I love to write posts for you about audio and music, but my project management gene just kicked in, so I thought I'd tell you about what to expect to read about in the next few months of scheduled audio adventures here at Jeff's Place.

My first goal is to transfer the Duelund CAST tinned-copper crossover components for the right loudspeaker to its plinth (as in the photo above for the left loudspeaker), and then clean up the wiring for both crossovers so they look pretty, and install them into the vintage "Stokowski" Altec's.

Along with a few update blog posts along the way about it, I'll be starting on writing the feature article for Positive Feedback on the Duelund Altec-Project, which I'm really looking forward to, and I predict it's going to be a great read based on the ideas I have for the article.

Next up is the Pass Labs XA25 singled-ended Class A solid-state power amplifier which I've been listening to on the "Stokowski" Altec's. The XA25 has really been sounding impressive, and in fact I'm listening to it right now as I'm writing this. 

Photograph by David W. Robinson, copyright (c) 2018, all rights reserved.

I'll be interviewing Nelson about the XA25's design as I proceed, so expect to read some informative and illuminating posts about this after I get the Duelund-Altec Project wrapped up and the feature article about it published at Positive Feedback. 

GPA 802-8G Series II high-frequency compression driver.

After that the next audio adventure in my review queue is to try the current versions of the Great Plains Audio nee Altec high-frequency compression drivers and low-frequency drivers in my vintage "Stokowski" Altec's and my vintage Altec A5 Voice of the Theatre loudspeakers.

GPA Altec 515-8C

I'll be doing my usual blogging as I go here at Jeff's Place, culminating in feature reviews for Positive Feedback of the GPA/Altec drivers.

Eliseo (Troy Audio), Bill Hanuschak (Great Plains Audio), and Santos Oropel (Troy Audio).

I'm also hoping to find time to visit Great Plains Audio in the future so I can tell you all about all kinds of cool Altec things, and to interview Bill Hanuschak.

There's a big story here about all things Great Plains Audio and Troy Audio, so stay tuned on the upcoming Altec adventures!

Peter Qvortrup of Audio Note UK.

You'll also being seeing a continuing series of blog posts about Peter Qvortrup and all the cool goings-on at Audio Note UK that I predict will fan your audio flames into a raging fire, as well as a future review that I'll tell you more about a bit later.

Update: Yoshi-san of the muSon Project, Inc., exporter of Leben Hi-Fi Stereo Company products for Japan, has asked me if I would like to write about the new Leben CS600X valve integrated amplifier for you.

Yoshi-san of the muSon Project, Inc., center in photo.

I think many of you know I have been a huge fan of the predecessor of the Leben CS600X, the Leben CS600 valve stereo amplifier, which I bought from importer Jonathan Halpern (Tone Imports) after I reviewed it years ago, in 2007, for an audio site called 6moons.

In fact the CS600 has resided in my equipment stable longer than any other single piece of hifi electronics I own, and it works magic in my vintage Altec A5 Voice of the Theatre audio-visual system, whether it's playing movies or playing records from my Thorens TD-124 turntable via the Leben RS-30EQ phono equalizer, which I also dearly love.

If that isn't a ringing endorsement I don't know what is!

By necessity the CS600 is being phased out and replaced with the CS600X because of the limited availability of the 6CS7 vacuum tubes needed to support future production of the CS600 design.

Personally, foreseeing the potential availability issues of the 6CS7 years ago, I had stocked up on enough 6CS7 tubes to last as long as I do, as I hold the CS600 in such high regard I want to keep it playing music as long as possible. 

In order to provide long term customer support for the new Leben CS600X, which uses modified circuits where each single 6CS7 is replaced by the combination of a 12AU7A and 12BH7A, which are readily available, and will keep the new CS600X going long after my residence on Planet Earth has expired. 

I'll look forward to telling you all about the new Leben CS600X and how it compares to my beloved original CS600.

In my usual fashion I'll be blogging about the CS600X here at Jeff's Place after it arrives until its turn comes up in my review queue to write a feature review about it for Positive Feedback, so stay tuned for all kinds of good things to come!

As always, thanks for stopping by Jeff's Place, and may the tone be with you!