PV-3 info?

[arnel]

How does this preamp compare to the others in the PV line? From what I gather it was sold as a kit and preassembled and was a budget preamp and was low on features, but retained performance of the other preamps.

[rthomeint]

I've never seen one in person nor heard one. I don't think it was ever reviewed. If the one you are looking at was a kit it would only be as good as the capability of the person who put it together.

[Alan Tomlinson]

I suppose I could say a bit about the PV-3 since I've owned one since 1984 and used it continuously until late last year. It's an interesting piece of kit for the era. Mine was assembled by someone who knew what he was doing and compared to a Premier 2 it had a rather nice bloomy bass. Other than that of course it is nothing at all as wonderful as a Premier. The phono stage has lots of gain although I used a head amp with it for my Accuphase AC-2, back in the day. Generally, keep in mind it's built to a price point. None of the parts are especially good, but, for $300, it cured a great many harsh sounding CD players. It's the cheapest C-J preamp there is. It does not compare to my PV-10A. Take a look at the schematic to see the phenomenal lack of voltage regulation going on. It sounds good, but it's not a competitor to any other C-J. A great many other manufacturers, perhaps?

Cheers,

Alan Tomlinson

[PV-3Joey]

Got mine in 1991 in Japan. It's set at 100v. I'm not sure who out it together. I can't remember if I had ever asked the gentleman whom sold it to me.

These days I'm afraid to power it up. Have to use an AVR connected to a UPS. Many black outs here. The sound was so good when it was paired with the Accuphase P-300X, but that burned up 8 years ago. The Adcom I reposted it with us just so-so. I'm in the 3rd world. No shops around. Can't audition a spoon. You know the phrase "bum fck Egypt?"

Of course I had to pay a lot more than $300.

[roberto]

Hola Joey,

I built mine long time ago. I recall that the power transformer was for 110V with double primary wound, so it worked with 220V too. Applying 100 V to a 110 V primary transformer, it will work with no problems, being a preamplifier, where the power consumption is not too much. As I do remember, the unit worked very nice, and doing comparisons with other preamps costing three or four times more, it always exhibit the Conrad Johnson signature quality sound. Now days, the quality parts and the shortest circuit design path makes the newer models to sing as a canary.

I just recently mod a PV-5. This unit was made in the early 80s, and still, it is just giving love. It is paired with a MV-50, another veteran model. They still sing very nice.

We are almost in the same boat. Our AC Govern Company has a lot of interference and power brake failures. And some time ago, I got a severe AC line transient, I was listening to the music, and suddenly the AC mains went off for three or 4 seconds, not enough time to get me to the power switch of the power amp, and then the power came back. What an horrible sound came from the power transformer of my amp. I new it was suffering a lot!!. The good thing is that this baby is built very well and it is robust. It did handle this with glorious effort. Nothing happened thanks to God.

So I do understand your concern. The only way to test your preamp is to power it. I will take off the cover and while power it up, I will check for any bad component. Prior the tubes are ready to work, if something is wrong, an evident component will do a sign, like smoke or too much heat, If this happens, power it off right away, and send the unit to service qualified technician.

the parts for your preamp on these days are easy to get them. Remember to replace a bad parts like a capacitors with more working voltages and same capacitance. The resistors add 1 watt more of power dissipation, same value.

Happy listening!