cj pv10 vs pv12

Hello -

I've owned both preamps and used the line stage only, not the phono stage. Anyway, the PV-10 is more traditional CJ tube sound - warm, dimensional, sweet, and musical. The PV-12 is probably more neutral, more extended highs, and tighter bottom end. However, it does not sound as romantic as the PV-10. If you're into accuracy and neutrality, the PV-12 is for you. If you long for the nice, warm, musical tube sound, the PV-10 is it. Also take into consideration what amp you're going to use it with. The PV-10 mates quite nicely with a neutral solid-state amp. The PV-12 would probably match nicely with a tube amplifier. I used both with a CJ MF-2300 amp and a Classe CA-100 amp with good results.

Good luck!

Raul Yan

I second the above post. If you like the Pv-10 or 12, I would suggest taking a look at the premier line as well as some of the older PV series. I have auditioned the pv-10, 12 and 8, and I have owned a Premier 3 (which is wonderful), a PV-5 and a Premier 10 (for sale now). They are all wonderful in different ways. The '3 and the '5 are more lush and warm, but the '10 is wonderfully tight in the bass and has a much more detailed upper midrange. It still has the trademark easy fluid midrange and all three have a holographic huge soundstage. Only drawback to the '10 is that it is a linestage, so I decided to go with an older, but nice Premier 3. The pv-5 sounds much like the Premier 3 but tends to be "hissy" The premier series is in a different league, and I think the gap between the premier units and the normal pv-line has widened considerably in the last 15 years. early 80's models weren't all that much different, some people prefered certain pv-series models to the Premiers. with the later units, though, there are fairly subsatial improvements in sound and design between the two lines. good luck with whatever you choose.

I can third the first post. I had the PV-10 and PV-11, the PV-11 came before the PV-12 and is the same basic design. I used the PV-10 with the MF2100 solid state amp with great results, so that part of the post is correct also.