Conrad-johnson TC5 or Cary SLP 05 ?

Kiwi...I dind't know that preamps need to be in two boxes to be 'proper' designs. Seems to be that's simply wrong. There are hundreds of FINE preamps built in one box out there. Also, the CT-5's output impedance of 800 Ohms isn't 'high', its more like 'medium'. There are lots of preamps out there with OIs of more than 2000 Ohms. THOSE preamps demand attention to the cable and poweramps they're driving.

And this 'issue' about signal polarity is just silly. Just once, when you install the preamp in your system, need you pay any attention to this. Once the speakers are reconnected, you jsut forget about it.

Mesael, pick the preamp you want, but the 'issues' above ought not to be considerations for you. C-j makes EXCELLENT-sounding preamps and has for decades. Here's mine.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/jeffreybehr/C-j%20equipment/Inrackclose_800w.jpg

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Jeffrey...You need to relook at the CT-5 measurements. The output impedance rises to over 1800 ohms at 20Hz and yes I have a personal preference to keep the power supply in a separate box to the sensitive audio circuitry. Ultimately though the SLP-05 sounded far more musical to my ears than the CT-5 so i bought the former not the later. The OP has asked for an opinion and he has mine.

Let's be fair on the output impedances. Here's a quote from Stereophiles measurements (available online) of the Cary SLP-05:

"The SLP 05's output impedance is specified as a usefully low 400 ohms. However, I got significantly higher values for the unbalanced output of 1500–1600 ohms in the midrange and treble, rising to 3400 ohms at 20Hz, with similar if slightly lower figures for the balanced output. The Cary preamp needs to be used with power amplifiers having input impedances of 10k ohms or greater if the bass is not to sound a little lean."

Mesael: "With no chance for home audition", I don't think you could go wrong with either. Don't let "inverts phase" affect it, it's really a non-issue. The word is about half of the recordings are reversed anyway. FWIW, I chose CJ preamps for my system.

My CJ amp inverts phase, just switch the speaker wires on one end, ie black to red and everything is fine.

I too will chime in on ignoring the phase inversion aspects. Though I do have a question or request for clarification on Stanwal's comment: "just switch the speaker wires on one end, ie black to red and everything is fine."

Is that on both speakers or just one speaker?