Leema Acoustics Pulse Amplifier

[ianlenco]

For sale my Leema Pulse amplifier. In beautiful, unmarked condition, complete with remote. The amp has a very good mm/mc phono stage.
70 watts per channel and capable of driving low impedance speakers with ease if needed. I've been very happy with this amp but have decided to go back to the murky world of valves.

https://i.imgur.com/HUyGlaPh.jpg#gWPQG

https://i.imgur.com/HjXJ1dch.jpg#gWPQG

https://i.imgur.com/pzr0cNLh.jpg#gWPQG

https://i.imgur.com/JGbW1SGh.jpg#gWPQG

https://i.imgur.com/kws54Ykh.jpg#gWPQG

https://i.imgur.com/7JJwRjSh.jpg#gWPQG

A couple of reviews:

Hifi Choice http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/amplifiers/leema-pulse-316795/review

What Hifi https://www.whathifi.com/leema/pulse/review

Looking for £500 inc UK mainland insured postage or you can collect/meet somewhere convenient to both if you prefer.

Thanks, Ian

[twotone]

Hi Ian, what version is this amp?

Thanks

Tony

[ianlenco]

Hi Tony, this is the original version so Mk1 I suppose. They changed the case in later versions which some suggested looked like a set top box! To my eyes this version is the more elegant looking.

[willbewill]

I can vouch for this amp, heard it at Ian's s few times, stunning sound with his Eikonas and an excellent phono stage built in.

[twotone]

Hi Tony, this is the original version so Mk1 I suppose. They changed the case in later versions which some suggested looked like a set top box! To my eyes this version is the more elegant looking.

Thanks Ian, there appears to be four versions and some confusion as to which is which.

Has this had the earth issue sorted by Leema and how old is the amp Ian?

BTW I'm using Dynaudio Audience 72 speakers any idea if the amp and speakers suit each other?

Tony

[ianlenco]

Hi Tony,
I didn't know there was an earth issue! This amp has no issues of any kind :) I'm afraid I don't know the age of this amp. I think they started manufacturing in 2008 and the Pulse Mk2 came out in 2012 but I can't be certain.

[twotone]

Hi Tony,
I didn't know there was an earth issue! This amp has no issues of any kind :) I'm afraid I don't know the age of this amp. I think they started manufacturing in 2008 and the Pulse Mk2 came out in 2012 but I can't be certain.


Hi Ian, there was an earth issue with the very early amps.

See post 15 here below, thanks.

https://www.whathifi.com/comment/552205#comment-552205

[ianlenco]

OK, thanks. Re your question about your Dynaudio speakers. I can't see there being any problem. I was using them with Neat Acoustics SX2 with great results. They have similar 86dB sensitivity. I also used them with my twin Jordan Eikona speakers when in parallel mode - 3 ohm load. I checked with Leema before trying with this load, Lee (the Lee part of Leema) Taylor himself told me it would be fine.

[twotone]

OK, thanks. Re your question about your Dynaudio speakers. I can't see there being any problem. I was using them with Neat Acoustics SX2 with great results. They have similar 86dB sensitivity. I also used them with my twin Jordan Eikona speakers when in parallel mode - 3 ohm load. I checked with Leema before trying with this load, Lee (the Lee part of Leema) Taylor himself told me it would be fine.

Thanks Ian, my main interest in the amp is the MM phono stage, I have an amp with a MM phono stage and it seems pretty decent however when I use it I have to crank the amp right up to about 45 which is about three times the normal from when the TV or the radio both of which are around the 15 mark and is perfectly acceptable.

I'm torn between buying a really good integrated amp (with phono stage) which I think the speakers need cause they are superb speakers or staying with the current amp and buying a standalone MM phono pre-amp for the turntable which I rarely use.

[struth]

not sure the reason but most integrateds ive used have a lower gain in the phono to other inputs. seems common in comparison to most outboards

[ianlenco]

Always alternatives to cause problems! What's your current amp? I've had a couple of pairs of Dynaudios in the past, Contour 1.3 and the 1.8 Mk 2. Lovely speakers and although 4 ohm that's pretty flat so no trouble driving them. My brother's still got a pair of 1.8's and we hitched the Leema up to them a while back - sounded very good indeed.

Shame you're so far away, not really practical to pop round for a try!

[twotone]

not sure the reason but most integrateds ive used have a lower gain in the phono to other inputs. seems common in comparison to most outboards

Thanks Grant, hmmm, think I've noticed that before too.

Bloody hobby is murder at times:doh:

[twotone]

Hi ian, it's a Pulse (funnily enough) SRA-160USB which is a Quad clone I believe, cheap thing but it's fine, comes with a decent remote and does drive the speakers however I listen at really low volumes.

Alan Shaw recommends my amp, along with a cheap Pioneer integrated, for his Harbeth speakers which is why I bought it SH from a mate of mine.

[ianlenco]

I've recently been trying several outboard phono stages - they all required tweaking up the amp volume so I don't think it's just in built stages that have less output than other sources such as CD

[hifinutt]

Thanks Ian, my main interest in the amp is the MM phono stage, I have an amp with a MM phono stage and it seems pretty decent however when I use it I have to crank the amp right up to about 45 which is about three times the normal from when the TV or the radio both of which are around the 15 mark and is perfectly acceptable.

I'm torn between buying a really good integrated amp (with phono stage) which I think the speakers need cause they are superb speakers or staying with the current amp and buying a standalone MM phono pre-amp for the turntable which I rarely use.

this is a fabulous amp and if i had not just bought something else i would buy it . i had this model used with dynaudio 52se and it had a lovely organic sound . highly recommended and any issues leema will sort out . i never had any issues at all with my mark 1

[ianlenco]

Thanks Phil, I too have had no problems with this amp. What did you buy instead?

[hifinutt]

ha , i only sold it as had to pay some bills . if i had seen this yesterday i would have bought it !!! but just bought a nice supernait 2 . the pulse was in a second system used daily with the dyns and i always remember how organic it was

[twotone]

this is a fabulous amp and if i had not just bought something else i would buy it . i had this model used with dynaudio 52se and it had a lovely organic sound . highly recommended and any issues leema will sort out . i never had any issues at all with my mark 1

Thanks, that's very helpful, I've not read a bad review on these amps, I'll give it some thought guys.

Tony.

[ianlenco]

Just to be clear on the £500 asking price. If anyone wants to collect I will obviously knock off the p&p costs so it will be £475. If you want to meet somewhere then I'm happy to travel up to 50 miles from Stroud Glos for 12p a mile. So a return trip of 100 miles would be £12.

Cheers, Ian

[ianlenco]

I'm keen to sell this as I need to pay for a new phono stage so the price is reduced to £450 collected. Add £25 for insured delivery to UK mainland addresses.

[ianlenco]

OK, there's a similar amp appeared on ebay at same price but open to best offers so I will do the same. :)
Now open to offers for this excellent amplifier.

[hifinutt]

put it on hi fi for sale and it will sell . its already well priced imho

http://www.hifi-forsale.co.uk/

[twotone]

Anyone know if the phono stage in the Pulse amp is as good as the Elements/Essentials MM phono stage?

Thanks

[ianlenco]

put it on hi fi for sale and it will sell . its already well priced imho

http://www.hifi-forsale.co.uk/

Thanks Phil, I tend to agree about the price. Maybe if this was a bit more exotic instead of being British built, designed by two ex BBC engineers it would attract more attention. :scratch: I can't speak for others but I've had some good amps in my time including several flavours of Meridian pre power combinations, AVI, etc, all costing more than the Leema but not better by any means.
Checked finances today and I can afford to pay for the new phono stage so any offers will have to be very close to £450 otherwise I'll keep it for a backup.

Tony, can't answer your question but according to the blurb on Leema's website for the current Pulse model


Phono input: MM/MC (taken from Essentials phono stage)

so I dare say this has been the case with previous models. You could always ask Lee Taylor, the "Lee" part of Leema Acoustics. He was very quick to answer my questions when I first bought this. lee@leema-acoustics.com

Cheers, Ian

[twotone]

Thanks Phil, I tend to agree about the price. Maybe if this was a bit more exotic instead of being British built, designed by two ex BBC engineers it would attract more attention. :scratch: I can't speak for others but I've had some good amps in my time including several flavours of Meridian pre power combinations, AVI, etc, all costing more than the Leema but not better by any means.
Checked finances today and I can afford to pay for the new phono stage so any offers will have to be very close to £450 otherwise I'll keep it for a backup.

Tony, can't answer your question but according to the blurb on Leema's website for the current Pulse model



so I dare say this has been the case with previous models. You could always ask Lee Taylor, the "Lee" part of Leema Acoustics. He was very quick to answer my questions when I first bought this. lee@leema-acoustics.com

Cheers, Ian

Thanks Ian, the essentials/elements phono stage has great reviews and I'm only really interested in a good phono stage so with that in mind there's an Elements phono stage on Ebay at the minute and they seem to go for about the £250-ish range SH, the one I'm watching is the older Elements PS but basically they're all the same regardless of age of build with some tweaks in the most recent ones (settings for both MM/MC I think) but if the amp has the same phono stage then it's a no brainer to buy one, the only problem I have is I can afford to spend maybe £200 at the minute but common sense says spend the £450:scratch:

I've dropped Lee an email Ian and I'll update this post if I find anything out.

PS, I've a £2.6k tax bill to pay this morning:(

[ianlenco]

Tax bill? I suppose the good thing about a tax bill is that you've had some income from somewhere :)

[twotone]

Tax bill? I suppose the good thing about a tax bill is that you've had some income from somewhere :)

I'm self employed Ian (30 years), gets harder every year:)

[twotone]

Hi Ian, I received a reply from Lee at Leema Acoustic which is basically, that the Pulse amp has an Elements phono stage, his reply and my enquiry are below.

'Hi there, wonder if you could tell me if the Leema Pulse Mk1 integrated as the same phono stage as your standalone Elements phono stage?'

"Hello Tony,

Yes it is pretty much the same, but the low frequency rumble filter is wired
permanently on.

There are very few if any situations where this is an issue and it protects
the amplifier from uncontrolled infrasonic frequencies..................and
your speakers!

Regards
Lee Taylor"

[ianlenco]

Thanks Tony, Leema are a good bunch re customer support. So my Leema has the equivalent of an Elements phonostage inside which would have cost £495 new on its own. £450 for the Pulse looks to be quite a bargain then :eyebrows:

[twotone]

Thanks Tony, Leema are a good bunch re customer support. So my Leema has the equivalent of an Elements phonostage inside which would have cost £495 new on its own. £450 for the Pulse looks to be quite a bargain then :eyebrows:

Hi Ian, yes with that phono stage it is a great buy mate, the last three phono stages on Ebay sold for £261 and £302 and £325 but the last one had an aftermarket linear PS and cables.

Wish I could afford it but now isn't a good time, the wife would go nuts if I spent £475 on an amp:( but hopefully the phono stage info might help sell it.

[ianlenco]

Now sold.