Doge 8 and Conrad Johnson ET-3


Has anyone heard both of these units at one time or another. How would you compare/contrast them, and describe their sound. From what I've read, it sounds as if the Doge would be more neutral and less warm than the CJ, with the CJ being a little more on the warm/lush side of things. I've heard the CJ and liked the warmth that I heard. Any truth to my thinking?
hawk28

Showing 5 responses by rower30

Well, if you use the "MC" setting, you won't be happy with the background noise. It's terrible. The MM setting isn't so bad. The trial shipping (about eighty bucks) and a ~10% restocking fee, or another 200 bucks, so $250 to $300 is about right (depends on where you live on shipping).
I sure hope it doesn't sound like the CJ ET3SE! That unit was way warm and diffuse sounding. I listened to it at length and it was just too "confined" sounding. No openness around the instruments but very good left to right soundstage.

The Doge 8 and Doge 8 Clarity are supposed to be more transparent and deep sounding, with a well structured sound stage left to right and front to back. I'll let you know...I have a Dodge 8 Clarity on order.
OK, here is my update on the Dodge 8 Clarity.

- The comments MUST be taken in context to my ears pleasure center, and that is solidly placed imaging with pin-point spatial location and as little sonic "blending" between each person, instrument ETC.

The Dodge 8 Clarity was the BEST of the tube units I've had at home. I finally heard the tube magic in the midrange area in that it provided a very nice timber and resonance. But, the definition, clarity, and pin-point precision was not as good as my XP-10. The front to back depth wasn't nearly as deep, or well organized.

The DynAudio C4's signatures bring this out immediately, and my ear lends towards the XP-10 verses the Clarity. Also, the XP-10 is a $5,800.00 unit I bought used, so it SHOULD have some decided advantage where it is intended to over a $2,000.00 retail tube unit. And no, the tube rollers will NEVER bridge the sound gap between the two units. It isn't even close. Minor tweaks, yes, a night and day difference, no. Neither unit will trade places with the other. The XP-10 will NEVER have that organic tube resonance. So I'm not knocking either units, just pointing out the fundamental differences that will always remain.

I also listened to an tube Octave unit that was very good, and very expensive...and still liked the XP-10. The Octave unit was even better at midrange texture and fullness, and STILL lost the edge and spatial detail that the XP-10 is so good at.

No, this does NOT say that the Clarity is a bad pre- amplifier, it says I tend to favor a fast, clear, precise sound and a sound that the C4's are excellent at extracting. The build quality of the Dodge 8 Clarity was excellent, especially at the price. Nothing was short of, "built like a rock".

In my price range, the sonic pallets seem to fall on one side or the other, a softer but harmonically rich sound (tubes) or a precise fast, detailed sound (SS). Heck yes, a uber high-end tube unit might get BOTH. I just don't hear it at under 10K at the moment.

Which one do you like? Well, if I replaced the tube units with the SS XP-10, I never wanted to switch the XP-10 out again! So that pretty much decided it for me. Your results may be exactly the opposite.

My ear tends to be absorbed in spatial precision. A cymbal tap clicks, and the resonance overtones emanate EXACTLY from where the tap was spatially located. Like a rock plopping into water, and the reverberation ripples emanating exactly from there. Again, your "ear" may weigh different types of accuracy. Mine just goes big time this way.

One last note, Pacific Valve was 100% responsive to their commitment to allow a trial over a 30-day period with a minor restocking fee and return shipment. No, that means it isn't "free", but it is still a more economical way to try a good lower priced but mid range sound targeted tube unit. I would not hesitate to recommend a trial.
The Clarity had upgraded tubes from the factory. Now if you mean continuous tube rolling...well.

The built-in phono stage was entirely too noisey for MC, so I ditched it right away and went with the MOON LP 5.3 line stage. For $2,000.00 I didn't see it as a loss. I don't use a MM cartridge so I can't comment on background nosie, which is unservicable in the MC settings.

Yes, 30-days is a short duration for break-in, so run the thing 24/7 for two weeks on the radio. Don't expect the tiger to change it's stripes too much after two solid weeks of break-in, though. All my stuff has shown it basic fundamental sound by then.

I also have a Benz Micro, a RUBY 3, that I bought as a re-tip (notice I buy a lot of used stuff!) that sounds pretty good. But, my favorite was an Accuphase AC2 that I just wore out. A channel intermittently drops out. At 30 years old I guess that's expected.

I'm thinking of a Soundsmith The VOICE the next time around.
Careful, the Doge 8 Clarity unit has a poor MC S/N ratio...nothing tubes will change a lot. It will always be noisy. The HISS is clearly audible at all volumes I'd listen to. But, if you must...try one. I'd consider this unit WITH an external head-amp, only.