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The Conrad Johnson Premier 350: Revisited

After a 5-year quest for the right amplifier for my system, I have finally found the real deal. Even though the Conrad Johnson Premier 350SA is a vintage amplifier, it has achieved something a number of newer designs could not; the musicality and transparency that I've always wanted is now present in my living room to a degree that I was beginning to think was impossible. I have never written an equipment review but I feel the need to share with others just how great this amplifier is.

I should say from the outset that my listening space is *not* designed for audiophiles. It's a "real" living room and has not been treated in any special way. It does not have vaulted ceilings and there are one or two reflective surfaces that are less than ideal. Nonetheless, the room is big enough and proportional enough for proper speaker placement and the production of an entertaining soundstage.

My setup consists of Thiel CS3.7 speakers, a Conrad Johnson CT5 preamplifier, PS Audio Perfect Wave MKII DAC, Perfect Wave transport, Shunyata Zitron Anaconda power cords, Shunyata Triton power conditioner and Shunyata Zitron Python speaker cables and interconnects.

I have tried a variety of amplifiers with this arrangement and, while the results have been competent, I always felt that something was lacking. During this quest, I owned the Classe' Delta 2200 as well as their $8500 CA-2300. I have also hooked up a Musical Fidelity KW500, a Musical Concepts H500, a T + A Integrated (can't remember the exact model number) Bel Canto Ref 1000 MKII mono blocs, a 600 watt NCore kit amplifier and the latest Sanders Magtech stereo amplifier to my Thiels. These are all very fine amplifiers but none of them were able to control and energize the mighty 3.7's the way the Premier 350 has.

I was very skeptical that an amplifier that first went into production nearly 10 years ago could so completely blow the doors off of these other "modern" amplifiers. First and foremost, it presents instruments in a way I've never heard with other amplifiers. For example, if you've ever played a Martin D-35 guitar, you know that it has an altogether different tone when compared to a Gibson Hummingird. The Premier 350 brings out such differences in a way that no other amplifier I've ever heard is able to do.

The Premier 350 also manages to present the timing of performances in such an immediate way that I find myself tapping my feet and singing along before I realize what's happening. The amplifier draws me into the music on a subconscious level and the result is that hours go by without any fatigue at all. Just as I can get mesmerized by a great movie and stay up too late at night, turning the system off in the evening can be downright difficult since I hooked up this amplifier.

I realize that this amplifier is not new, but I felt compelled to share how stunning it still is. For me, this hobby has always been about fun and a way to have adventures without even leaving the house. The Conrad Johnson Premier 350SA is a rock 'n roll time machine. This is what I call an amplifier of a lifetime
vhiner

Showing 7 responses by vhiner

vhiner OP
544 posts
 
Thanks, guys. I'm feeling very fortunate right now.

@ZD542

I apologize for the imprecise use of the word "vintage." I only meant it in the sense that one refers to a car as "vintage" when it is still valuable but no longer manufactured. The fact that I was surprised that the Premier 350 outperforms a number of newer amps is only the result of my own naïveté'. In the future, I certainly won't assume that more newly designed equipment will necessarily yield better performance.

@Bill

Thanks for the background on why CJ no longer manufactures the 350! I'd heard people say that it would cost more than $15K to produce this amp today, but I didn't know whether to believe such a claim. Given what you say and how the amplifier performs, I now suspect it may be true.
Btw, have you found an amplifier you like? If my memory serves, I believe you were using a Hegel, correct?
vhiner OP
544 posts
 
Bill,

I've never heard the Rowlands but they are definitely among the most beautiful solid state designs, IMHO. ;-) I know Robert Harley loves them.
vhiner OP
544 posts
 
Joeinid and Jafant,

You guys are making me drool. The ART series is a very nice target, indeed. I would dearly love to hear the GAT but, alas, no CJ dealer even within driving distance. Guess I better get to a show one of these days.

I'm sure CJ could make a $25K solid state to beat the 350. Not sure why they don't.
vhiner OP
544 posts
 
Jafant,

I agree it would be a tough sell. However, given the lagging world
economy, I find it difficult to explain the dozens of $50k plus solid state
amplifiers for sale throughout the pages of Stereophile and The Absolute
Sound. I've been told by some fairly knowledgeable folk in the industry that
there are essentially two audio markets right now: Crazy expensive stuff or
the sub $3K sector. Anything that falls in between is struggling right now.

I don't profess to know exactly why CJ doesn't make an uber expensive
solid state amp, but I would venture to guess that it has something to do
with CJ's standing as a premier tube-based manufacturer and that they
simply don't have the inclination to do what it takes to seriously compete
with the already established "élite" solid state brands. I suspect
that they'll sell far more $25K tube amps than they would solid state
versions unless they were to undertake a serious marketing campaign. Just
a guess though.

In the meantime, it feels great to own an amplifier that seriously competes
with gear costing twice as much. For once, market forces have worked in
my favor! ;-)
vhiner OP
544 posts
 
I wish Conrad Johnson nothing but continued success, but the claims that the new MF2550SE is a modified McCormack look to be well founded if you look inside both amps. There's nothing wrong with that, but a comparison of that and the inside of the PR350 as seen below would lead to natural skepticism about claims that the 2550 is better. Just look at how much more Teflon the 350 has and how "over built" everything is.

I am anxious to hear a comparison. You can bet Jeff Dorgay over at Tone will chime in if it bests the 350SA, one of his long- time references.

http://www.review33.com/m/forum_msg.php?db=1&topic=26080713012540&start=2250&sort=1
vhiner OP
544 posts
 
Bill_K wrote

"I read that their new location is not far from their previous one, so no worries about them moving to China!"

That *is* a relief. Based upon my experience, Classe's decision to go to China has *not* been good for build quality.
vhiner OP
544 posts
 
Podeschi,

You prefer the 350 over the H300? I was wondering about that brand, having never heard it. The raves about the H30 had made me consider an audition.
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