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Luxman L505u

I see. Well, it certainly looks interesting.

After a few days with this new amp, my conclusion is that it has helped the system, but the old magic will never be found again in this acoustic.

So, it doesn't matter whether your amp is tube or solid state, but whether the power level is a good match and you have a good acoustic.
 
May I ask how does the Leben CS300X compare with the Luxman L-505u? Obviously the Luxman will have more control over the speakers especially at moderate to high volume levels, but which is a more forward sounding amp with a higher involvement and toe-tapping factor? Which amp have more extended highs? When I AB'd the Leben CS600 with the excellent LFD and Rega Elicit, the Leben comes up tops in producing a clear and crystalline top end. The Leben is a more forward sounding amp than both LFD and Luxman(although I thought the LFD is the most forward sounding amp among the best solid-states). There is just something special about the Leben, the magic of tubes. That may be the reason you mentioned you will not regain the "old magic" again, the magic of the Leben tubes.

The CS300X being a flea-powered amp will perform better with higher efficiency speakers in a small listening environment.

So, have you reached a final conclusion with both Leben and Luxman driving the Harbeth? Which amp do you prefer more?
 
ampman said:
I see. Well, it certainly looks interesting.

After a few days with this new amp, my conclusion is that it has helped the system, but the old magic will never be found again in this acoustic.

So, it doesn't matter whether your amp is tube or solid state, but whether the power level is a good match and you have a good acoustic.
Click to expand...

Did you previously have a hard wooden floor? It looks from your picture as if there maybe a lot of window on the right as well. All lending to a hard sound, so you're probably going to need lots of dampening. Also I wonder if you have tried bringing the speakers closer together? I would think this would focus the mid-range and give more warmth. You wouldn't need to toe them in quite so radically. Worth a try anyway.
 
Ryder -

The Luxman is better in this room. However this room is poor compared to my old one, where I had the Leben, but no Luxman.

So, a general conclusion is difficult, but here and now - the Luxman, due to power.

Elephantears - No the old room had a tatami floor with a rug on top and lots of softer furnishings. Basically, as you say, this room needs more damping. Also, the rear wall here is a long way back. The walls are thin too. I have moved em round a bit and to my ears they are best further apart.

Overall the sound is good despite the acoustics, which is a tribute to the Harbeths, but it could be better. One thing that isn't a problem is following the music, not being able to discern lyrics etc. It is a very coherent sound.

I did find in the old room, that the more It became filled with softer furnishings, the better the sound became. For example, I added a rug, things hanging on the walls, a bookcase behind the speakers etc.

I'll have to try that piece of blue paper under the vase trick, and enter the realms of hi-fi lunacy.
 
Ampman,

Thanks for the information. I re-read the thread and it appears that your previous room is not only smaller than the current room but comes with rear wall reinforcement. Hence, I am not too surprised that the old room performed better than the current one even with the Leben CS300X on board. The odds of attaining better sound are higher in a small room when there are possibilities of tinkering with treatments on the wall, just as what you have figured out when hanging stuff on the side walls and placing bookcase behind the speakers.

Personally I don't think you can do much to improve on the room acoustics considering the current room is a huge space. In this circumstance, the Luxman has fitted in well indeed (where the Leben faltered).

Enjoy~
 
ryder said:
Ampman,

Thanks for the information. I re-read the thread and it appears that your previous room is not only smaller than the current room but comes with rear wall reinforcement. Hence, I am not too surprised that the old room performed better than the current one even with the Leben CS300X on board. The odds of attaining better sound are higher in a small room when there are possibilities of tinkering with treatments on the wall, just as what you have figured out when hanging stuff on the side walls and placing bookcase behind the speakers.

Personally I don't think you can do much to improve on the room acoustics considering the current room is a huge space. In this circumstance, the Luxman has fitted in well indeed (where the Leben faltered).

Enjoy~
Click to expand...

Perhaps some SHL5's or even some floorstanding tannoys?
 
Hey we don't all have to abandon our Harbeths for Tannoys! Regarding a move to 5's - I'm not sure about that, since I found that the 5's were more prone to problematic treble reflections. That super-tweeter is a tricky thing to integrate into a room, I felt, and it might make things worse with your hard floors. Of course, this is only from limited experience with my room - ryder will know better, but remember all the treatments he has fitted.
 
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