Ламповый усилитель pathos

No longer considered merely a mid-fi receiver minus a tuner, many integrated amps are now true high-end components. Don’t believe me? Take a look-see at the VAC Phi Beta or the Audiomat Recital. These are serious take-no-prisoners SOTA components designed to compete directly against more expensive multi-box

separates. Still, some audiophiles sniff at the notion of integrated amps, which is unfortunate. There are several

fine examples of the breed available today and at all price points. Perhaps the true measure of a firm’s engineering expertise is found in the inevitable trade-offs required in smaller, generally less complex designs. Any competent designer can create a cost no object pre/power combo. But to extract similar performance in a combined unit requires some considerable smarts.

Some of the most impressive modestly priced amplifiers I’ve heard were integrateds: Manley Labs Stingray, Audiomat Arpege, C-J CAV50, Unison Research Unico, Audio Zone AMP-1 and even the venerable NAD 3020. However, there is more to my predilection for one-box solutions than just cost and clutter reduction. The way I see it, the more complex a signal path becomes, the more light, nuance and life disappears from the music. With single-chassis designs, there is reduced potential for noise and hum problems as the entire amplification stage shares a common reference ground. Stick to the KISS principal: Keep It Simple Stupid. Give me a decent integrated, preferably tube or opamp-based à la Audio Zone or 47Labs and I’m a happy camper.

Leben is mainly a manufacturer of electrical and electronic parts such as transformers and switches. The amplifier division is essentially a hobby and inspiration for Mr. Hyodo, hence production is limited to a few models. Taku-san has quite a reputation among Japanese audiophiles. There is even a Leben Audio Lovers Club. Currently two integrated amps are available, along with two power amps and preamp. None of them are expensive by North American high-end standards. Coming soon are a phono stage and a CS-600 integrated with switchable choice of EL34 or 6L6 tubes.

The CS-300X, today’s review piece, is an upgraded version of Leben’s entry-level CS-300. It features Mullard NOS EL84s and other internal upgrades over the basic version. While reading through the product information, I reflected on how cool it would be to find a North American distributor so I could satiate my wanton lust. Sure enough, two days later while checking out the Moon Beams news section on 6moons, I was absolutely gob smacked to find Jonathan Halpern of Tone Imports bringing Leben into the U.S. Surely this was no coincidence but a matter of destiny? Not one to tempt fate, a quick email found its way to Jonathan. A couple of months later, this lovely diminutive amp landed on my doorstep.

As you can see, the CS-300X is cute little thing that you could easily tuck under your arm. Nicely finished solid ash side panels flank the attractive gold and green two-tone aluminum front panel. The controls from left to right are input (for 5 sources), volume, balance and the surprisingly effective bass boost which allows a mild 3dB and 5dB increase for low volume late night listening. Sweet! Beneath the gold-plated aluminum controls are two plastic switches, one for tape monitoring, the other to toggle between speaker and headphone output. Both switches flank the headphone jack. On the far right is the power switch and status indicator, the latter powered by the EL84s’ cathode bias instead of a relay switch. Therefore the LED only lights up when the tubes are warmed up, roughly 10 seconds past turn-on.

tell from the photos, the CS-300X exudes a passionate attention to details. In an age of mass-produced electronics and good-enough components, it’s a relief that some manufacturers embrace the notion of artisanship. Like my Manley Labs Stingray, the CS-300X has a very distinctive retro appearance that may offend some but not me. I loved it and I’ll bet you will, too.

Суперкомпьютер для аудиофила: Aurender ACS10

Хотите знать, что такое настоящий аудиофильский компьютер, а не то, что собирают фанаты DIY у себя в гаражах? Вот прямо девайс на максималках? Тогда встречайте – Aurender ACS10, и это не просто «еще один Aurender», он совсем другой.

Традиционно для бренда этот компьютер (а я настаиваю на том, что это все-таки компьютер) упакован в отличный алюминиевый антирезонансный бронежилет, в нем Aurender весит более 12 киллограммов! И, кстати, – по иронии судьбы этот крупный корпус очень похож на системные блоки компьютеров из девяностых – прямо ставь на него ЭЛТ-монитор и подключай матричный принтер!