Preamp Choice

The PV-1 to now...
Post Reply
User avatar
pstrisik
Super Pro
Super Pro
Posts: 115
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 6:14 pm
Location: Anchorage, Alaska

Preamp Choice

Post by pstrisik »

Hi Everyone..... I will introduce myself and post system pics later. For now, I'm looking at preamps and would like opinions on what to look at to go with my Premier 11A. Remote control required. Phono not required. I like the traditional tube sound - midrange smoothness, etc., more than the more crystal clear detail of some later tube components by other manufacturers.

So, ET3 or an older model? Will look used - less than $2000.

Thank you....... Peter
.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter


Dennis Had Inspire LP-2 preamp
Dennis Had Inspire KT150 amp
Thorens TD-145 MkII
Restored AR 2ax', Omega Super 7 XRS Alnicos
Cambridge Audio Stream Magic 6/DAC Magic +
[/color]
User avatar
admin
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4565
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 1:50 pm
Location: New Hampshire, USA
Contact:

Re: Preamp Choice

Post by admin »

Hi Peter, first let me welcome you to CJO, it's great to have you!

As for your question, you have quite a few options. You can buy the majority of CJ's older preamps (used) for under $2000. You biggest limitation in terms of choices will be the need for the remote control option as most of their earlier models did not have remote control capability. You can buy many of their earlier models (both solid state as well as tube) for well under $1000 on ebay and audiogon. As for the remote control models (and hence later models), you can still find them under $2000. For example, there is a PV15 and an ET3 on audiogon right now that would meet your stated requirements. Of course there are many options, these are just few that fits your criteria and are available right now.

One thing you can try is to post a wanted ad in the Classifieds (locked in 30 days) and Wanted category. I can say from personal experience that it has already worked for me as I was able to hunt down a seller of a CJ D/a 2b processor I was looking for. I would just list your requirements and budget and see if you get any response. It can't hurt.

Once again, welcome to the site, and let us know how your search turns out! :)
-admin
Home Theater in Member Gallery
Main stereo: ART Amplifier and ET7s2. 2nd stereo: PV-14L and MV-55. Previously Owned: PF2 preamp, Evolution 2000 Amp, PV-12AL preamp, D/A-2b Vacuum-Tube Digital Processor.
User avatar
pstrisik
Super Pro
Super Pro
Posts: 115
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 6:14 pm
Location: Anchorage, Alaska

Re: Preamp Choice

Post by pstrisik »

Thanks admin..... I just googled the PV-15 and found one review: http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/conr ... n_pv15.htm. The reviewer says:

"Very precise, methodical, and definitive in its delivery of music." "Another thing that jumped out at me was how little of that C-J golden glow, that burnished, lush sound quality that Conrad-Johnson products have always been known for, was to be found in the PV15." "Now you have to concentrate to hear it."

If that's accurate, it doesn't sound like the one I'm looking for. On another forum, there seems to be universal praise for the Pr17LS which can be had for ~$1900-$2500 used. Several opinions suggest it is markedly better than the new ET-3. Looks like that is my leading contender so far. I would be a bonus to have both pre and amp from the premier line as well!

Thanks for the input. Alway open to more.

.......Peter
.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter


Dennis Had Inspire LP-2 preamp
Dennis Had Inspire KT150 amp
Thorens TD-145 MkII
Restored AR 2ax', Omega Super 7 XRS Alnicos
Cambridge Audio Stream Magic 6/DAC Magic +
[/color]
User avatar
admin
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4565
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 1:50 pm
Location: New Hampshire, USA
Contact:

Re: Preamp Choice

Post by admin »

pstrisik wrote:Thanks admin..... I just googled the PV-15 and found one review: http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/conr ... n_pv15.htm. The reviewer says:

"Very precise, methodical, and definitive in its delivery of music." "Another thing that jumped out at me was how little of that C-J golden glow, that burnished, lush sound quality that Conrad-Johnson products have always been known for, was to be found in the PV15." "Now you have to concentrate to hear it."

If that's accurate, it doesn't sound like the one I'm looking for. On another forum, there seems to be universal praise for the Pr17LS which can be had for ~$1900-$2500 used. Several opinions suggest it is markedly better than the new ET-3. Looks like that is my leading contender so far. I would be a bonus to have both pre and amp from the premier line as well!

Thanks for the input. Alway open to more.

.......Peter
I read the review and I think with very high end audio equipment it's often difficult to narrow down exactly what the subtle differences are when the unit is in your room, coupled with your amp, wires, and speaker. If you notice in the review, he uses the PV15 with a solid state amp and planar (magnepan 1.6) speakers. I can tell you from personal experience that it is typical of solid state amps to be more "neutral/acurate" than tube based ones. Also, planar speakers are some of the most "accurate" speakers when it comes to the midrange and highs. In other words, I would not be surprised that if you coupled PV15 preamp to a tube amp and conventional cone speakers there would be less "precise, methodical, and definitive" sound and more a more "colored" soundstage. This does not make it better or worse, but rather depends on what kind of sound you prefer and how it will mesh with your current setup.

This is not to say that the PV15 is better than the Pr17. Also, the PV15 is less expensive, so that may be a factor as well. I think one of the great things about audiophile setups is that there is no clear better or worse in all situations. Often times different individual components will go better with your particular setup (ie combination of amps, speakers, cables, room accoustics). I have heard very expensive setups (over $50,000) sound terrible because they were placed in rooms with hard wood floors without any carpets and an entire wall of glass.

In my personal setup I have come to balance "musicality" with "precision." My Preamp, amp (input stage at least), and phono preamp are tube based. This gives a very musical but most likely less accurate output. You can really "hear" the equipment. However, my electrostat speakers are very precise and tend not to "color" the sound stage. It's a fine balance. I don't want the sound to be so accurate that it is harsh, yet not so "colored" that it becomes distorted. Who is to say where to draw the line? I think that line will be different for all.

You may want to give a list of your current equipment and what kind of room you have (size, flooring, wall material, ceiling height, and amount of large furniture in the room). This will allow for a better recommendation.

Rereading the above paragraphs it appears I did not help you to much! :)
Best of luck with whatever you get and let us know how it turns out!
-admin
Home Theater in Member Gallery
Main stereo: ART Amplifier and ET7s2. 2nd stereo: PV-14L and MV-55. Previously Owned: PF2 preamp, Evolution 2000 Amp, PV-12AL preamp, D/A-2b Vacuum-Tube Digital Processor.
User avatar
pstrisik
Super Pro
Super Pro
Posts: 115
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 6:14 pm
Location: Anchorage, Alaska

Re: Preamp Choice

Post by pstrisik »

No, you are helpful, thanks.

I'll preface by sharing that my hearing is an issue. I have some mid/high frequency loss, some tinnitus, and hyperacusis at the same frequencies as the loss. I use good quality digital hearing aids, though turn them town about 30% compared to regular conversation use when listening to music.

I have a 25x22x8 room with seating about half way in the longer dimension. It is a home theatre setup with plasma between the speakers. I'm in the process of improving room treatments. I primarily stream music from my network using a Dune player.

Currently, I am using my Onkyo 5508 pre/pro as pre-amp and using the Audyssey XT32 room compensation stereo setting (I find that, as I improve things, the difference between calibrated modes and direct mode diminishes - hence my newfound openness to a 2 channel pre-amp). I also use a pair of Rythmik F12 subs and xover depending on the speakers.

I just sold my Salk SS8's which I found on the bright side. I have on the way a used pair of LSA-1 monitors to hold me over and to see if I prefer the two way monitor approach preferable to a more full range floor stander.

I have a CJ Premier 11A amp, a CJ MF-2250A (125wpc SS, 5-10 years old), and a CJ MF-2300A (240wpc SS, ~15 years old - on the way from an ebay snag). I primarily use the 11A. I will decide between the two CJ SS amps and keep one. With the Salks, I bi-amped with the 11A for mid/tweet and the 2250A for woofs.

I listen to jazz, classical, classic rock/folk mainly. Some harder rock on occasion.

Given my hearing issues, I'm finding that I do prefer (need actually) the warmer type of sound as the very accurate/detailed variety is more irritating to me than to most others. That is what brought me to tube technology in the first place and CJ in particular. I did a head to head comparison between a McCormack DNA-250 and the 2250A and found the CJ to be more pleasing - less bright. I previously had a pair of high power Bel Canto Class D monoblocks which I also found bright.

So, in adding a preamp, I'm looking to continue in the same vein for sound.

......Peter
.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter


Dennis Had Inspire LP-2 preamp
Dennis Had Inspire KT150 amp
Thorens TD-145 MkII
Restored AR 2ax', Omega Super 7 XRS Alnicos
Cambridge Audio Stream Magic 6/DAC Magic +
[/color]
User avatar
Jim Treanor
Advanced
Advanced
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2012 4:14 pm
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Preamp Choice

Post by Jim Treanor »

My experience with the 17LS coupled to a solid-state c-j MF2500 encompasses driving a pair of Magnepan 1.6QR planars in a 29'x14'x7'9" dedicated room that I had to evacuate to accommodate other living priorities and Paradigm SE-3 cone speakers in an almost equally sized but heavily "lived-in" listening space with more problematic acoustic issues to deal with (pretty well solved by strategic tube trap placement). My own personal acoustic issue is a very slight case of right-ear tinnitus.

In both situations, I've found the 17LS to tilt perceived response to the slightly warm side of neutral. It's more transparent, more detailed, "faster," and not as "warm glow" as earlier c-j designs (including the PV15), but it's not at all what you might consider an "ear bleeder" when paired up with the 2500 driving either the Maggies or the Paradigms at listening levels that sometimes approach, even reach, what we like to call "realistic" on well-recorded dynamic classical program (think a Mahler Fifth or Shostakovich Eighth tutti). Given my listening preferences and my 10 years' experience of living with it in two different acoustic and speaker environments, I intend to the keep the 17 for as long as it switches on when I press its remote's Mute button.

If you were to pair the 17 with a Premier 11 you'd get a "warmer" presentation than with either of the c-j MF's you're considering (as would also be the case with my MF2500), but if my experience with the 17/2500 pairing is anything approaching a reasonable guide, I doubt you'd have a core problem with any of those amps, assuming that the tonal/timbral characteristic of your program source(s) hews toward neutral.
Living Room: Premier 17LS, MF2500, Win10 laptop, TEAC UD501, Paradigm SE-3
Bedroom: Luminous Audio Axiom II, MF2500, Win10 Laptop, TEAC UD501, Paradigm Studio 20 v.5
Home Office: Luminous Audio Axiom II, Sonographe SA250, Paradigm SE-1
User avatar
admin
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4565
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 1:50 pm
Location: New Hampshire, USA
Contact:

Re: Preamp Choice

Post by admin »

Wow, great setup!

You have some really excellent gear going on in there and a nice large size room. With high end gear all around I think it's not going to be about buying "better equipment" but rather simply buying items that suit your acoustic preference. From what you describe it seems like your not going to like a "bright" or harsh sound. I would go with a tube based preamp if possible as this will be "warmer" (but I think you already decided on this). The tubes are also going also heavily influence how bright vs warm the sound will be. You may benefit from changing the stock tubes to suit your preference if they are not optimal. You most likely will only find this out once the unit is all set up. Also, stay away from any silver based interconnect cables, they tend to brighten the sound. I was originally a non-believer in interconnects making a significant difference in the sound, but once I upgraded cables I was blown away on just how influential they can be. I actually built my own cables , here is my DIY cable project with instructions. The CJ amps will give you ample power to drive your speakers so that should not be a concern (congrats on the purchase!). Nothing sounds worse than underpowered speakers producing clipping.

A big factor is the room itself. I have a similar sized room with hard wood flooring and it greatly benefits from acoustic treatment. I have over 150 acoustic foam panels on the walls in addition to base traps. I also put in a large carpet as without these enhancements the sound was very bright. You obviously have taken great care (and spent a lot of money) on choosing top notch equipment. Don't ignore the acoustics of the room as this has a HUGE influence on the sound (I am not presuming you did, it's just advice I give to everybody). If you don't like a "bright" sound, I would encourage you to put as much carpeting, tapestries, acoustic paneling (if it fits the decor), large pieces of furniture, etc into that room as possible. The more dampening material you have, the less bright it will be. I put curtains along the wall of my home theater even though there are no windows behind it. It looks nice aesthetically, and it provides a large area of dampening.

Sorry to hear about your hearing loss. That most likely adds another layer of complexity to an already complex setup. What's important is you get enjoyment from this hobby. Almost everybody starts loosing some of their hearing after their teenage years so nearly all audiophiles "hear less than they once did." I can relate as I am partially colorblind, yet still enjoy watching movies in my home theater and I am an avid videophile. When doing video calibration, I have my fiancee come and help!
-admin
Home Theater in Member Gallery
Main stereo: ART Amplifier and ET7s2. 2nd stereo: PV-14L and MV-55. Previously Owned: PF2 preamp, Evolution 2000 Amp, PV-12AL preamp, D/A-2b Vacuum-Tube Digital Processor.
User avatar
Jim Treanor
Advanced
Advanced
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2012 4:14 pm
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Preamp Choice

Post by Jim Treanor »

If you don't like a "bright" sound, I would encourage you to put as much carpeting, tapestries, acoustic paneling (if it fits the decor), large pieces of furniture, etc into that room as possible. The more dampening material you have, the less bright it will be.

True enough regarding "brightness," but the trick--assuming that you want to recreate as closely as possible the sense of "liveness" that may be embedded in a given recording--is not to overdo acoustic treatment (whether with dedicated devices or carpeting, drapes, etc.) and suppress what makes a well-produced recording convey the illusion of "being there." What I've found through hard-won experience is that the best result occurs when strategically placed absorption is combined with diffusion that randomizes initially-undifferentiated reflections. You retain the "liveness" without having your ear subjected to a concentrated packet of what I call upper-midrange shriek that irritates to the point of driving you out of the room.

I relate to the original poster's concern since my slight case of right-ear tinnitus was at one time accompanied by that sensation of "shriek" when a certain upper-mid frequency or limited range of frequencies within that band was reproduced during playback. Extreme damping of the room without any attention to diffusion killed a recording's liveness without attenuating that upper-mid peak sufficiently to eliminate the irritation. Playing with various diffusion configurations and integrating the "best" of those with absorption at, where possible, corners, first reflection points, and large reflection areas (such as the fireplace, CD/DVD cabinet) effectively banished the peak without sucking the life out of the recorded performance or destroying the frequency balance, rhythm, or pace of the music being played.
Living Room: Premier 17LS, MF2500, Win10 laptop, TEAC UD501, Paradigm SE-3
Bedroom: Luminous Audio Axiom II, MF2500, Win10 Laptop, TEAC UD501, Paradigm Studio 20 v.5
Home Office: Luminous Audio Axiom II, Sonographe SA250, Paradigm SE-1
User avatar
admin
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4565
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 1:50 pm
Location: New Hampshire, USA
Contact:

Re: Preamp Choice

Post by admin »

I completely agree with Jim. You can easily overdue the dampening of the room and lose the "life" from the music. I think how much acoustic treatment you need in the room is a combination of personal taste and the room characteristics. Likewise, sound diffusion is important. Also, acoustic treatment location is also important. First reflection points and corners often give more effect than random acoustic panels put up all around the room.
-admin
Home Theater in Member Gallery
Main stereo: ART Amplifier and ET7s2. 2nd stereo: PV-14L and MV-55. Previously Owned: PF2 preamp, Evolution 2000 Amp, PV-12AL preamp, D/A-2b Vacuum-Tube Digital Processor.
User avatar
pstrisik
Super Pro
Super Pro
Posts: 115
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 6:14 pm
Location: Anchorage, Alaska

Re: Preamp Choice

Post by pstrisik »

admin wrote:I completely agree with Jim. You can easily overdue the dampening of the room and lose the "life" from the music. I think how much acoustic treatment you need in the room is a combination of personal taste and the room characteristics. Likewise, sound diffusion is important. Also, acoustic treatment location is also important. First reflection points and corners often give more effect than random acoustic panels put up all around the room.
We shall see how it pans out. I have a bunch of acoustic panels and foam to work with. I will have 2x4x2 panels at each side reflection point and two hanging 1x4x2 baffles for the 1st reflection on the ceiling. Then I have some panels I can use or not around the room and 4" foam to use selectively on front and back wall areas. I will probably start with the first reflection points the front wall, then add little by little as appropriate. I have no diffusion products so will see if I'm needing that later. I do have a bookcase on the back wall and lots of stuff under the windows on the right wall that should help diffusion somewhat.

I am waiting for the LSA monitors to arrive though. I want to get a sense of them before changing the room so I can see what changes the speakers bring on their own first. Unfortunately, the seller sent the monitors parcel post from Florida despite our agreement to use priority mail. So I won't have them until the first week of Dec instead of tomorrow! :x

......Peter
.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter


Dennis Had Inspire LP-2 preamp
Dennis Had Inspire KT150 amp
Thorens TD-145 MkII
Restored AR 2ax', Omega Super 7 XRS Alnicos
Cambridge Audio Stream Magic 6/DAC Magic +
[/color]
User avatar
Jim Treanor
Advanced
Advanced
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2012 4:14 pm
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Preamp Choice

Post by Jim Treanor »

Unfortunately, the seller sent the monitors parcel post from Florida despite our agreement to use priority mail. So I won't have them until the first week of Dec instead of tomorrow!

Ouch!

Peter, if it's doable, one other treatment point to consider is the midpoint of the front wall, or more precisely the point on that wall that corresponds to the midpoint between the speakers. If you do wind up with any diffusion product, that's one place where combining it with absorption has consistently provided me with significant bang for the acoustic buck in whatever venue I've placed it.
Living Room: Premier 17LS, MF2500, Win10 laptop, TEAC UD501, Paradigm SE-3
Bedroom: Luminous Audio Axiom II, MF2500, Win10 Laptop, TEAC UD501, Paradigm Studio 20 v.5
Home Office: Luminous Audio Axiom II, Sonographe SA250, Paradigm SE-1
User avatar
pstrisik
Super Pro
Super Pro
Posts: 115
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 6:14 pm
Location: Anchorage, Alaska

Re: Preamp Choice

Post by pstrisik »

Jim Treanor wrote:Unfortunately, the seller sent the monitors parcel post from Florida despite our agreement to use priority mail. So I won't have them until the first week of Dec instead of tomorrow!

Ouch!

Peter, if it's doable, one other treatment point to consider is the midpoint of the front wall, or more precisely the point on that wall that corresponds to the midpoint between the speakers. If you do wind up with any diffusion product, that's one place where combining it with absorption has consistently provided me with significant bang for the acoustic buck in whatever venue I've placed it.
Well, that's a difficult one Jim. I've got a 50" screen in that spot! I plan to use 4" acoustic wedge foam squares above and below the screen though. If diffusion would help, maybe some is better than none despite the screen. I'll be experimenting. Thanks for the tip.

It has been suggested that I have something that would cover the screen when listening to music. Trouble is, I listen to music from hard drives through a Dune media player which displays the album/song info and menus for choosing what music to play. I'm liking that arrangement less and less, both for acoustic reasons, but I'm also finding it visually distracting when listening.

Next possibility is the PCH 400 that was just released. Seems like it will do everything that I need that the Dune does, but also has a good music "jukebox" interface with an iPad app for the info/menu display, so I wouldn't have to use the plasma. I'm waiting for the bleeding edge buyers to do some reviews and for initial bugs to be fixed.

I like that, in this case of upgradeitis, I'm looking at something that will cost around $200 or less for a change! :P

.......Peter
.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter


Dennis Had Inspire LP-2 preamp
Dennis Had Inspire KT150 amp
Thorens TD-145 MkII
Restored AR 2ax', Omega Super 7 XRS Alnicos
Cambridge Audio Stream Magic 6/DAC Magic +
[/color]
User avatar
Jim Treanor
Advanced
Advanced
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2012 4:14 pm
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Preamp Choice

Post by Jim Treanor »

I've got a 50" screen in that spot! I plan to use 4" acoustic wedge foam squares above and below the screen though. If diffusion would help, maybe some is better than none despite the screen.

My guess is that you'll hear an improvement with the foam wedges positioned as you indicate. If you can do the same along the screen's sides, that would help as well.

The 40" screen I have to contend with is positioned well off-center along the front wall, so I don't have the same problem with placing a center trap. But it's still a source of undifferentiated reflection near and about two-and-a-half to three feet behind the right speaker. Having tried a number of trap schemes designed to negate or at least reduce its reflective effect, I've been surprised that the most effective overall remedy, one that simultaneously broadens and deepens the soundstage while increasing the illusion of three-dimensionality within that space, has been tweaking the positioning of the trap at the right first reflection point (which is well on the other side of the speaker from the flat screen).

In any event, good luck with your foam wedge tweak.
Living Room: Premier 17LS, MF2500, Win10 laptop, TEAC UD501, Paradigm SE-3
Bedroom: Luminous Audio Axiom II, MF2500, Win10 Laptop, TEAC UD501, Paradigm Studio 20 v.5
Home Office: Luminous Audio Axiom II, Sonographe SA250, Paradigm SE-1
User avatar
admin
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4565
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 1:50 pm
Location: New Hampshire, USA
Contact:

Re: Preamp Choice

Post by admin »

pstrisik wrote:........

It has been suggested that I have something that would cover the screen when listening to music. Trouble is, I listen to music from hard drives through a Dune media player which displays the album/song info and menus for choosing what music to play. I'm liking that arrangement less and less, both for acoustic reasons, but I'm also finding it visually distracting when listening.

Next possibility is the PCH 400 that was just released. Seems like it will do everything that I need that the Dune does, but also has a good music "jukebox" interface with an iPad app for the info/menu display, so I wouldn't have to use the plasma. I'm waiting for the bleeding edge buyers to do some reviews and for initial bugs to be fixed.

I like that, in this case of upgradeitis, I'm looking at something that will cost around $200 or less for a change! :P

.......Peter
I previously used a home media PC to play music but I found that I infrequently use it now preferring Vinyl and CD/SACD sources. I also found the screen being somewhat distracting as well. One thing you can try is running a computer with a screen control app running on your iphone/ipad. Teamviewer is one example. Basically your run their client on the PC, and then you get to control it's screen with the iOS device. So basically the iphone/ipad turns into a glorified remote control for the computer. That's one possible solution to having complete control of your digital library without having to run a TV or monitor.
-admin
Home Theater in Member Gallery
Main stereo: ART Amplifier and ET7s2. 2nd stereo: PV-14L and MV-55. Previously Owned: PF2 preamp, Evolution 2000 Amp, PV-12AL preamp, D/A-2b Vacuum-Tube Digital Processor.
miatadan
Advanced
Advanced
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2013 9:11 pm

Re: Preamp Choice

Post by miatadan »

Peter.... have you found a preamp yet?
Dan
User avatar
pstrisik
Super Pro
Super Pro
Posts: 115
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 6:14 pm
Location: Anchorage, Alaska

Re: Preamp Choice

Post by pstrisik »

miatadan wrote:Peter.... have you found a preamp yet?
Dan
You must be psychic Dan! I just closed a deal for a 17LS this morning. Should have it in about a week. Buying from the original owner who says it only has about 200 hours on it. :D

....Peter

edit: After re-reading what i wrote earlier in this thread, I see an update is due.

I sold the MF-2300, have the McCormack DNA-250 up for sale, and am keeping the MF-2250A. I don't have a current use for it, but it is a sweet amp for SS and I don't want to part with it.

I received the LSA-1 monitors (2-way with pulp mid woofers and silk dome tweeters). They are not bad at all, particularly for the money. imaging is excellent. Sound stage could be a bit bigger. Much less irritating than anything I've had preceding them. Meanwhile, I found a pair of AR2ax's locally on Craig's list for $200 in pretty good shape. I grabbed them mostly for nostalgia's sake as I had AR4x's in the 70's and then larger Advents from about 1976 to 2010. I liked the AR's better than the LSA's right away. The mid and treble pots were pretty bad though (corrosion). I found a guy in Connecticut that specializes in AR's and bought a kit with new pots and updated capacitors for the xovers (supposedly same specs) and a refoam kit. I've installed the pots and caps and tested everything. I'm in the process of refoaming. If everything works out, I'll refinish the walnut veneer and have fully restored 1973 AR2ax's.

I wasn't planning it, but I'm ending up with all vintage or near vintage stuff for two channel (except for the streaming of digital music and the DAC): Thorens table, CJ 17LS and 11A and AR speakers. I'm getting very close to "there".
.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter


Dennis Had Inspire LP-2 preamp
Dennis Had Inspire KT150 amp
Thorens TD-145 MkII
Restored AR 2ax', Omega Super 7 XRS Alnicos
Cambridge Audio Stream Magic 6/DAC Magic +
[/color]
Post Reply