I have had a cj Classic 2SE for a little over two years and it's a great preamp....I love the sound it produces....It replaced a McCormack RLD-1 which was nice, don't get me wrong... The Classic blows it away so it was easy to give up remote volume and switching for something as stripped down as the Classic. Sound quality is paramount so for me it was easy to give up the feature set of the McCormack. I am using it with a pair of Quicksilver Mid Monos and it is a killer combo. Both have been rock solid, except for a tube here and there....My previous amp was a McCormack DNA 125 which is a great amp, no doubt but the Classic/ Quicksilver combo sounds better, just won't play quite as loud but I never push it loud so it's not a problem in my small room.
Tube preamp reliability vs SS?
I am considering buying a Conrad Johnson classic 2se pre or a used McCormack LD-2 preamp.
I have never used a tube pre, and am curious as to the reliability of the tube, I like to be able to turn it on, maybe wait 30 min for warm up before jamming tunes. This is fine, my concern is the reliability of the tube, how long will it last?, also, is it a pain to change when it goes bad? Can I change myself, or must I send to factory just for this small tube?
I have never used a tube pre, and am curious as to the reliability of the tube, I like to be able to turn it on, maybe wait 30 min for warm up before jamming tunes. This is fine, my concern is the reliability of the tube, how long will it last?, also, is it a pain to change when it goes bad? Can I change myself, or must I send to factory just for this small tube?
- Would the the action of me putting in the new tube void any warranty, not that 3 years is long anyway when it comes to warranties.