Wolfbane Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Any fans here of tube amps and tube pre-amps of Japanese manufacture? I've owned several American made and Chinese made amps but prefer the build quality and sound of my Japanese equipment. Wb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juniper Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Love Jean Hiraga stuff, who might be the father of the "new love" of tube amps in so many places.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfbane Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 I drool when I get to listen to the Shindo Labs tube amps at the authorized dealer in Phoenix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube fanatic Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 Leben!!! http://lebenhifi.com/ Maynard 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfbane Posted March 4, 2016 Author Share Posted March 4, 2016 (edited) ^^ Agree, I have a CS300XS running upgraded tubes and it both sounds great and is very well built. Reminds me of Fisher's vintage amps with the gold face^^ Still would like to acquire a Shindo Labs amp. Edited March 4, 2016 by Wolfbane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totalcomfort Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Wanted to try tubes and got a cheap (130.00) hybrid tube amp from japan company. No problems other than volume pot is a little touchy at low volumes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 (edited) Wanted to try tubes and got a cheap (130.00) hybrid tube amp from japan company. No problems other than volume pot is a little touchy at low volumes. The company might be from Japan but I seriously doubt the amplifier is...that price it is surely produced in China. Japan in this day and age has the same type of high cost American companies do... Edited March 5, 2016 by NOSValves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richieb Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 I believe Craig can testify as to the build and sound quality of the Japanese made Almarro 318. Damn nice sounding single ended integrated at 18 watts running the big, firey hot Russian 6c33 triodes. Right Craig? As a side note - Hey Craig, I just sold the Almarro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Leben!!! http://lebenhifi.com/ Maynard Maynard, as much as I enjoy my SEP I would surely one day love to have a Leben on my rack.. I don't think you'd fault me for that, would you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Leben!!! http://lebenhifi.com/ Maynard Maynard, as much as I enjoy my SEP I would surely one day love to have a Leben on my rack.. I don't think you'd fault me for that, would you? I couldn't find prices anywhere. They'd probably scare me anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 I reached out to a dealer in Austin at one point. I think the CS3000XS somewhere around $3k. Not cheap, but also not entirely out of reach with some focused saving. Wolfbane can probably speak to street prices with his personal experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Japan = $$$... but you get what you pay for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 I believe Craig can testify as to the build and sound quality of the Japanese made Almarro 318. Damn nice sounding single ended integrated at 18 watts running the big, firey hot Russian 6c33 triodes. Right Craig? As a side note - Hey Craig, I just sold the Almarro. Yup that is about the only single ended amp I ever really liked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube fanatic Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Leben!!! http://lebenhifi.com/ Maynard Maynard, as much as I enjoy my SEP I would surely one day love to have a Leben on my rack.. I don't think you'd fault me for that, would you? I'd like to have one also! If I were ever to buy an amp, Leben is the only company I would consider. Here's a review of one of their amps: http://www.stereophile.com/content/leben-cs300-integrated-amplifier#92I8MaP1cdWot9ek.97 What amazes me is that the company's owner does this as his hobby! I ought to quit and find something else to do! Maynard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 What amazes me is that the company's owner does this as his hobby! I ought to quit and find something else to do! Maynard I've always liked the look of that Leben amp. But if you believe that hobby BS I have a bridge to sell you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfbane Posted March 6, 2016 Author Share Posted March 6, 2016 Leben!!! http://lebenhifi.com/ Maynard Maynard, as much as I enjoy my SEP I would surely one day love to have a Leben on my rack.. I don't think you'd fault me for that, would you? I'd like to have one also! If I were ever to buy an amp, Leben is the only company I would consider. Here's a review of one of their amps: http://www.stereophile.com/content/leben-cs300-integrated-amplifier#92I8MaP1cdWot9ek.97 What amazes me is that the company's owner does this as his hobby! I ought to quit and find something else to do! Maynard I believe that Leben tube equipment will hold their value very well over time. Especially right now considering the exchange rate between the Yen and USD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richieb Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 It's funny how revered Japanese gear is now. I'm sure we all remember the jokes about electronics being "made in Japan". Today it's electronics made in China being the butt of the jokes. Although I have owned several pieces of Chinese gear in the past that were by no means junk. Today I look at my rig - American made speakers (KHorns), American made amps (VRD) and soon to receive American made preamp (JM Peach). Two CD players both Made in Japan and both sound phenominal. Lots of geo-political reasons to shy from Chinese goods in general but in today's world of commerce it's nearly impossible to boycott. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube fanatic Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 But if you believe that hobby BS I have a bridge to sell you How much do you want for the Verrazano??? Yes, I had to laugh when I read that. But one never knows. I knew a guy about 20 years ago who, in his spare time, made custom fishing rods. When he got laid off from his corporate job he turned it into a local business and supposedly did extremely well with it. Here's the page from Tone Imports- read the last paragraph for grins! http://www.toneimports.com/leben/aboutLeben.html Maynard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 what other makers can you guys recommend from Japan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfbane Posted March 6, 2016 Author Share Posted March 6, 2016 what other makers can you guys recommend from Japan? I really like Yamamoto made equipment and want one day to own something made by Shindo Labs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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