What is the Best Amp to match with CJ ART??

Carey, I am INSANE so I am probably not a good benchmark. I currently have 10 Telefunken NOS CCAs and I love them. I have also acquired 10 Siemens early 60s dull grey plate CCas but haven't tried them yet. I am told you can get super close to the Siemens CCas with other NOS Siemens 6DJ8 tubes for a LOT less money but I cannot attest to either the sound of the Siemens CCAs yet or that claim of getting close for less.

The Teles go for a STUPID expensive $200 a tube through a dealer - I was very lucky as the guy I bought the ART-2 from had JUST paid that for the Teles through a reputable dealer and he just threw them in with my ART-2 for $700.00 for all 10.

Just my $.02

cj would be 1st certainly

All Atma-Sphere MA-1s have had 14 output tubes for quite a few years. I have 14 tube MA-1 Mk II.3s that I use and demo, as well as a pair of a pair of 12 tube MA-1 Mk Is. The differences are substantial, much more than the power rating difference. It would be interesting to compare the ART 2 against the just introduced MP-1 Mk III driving the MA-1s. I imagine we'll see and hear the MP-1 Mk III at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest.

Brian

Fmpnd
What NOS tubes would you recommend for the ART-2?

Carey

Well here I go again chiming in to agree with Rushton on the Atma-Sphere MA-1 OTL's but I can't help myself. They would be a great match with the ART 2. I can speak from experience living with a pair of Silver Editions this year. I have them paired with Aesthetix on the front end and my Vinyl sounds beautiful! If you have the extra scratch I would highly recommend the Silvers MA-1 MKII.3 as they have 14 output tubes vs. 12 of the standard MA-1 and also includes Caddock resistors and Teflon coupling caps. Well worth the sound improvement. I think there is a fellow with a pair offered on the A'goN as we speak or you could contact Ralph Karsten at Atma-Sphere, he's a great guy. Cheers!

Rush, how's that Walker doin? You ready to sell it to me for $3,000 yet!!! ;-)

Leave it to me to read your post wrong!! I agree those C-J tubes amps ARE relaxed! I had one about 9 years ago and it was always pleasant and musical. So, I did what any moronic audiophool would do - I SOLD it!! YUP, this hobby can be weird!

Thank God I am older, hopefuly wiser, off the equipment merry-go-round and just loving life and the music as I am SURE you must be with that killer system.

Be good and have a great summer and fall!!

Hi Frank, I was referring to the C-J 8 and and 12 amps in my comments about "relaxed beauty of sound" (and by that I don't mean that traditional "tubey" sound - just the antithesis of the hard analytical sound some tube manufacturers have strived for, but never C-J). The ART is, as you say, a different animal than earlier C-J preamp designs.

Hope you are well, my friend.
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Another suggestion is to wait a month for the brand new CJ lp 140m monoblocs . It woulld offer possible synergy other great choices like the suggestions above may or may not give you. Personally , i looked around and auditioned a few great tube amps to match my Act 2 with and found the compatability and system synergy magical when I stayed CJ all the way through.

Hey Rush. Have you heard the ART-2? I know some of the older C-J offerings had that more "relaxed" or "warm" or "tubey" sound, however we want to describe it. But the ART-2 isn't your dad's old C-J. The ART-2 is not thin, bright or analytical don't get me wrong. Rather, it is transparent, resolute and alive without being rolled off or syrupy. In addition, with some good NOS tubes it can be taliored to meet your requirements. It has a fabulous harmonic richness without being dark.

I pair mine with the Lamm 1.2 References and it is a match made in heaven for me with my big Kharmas.

Then again, this is just my tastes and opinion!!

Ditto the congratulations! The CJ amps would be a nice match, but also consider the Atma-Sphere MA-1 OTLs or CAT JL-2. For relaxed beauty of sound, the CJ's are hard to beat. The A-S will give a more articulate, quick and neutral sound with higher resolving capability, while maintaining the tonal beauty and rendering complex harmonic overtones supremely well.
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Congratulations! I would think a pair of CJ Premier 8's or 12's would fit the bill nicely.

John