Ct5 vs et5

[rthomeint]

Hey all I thought I would get some opinions from the collective. I will have $10,000 to spend in two weeks and I am thinking about picking up a new preamp. I have a line on a CT5 at about $4500.00 and I could use the rest for toward an amp, maybe a new Classic 60SE or maybe a used LP70s or used ET250s. Or I could buy a new ET5 and get the C1 upgrade on my Premier 11. What do you guys think? I've listen the CT5,ET3 and ET250s, but not in my system. I've never heard the GAT,ET5, ART or any of LP series of amps.

Thanks

Rob

[joeinid]

It's a nice dilemma to have. I can only speak of the ET5 and it is a great, no, AWESOME preamp. I only sold it to get the GAT. From what I've been told, the ET5 is about 90% of the GAT. I wish I had followed through and bought the GAT but other pieces followed me home. Maybe one day .....

[rthomeint]

It is a good problem to have but so many choices:sigh:

[ronenash]

I would get the ET5. Its a substantially better preamp than the CT5. The ET5 is at ACT2S2 performance levels. It even surpasses the ACT in transparency and detail. IMHO one of the best preamps out there.
Your Pr11 is a great amp and with the capacitor upgrade it will improve considerably. The newer amps have better resistors throughout which I am not sure CJ upgrade in the C1 upgrade for the Pr11, and a better power supply with better parts. Still I think the Pr11 is a great amp and you should be in no hurry to upgrade it.

[rthomeint]

I would get the ET5. Its a substantially better preamp than the CT5. The ET5 is at ACT2S2 performance levels. It even surpasses the ACT in transparency and detail. IMHO one of the best preamps out there.
Your Pr11 is a great amp and with the capacitor upgrade it will improve considerably. The newer amps have better resistors throughout which I am not sure CJ upgrade in the C1 upgrade for the Pr11, and a better power supply with better parts. Still I think the Pr11 is a great amp and you should be in no hurry to upgrade it.

The CT5 is at a good price but I would love to have the latest model. As far as the Pr11 I've been leaning toward the upgrade because I want a better amp but I don't need another piece of equipment in the basement gathering dust, which is what would happen if I bought another amp. I am not sure if the swaps anything other than capacitors.

[repman]

I agree with Ronenash if you can afford it get the ET-5 and dont look back. I owned the CT-5 and while it is a great preamp the ET-5 is better.

[rthomeint]

I agree with Ronenash if you can afford it get the ET-5 and dont look back. I owned the CT-5 and while it is a great preamp the ET-5 is better.

I am leaning toward the ET5, I sure I will love it but I wish I could hear it first. I haven't own a Cj preamp since the PV12 was new. It's amazing how few high end dealers are left.

[Briz Vegaas]

No sorry, the CT5 is better because I own one and it looks better and probably sounds better the way i have mine set up (cos I'm some sort of guru clearly) and it was less expensive to buy.

I heard an ET5 the other day and it sounded good but it was not as well setup or optioned compared to my CT5. A component is but one part of the whole needed to make music. That being said it was clear that the ET5 was very nice for a component that I do not own ( a bit like the GAT really - all very nice but I don't own one so clearly it's not as nice as what I have at home :-) until I win the lottery that is. But everyone should have a CJ amp as we want the cranny to go from strength to strength.

[Briz Vegaas]

Oops iPhone-ism. Cranny is company.

[goone]

I would get the ET5 hand down, sell the Pr11 and spend the money on the new stereo ART.
That would make a killer combo and last for awhile or LP70s if you want to save money.
Currently owned ET5 and LP70S

[rthomeint]

I would get the ET5 hand down, sell the Pr11 and spend the money on the new stereo ART.
That would make a killer combo and last for awhile or LP70s if you want to save money.
Currently owned ET5 and LP70S


I've been drooling over the Stereo Art, If my business goes the way I hope this year it might be my Christmas present to myself.

[goone]

Its look so beautiful, don't know how much improving from LP70s to the stereo Art.

[Coppy]

Its look so beautiful, don't know how much improving from LP70s to the stereo Art.

I think the comparison would be the LP140 monos vs. the stereo ART. Both are 140 WPC.

[sleepysurf]

As another CT-5 owner (who is very happy with it's sound, and especially it's appearance), I'd love to audition an ET-5 in my setup. However, the sound would have to be significantly better to convince me it's worth the upgrade $$, given the more "generic" styling of the ET-5 vs. the CT-5. Based strictly on looks, I think the CT-5 wins hands-down!

[VT Skier]

I spent a day at a dealer comparing the CT5, the ET5 and the GAT. The ET5 was the clear winner for the money. The CT5 was fine, but the ET5 provided a much more refined and clearer window into the music -- better bass response, better dynamic response, better definition.

The GAT was very good, but to me, the improvement in sound quality didn't justify the 2X price difference. If I had $10K to spend, I wouldn't think twice about the ET5 -- it's that good. And I'm non engineer, but people who are smarter than me, and more experienced, have convinced me that money is better spent on preamps vs. amps. But YMMV.

[rthomeint]

Whatever I buy will likely be in my system for 5-10 years so I've been leaning toward the ET5, but I do agree the CT5's styling is nicer. Now that I think about it I did hear the ET5 with the Stereo art in the CJ room at CES. It wasn't possible for a critical listening in that hotel room. If I can come up with $28,000.00 for the pair I would.

[Ritmo]

Repman (AA member) is selling an ET-5 that is less than a year old. Check the for sale section here in AA. Looks like an excellent unit.

Mike

[rthomeint]

Repman (AA member) is selling an ET-5 that is less than a year old. Check the for sale section here in AA. Looks like an excellent unit.

Mike

Thanks I will take a look.