I hadn't tried my reference Leben RS28CX Premium preamplifier in the system yet with my VPI Classic turntable and the Westminster Royal Special Edition loudspeakers, so this morning I removed the Leben RS100U/RS30EQ combination that I've been using (excellent), and replaced it with the RS28CX Premium.

Wow! The RS28CX Premium is a match made in heaven with the way the system is set up right now: ClearAudio Virtuoso Wood MM cartridge on the VPI Classic, Acoustic Revive Single Core interconnects on the VPI to the RS28CX (in for review at PFO along with the matching speaker cables).

The Leben RS28CX is a two-chassis, full-function (with valve phone stage) active preamplifier. The first chassis, the RS28CX, includes all the vacuum tube audio circuitry, inputs, outputs and controls. A dedicated vacuum tube power supply is housed in a second chassis. That RS28PX powers the RS28CX via an umbilical cord that is long enough to place the power supply well away from the control unit and maintain maximum separation to minimize power supply noise contamination of the sensitive vacuum tube line and phono circuitry.

The phono stage of the RS28CX Premium is remarkably quiet even through the highly sensitive Westminster Royal SE loudspeakers, and there's absolutely no hum evident even without a ground from the VPI Classic to the RS28CX Premium. I've been listening to the MoFi release of Allison Krauss + Union Station Live LP set this morning and it's sounding extraordinarily good. Strings are full of life-like detail, tone color is through the roof, and there's a positively addictive sparkle throughout the high frequencies. Did I mention tight and tuneful bass? Yep.

Just a quick update for you, now it's time for me to get back to drinking a little coffee while listening to music on this rainy Spring Friday morning.