest mark, a 5-star rating, from French hifi magazine Revue Du Son.
The integrated tube amplifier Leben CS-600 was reviewed on German Hi-Fi magazine "Image Hi-Fi" and received very very nice comments and superior evaluations.
The Leben CS-300 gets the highest mark, a 5-star rating, from French hifi magazine Revue Du Son. "Extraordinary musicality at a good price."
"The perfect little dream amplifier" - Roland Kraft
This texture could be described as extremely sleek and delicate, with great density of harmonious data and flexibility. Naturally, I refer to the widest middle area where Leben teaches us with its timbers, micro fluctuations of tone and rhythm against Manley Stingray, for example, and PrimaLuna Prologue Two. The first presents many similarities as to the timber with the Japanese full fledged, due to the EL84 it uses, while it is more dynamic with more ends and maybe, more detail. The latter is z"uperiorz?to Leben in those fields (let us not forget that the aforementioned are 40W). However, both cannot possibly have the brio (vigor, spiritedness), description and clarity of the middle CS-300X. Its keyword is range homogeneity and time continuity that rules before any detail or z?eatz In short, the Japanese z?rganizez? their sound in order for the listener to hear it effortlessly and to feel it calmly and deeply, while Americans and most Europeans prefer to s?feed the z?unter earz?and the ear that collects data.
The Leben CS-300 has been reviewed by the Scandinavian hifi magazine "Ljud & Bild".
Like what every other previous reviewer already knows, the writer also found this wee integrated amp to be special, and aptly titled the review "Japanese Jewel". Verdict is 9+ out of 10. English translation to follow.
* Bebo Moroni is one of the most famous italian hifi reviewers, and founder of videohifi.com
* Translated excerpts:
It makes it appeal to me that there is such an agreement, nearly on all aspects, between me and Giovanni. It confirms something to me that from time to time, there is indeed good equipment that emerges from the often shapeless mass of the super-marketed ones out there. I and Giovanni, it is true, we have more things on which we are of agreement, but it is also true that we rather follow distinguished sonorous philosophies: Giovanni from always and with extreme coherence, is a supporter of the high efficiency loudspeakers (particularly the Lowther). I, in some way an agnostic, listens to all and my systems of reference Pass Labs with large planar speakers, to monotriode single/ended amps with high efficiency speakers, and -- some mixtures between the different formulations.
...
Obviously the small Leben finds more comfort with other kind of speakers than my planars. With MANY kinds of diffusers. It has piloted magnificently, showing all the splendid colors of its richest harmonic range, the ProAC Tablette (the most efficient they are not), the Tannoy Cheviot (with which it has gone literally to wedding), the Dynaco To 25, Grundig 650b. It has made truly to understand how much the anodized gold frontplate corresponds to the gold of which is composed in its music heart, offering to me a performance simply like a narcotic. Japanese, discipline of the spirit.
Dynamics is considerable, with the right matching. The image is amplissima, independently from the speakers, deep and of an absolute sparkle, that it renders the atmosphere nearly impalpable. The price is not in the absolute lowest, but enough to listen to it ten minutes in order to understand that it is very more than justified, indeed, they said amazing.
...
In conclusion, One of the best integrated amplifiers of the last 10 years. Nothing else to say.
"I love integrated amps. Always have. Always will. They simplify by reducing clutter, cables and usually -- but not always -- cost. They avoid excessive nail biting over which preamp and interconnect to use."
...
"Yeah! If you are expecting the retro-chic Leben to exhibit the lush and warm tube sound of yore, you won't find it here. The CS-300X certainly offers the familiar valve characteristics - a sense of liquidity, smoothness and a palpable presence that some call glow. However, it was also surprisingly clean, airy and transparent. There was additionally a beguiling sense of delicacy and tonal refinement that made it easier to peer deeper into a performance.
The attack, body and decay of notes were completely believable and captivating. Bass performance was tuneful, fluid and without bloat or sluggishness. Acoustic bass was exceptionally well rendered and Ray Brown's throbbing lines on Live at the Loa [Concord 1027-6] were thoroughly involving.The wee 'Life" was relatively quick, agile and possessed of good rhythmic acuity and drive."
There are several hi-fi manufacturers specialized in valve amplifiers; however, we feel a striking fondness in products from Leben Hi-Fi.
Mr. Hyodo, the owner of Leben Hi-Fi Co. (a passionate music lover) said "I have been collecting several superior and characteristic tubes from all over the world, and it is very exciting when I find a very scarce and unusual tube".
I remember Leben's former power amplifier RS-35a, where in his unique audio sense he selected a TV tube for the first stage, resulting in such a clean, transparent and mild analog sound.
After such a great job, he has once again designed this time a fantastic preamplifier - the RS-28C. Needless to say, fully constructed tube circuits only with the best quality tubes selected by such a great tube collector. Furthermore, he also included a built-in phono stage, which is so nice and kind of him to support analog audiophiles.
The noteworthy phono stage does not employ the usual non-NFB circuit, but rather a CR type equalizer which exposes the naked characteristic of the tube itself. This is Leben's basic policy - to cook the raw materials without putting any seasonings or colours. In this case, it should be required to use the very best quality of tubes. Leben selected the Amperex (USA) "Bugle Boy Series" 12AT7 tubes, one of the premium tubes which can be used on this phono stage.
Enjoying a comfortable feeling turning the volume knob, I tried my favorite super analog LP. What a fresh and rich analog sound, with a massive harmony of bass that envelops my whole body.
When trying analog LPs of latest recordings, I felt as if the RS-28C was representing a naked quality of the LP itself. And it should be due to the high S/N of the CR type equalizer that the pianissimo touch of a piano is so clear and smooth.
Apart from the phono equalizer stage, it's line amp stage is also very unique and superior. I believe there are no other preamplifiers like RS-28C which are equipped with such a Broadcast-grade tube E288CC made by Siemens/Germany. E288CC tubes are fully driven by a powerful SRPP amplification circuit, creating a marvelous high power of 80V, this is really great.
A graceful and powerful sound, a more than enough capability to cope with all kinds of power amplifiers, and it's antique looking, don't you think this is really a precious preamplifier nowadays ?
