The Leben may have been the first tube amp that was tonally very clean, but even with 90dB speakers that Asit has, I could hear it struggle at the loudest levels.
I am not too sure about that statement, Cranky. I feel very uncomfortable to say the following but need to say this: Please remember that I am not quite a novice neither in music nor in equipments, and would never say something in favor just because I happen to own a certain equipment. In all these years, I have had the privilege of listening to tons of gears and even more varieties of music than most people can ever think of. I see a lot of myths both about music and the equipments floating around and I am either too old or too busy to constantly raise my voice and therefore mostly keep silent.
I certainly do not agree with you at all. Just that nobody, absolutely nobody gets a WRONG impression about these things, I am categorically stating that you are wrong about the Leben as paired with my Cantons, because 1) when you heard it, the AA cable was still some way to go in terms of a full burn-in, the system since then has become much more refined and smoother 2) even then I do not remember it "struggling" at any point of time during that session (just that at the bottom end it still has some issues because of the poor positioning of my speakers, but that also is much improved now after the AA cable fully burnt in) and I do not remember you complaining about it struggling at any point of time, (in any case, don't you honestly think the word "struggling" is plain and simple unfair?) 3) When you heard my system, we hardly ever went past 11 O'Clock position in the volume knob. Since then I have heard the system at much louder levels at times, and the system shows NO signs of illness.
In my opinion, if music ever needs to have more dynamic range than what is there in my system, it tends to be more drama than music. I say that with full conviction. In any case you would never get that in any recording that you and I can comfortably lay our hands on.
But, over all, I do not want to dispute your comment on the pairing of the CS300 with the BE-718, because I have not heard that combination. We have just to remember one thing though: all systems at all budgets start with a compromise (as somebody, probably dinyaar) said in this forum. For the given money, it's the optimal balance that one should aim for.
Regards.