I have been thru pre-amps from audio research tube audible illusions mark levinson(solid state) sonic frontiers joule electra to name a few names hehe ....I swear if you love music and want to find the tube pre-amp to play it on there is NOTHING LIKE CONRAD JOHNSON TUBE GEAR IT HAS THE MOST MUSICAL SOUND IVE EVER HEARD!!!! I own a little inexpensive c/j PV10-AL this unit is more musical than ANY of the above mention pre amps EASY!!!! i've heard higher up the line C/Js and just gets better and better from the PV10 at something like $1500 new (much cheaper on line) lol to how ever much C/J you can afford you will hear MUSIC beutifull always... get one...!!! youll love it.... :o) ps you will notice i spared you any audiophile detailed descriptions save it for the other gear hell buy and play with as much cool gear as ya can hehe fun.....but do youself a favor an keep a c/j forever....until you can get the next model better c/j its a no brainer these play music....highest praise they love all music BEATHOVEN to ZEPPELIN it will be as it should enjoy....
Please recommend Tube pre-amp(s)
I've listened to, and liked the Conrad Johnson PV 12 (a bit under $2,000) and really liked the Conrad Johnson Premier 14 ( $4,300?). However the Premier 14 is a lot of money, and we wouldn't even have listened to it except it has a remote control which my wife insists on, and then she fell in love with the higher quality sound of the Premier 14. I've listened to solid state gear from Rowland, Ayre, Classe and Krell none of which I liked although I thought the Rowland was incredibly precise, detailed [and lifeless.] The only other tube gear I listened to was the BAT preamp/amp combination which didn't do it either - I thought the sound was kind of dark and a bit dry emotionally. We felt that the CJ sound was very open, inviting and involving - we felt like part of the emotional experience of the music. I'm quite new at this and it seems like the preamp has a large effect on the overall character of the sound of the system, at least more so than the power amp. So far I have a Cal Audio CL 10 5 disk CD player and a Conrad Johnson DA-2b D to A converter plugged into my soon to be replaced old receiver and speakers. I have no plans for vinyl, so I'm looking for recommendations for line stages. What preamps can you recommend in the $2k to $4k price range with remote controls? The two dealers who had the CJ line said CJ has a distinctive sound - do you agree? If so, how would you characterize the sound from other amplification companies' equipment - like VAC, etc. etc.