Conrad Johnson PV14L tube preamp

Options
pearsall001
pearsall001 Posts: 5,006
edited June 2006 in 2 Channel Audio
My local dealer has a great deal on a demo piece. I have it in my system now for a couple of days. My first impression is "Holy Cow" this thing can really sing with a capital S. I have it running into a Van Alstine OmegaStar 440EX solid state amp, AAD 2001 monitors, HK DVD22 for my source (for now) The HT bypass is a real plus with this unit, comes w/ remote also which I really like. You can go from 2 channel to HT on the fly. The CJ just sounds sweet in lack of a better description. I can also try a Consonance Cyber 222 tube preamp from the same dealer. Anybody here heard the CJ or Consonance pieces & there thoughts. I did try a NuForce P-8 preamp. Let's not go there!!!! Very unpleasant experience. Any other preamp suggestions you guys have would be appreciated.
"2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
Post edited by pearsall001 on
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited June 2006
    Options
    I've yet to hear a CJ piece that I didn't like.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ND13
    ND13 Posts: 7,601
    edited June 2006
    Options
    Can't go wrong with CJ.
    "SOME PEOPLE CALL ME MAURICE,
    CAUSE I SPEAK OF THE POMPITIOUS OF LOVE"
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,909
    edited June 2006
    Options
    You dog you,nice choice..enjoy!!:)
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,576
    edited June 2006
    Options
    I'm with Troy, CJ is ultra solid....I have yet to hear a bad Consonance piece either.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,860
    edited June 2006
    Options
    I'm with Troy, Noel and Mark. You can't go wrong with CJ.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Normanality
    Normanality Posts: 297
    edited June 2006
    Options
    Damn, I missed scoring a CJ PV14L-2 by 5 minutes today.

    Sounds like it's a winner.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited June 2006
    Options
    Awesome! You think it sounds good now? Just wait until you replace the stock tubes.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,576
    edited June 2006
    Options
    It isn't always neccesary to replace stock tubes. A quality manufacturer has already made the best choice for the masses....everything else is subjective. You may love a NOS JAN...others may call it a heretic.

    Listen first, worry about the rhetoric later.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited June 2006
    Options
    I heard CJ used to ship their gear with good NOS tubes many years back. When supply got low and prices increased, they switched to cheap Russians and Chinese.

    Maybe a better question would be, what brand of tubes did the pre come with?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • crazy
    crazy Posts: 443
    edited June 2006
    Options
    Conrad Johnson products look really old-school, but they sound just incredible.
    Distant Dream - A New Beginning
    www.distantdream.com
    (Now also available on iTunes)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • starchaser
    starchaser Posts: 354
    edited June 2006
    Options
    Very Nice Indeed. I'm drueling for a nice tubed pre. Enjoy!
    "There's a lot of places driving up and down I-95 that smell like ****" F1Nut
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited June 2006
    Options
    Sweet, just put me down with the other usual suspects CJ is top notch the company is about HI-FI sound.

    HT pass is the only way to go when running a 2 channel in an HT capable rack.

    RT1
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter