Thinking about upgrade- seeking thoughts on “best” or “favorite” Conrad Johnson Amplifier


A couple years ago I upgraded my preamp to a Conrad Johnson ET7, which I then had CJ upgrade to the ET7 series 2. (Actually more of a trade up than a modification/upgrade).  I have been very happy with the decision.  I am running the ET7 into a primaluna HP dialogue premium amp (4x EL34 per channel or 80wpc) driving Maggies.  I have been thinking of replacing the Primaluna with a CJ amp. But I don’t know which ones I should consider, new or used.  And I do see CJ amps across the used market with regularity.

so I am seeking thought/opinions on what CJ amps I should consider, or which to avoid.  The ARTs are out of my price range, but I am open to any others up o around 10k.  I have been partial to EL34 tubes and I owned an MV45 many years ago, but I am open other tubes.  While am thinking of a full tube amp, I know CJ has made ET-series hybrids, which I would consider, as I once owned Counterpoint hybrids. And I have space for mono blocks or single chassis. Music tastes are mostly acoustic rock/jazz/blues and female vocals:  love warmth and big deep soundstage, with very little interest in bass.
Should I consider the current “classic” series amp, perhaps one of the premiers or the hybrid or? And what should steer clear of?

and any experience driving Maggies would be appreciated.

and please don’t derail the post by recommending other brands: stick to Conrad Johnson for now. Other brands are a conversation for another time.
meiatflask
it has been a few years but i have always found cj amps - even their higher ones - to be relatively soft and uncontrolled in the bass region compared to audio research and even primaluna power amps

otoh i love cj preamps/linestages
I think you get most of the C-J goodness with the C-J pre-amp. You didn't say what model of Maggies you have but with 80 watts of tube power, you would need a lot more power to make a big jump and 120 or more watts of tube power would be a lot of heat to deal with. If your Prima Luna has enough power for you, I had good luck changing to Gold Lyon KT88 tubes in my Prima Luna. That gave me an extended top end and a bit more detail. Not sure if I would recommend a C-J CL120SE because your best bet with most Maggies would be a big solid state amp IMHO.  
Always liked the Premier 12. I imagine that the Premier 140 would also be good. Both use 6550s, though.
My favorite c-j amps have been ss. I bet the Premiere 350 SA would work nicely with your Maggie’s.