Repair or mod CJ PV-12?

I picked up a PV9a recently for a quite reasonable cost and after much research and several phone calls decided to send it to Bill Thalmann of Sound Technologies in Virginia. He was the number 3 guy, technical director at CJ from their inception in the late 70's until he left around 2000.

I also called CJ. They are not as flexible about their modifications as Bill who is also a really nice guy. CJ is also considerably more expensive and I don't feel the young guy I spoke with has the knowledge or feel for these vintage designs as someone who has been around as long as Bill. Bob Backert in PA might also be someone to consider. I'll let you know Orpheus when I get the unit back as to the results, probably a few weeks. I would call CJ, Bill and Bob and find out your options before proceeding with anything.

All good points Detredwings, I agree. It is why I decided to go with Bill who completely understands my goals and is going along the lines you described along with a few other things that should enhance performance in the areas I felt lacking without changing the character of the design.

Orpheus with all due respect to Rok2id what he probably MEANT was the HK Citation II amp and maybe several of the highly prized Marantz of ancient lore that are still highly sought after. Legends never die but they can take on a new face totally unrelated to their heritage.

I agree with you Frogman. On the other hand I don't think they would have issues selling a transformer to a an established repair shop or technician such as Bill Thalmann or Bob Backert. I don't know what their current policies are now regarding that but from what I have read and heard from others the previous repair/mod tech at CJ, Ed was most accommodating.

Hi Orpheus

Don't know the current status of your transformer dilemma and your decision on what to do. To followup I recently received my upgraded PV9 from Bill Thalmann. No fears with having him do the work and that I can say without reservation. The things I like about the PV9 are retained with just more of everything that I was hoping to achieve, clarity, detail but most notably improved natural and true timbre of instruments and voice all the while retaining that magical CJ warmth and "just sounds right" quality. The improvement at the frequency extremes, particularly the upper frequency extension and air is beyond what I expected and a huge improvement and really comes through on soprano and choral without the edginess I often hear or on the other hand a roll-off that can detract from the performance. I am most pleased with Bill's work and craftsmanship.

Ahhhh, neutral, whatever it means as if to say that it is somehow right. The best audio is not "neutral" it is what serves the music in a manner that engages the listener in the performance. If that doesn't happen then neutrality or, another nebulous term, accuracy may appeal to the brain of some that somehow think it "right" but not necessarily to the purpose of music and the end goal. I've given up on trying to reconcile the two, there is none. The only thing that matters is engagement which is less a function of brain but of emotional involvement. While the vintage CJ sound always had an innate "musicality" that is to say engagement factor, improved passive parts can exponentially improve performance and attain greater enjoyment without paying a premium to realize it. The same could be said of many "classic" designs.

I picked up this unit for a really good price and thought it had enough potential to improve on the things I REALLY liked without having to spend a premium for something new. It was a no brainer gamble that worked out quite nicely for me, especially when you are communicating with someone that understands the goals and brings them to your realization. Enjoy the music!