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 Downunder's Responses in Amps Preamps  Posts
Preamp Deal of the Century
They are back http://www.supratek.biz
3669
Classe move to China
Is Classe reducing the price of their equipment by 50% due to the lower cost structure of manufacturing in China? If not, nobody should be anything from Classe. They are . . .
259
VAC Ren II, VAC Phi, or ARC Ref 3?
Is ARC up to a Ref3 v2 all ready. that did not take long for their reference product to be updated :) I find it mildly amusing that several mnths after release it now needs an . . .
190
Fremer lays an Ostrich egg...
John Atkinson also agreed with Fremer. " The more I listened the more the overall sonic picture seemed flat and uninvolving " This is coming from the guy that owns the . . .
151
Powerful Tube Amp for SF Strads?
The nice thing about the Mac tube amps is that you can run them on 2ohm taps, 4 ohm taps or 8ohm taps. Parallel or bridge them and they can run at full power into loan from 1ohm. . .
136
DarTZeel Preamp
Jtin. Why didn't u just break the amp in b4 giving it to Jeff Fritz to review. Surely u as the importer has a vested interest in making sure any unit u distribute is ready 4 . . .
132
Opportunity to buy the best Preamp... but which?
I have owned the VTL 7.5 and currently own a cj ART and it sounds sublime. If I had unlimited budget I would buy the cj ART 3 and compare it to my original ART. would be . . .
126
Audio Research Ref 3 Opinions
When will the REF3/mk2 be released
106
Best solid state pre-amp below US $ 10.000,00 ??
many many choices - throw in cj prem350. best of tubes and SS
94
Conrad Johnson ACT2 against Audio Research Ref 3
Oneobgyn. Have your heard the ACT 2 or just stating ARC is best based on your upgrade from ref 2 to ref 3
82
Best 5 engineered rock albums?
"brothers in arms" is a digital recording with little or no deep bass and it sounds artificial - not sure how anyone could have it on their top five list - "lover . . .
78
New Bel Canto Gear at RMAF
What does Bel Canto do to the ICE power modules other than put them in pretty cases? What has bel canto done new for the version 2, or is there a new ICE power module out
73
Parasound JC1's vs. Sim Audio W10
Bob. What is the difference between high and low bias on a practical and sound quality level?. thanks Shane
70
Amps for Sonus Faber Stradivari Homage
Onemug How do you find the cj ART3 coupled with the XA100.5's? What did you have before? I have the ART3 and I am happy with my cj prem8a's with teflon caps, however . . .
69
Any Comparisons between VTL 7.5 & ARC Ref 3
MC also so gave bad reviews to several ARC products namely the VT200 or was it the VM200?? as well as one of ARC's lower rangte pre amps, which ARC re-designed after his review. . .
57
Bob Crump passes away over holiday.
that is indeed very sad. he was a very nice gentleman with a great sense of humour. I use two of his excellent SLVR cables in my system
48
CJ vs. BAT vs. THOR preamps, who's best?
cj pre amps are no longer sweet and romantic. I have had the ACT 2 and CT5 in my system for the last 2.5 months and I am afraid to say they are now too neutral, for my tastes at . . .
43
Has anyone heard FM Acoustics
I lived with the 122 phono stage for several years. Unfortunately at the time it was too good for the rest of my system and I sold it. The only real hi fi item I regret selling . . .
42
Whose sorry now? Sellers remorse from selling amp.
I regret selling my FM acoustics phono stage. It had a great feature that you could alter the RIIA curve to suit older recordings. At the time I was blaming it for my system . . .
42
Conrad Johnson Act 2 series 2 First Impressions
Tim Do you have any details on the cj phono stage including cost. full tube, or hybrid like the Ph7?. more than one input? Looking to replace the PH7 all ready ? :) BTW, after. . .
42
Sonic atributes ultralinear vs tetrode vs pentode
Bak to the ops q. Mike / brm1 Try any conrad johnson tube amplifier. Almost all of them are ultralinear amps and nobody could ever call them hard sounding. Smooth with musical . . .
39
Ayre MR-X monoblocks - how good are they??
Semi Grand prix stand might be OK, however I am not a fan of their racks. They sway like the breeze and add a bit of upper energy which can be tiresome over time. The Pass. . .
38
CJ premier 8 - please share your comments
You are doing the right thing. I had a listen to PASS X350 and the prem8a's were better in every respect except the pass was quieter
37
Is there life after a KXR? Help
Mike Buy a 2nd hand mac c2300. While not fully balanced it does have balanced outputs and inputs. It has an wonderful MC and MM phono stage which can be adjusted on the fly. . .
36
Will the new C.A.T. LEGEND be the ultimate preamp?
Does the CAT pre amp have remote control yet
34
Attenuator recommendations
Tbooe You will find that you are not using any of the gain your two pre-amps have. The main difference between the two will be how much each pre amp attenuates the signal at the. . .
33
Tenor Audio
The so-called restructure annoucement has been coming for 6 week now. Unlikely it will happen. but you never know Von Shiekert came out of bankruptcy
33
BAT vs. Quicksilver
Another option worth exploring if you can afford are the cj premier 350 SS amp. This is a great sounding amp with that tube like mids and highs and SS bipolar bass to control . . .
30
Aria phono preamp - Mike Elliot blog
From what I read the ARIA phono will use a transformer for MC's. That in itself will rule out a lot of people that don't like transformers in their phono stage. me I'll . . .
29
CD output voltage too high for preamp: what to do?
Endler attenuators r the best and easily crap on the Rothwell's. I have both and the Endlers are transparent and flexible as you can set the exact attenuation you need. Go for . . .
29
Comparing sound of Tenor 150 HPs vs. Lamm M1.2
Thom. Which Karma ceramique speakers are you going to buy?. Do the Karma's rock enought to keep up with the alternative music you and I mainly listen to. Have you bought the new . . .
28
Audio Research or Conrad Johnson Tube Pre-Amp???
those HIFICRITIC ratings are bullshit The cj ART sounds better than either the ACT2 or CT5
27
What preamp for Lamm M1.2 ?
I would look at placette passive or active linestage - they also have 30 day return policy. or cj ACT or CT5 pre amp. both have 20db gain, but you will not get any tube rush . . .
27
What's the best Phono preamp under $1000??
EAR 834P s/h
25
The final Act in a study in preamps the ART 3
Brent Good to see you enjoying the ACT3. I luved my pre 16, but did not care for ACT2 or CT5. Good to see CJ have dumped that 6h30 and gone back to some tonal warmth and . . .
25
Audio Research Ref. 210 questions
I had a listen to the ref 210's for a few minutes and even at low volumes in a cold room the fans were churning away LOUDLY. I think the 210's sounded quite good, but I could . . .
25
Wanted:Warm, Sweet preamp.
cary slp-98. super sounding pre amp with nice tube warmth
25
Jeff Rowland 302 or Conrad Johnson Premier 350
Cytocycle. You said you have heard both the 501's and 302's. Do both possess the ability to drive low impedances in the bass ( ie 3ohms) and play effortless loud. ie for my . . .
25
sweet, euphonic, reasonably powerful tube amp?
maqc mc 2102 of cj prem 12's
24
Looking for an amp to drive Eidolons Vision.
Try the cj prem 350. It has nice tight bass and has dynamic life in the upper mids/treble which is somewhat tube like. you will save a bundle in doing so as well. The UK importer. . .
24
What Tube Amp Looks Coolest?
cj prem 11, 12 or 8A's look cool. ARC are now copying the open design
24
Anyone heard about the new Mcintosh MC2301's?
Lmche How do the MC2301's sound compared to mono blocked 2102's and MC501's
23
PS Audio GCPH comments-opinions
http://www.psaudio.com/customercare.asp scroll down to the phono stage manual
23
Conrad Johnson vs. McIntosh Tube Gear
Are you running CD's or vinyl. With 96db speakers any noise or excess gain in the pre and power is going to come out, expecially with CD as the source. I think that the cj. . .
23
Conrad Johnson Lp 140 monoblocs review.
Brainwater, could you please elaborate a little more on the differences tonally and dynamically between the prem 350 and LPM 140's. I own the 350 and have extensively tried . . .
23
Parasound Halo JC-1 -VS- Bryston 7B-ST?
I have not heard the 7B-ST however have recently heard at home the 7B-SST and JC-1's. Bass was similar, probably the JC-1's more powerful but both excellent bass. I found the . . .
23
How to upgrade a nondetachable power cord?
Don't bother, cj voiced their amp with the captive power cable and they feel you need to spend real money to improve on it. if you feel the need to change something, change an . . .
23
Conrad Johnson vs Audio Research vs BAT vs Cary
The cary SLP98 is an overachiever, very musically satisfying with nice warmth. If you can find a cj prem16, grab it as it is light years ahead and just sounds like music IMO
22
need amplification help for sonus faber amati
I own the Strad's and 2x Mac MC2102 tube amps are very nice. A lot better than the SS Mac amps IMO. If you can't find s/h in Europe, I would contact audioclassics and have . . .
22
VTL, CTC, Lamm, ARC, EAR, Halcro, Mark Levison
The VTL 7.5 is none of the best and sounds terrific. Read the soundstage review where the reviewers personal amps are the Lamm 2.1's and he bought the review VTL 7.5 pre amp. . . .
22
Best Tube Preamp for JC-1 Monoblocks?
If you can afford one, try out the VTL 7.5. tube gain, SS output, will drive anything and sounds great. I believe they are coiming out with a scaled down version the 6.5 which . . .
22
Opinions on vintage cj amps and Teflon cap mods
cj are using their expensive proprietary teflon caps for these offered upgrades, which they use in all their new way more expensive amps. I am sure cj would not offer the . . .
21
from a Krell SS- FPB 600 to What Tube Amp ?
the amp's are dynamic, won't have as much bass control as the Krell's - but I assume you are looking for a little more texture and 3 dimension soundstaging by considering tubes. I . . .
21
Which is REALLY the best Conrad Johnson Preamp
I have owned the prem 16,ART series 1 and 3 and now the GAT. All these preamps sound absolutely glorious and all are very special. The GAT is the best sounding of them all, it is. . .
20
FM Acoustics Amplifiers
O owned the fm-122 phono pre amp for about 4 years. Absolutely great sounding piece of gear. Very neutral thou. It is the only piece I wish I ddi not sell
20
Tact Pre Amps 2.2XP
I had a read ( or tried to) of the manual and various updartes of the 2.2XP. Is it just me or is this unit incredibly complex to operate and make your own eq settings?? I am . . .
20
Reference preamp with laid back and relaxed highs
conrad johnson ART. I run 6 metre IC between pre and power with no issues
19
What tube amp to drive Guarneri's?
I own Vienna Mahlers and McIntosh 2 x MC2102's drive them very well and sound great. It has been the only tube amp to correctly contril the bass, including cj prem8a's and VTL . . .
19
Tube rolling, Macintosh MC275 Mk IV
mullard cv4004's and cv4024's go very well with my Mac2102's. Takes away a little of the sizzle from the stk Chinese tubes and maintains great transparency
19
Pass labs X250.5 vs Jeff Rowland Model 10, or 201
Have you looked at getting a s/h cj prem350 to match your cj pre
19
Re-biasing a CJ Premier 8
Thye prem 8a's sound just fine with the Svetlana 6550's. Lew Johnson strongly recommends them. I have also used EV KT88's and they sound slightly different. They are a little . . .
18
Inverted phase preamps?
Most manufacturors recommend to reverse the speaker cables and the speaker end. I do this with my cj prem 350 which inverts phase. cheers
18
What preamps equal to or better than CJ ACT II
Why not the ACT2. luvely sounding unit. depends, r u looking at balanced or single ended. cj will drive both nicely, but a lot of gear that is fully balanced sounds best . . .
17
new CJ sound compared to old CJ sound
interestingly there are 3 ACT2's for sale on audiogon. for me and my musical tastes I believe the new cj pre amps go just a liitle too far in the search for neutrality. that is . . .
17
parasound 3500 verses parasond jc1
try and audition the Simaudio W-5. I have heard both and for coherence and musicalilty the W-5 sounds better. Admitedly the JC-1's had not had there 1400 hours of break in time. . . .
17
Concert Fidelity audition program
I am having a listen to a friends LSX as he has upgraded to a LSX-2. Sound wise it is excellent. I like the clarity and lack of bass weight yet it does not sound light weight at . . .
16
Conrad Johnson Primier 16ls1 vs 16ls2 owners...
When I upgraded from the series 1 to series 2 it was positive. The series 2 gets a little more dynamic and neutral. It still has plenty of bloom thou. Please note that upgrade . . .
16
Hum/Buz fro JC1
try cheater plugs on the amps to see if the hum thru the speakers stops
15
DartZeel compared to Pass Labs XA-160/200's
Branimar, only 300 hours on the dartzeel. really if it does not sound competent at 300 hours it will never souud good. But you all ready know that right:) ps I'll give everyone a . . .
15
PS Audio "Gain Cell" Amps & Preamps?
The Australia PS audio distributor hasd one of the pre's. His comment was it sounded OK for the price but his Herron line stage was a lot better. In other words, no big deal . . .
15
VTL 450 or Parasound JC-1
Ejlif. Are your 450's current?. ie signature transformer, upgraded caps, balanced input etc. wondering if any of these upgrades would/have made your 450's better in the bass
15
Mac C220 vs. Cary Audio SLP 98P
I used to own the Cary 98P. It drove my Mac 2102's easily. Great sounding pre amp and in the tube like category Met mentioned. I preferred by a long shot to the VTL 7.5. I . . .
14
BAT VK-51 SE or McIntosh C200?
Audiocircle. I replaced my VTL 7.5 with the cary slp-98P. the cary was so much more musical and I do not miss the VTL 7.5 at all. the gain issue on the 7.5 was a royal pain . . .
14
mcintosh 501 vs 2102
That is my thread Jamnesta has attached. My view is that 1 x MC2102 is generally a nice amp but does not have the dynamics nor the power vs the MC501's. The single MC2102 . . .
13
Best phono preamp? Want world class the best
Buy a s/h Pass Xono. plenty of variable gain so will give you the choice of LOMC, unlimited loading choices and it sounds very very nice
13
Amplifier and preamplifier for Wilson Watt puppy 7
You probably havew a little too much SS control at the moment. Adding some tubes into your system will add better sounstaging depth and texture or weight to the instruments. There. . .
13
Tube Roll for McIntosh C2300 PreAmp
Telefunken are the bomb
12
Conrad Johnson Premier 12 tube monos
AS Tim has said, the 12's are wonderful sounding tube amps. Just make sure your speakers are not low impedance into the bass frequencies otherwise they will struggle like most . . .
12
CJ ACT2 with Premier 140 or 350 or LP70S?
The act2 with prem 350 does sound good, however the prem350 does not sound like tubes, but sounds very good with any cj pre amp. It has a drier sound up top, slightly leaner, . . .
12
Pass X-250 and Tube Preamp
A mate of mine has Herron tube pre amp with X350.5 running unbalalanced. No problems at all
12
ear preamp
Anyone else heard or own the EAR 912 or 868. I am extremely impressed with the 88PB phono stage
11
Conrad Johnson 17LS Power Cord Recommendations
The cj hospital grade stk power cord is extremely good
11
Is it worth it to repair a cj pv2ar?
Why don't you send the pre amp back to cj for repair. they might even have some upgrades they can do to enhance the sound
11
Aesthetix Calypso and Herron VTSP 2
Sounds like the calypso is unreliable with the stk tubes. This is a common issue with all Aesthetix products. I had the same trouble a few years ago with an IO that I promptly . . .
11
What Difference between Pass X150.5 and X250.5?
Eril, If you live in NZ, I would give Paul a call at PQ imports and see if you can have a listen to a VTL pre-amp if you are not against tube pre's
11
Gryphon Colosseum vs Antileon Signature stereo
Any more experiences or updates on the sound of the Colosseum. I saw one today and it was gorgeous!! perfect match for my Strad's, aesthetically at least
10
CJ GAT Preamp VS ART 3 which one is the best?
Of course any dealer is going to say newer is better - he needs to make a living. I have hade my cj ART3 for about 5 weeks now and I asked Lew at cj his thoughts of the GAT . . .
10
Jadis DA60
I also live in Sydney. email me offline and let me know who the technician is. If it is the same guy, he is very experienced and knows what he is talking about. If not I . . .
10
Bridging Mono Mcintosh Mc2102
I faced the same situation just before Xmas to drive my Vienna Mahlers. I demoed a pair of MC501's for about 3 months and I all ready had a friends MC2102. Me I wanted to buy the . . .
10
Anyone heard the new Cary CAD-500MB monos ?
Elberoth. Since you live in Europe, try to get and have a listen to them first and ask what transformers they have in them. Me I have had nothing but problems with mine living . . .
10
Whats better than VTL 450 for the money?
I was looking for a similar big tube amp as what you are looking for. I was able to get a very good price on a demo pair of VTL MB750 ref's and had them in house for about 3 weeks. . .
10
CJ LS17 vs ARC LS15
I think if you can pick up a s/h prem 16 you will be making a nice step up. The prem 16 is smooth, dynamic and slightly warm with superior remote control. Just don't run long . . .
10
Will a Conrad Johnson fan like Modwright LS 36.5
Wait for a cj prem 16 to come up. It is a wonderful pre amp and competitive with anything. I much prefer the sound to the CT5 which is a little hifi sounding in comparison. . . .
9
C-J PREMIER 17 LS SERIE 2 VS 16 LS SERIE 2
Rocc I'm with Tim here, If you want to keep the sweetness of the prem17 and gain dynamics and musicality, the prem 16 is the way to go. the CT5 and ACT2 go a bit too far to . . .
9
Conrad Johnson amps: premier 12, premier 8,LP275M
Hi Rocc Based on your question. Absolutely no question a pair of prem8a's will give you the added authority and power in the lower octaves. It will also be better sounding in . . .
8
Do McIntosh amps work best with McIntosh pres?
I believe the Mac amps will work well with any wello designed pre amp. My 2102's certainly work well with my cj pre amp. cheers
8
Pass Labs vs. McIntosh Preamps
I demoed the C46 and C2200 at home for a couple of weeks. The C46 has better bass and bass drive and has better top to bottom coherence. I thought the C2200 was somewhat lean in . . .
8
C-J confusion.
The ART3 is absolutely the best and most expensive cj pre amp. 25k v 16k. Buy a s/h ART 1 or 2 if you can find one - they sound superb and much better than the ACT2
8
Tube Preamp for Mcintosh MC501 Monoblock
If you want the best, try the VTL 7.5. sounds devine with the MC 501's
8
Warm Tubes
I owned cj prem 16 and prem 8a's and Larry1 is correct. After 10-15 minutes the tubes sound fine. Leave them on all day and you will be replacing tubes very quickly
8
VTL MB 450 sig v cj prem 8a's v Mac MC 501's
Raquel, I fully understand the everything sounds different in your own system, unfortunately as I said I cannot demo the 450 sigs in my room, they need to be ordered from the . . .
8
Conrad Johnson 350 vs Pass Labs X amp
Do you have long interconnects?. I tried a pass 350 with my prem 16 earlier in the year with poor results. Slow rather ponderous sound. Could have been that my prem8a's were . . .
8
cj Premier 11 capacitor upgrade
I have recently had my prem 8a's upgraded with cj's teflon caps. added transparency, a little quieter and overall a more sophisticated musical presentation highly . . .
7
Comparison of ARC Ref3 and C-J CT5
If you can find a cj ART on audiogon - definately go for it. A big step up the musical enjoyment ladder from CT5 or both ACT2's. I have just upgraded from Art 1 to Art 3 . . .
7
Plinius 9100 vs 9200
Phil Go back to tubes
7
Amplifier to go with a Mcintosh c2300
If you like SS go with a MC402 like mentioned. If you prefer tubes, a s/h MC2102 and then save for another to monoblock
7
New CJ preamp w/ remote that have old CJ sound?
try a s/h prem16. I real honey of a pre amp. It will be more neutral than your PV-11, but it is very musical. or as cytocycle state a prem 14 wood be a good option as well. me. . .
7
Anyone listen to the new Conrad Johnson CT5 preamp
Lookis as thou cj have now got a CT6 which I would assume would be the replacment for the 17. anyone seen of heard of either the ct5 or 6
7
Audio Research PH7 versus Manley Steelhead ?
I have heard the PH7, Rhea and Steelhead in my system. IMO if you don't have any issuesd with the lower than normal MJC gain of 57.5db the ARC PH7 is the best sounding unit of the. . .
6
Lyngdorf RP-1 Room Correction Device, opinions pls
I used one at home last year. It works and works quite well, however you can only used the pre configured eq's that Lyngdorf give you. If you don't like them tuff. I found . . .
6
CJ Grand Anniversary Triode 300SEB Amp
I spoke to Lew Johnson about this amp. They can't as yet get it to sound the way the want it to, so it will not be released until they can. So perhaps one day they will . . .
6
Anyone using two McIntosh 275's in bridged mono?
Pepe I agree with you about 1 x MC2102 running out of puff. Try mono blocking the MC2102's in parallel or bridged 4ohms and you wil be blown away with the imporvement in . . .
6
H2O S250 vs CIA D-200 vs PS Audio GCA-500
Mprime. Is that an optical illusion or do you listen that close to your speakers - any closer they would be headphones
6
ARC PH5 or K&K Audio Phono Stage
The PH5 is a good sounding phono stage. For less money and in the same league is the PS audio GCPH phono stage. If ytou live in the US, try it for 30 days - what have you got to . . .
6
Using a phonstage to by pass a preamp ?
You can always use endler stepped attenuators at the amp end and use that as a volume control. crude but very transparent
6
Upgrading my PV-15
s/h cj prem 16 if you can afford it - it will blow you away with its all round musicality and IMO sounds better than the CT5. s/h prem14 if you can't afford prem 16. cheers
5
Audio reserch reference 3....driving Nagra VPA amp
be careful, especially since you can't listen before buying One of my friend used to own a pair of Nagra VPA 845 monoblocks driving a pair of Tannoy Westminster Royal SE's at . . .
5
McIntosh C220 C2200 C2300 differences?
IMO the c2300 is the superior music maker compared to the c2200. The c2300 bass is quicker and better defined and top to bottom it has better coherence without any frequency . . .
5
Plinius SA-250 vs McIntosh MC402
I have heard the higher priced SB300 and mac MC501's. The 501's are comfortably better sounding
5
McIntosh MC2102 Question
I bought a friend's MC2102 which he had for 3 years last year and he never had any issues with tubes or reliability. That is one of the reasons why I bought them, as well as the . . .
5
CJ Premier 14 vs. VTL TL5.5 & TL2.5
I have not owned the prem 14, however I did own the prem16 and that sounds superb. very musical, quiet and the remote is a delight. I like the individual clicks it makes with . . .
5
Low noise tube compliment for an Aesthetix Rhea?
I don't think you are going to get away from the tube noise with ANY NOC tubes with the rhea. I have tried the Rhea twice at home with my dyna XV-1 and while it sounds good, I . . .
5
Conrad Johnson 140 or 12A monoblocks?
The cj prem140 will have a tighter bass where the 12's will be a little looser and sound slightly bigger. The mids and treble wil be quieter and more transparent with the 140 and . . .
5
Anyone using attenuators with mac mc275?
I am using endler stepped attenuator's on the inputs of my cj power amps. they are very good and very transparent. have a look at the web site. http://mysite.verizon.net/vze4c5pt. . .
5
Rogue 66 Magnum vs. CJ Premier 17 LS
personally, If I was going to upgrade to cj, buy a s/h prem 16 series 2. A whole lot better than the 17. BTW, The 17 is about to be discontinued and replaced with a pre based . . .
5
Retubing CJ 140 amp
The output tubes in the 140 are Svetlana 6550's, not Sovteks. I have aksed Lew Johnson this. I have just changed my tubes to EH KT88. Differences in my system is a slightly . . .
5
Hovland HP 200 vs. Cary SLP 05
I listened to the HP-200 a while back and it sounded good. Please be aware that the volume graduations are a joke and IMO not good enough for any high end pre amp. It was easy . . .
4
Questions about the McIntosh C2300
- It has been out for 18 mnths one would guess. - Has two phono stages - MM and MC. MM has capacitance and MC has loading on the fly from the remote - very neat. No gain . . .
4
Cary SLP98 phono
I owned the SLP98P for a while. the line stage is superb. The phono stage was shit. Bright and strigent, totally opposite to the line stage. Stick with what you have if you. . .
4
Mcintosh MC 402 2 ohm tap
Definataly not. My Strads dip down to 2 ohms for most of the lower bass and some mids and I go back n forth between 2ohms and 4 ohms
4
Conrad Johnson owners -
I have owned the prem16 and demoed both the CT5 and ACT2 series one. Both the CT5 and ACT2 have a nice tight bass and extended high's in comparison to the prem 16. . . .
4
Parasound haloJC 1 VS McIntosh M-501's
When I heard both in my system the MAC sounded quite a bit better. You should have a listen to the MBL amp thou as it would be made to drive your MBL speakers. cheers
4
Parasound JC-1's - tube or SS pre amp running them
Machine, my present system is prem 16, prem 8a monoblocks with Vienna Mahler speakers. TT is VPI HR-X, Dynavector XV-1. 6 metre IC's between pre and power, another consideration. . .
4
conrad johnson LP 275's or 140's
Thanks Arthur That cj warmth you heard on the LP 140m'a sounds good for my musical preferences. I agree when I heard the prem 140 a couple years back it was too cold, not . . .
3
Voltage question?
NO they don't. I technician should be able to change the voltage to 240vlts on the pre amp. NOt sure on the power, but I doubt it - it generally has a special 240vlt . . .
3
Best Conrad Johnson pre tube?
probably not. I would bet that the older top of the line cj pre's would sound a little better. Then again I did not think the prem 17 was that good. IMO, go for a s/h prem16. . .
3
Cary slp 98 vs CJ 16 or 17 preamp
I have owned the cj prem 16 and upgraded it to series 2. then sold it - to go to VTL 7.5 - mistake. I never like the prem 17, just seemed to have no life in the thing. I find the. . .
3
MAC c-2300 vs. AR ph5 or 7?
The MC stage in the C2300 is competitive with the PH7, except that it has more gain, so will be more compatible with LOMC's
2
mcintosh 275 ver4 vs 2102
I own 2xMC2102's and they sound wonderful. 1xMC2102 just sounded nice, however the sound was transformed with the 2nd unit. I use them in parallel and they have plenty of grunt . . .
2