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For example the 8-watt Triode TRV-3000SER SET clearly favored the album by Gould, probably not quite coping with conveying the full impetus of the Pogorelich recording. This is just a small example for how well the amplifier handles its power—not just to show off low powerful bass which indeed it does—but to ‘manage’ it by drawing a powerful scene with dynamic shading.

But as I already said this is not a ‘perfect’ amplifier. I remember very well why the CS-660P impressed me so much. Its sound was just as finished and complete but generated by its warm lower midrange and upper bass. It was an intimate sound penetrating us inside out - incredibly romantic yet sufficiently precise. We do not find that here. The CS-1000P designer evidently moved on, clearing out this range of any coloration (which is what the romance really was) to evoke in us a storm of emotions by convincing us that we now deal with something real. Gone is the small cheat  Mr. Taku used in the CS-660P. And I missed it a little.


As I wrote in this month's editorial, a fundamental feature of a good audio component or system is whether it is able to convey the emotions which were captured in the recordings. This can be achieved in many ways but the one that defined the sound of the previous top Leben amplifier was extremely attractive. The CS-1000P is better in every way and eventually achieves the same but I found myself yearning for the ‘older-school’ 660.

The 1000’s powerful bass may also present a slight problem. It is not as well controlled as the amp’s output power might suggest. Whilst not really bad, the lowest bass sometimes decays longer than it should and is quite substantial to boot. In smaller listening rooms where the sound has no space to expand, it might prove to be a step too far. Besides that I had no further questions. I reviewed the unit with stock tubes yet there are lots of different types of 6922 available. Likewise the options of swapping output tubes are plenty. With the built-in bias meter such rolling is made simple. The 660 was not quite as straightforward in this regard.


The CS-1000P creates an excellent framework from which you can hang anything—tubes, fuses, feet, whatever you fancy—and the amplifier will simply let them sing with their own voice. It’s a really great amp; the best Leben I know. And while adding just a few characteristics of the CS-660P would transfer it into the area of the very top high-end occupied by my Soulution 710 or the best of SET amps, I do understand the designer’s choices and am very impressed with their result. Not to mention the fact that the amplifier is simply beautiful. The transformer cover reads “Your lifelong partner to live with music.” I fully agree!  This amplifier receives our Red Fingerprint award which was previously given only to the Dynaudio Focus 260 floorstanding speakers, Musica Ibuki USB DAC, JPLAY software player, Pro Audio Bono Acrylic AP anti-vibration platform and Hegel H70 integrated amplifier.


Review methodology. The amplifier was placed on the Audio Pro Bono anti-vibration platform with new bearing suspension and feet. The platform sat on the wooden shelf of the Base IV Custom Version rack. The CD player was hooked up with Acrolink Mexcel 7N-A6300 RCA interconnects. The amplifier was powered by the Harmonix X-DC350M2R improved version cable.


The auditions were A/B comparisons with both A and B known. In addition to my reference amplifier, I compared the Leben to the Triode TRV- A300SER and SPEC RSA-V1. Music samples were two minutes long.


The CS-1000P is nominally a power amplifier. However, since it features an input potentiometer it can be used as an integrated amplifier. Contrary to widespread opinion such a configuration rarely makes the grade. In this case as it had already been with the CS-660P, it is one of the better options. The amplifier can be driven by a preamp but the best resolution whilst maintaining weight really comes from source direct or using a CD player with built-in active preamplifier like my Ancient Audio Lektor Air which proved an excellent combination.