Jasper from Atlanta Checking In

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Jasper from Atlanta Checking In

Post by jasper »

Well I finally found some time to say hello and pay my formal respects to CJ on this forum. (after registering about a year ago!) Usually I'm working my butt off trying to make enough money to support my crazy high end addiction. My passion has always been listening to music and dabbling with audio gear. In fact the first item I bought with my own money that I saved from cutting lawns was a Fisher receiver with a built in turntable and a pair of matching speakers. I was about 15 back then and that was about 47 years ago.

I discovered CJ in the mid 90's when I fell in love with the sound of tube gear but wanted something reliable from a reputable company. That's when I splurged on an Art 1 preamp and a pair of Premier 8's. Then I got into flipping speakers, cables, various front ends, room treatments, speaker placement, assorted tweaks, and everything that goes along with building a super system that I could finally quit messing with and just enjoy. Everything has changed repeatedly except for the CJ electronics. I'd say right now I am really happy with my set up but I'm sure I'll never stop making adjustments and just leave well enough alone. Its fun and rewarding trying even some of the more subtle tweaks like tube dampers, isolation feet, or playing with VTA.

So here's what I've got in my primary system; CJ GAT preamp (traded the Art after upgrading to an Art 2) with Golden Lion E88CC/6922 tubes (these were a fantastic improvement!), CJ Premier 15 Phono Preamp factory upgraded to latest, original CJ Premier 8 mono blocks, factory upgraded to near Art amp status with KT 120's, Quad 2905's, pair of REL Gibraltar 2 Subwoofers, Bryston CD1 using digital out to a Cyrus Mapleshade modded Dac, Merrill Heirloom TT with Ortophon 210 arm and Cadenza Bronze cartridge, Mac Powerbook with HiTech USB to coaxial cable, Shunyata Triton and Typhon power line conditioners, Shunyata Anaconda speaker cables, Shunyata Python and Cobra interconnects and power cords, Mapleshade equipment rack with extra maple platforms on brass footers and isoblocks, Herbie's tube dampers on every tube, several ASC Tube traps, VPI 16.5 record cleaner, Jim Smith's "Get Better Sound/Room Play" system.

I've also got a smaller system in my office with a pair of Quad ESL 63's, a CJ ET3SE with phono section, a CJ Classic 60SE with phono section, Oppo 105 Modwright CD player, Merrill TT with Jelco arm and Glider cartridge, Mapleshade speaker cables and interconnects.

So I guess I'm pretty much a CJ/Quad guy and have found that to be a match made in heaven if set up properly. I'll try to attach a picture that doesn't have exactly all the same components listed above but it shows the idea. (couldn't do it; file too big?) Thanks for having me on board and for this great forum! Happy listening from Atlanta, Ga.
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Re: Jasper from Atlanta Checking In

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jasper,
Welcome. It's nice to hear from you. Wow, you have some incredible gear in there... not to mention a lot of experience. I definitely would love to see some pictures. I think the problem may have been with the size limitation of picture attachments set to 1 mb. I have increased it to 4 mb so hopefully it will go through if you try again.

I'm a big planar speaker fan. Have used Martin logans before and now have magnepans. Again, it's nice to have you part of the CJO community.
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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.
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Re: Jasper from Atlanta Checking In

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Welcome to the forum Jasper.
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Re: Jasper from Atlanta Checking In

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Thanks for your comments and here is the picture again. Hope it works this time!
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IMG_7907.JPG (2.38 MiB) Viewed 534 times
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Re: Jasper from Atlanta Checking In

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Holy cow! What a beautiful setup. Thanks!


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Re: Jasper from Atlanta Checking In

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Wow, that looks amazing. Geez, how many mapleshade feet/dampeners do you have? I had some when I was using Martin Logan speakers. They are really nice but I have never seen so many in one setup.

Quads look great. I'm a huge fan of planar speakers. That speaker cable looks amazing.

My only question is, how do you get to the turntable,... looks like it's "cornered in!" :)

Spectacular overall, congrats.
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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.
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Re: Jasper from Atlanta Checking In

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Thanks for your comments and you are right; its a tight squeeze to get between the amps to the TT but it works fine because I'm right handed. Good thing I quit drinking a few years ago or it could be a little risky! You can't see the left speaker in the picture but I have a pair of 16' Shunyata Anaconda speaker cables that barely reach over there. I started with a couple of sets of Mapleshade brass footers under some components several years when they just started selling products. Then I tried a pair of 2" maple slabs on more brass footers under the amps with great results. Next I asked Pierre at Mapleshade to make me a double wide rack so that's the first one he ever made and now sells a bunch of them. So, over the past several years I've slowly added more and more sets of footers, isoblocks, and maple slabs as I could afford them. Those are 4" thick solid maple slabs under the speakers and amps to get them off the floor.

The room is in my basement and has a concrete floor and it took me a while to realize that the concrete was sucking the life out of my system. I picked up that idea from reading Jim Smith's book "Get Better Sound". To my good fortune, he lives in Atlanta so I had him come over a couple of times and help me work on the set up. We played around with the idea of building a suspended hardwood floor but it was expensive, would have lowered the ceiling height, and just too much trouble. So instead, the amps and speakers are up on wood slabs and I built a 6" high wood platform under my listening couch out of plywood and 2x4's and stuffed it with a ton of R30 insulation to prevent any resonance. The center of each speaker is exactly at the height of my ear. Then Jim showed me how to use laser beams to adjust tilt and I raised the back of each speaker by using slightly taller brass footers. It's important with Quads because they have that concentric ring panel design with the center of each ring being at the mid height of the speakers and I've found they have to be set up meticulously to sound their best. I've probably spent over 100 hours crawling around on the floor, sliding the speakers a 1/4" or so, jumping back to the couch to listen, sliding some more, and then again, and again........ and again. Now everything is dialed in with lasers to within 1/16" tolerance and it sounds fantastic! I've got the room flagged off with yellow caution tape and nobody goes in there without me. (does any of this sound fanatical?)

The latest tweak I've just added are Herbie's tube dampers on all the tubes in my amps, preamp, and Cd player. This was a huge improvement and somehow after that, I am now able to play the system much louder. Any Quad owner will tell you that one of the most frustrating aspects of Quads is their limits on volume and typically they shut down at just over 100 db or so. Its a horrible thing if you like to listen loud, because just at a crescendo, there is always the threat that they will click off suddenly, the bias lights on the amps flare up in protest, and the whole experience of listening to that piece of music is compromised. Well, I have no idea why, but after I installed the tube dampers I was able to play the system at least 3 or 4 clicks louder on the GAT remote, which is huge. The tonal quality, spacial presence, textures, and resolution of the CJ gear with the Quads is stunning and now I've got all the volume I could want.

Thanks again for everyone's comments, support, and for this forum!
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Re: Jasper from Atlanta Checking In

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Hi Jasper,

I just realized you have a Classic Sixty SE in a second system. Can you tell me how much you like it? I know it's not top of the chain, but I am thinking of getting one with EL-34's. My dealer said CJ will use the upgraded parts and install EL-34's instead of the standard KT-120's for me. I think the sound will be a little sweeter, something I look forward to hearing.
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Re: Jasper from Atlanta Checking In

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The Classic 60SE is fantastic and I'll keep it around forever. When I sent the Prem 8's back to be ungraded I used the Classic 60SE in my main system with great results. There wasn't quite the detail, depth, and open transparent sound I've got with the big monoblocks but the tonality and just plain musicality of the amp is excellent. I love it and in a smaller room with an intimate set up, it would be tough to beat for the money and I'd bet it could drive almost any speaker out there. Mine has KT 120's so I can't say how it would sound with EL34's. But my Prem 8's originally had 6550's and I sent it back to CJ to modify it to their XS model with EL34's. It dropped the power from 275 watts each down to about 130 watts each so it affected the dynamics and extension but more than made up for that with a purity of sound that was addicting. Most recently I converted those same amps to 120's and I think those tubes provide the amps with the best of both worlds; dynamics and incredible extension but with that sweetness you are looking for. I can't imagine you would be disappointed with a Classic 60 SE (I would definitely go for the SE upgrade!) no matter which tubes you got. Wonder how it would sound with KT 150's???
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Re: Jasper from Atlanta Checking In

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Hi Jasper,

Thank you so much for your reply. I appreciate your insight. CJ will not even discuss KT-150 so I will not even take a chance. I love the sound of the KT-120's but sometimes I love a good hamburger instead of filet. :)
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Re: Jasper from Atlanta Checking In

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Well said! Hope you enjoy whatever you decide to do. Thanks and I appreciate all of your comments. Take care.
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Re: Jasper from Atlanta Checking In

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Thanks! I already have the ART monos and ARTsa. I plan on ordering the Classic Sixty SE with EL-34 in the next month or two. I love music playing all the time when I am home but the ART amps are overkill for some of my listening. I love the CJ sound and have always gravitated towards it, my little Jolida Fusion 3502 is a fun little integrated amp but not a CJ.

Please keep us posted on any of your system changes.
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Re: Jasper from Atlanta Checking In

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Thanks and I'm sure those components and your systems sound great! But while I'm at it I might as well make mention of the CJ ET3SE with phone stage. I've had it in and out of my main system several times and have had the opportunity to compare it directly to my GAT. All I can say is that if I never had that GAT I doubt if I would ever miss it if I had the ET3. Yes (IMHO) the GAT has a bigger and deeper soundstage that is like a gorgeous complete fabric of music. The images are clear as a bell but there is music being emitted from every molecule between the images that just adds a truth to the sound that is addicting. Plus everything is a little more distinct and resolved. But with the ET3, even though there is less resolution and definition, a little less spacial information, and a slight loss in that transparency I'm trying to describe, it still brings out the truth of the music. I can just relax and enjoy it like that really good hamburger you mentioned, and just listen to the music. Plus the phono stage is really good and not that far behind my upgraded Prem 15. In fact, if I took the guts out of the 15 and plopped the ET3 phono section in that big gold box, I doubt if I'd ever really know it. That's how good it is. One last thought; I had the Art1 and upgraded to Art2 preamps for years and never quite warmed up to either of those like I have to the GAT or even the ET3. Can't say why but I'm glad I pulled the trigger and sold that preamp for the GAT. I also borrowed an Audio Research Reference 5SE for a good bit of time to compare it to these CJ preamps. That's also a fantastic preamp but in the end I just didn't want to live with it. The words that come to mind to describe my thoughts are "everything is there but its too dry and lacks the magic sauce" whatever that might mean! Happy listening!
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Re: Jasper from Atlanta Checking In

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Jasper,

Thank you so much for your thoughts. I totally agree.

I never heard the ET3SE but owned the ET5 before the GAT. The ET5 got me to go for the GAT. Yes, the GAT is better, but with CJ you get all the musicality and soul with ALL their pieces. I am sure the ET3SE is amazing and I'd love to hear it. Sometimes "better" is not always better. I have my GAT, love my GAT, it's not going anywhere.

My friend had an ARC Ref 5SE and it was nice. But like your description, that's what I heard. My friend loved it, but I need to hear it in my system to see what it does. I prefer a sweeter sound so I guess that where my love for CJ comes from. The current CJ gear is more neutral than the older gear but still better than everyone else. :)



jasper wrote:Thanks and I'm sure those components and your systems sound great! But while I'm at it I might as well make mention of the CJ ET3SE with phone stage. I've had it in and out of my main system several times and have had the opportunity to compare it directly to my GAT. All I can say is that if I never had that GAT I doubt if I would ever miss it if I had the ET3. Yes (IMHO) the GAT has a bigger and deeper soundstage that is like a gorgeous complete fabric of music. The images are clear as a bell but there is music being emitted from every molecule between the images that just adds a truth to the sound that is addicting. Plus everything is a little more distinct and resolved. But with the ET3, even though there is less resolution and definition, a little less spacial information, and a slight loss in that transparency I'm trying to describe, it still brings out the truth of the music. I can just relax and enjoy it like that really good hamburger you mentioned, and just listen to the music. Plus the phono stage is really good and not that far behind my upgraded Prem 15. In fact, if I took the guts out of the 15 and plopped the ET3 phono section in that big gold box, I doubt if I'd ever really know it. That's how good it is. One last thought; I had the Art1 and upgraded to Art2 preamps for years and never quite warmed up to either of those like I have to the GAT or even the ET3. Can't say why but I'm glad I pulled the trigger and sold that preamp for the GAT. I also borrowed an Audio Research Reference 5SE for a good bit of time to compare it to these CJ preamps. That's also a fantastic preamp but in the end I just didn't want to live with it. The words that come to mind to describe my thoughts are "everything is there but its too dry and lacks the magic sauce" whatever that might mean! Happy listening!
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