Hi all- here’s an update for anyone with an interest in CJ gear.
After about one week of play time, had a hiccup with my new CJ gear. Yesterday, all of a sudden, a very loud hum started coming from the right channel. I figured it was a power tube and swapped the left and right channel tubes with the same result - loud right channel hum. Then I swapped the left and right channel signal tubes with the same result - loud right channel hum. I didn’t try swapping the signal splitter tube as I figured that either it was defective and the source of the problem or that the problem was deeper in the amp.
I then called CJ and spoke with Jeff, the owner & designer. He told me that, almost always, the problem I was describing was signal tube related. CJ has sent me (3) new 6922 signal tubes which should arrive tomorrow.
Today, a friend brought over (3) new 6922 tubes that he keeps as spares. We installed them and VOILA - the hum is gone! I’ve been continuing to play music all day and am continuing the break-in process. I’ll swap signal tubes when the new, CJ provided, 6922 tubes arrive tomorrow.
Once I have 400-500 hours on the system, I will install Herbies tube dampeners and also switch the two 6922 signal tubes in my GAT S2 preamp with some NOS Telefunken E88CC tubes. I bought the E88CC tubes for use in my original GAT S1 from Upscale Audio four years ago for about $390. Now, they sell for $780 for two! My advice: Forget buying stocks, bonds or Bitcoin for your retirement, buy NOS tubes!
Right now, the system has around 140 hours of burn-in and the Raidho D3.1 speakers sound MUCH better than with my prior setup of Aavik U300 & Oppo BDP-105D (used as a transport only); and sounds MUCH, MUCH better than my setup of two years ago, which consisted of Raidho D3 V2 speakers, CJ ART Monos and GAT S1 preamp.
As part of my recent CJ upgrade, I bought CJ’s TEA1-S2 phono preamp (as I no longer had the phono in the U300). My vinyl is now the best sounding part of my system, clearly outperforming the K-01X player & G-02X clock. Overall, I’m really happy with how things are settling-in.
Mike
|