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LEBEN CS600 OR CS300X

hi everyone.
i have devore gibbon nines speakers.
i decided to buy amplifer for my speakers ,after alot of question here on audiogon what amp to buy i decided to go with leben (i hope i will be not dissapointed),my budget is max 4000-5000$. i think in this price range i cant buy shindo pre +power :-((
so not i consider what will be good value for the money cs 300x or cs600 ? all i know is that cs600have alot of power more but what will be more good to my speakers 300x or 600?
i have averge living room about (5 meter on 4 meters) i hear all kind of music rock alot and quiet music but not classic music.
so what the diffrent between them and what will be the best comb with my devore nines speakers 300x 0r 600 ???
thanks alot hope to hear about it
bolero32
dbarger
215 posts
 
I have a pair of Devore Nines, and recently owned a Leben CS300. For reference , I do also own a Nait XS and ARC 100 watt amp. That said, I did not find the CS300 had enough power for all types of music. Simple music, yes, it was fine. But I like to rock out occasionally, and the Leben did not have the power for that. I replaced it with a new EL34 amp being imported by the same folks who import Shindo and Leben (Tone Imports?). It is a high quality Chinese made amp by LM Audio. I bought it from Don Better Audio for $1650, plus another $50 for upgraded input tubes. This amp is triode/ultralinear switchable for 15/32 watts, and has plenty of power for the Nines. I upgraded the tubes to KT77's for another $200, and it sounds great! But it was great even before the KT77's. If you Google LM Audio, you can check out the company. I see them as a Chinese Shindo. I have owned a few Shindo pieces, and am VERY impressed the LM Audio amp. You cannot go wrong with this amp. Plus it has remote control! That is important to me. I want to be able to adjust volume from my listening position, because with really nice gear, things just seem to really "click" with the right volume level.
truemaineiac's avatar
truemaineiac
249 posts
 
Dbarger, that is very interesting. Which Shindos did you have and how would you compare overall to your LM experience? I found a picture of John Devore with an LM integrated amp. Are the 32 watts enough to carry tough bass heavy passages with your nines?
bolero32 OP
39 posts
 
wow i have now alot to thinking of.
1.cs300 good value for money but doesnt have enough power for all kind of music i prefer rock and vocall.

2.cs600 have more power sound good but in his price range i can get almost shindo enter level montille and auriges l,so maybe i can wait to buy here shindo used and send it to israel (i think shindo is adream with devore even john devore said that and performance devore with shindo line) but i dont know if its sound better then cs600 of leben ? someone test this diffrent here ??? its very importent to me because i never hear shindo line in israel no dealer no one have shindo
3.if i will choose shindo is it enough power montille is only 15 w is it sound better then leben cs 600 that have 32 w ??
4.i read here that this montille and auriges isnt have the shindo magic so is it good value for the money ??

thats all for now i hope to get answear to my 4 questions above is it very importent to me to consider
thank alot for you all :-)
dbarger
215 posts
 
I had an Auriges and Montille to start, and then upgraded to a Masseto.
I find my LM amp has plenty of juice to drive the Nines to any level I need, and it does not sound stressed doing it. The Nines are pretty easy to drive. That is one reason I really like them.
Regarding the amp, it is very detailed, transparent, musical, dynamic, rhythmic, and involving. Amazing for $1650.
bongofury
1,160 posts
 
Bolero

You can easily rock those speakers with the 300sx. The Shindo are more for vocals, classical and jazz, where timbre and depth is most prized.

I listened to Radiohead's Amnesiac on the Leben and it was amazing. It perfectly reassembled and powered the most difficult tracks on the album. Great bass grip for a tube amp.

Before you make a decision, you should also look at Almarro amps out of Japan and Decware out of Chicago. These tube amps rival the best Shindo and Leben gear, at a fraction of their cost. The Almarro 205 is a steal. I got it for one of my children and it perfectly plays electronica and hip hop.
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