A tale of two CJ's

[ronenash]

As many here know I am enjoying my LP125m SE for a few month now. I am driving them with the Lyngdorf DPA-1 preamp with room correction. I was extremely happy with this setup and it was the best my system ever sounded that is until….
Last weekend a friend offered me to try the ET3 preamp. My initial reply was I am not interested. I had the ET3 for a brief time before and I could not see what benefits another component in the signal pass can bring. Given the fact that I am using the Lyngdorf as a DAC/Room Correction device that can be configured for either fixed or variable output, I did not think adding another component to control volume will have a positive impact on the sound. Remember, we are talking about more electronics and another pair of interconnects.
Well, after my friend insisted I took the ET3 for a try. I am telling you folks, I could not believe the change the ET3 made in my system. The soundstage grew to enormous proportions, harmonic structures were laid out with such beauty and I could feel the musicians sitting in front of me so clearly it is spooky. I still cannot rationalize what I am hearing but the ET3 definitely has a very positive effect on the sound. Mind you this is the standard version and not the SE version. I do not know if this is magic synergy between the CJ power and pre amps or if there is something else coming into play here but there is no denying the result is very special.
I am now starting the hunt for an ET3SE or ET5. Maybe an ACT2. This CJ pre/power combination is just too good to pass.

Can anyone explain these results? I cannot. I only know what I hear.

[turntable]

Ronenash, What you are hearing are all the strengths of a great tube pre amp.

Imo ss pre amps cannot give you the 3d musical magic that great tube amps do.

Enjoy the new tube pre amp

Cheers

[ronenash]

What puzzles me is that essentially a preamp is a wire with gain. We all learned that if the source is not good not component upstream will fix this. Yet, in this case the source directly into my power amp sounds far inferior to the source through the preamp and to the power amp.
As I said, I do not understand it but I know what I hear

[Rafale]

Now Ron..... imagine GAT+LP125M SE....

[chessman]

Originally Posted by ronenash

What puzzles me is that essentially a preamp is a wire with gain. We all learned that if the source is not good not component upstream will fix this. Yet, in this case the source directly into my power amp sounds far inferior to the source through the preamp and to the power amp.
As I said, I do not understand it but I know what I hear

The Brits call a preamp a "control amp." I think they are right - there seems to be much more going on than merely a wire with gain.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by ronenash

As many here know I am enjoying my LP125m SE for a few month now. I am driving them with the Lyngdorf DPA-1 preamp with room correction. I was extremely happy with this setup and it was the best my system ever sounded that is until….
Last weekend a friend offered me to try the ET3 preamp. My initial reply was I am not interested. I had the ET3 for a brief time before and I could not see what benefits another component in the signal pass can bring. Given the fact that I am using the Lyngdorf as a DAC/Room Correction device that can be configured for either fixed or variable output, I did not think adding another component to control volume will have a positive impact on the sound. Remember, we are talking about more electronics and another pair of interconnects.
Well, after my friend insisted I took the ET3 for a try. I am telling you folks, I could not believe the change the ET3 made in my system. The soundstage grew to enormous proportions, harmonic structures were laid out with such beauty and I could feel the musicians sitting in front of me so clearly it is spooky. I still cannot rationalize what I am hearing but the ET3 definitely has a very positive effect on the sound. Mind you this is the standard version and not the SE version. I do not know if this is magic synergy between the CJ power and pre amps or if there is something else coming into play here but there is no denying the result is very special.
I am now starting the hunt for an ET3SE or ET5. Maybe an ACT2. This CJ pre/power combination is just too good to pass.

Can anyone explain these results? I cannot. I only know what I hear.

It's interesting that you've observed this, because I've read several articles in the audio mags by staff writers that have observed exactly the same thing, usually when using DACs with a volume control connected directly to a power amp. And, when inserting a preamp, have observed exactly the same nature of improvements you have. And while, technically-speaking, removing components should "improve" the sound, or while we assume that a preamp should be a straight wire with gain, the facts are that neither are true.

And if I were to put forward a hypothesis is as to why, I think the reason is that when you insert a pre-amp, especially one from a manufacturer that consistently been famous for it's preamps for over 30 years, the reason is that these do what they were designed to do better than DACs, equaliizers, etc, etc., and that is PRE-amplification. Taking a very low level signal, and amplifying it up to the levels required for a power amp. S/N goes up, power supply regulation improves, and then there's the "intangibles".

The other thing you've discovered is the synergy of using C-J preamps and amp together. What you get is MAGIC, and this is why so many C-J power amp owners also use C-J preamps.

[CDLehner]

Originally Posted by chessman

The Brits call a preamp a "control amp." I think they are right - there seems to be much more going on than merely a wire with gain.

+1 As an all-digital audiophile, where...AFAIC...the DAC is my source...I was an early adapter of DAC right into a power-amp.

Some did better than others...but when I went back to even modest "hi-end" active models (like the McCormack RLD-1 or Belles 21a), they clearly bested even the best of the DACs with volume control (in my system, the Eastern Electric Minimax was the most successful).

Now, I'm a BIG believer that less-is-more is sometimes only true in theory; and...I look forward to getting the right C-J pre, to create some of that synergy magic PC is talking about.

[ronenash]

I can only imagine what the ET3SE or ET5 will sound like... Will keep you posted

[ronenash]

This preamp is turning to be my biggest audio surprise ever! Its make everything routed through it sound better. Yesterday I tried it with my 30 year old Beard P100 power amp and the combination was just outstanding. This is the best the Beard has ever played. I can't do direct comparisons but based on memory this preamp is noticably better than previous CJ design I tried including the PV10, PV12 and CT6 all of which I have used for several years. The ACT2 S1 did have more dynamics as I remember it but its not a fair comparison. At $2500 for the basic version it is an unblievable bargain.

[Puma Cat]

That was the conclusion of the reviewer of the ET3 in Stereohile as well. I heard the ET3 at my local dealer and was impressed. I asked if it was as good as the Premier 17 and they said, "No way". I then called Ed at C-J and asked the same question, and got the answer, "No way. The ET3 at it's price point can't match quality of circuit board components (parts), construction, design, etc. utilized in the Premier 17". The Pr17, for example, uses solid silver hookup wire throughout.

My guess is an ET3 SE would sound more transparent than a Pr17LS, but a Pr17LS2 would be better than an ET3 SE.