Conrad Johnson PV1?

[Poultrygeist]

I know this tube preamp is the first they made. I have a chance to swap some gear for one that's been recapped and upgraded to the PV2. Anyone have any experience and/or comments regarding this model?

[harley .guy07]

That is a Mr. Peabody question since he owns all CJ stuff in his 2 channel rig but unfortunately his internet connection at his home is not letting him on audio review for some reason when i get home later I can possibly send him an email with your question though.

[frenchmon]

I know this tube preamp is the first they made. I have a chance to swap some gear for one that's been recapped and upgraded to the PV2. Anyone have any experience and/or comments regarding this model?

From what I've heard of Conrad Johnson, you should be all over that.

.

[Poultrygeist]

I have the CJ PV1 for a few days on a trial basis. I recently picked up a pair of Bottlehead Paramours which I'm using with the CJ and driving FR Tang Band 1808 in OB over H frame 15 inch Eminence Alpha bass drivers powered by mono-block Emo's. The CJ is able to send strong line level signals to both pair of mono-blocks which my Aric 3.7 preamp can't do. Before, I used the Aric to control just the bass mono blocks but the CJ handles both pair of mono-blocks with ease. With this set up I'm actually quad amping ( a single mono-block for each driver ). The inside of the CJ looks like a Dynaco Pass 3 on steroids.

[frenchmon]

Pictures please...we love eye candy.

[Poultrygeist]

http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/500/medium/P9140001.JPG

[Poultrygeist]

I tried to post a rear shot of the CJ PV1 but a TT came up instead. As you can tell by the picture this preamp is in great shape. Amazing that it's older than many of the members here. Late 1970's I believe.

[frenchmon]

So what is the sound character...you think its really on the warm side and colored...or is it airy and lively?

[Poultrygeist]

I've been playing it with my latest acquisition - a pair of Bottlehead 2a3 Paramour monoblocks and it's a very sweet combo. A flea powered SET like the 2a3 needs gain and the CJ has plenty to go around.

This preamp puts you right there with the instruments. I love how the notes linger long after the string is plucked or the cymbal is struck. Doesn't sound colored but with just enough warmth to take the edge off. Amazing how CJ bucked conventional wisdom of the day and went after a minimalistic approach which was unheard of in the 1970's. No silly tone controls to degrade the sound and it makes do with only a volume and balance control. I wish it had a better power cord and the rca jacks are a bit short by today's standards but I can live with these to get this level of sound.

[frenchmon]

I've been playing it with my latest acquisition - a pair of Bottlehead 2a3 Paramour monoblocks and it's a very sweet combo. A flea powered SET like the 2a3 needs gain and the CJ has plenty to go around.

This preamp puts you right there with the instruments. I love how the notes linger long after the string is plucked or the cymbal is struck. Doesn't sound colored but with just enough warmth to take the edge off. Amazing how CJ bucked conventional wisdom of the day and went after a minimalistic approach which was unheard of in the 1970's. No silly tone controls to degrade the sound and it makes do with only a volume and balance control. I wish it had a better power cord and the rca jacks are a bit short by today's standards but I can live with these to get this level of sound.

Well its good that you got a quality preamp. I've heard Mr. Peabodys CJ gear and the only complaint I have is he wont rolled the tubes....I wish it had a little more air. And may I add...all tone controls don't degrade sound as you suppose. My Vincent has tone controls that I really never used, but I recently got a pair of Nola Mini's that was a little soft in the bass so I pushed in the tone button and turned up the bass a little....no degration, only wonderful music.

[Poultrygeist]

This CJ is loaded with six NOS RCA orange labels.

[frenchmon]

This CJ is loaded with six NOS RCA orange labels.


Well Peabodys CT6 Preamplifier which was manufactured in 2006 I believe...is loaded with four in-line 6922 tubes. Don't know the brand. But to my ears it is too sweet. I don't like to sweet. I like more air and liveliness . But its not mine its Peabodys and he is perfectly happy with it. Even told me he is not interested in tube rolling. I do like listening to his rig...but if it where mine, I'd be tube rolling.

[harley .guy07]

I think it does say something for CJ's capabilities taking on his Dynaudio T2.5's and pushing them as good as it does for the rated power. I was impressed knowing that the rated power of his setup was not that high in the mono block world and it pushed all the speakers he's had hooked to it without issue and with good results. But it sounds like he is selling his Zu's and going back to the ol trusty Dyn's

[Poultrygeist]

I read somewhere that the PV1-PV2 was one of CJ's best efforts. The majority of it's 6 tubes ( reduced to 4 in later models ) appear to be 12AT7. I hope to swap a tube CDP for the CJ but it's not a done deal yet.


Sorry to hear PB may be selling the Zu's but without a SET amp they'll never reach their potential so perhaps it's for the best. The amp requirements for Dynaudio ( 4 ohm low efficiency multiple drivers with complex crossover ) speakers would be the polar opposite of Zu ( 12 ohm high efficiency full range crossover-less ) speakers.

[Poultrygeist]

"I was impressed knowing that the rated power of his setup was not that high in the mono block world"

harley,

My Paramour 2a3 mono blocks make 3.5 wpc on a good day :-)

[harley .guy07]

I am not saying that there are other people out there with very low powered set ups and like them and they are mono blocks and I understand why some people like them but for driving Dynaudio's with maybe exception of the excite series you would need quite a bit more power than that and that was all I was saying was that Mr. Peabody's system drives his contours very well while having a 4ohm mono power rating lower than my amp has. I understand that power ratings in some cases don't mean that much but when it comes to speakers like Dynaudio it takes current to get the most out of them and that is why most people with receivers and don't have outboard power amps shy away from Dyn.

[frenchmon]

I think it does say something for CJ's capabilities taking on his Dynaudio T2.5's and pushing them as good as it does for the rated power. I was impressed knowing that the rated power of his setup was not that high in the mono block world and it pushed all the speakers he's had hooked to it without issue and with good results. But it sounds like he is selling his Zu's and going back to the ol trusty Dyn's

The amps, he had converted to mono blocks. They where rated at 2x100....now they are mono 100 each. He is still in the hunt for more speakers....he would like something with a bottom end presence with air and liveliness in the upper end. The ZU had a bottom end that was distant and soft. They could go low, but they where just soft. The t2.5's are rated at 86dB...so thats not to much of a load with good high current. If any 100 watt amp has a problem with that, well they need a better amp.

[Poultrygeist]

http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio/500/thumbs/P9160019.JPG

[Poultrygeist]

Above is the CJ feeding the Bottlehead Paramours. Nice sound from this combo.

[frenchmon]

so you keeping the CJ or traiding it.?

[harley .guy07]

Stereophile just had a review of one of their preamps not like most magazines opinions matters but they were very favorable about the CJ preamp and since I have not seen a review of CJ in a while I thought it was an interesting read. I believe it was the ET3 SE and they said that it was very good if not come of the better heard in a while. I have heard Peabody's system and tube rolling or not the system sounds great and does everything that he wants it to do which is all that matters anyway.

[Poultrygeist]

The phono section on the CJ is so good it got my SL-1300 out of mothballs. I hope to keep it if I can make a reasonable trade.

[frenchmon]

Stereophile just had a review of one of their preamps not like most magazines opinions matters but they were very favorable about the CJ preamp and since I have not seen a review of CJ in a while I thought it was an interesting read. I believe it was the ET3 SE and they said that it was very good if not come of the better heard in a while. I have heard Peabody's system and tube rolling or not the system sounds great and does everything that he wants it to do which is all that matters anyway.

Oh I agree...

[frenchmon]

The phono section on the CJ is so good it got my SL-1300 out of mothballs. I hope to keep it if I can make a reasonable trade.

good.

[frenchmon]

Oh I agree...

Oh...and going over to Peabodys today with the Vincent to see if it stacks up to the CJ or even gets close.

MRSP of Vincent $1500

MRSPl of CJ $4000.

This should be a interesting contest....cant wait to connect the Vincent to his CJ mono blocks!:2:

http://pic3.audiogon.com/i/c/f/1301715111.jpg
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/4228/pict0176g.jpg

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/9489/pict0181xh.jpg

The Vincent sounds really great!

[Jack in Wilmington]

Hey Frenchie, while you're over there fix his internet connection so we can get him back in the gang. Take pictures while you are there also. It will be interesting to see how the Vincent stacks up.

[harley .guy07]

I don't know if the Vincent will stand a chance against the all mighty CJ but I have heard that the preamp you bought is a very good preamp none the less. And if it does do better than you are expecting then that all the better that it kept up with a preamp almost 3 times its price. Yeah I would like to bring my Nuforce just to compare types and see how it does as well but right now is not a good time due to school but sometime I would love to do something like that.

[frenchmon]

Jack...im at work now and have the Vincent with me....so I don't have a camera...I will see if Peabody has one...and I will look at his internet connection and check his proxies and so forth....but it sounds like he is on a block list of some sorts.

Harley....It will be interesting to see how it stacks...should be real fun.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Jack...im at work now and have the Vincent with me....so I don't have a camera...I will see if Peabody has one...and I will look at his internet connection and check his proxies and so forth....but it sounds like he is on a block list of some sorts.

Harley....It will be interesting to see how it stacks...should be real fun.

I thought Peabody's problem was a home internet thing when he switched ISP's. If it's a block thing you would think Adam or JM could get that straightened out. Do you know which model of CJ mono blocks Peabody has. I've been looking at some alternatives to my Jolida to try and give my Dyns some more juice.

[frenchmon]

I thought Peabody's problem was a home internet thing when he switched ISP's. If it's a block thing you would think Adam or JM could get that straightened out. Do you know which model of CJ mono blocks Peabody has. I've been looking at some alternatives to my Jolida to try and give my Dyns some more juice.

Peabody can get to any site but this one. Don't think he is blocked BY AR but there is something blocking him....

Peabody has the MV60. He has two of them that he had converted to mono blocks. And I can tell you this. The Vincent SA-T1 is truly a work of Art! I'l have more to say later...but its a very very great bargain at its price point. Lets just say for now...it did more than hold its own with Peabodys CT6 which is more than double in cost... The Vincent brought life of Peabodys Dynaudio's and Zu speakers that the Conrad Johnson preamp couldn't....yes you heard me right the Conrad Johnson could not do to the ZU or Dyns what the Vincent could do.

[Poultrygeist]

fmon,

Were you using the Chinese tubes in your Vincent when comparing the two preamps? How many outputs on the Vincent?

[frenchmon]

fmon,

Were you using the Chinese tubes in your Vincent when comparing the two preamps? How many outputs on the Vincent?

Poultry....I will write my findings on the shootout later..kinda busy this morning with family. But im not going to sugar coat what I heard...the Vincent kicked the Conrad Johnsons ass!

I was told by a Vincent owner over seas that the SA-T1 came stock with 1 Chinese tube and two Sovteks. I have changed the one Chinese tube for a Telefunken. The Vincent has 4 tubes...the fourth tube is used for the power supply, two tubes sockets inline are labeled left and right, and the odd tube is Telefunken has both output tubes going through it. The SA-T1 is not hybrid but all valves. The CJ has 4 inline tubes.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Now I'm surprised. I hope Peabody can figure out how to get back into AR and give us his take on this. I had been looking at used CJ gear along with Krell and Bryston, now I guess I have to add Vincent to the mix. But I really need to have a Dynaudio owners opinion on this. No offense Frenchie.

[frenchmon]

Now I'm surprised. I hope Peabody can figure out how to get back into AR and give us his take on this. I had been looking at used CJ gear along with Krell and Bryston, now I guess I have to add Vincent to the mix. But I really need to have a Dynaudio owners opinion on this. No offense Frenchie.

Jack...I wish He was here as well. im sure he wont say it got its ass kicked but he sure knows the Vincent was able to do things the CJ could not. He would say as he said last night...two different sounds. And I say yeah, if you like uninspired muisc! Oh and by the way. I have been critical of Dynaudio speakers in the past....while they are not the most lively speaker they are no way a bad as I once thought. I had been listening to Peabodys Dyns through the CJ pre...once we hooked up the Vincent, those babies came alive. I can write more later. Stay tuned....im not going to do a lot of audiophile speak, but I am going to tell you what I heard.

[frenchmon]

Jack...I did tell Peabody tho, that if I where him, I would roll the tubes to see if it will get more life and not sound so recessed....if that did not work, then he should get rid of his preamp. He wants to get rid of the ZU instead. With the Vincent the ZU had a much much better performance. The Dyns with the Vincent where unlike what I heard with the CJ...With the Vincent the tweeters where much more lively and bass hit harder . IF I could say anything that the CJ did better than the Vincent it was the CJ displayed a tad bit more fine detail in the bass, but not by much. I will write my report of what I heard before the night is over.