CJ pre amps love em, hate em???

[rplace]

I don't see much mention here of Conrad Johnson tube pre amps. I know we all (just about) love the products from Juicy; and the Mac crowd is a devoted as you will find. I do remember seeing a post that Chicago Pete liked his CJ.

Any others out there have ear time with some of the older tube pre amps that have dedicated phono stages. Say the PV5 to PV7 and beyond?

Any time I have heard a CJ in an audio store I have like them...but stores rarely have speakers, rooms, amps and TTs to match the rest of your gear...so you really are hearing an entire system, not a specific piece of gear.

[NOSValves]

Some CJ models have a huge following and great reputaion. I've never had one here so I can't confirm. If you buy one right I'm sure you coould give it a whirl and flip it without loss. If you do so let us know what your think. It wouldn't take much arm twisting to have me check it out free gratis (no labor) just for the experience.

Craig

[rplace]

Craig, will do. I am kicking around the idea of a PV7 that is local to me. If I get it I will send it up your way. I know there is some former CJ tech that mods them. I believe this one to be bone stock with new tubes from CJ directly.

The one I am considering will set me back less then a Merlin (I need a phono stage) and acording to the owner has a "lovely" phono stage, recent factory check up at CJ to boot. I figure I can try it...and like you said flip it if I don't like it, or make it part of an ever changing collection of "stuff". Half the fun is trying different things, right?

I gather from CJ site that less is more in their book.

"This design required only one capacitor in the line stage signal path greatly reducing the distortions and non-linearities associated with more complex designs. The phono section was noticeably quieter than earlier designs"

http://www.conrad-johnson.com/It_just_sounds_right/a-PV7.html

[thebes]

Rich, I have a CJ PV3 pre. It's a 4 tube (2 line stage, 2 phono I think) that's a reverse phase model.

This is indeed older stuff from their early days but it matches

well with those rebuilt Bogens you heard when you were here.

Doesn't do as well as the Marantz 7T when matched with the 8B in that

particular setup.

Please be cautioned that my experience with seperates is limited to what I just described.

I've heard some describe them as dark but I don't see that at all.

This one has the most frustrating balence/volume pot I've ever experienced, but I understand it's unique to that model.

As a general rule they command very respectable prices on the used market.

If Rich doesn't get one I'd be happy to ship mine to you Craig.

Of course, I'd be happy to pay you-you don't charge enough as it is to

be handing out freebies, but it would be a couple of months before I

get the scratch together.

One final note, I bought this based on a recommendation from Guy

Landrau and I have noticed he's often recommended them to other members.

[NOSValves]

Craig, will do. I am kicking around the idea of a PV7 that is local to me. If I get it I will send it up your way. I know there is some former CJ tech that mods them. I believe this one to be bone stock with new tubes from CJ directly.

The one I am considering will set me back less then a Merlin (I need a phono stage) and acording to the owner has a "lovely" phono stage, recent factory check up at CJ to boot. I figure I can try it...and like you said flip it if I don't like it, or make it part of an ever changing collection of "stuff". Half the fun is trying different things, right?

I gather from CJ site that less is more in their book.

"This design required only one capacitor in the line stage signal path greatly reducing the distortions and non-linearities associated with more complex designs. The phono section was noticeably quieter than earlier designs"

http://www.conrad-johnson.com/It_just_sounds_right/a-PV7.html

I like that philosophy very much but I have to share a quote from are own Mark Deneen

"Less is more until it just becomes less"

I think the CJ is a great buy for you.

[NOSValves]

Rich, I have a CJ PV3 pre. It's a 4 tube (2 line stage, 2 phono I think) that's a reverse phase model.

This is indeed older stuff from their early days but it matches well with those rebuilt Bogens you heard when you were here. Doesn't do as well as the Marantz 7T when matched with the 8B in that particular setup.

Please be cautioned that my experience with seperates is limited to what I just described.

I've heard some describe them as dark but I don't see that at all.

This one has the most frustrating balence/volume pot I've ever experienced, but I understand it's unique to that model.

As a general rule they command very respectable prices on the used market.

If Rich doesn't get one I'd be happy to ship mine to you Craig. Of course, I'd be happy to pay you-you don't charge enough as it is to be handing out freebies, but it would be a couple of months before I get the scratch together.

One final note, I bought this based on a recommendation from Guy Landrau and I have noticed he's often recommended them to other members.

Thebes honestly with the CJ's it sounds like they only have a handful of parts and would be a quicky to freshen up. So it really is no big deal I like getting to play and audition stuff on some one elses dime. Other wise I have to buy another piece of gear that will collect dust because I just can't seem to part with unique pieces. I have a EICO HF85 that works perfectly and is in excellant condition I think I fired it up about a year ago or more. I just can't bring myself to sell it. So this is kind of desease control therapy for me []

[thebes]

A bump so Rich can get more feedback. Surely I'm not the only one here whose had experience with CJ.

Also, a reply to Craig.

Craig, I can understand your philosophy. Wish I had it before I

collected all this gear. I've got some chokes and a couple of other

finishing up goodies coming for my Franken-bogens. Once they are

done and I use the CJ pre to test them, I ship it up your way.

Shouldn't be more than two or three weeks (barring fires,

explosions-you know-the usual).

I do insist on sending you some beer money for your annual fishing trip.

Let's see,probably no more than one beer a day for each person, so a case of Schlitz ought to do it.[]

[MarkBK]

I did get the chance to listen to the current preamp - CJ5 with the matching Poweramp - LP70 - driving Joseph Audio Pearls - very nice! CJ5 also had a remote control for volume,etc. The CJ's look cool - the Joseph Pearls were gross but sounded great.

Of course, that system was also around 40k including the SACD player - I would expect nothing less than stellar at that price tag!

[middlecreekguy]

I've been using a PV-11 now for a couple of years and I just love it. The phono stage is outstanding.

[Guy Landau]

I have had many very positive experiences with quite a few C-J preamps.

I'm still convinced that the PV-10 is one of the best bargains in the audio industry.

Although most of them are rather colored, they always make music.

I've had PV-2,PV-5,PV-10A & Evolution 20SE (which I still own) and had listened to PV-3,4,14 and Premier 14. I could easily live with most of them (didn't like the PV-14 that much as it sounded too dry and lost that fine balance between detail and musicality).