Roberto's System

[david1111]

Very nice system and setup Roberto.
Hey, did you get that bass from Paul McCartney?
Cheers.

Dave

[Big Dog RJ]

Oh! OK I didn't know that. So CJ decided to use yellow LEDs...nice.

Yes, I agree with you regarding the ET7, and he also had the S2 version! However, I kept telling him to allow plenty of time to settle in but he didn't want to not had the patience... He also told me that he prefers the M8080 tube compared to the 6922. So I guess it's a personal preference at the end of the day.

Similarly to my preference as well, I actually prefer the 6H30P Sovtek on the CT5 compared to the 6922's on the newer preamps, ET7, GAT S2 etc., there's just something about it, bit hard to explain.

Anyway, thanks a lot for confirming that. I'll let him know that yellow is the standard on the Classic 120se.
Cheers, RJ

[roberto]

Very nice system and setup Roberto.
Hey, did you get that bass from Paul McCartney?
Cheers.

Dave

Hola Dave,

Sorry for my late response to you. I wish it could be, it is the same early model that he had, and this is a brand new Cavern Version, made in Indonesia...it is made with the same type of woods and electronics, and cost a fraction of a German made. I have a lot of fun, playing with it...it tunes beautiful, and very easy to play.

Happy listening!

[roberto]

Oh! OK I didn't know that. So CJ decided to use yellow LEDs...nice.

Yes, I agree with you regarding the ET7, and he also had the S2 version! However, I kept telling him to allow plenty of time to settle in but he didn't want to not had the patience... He also told me that he prefers the M8080 tube compared to the 6922. So I guess it's a personal preference at the end of the day.

Similarly to my preference as well, I actually prefer the 6H30P Sovtek on the CT5 compared to the 6922's on the newer preamps, ET7, GAT S2 etc., there's just something about it, bit hard to explain.

Anyway, thanks a lot for confirming that. I'll let him know that yellow is the standard on the Classic 120se.
Cheers, RJ

Hola RJ,

I always say that sound its a matter of liking. Me, I do prefer by much the ECC88 (6922) Philips made, and by far. Here in my system, the size of the instruments with the 6H30P, I had issues with the stage. It did not open as I have now, and also, some musical instruments are smaller and then suddenly in some strong passages, they get oversized. It is not resonance...it is just to have the right size!. Voices are the same...some are too small and then, in some passages, they get too big...oversized. Now, this is my liking, and not necessary yours. The tonal balance are about the same. I do like both.

I have to admit to you, that right now, I am not listening to analogue any more. The vast problems that all the turntables do have, have being solved with digital gear on this days. Both media are good, but I do not hear any resonances that do not belong to the musical instruments with digital gear, that I do with my Linn LP-12, my Goldmund Studio or my Oracle Delphy...I have Denon MC and a broken Koestsu, recently. I have enough with analogue...read about this Exasound E-32 along with ASIO software, and the HQPlayer by Signalyst.com...I am rediscovering all my music. I am using the LUSH USB cable, and Nordost cables...I am really in heaven.

Have a very happy listening!

[paulCJ]

Roberto, are you, or is anyone else, familiar with, and can explain the sonic differences between the older PV8, 9, 10, 11, 12 (etc.) preamps and a newer CJ preamp like the ET-7?

[roberto]

Hola Paul,

It is a difficult question. I think that the ET-7 belongs to a different league. It is a simple design with only one tube, and great quality components for the signal path. It uses Teflon Caps, only found in the very expensive models, and also the resistors are vishay metal foil. These resistors are noiseless than the regular resistors. Also, the regulator stages are very precise and it has a better power supply.

https://conradjohnsonowners.com/downloa ... b51d5ab88a

Here you can see the ET-7 inside, and there are other pics with the new ET-7MKll. The price for the MKll is $3000.00 more...

With those preamps, PV8, 9 10,11,12 the circuit design is based on several tubes. The ET-7, to my ears is the upgrade of the ET-5. Some of us, like better the ET-5, also based on only one tube. All products have the Conrad Johnson signature of course. Because I am an ET-7 user, I am going to pointed out my findings, and these findings not necessary must be your liking.

The stage is wider with a truly sense of 3D. There are more air between the musical instrument(s) and voice(s). I love the harmonic texture, the strings are truly silkies with outstanding dynamics. The size of the musical instruments granted. Easy to understand the pianist hands. What the left hand is doing vs the right hand. The event's room is very impressive. The natural echoes and the length of the piano notes are just right. The percussion instruments are very well defined. Listening to a maracas ( latin percussion instrument), you can listen their tone while are playing. You can listen carefully that each has its own characteristic tone. Voices are without any soreness and hoarseness. Clean, transparent, impressive sound. The volume control is digital, and each step is only +- 0.7dB, making possible to adjust exactly the desire listening level. The S/N is more than 100dB, I have a decibel meter, and one channel measured -108.3 dB and the other -107.6. A very impressive specs for a tube preamp, right?

My speakers are very revealing. Also, they do have a high sensitivity (90dB-2.83V/m) and if there are any noise, they will show it. My Conrad Johnson gear is quiet, dead! Having the system on and no music playing, you can hear a mosquito flying at 2m of distance. That's dead quiet! No hiss or hum.

Happy listening!

[paulCJ]

Wow!!!! Thanks for the description!!!!
My older gear has some, just some of the qualities above. Violins and other instruments sound real thru the older CJ gear, and female vocals are silky smooth with a lush bloom. Soundstaging with the older entry-level gear is very good, but not anywhere near the level of detail you have reached above with the ET-7. Being super-critical, upper bass can be a bit too forward and slightly congested with the wrong music on the older entry-level gear, and the lower bass is missing just a little from the extreme low end, but that midrange magic is just so wonderful, and the amp isn't even fully broken in yet after the internal upgrades.....

[Big Dog RJ]

G'day from down unda PaulCJ,
I may add my 50cts worth... Re. To preamps, pv8-12 , ET series...

1. First of all a preamplifier's job is solely for "preamplification". That is it accepts all incoming signals from whatever source components you are using, directly into the input stage of the preamplifier, setting up these minute signals towards a wonderful musical event, and passing it onto the power amplifier from the preamps output stage onto the power amps input stage inorder for the power amp to "amplify" further...

2. The preamp "linestage" is solely meant for that, as it is mainly used for signal transfer and switching between sources (CD, digital, vinyl etc.) with its added preamplification gain stage to pass on those incoming signals with just the right gain... (I'm keeping this explanation as simple as possible).

3. Therefore, a "good" preamplifier will do exactly that! Which is your PV series...

4. A "great, superb, outstanding" preamplifier will do everything above, plus will simply transfer that source signal in the purest possible form with the least coloration. This means it is much closer to the original signal or closer to the original recording, in which case you will hear more of the music and the actual event.
These preamplifiers are the new ET series, and GAT.

5. From the earlier PV series 1 - 12, CJ always used high quality parts throughout and well laid out circuits. As time went by and CJ improved towards premier standard preamplifiers, these circuits got simpler, with less parts, more neatly laid out, and very high quality, focusing more on the source / music. PV14 & 15 were the last top line of the PV series. As CJ's premier series preamplifiers also improved over time, using far less parts, single gain stages, and the highest level of quality parts, offered true "preamplification" with top quality front-end applications that are so close to the original recording that you could simply reach out and touch the performers!

These preamps are the newer CT5, ACT2, ET series - 5, 7, 7S2 & now the GATS2, so basically Skye's the limit!

Having said that, all this comes at a wonderful level of pristine musicality and a special signature sound of CJ amplification that is not really comparable to anything else. I'm not saying that CJ is the "best" sound, it simply brings out the best of your favourite recordings and the way CJ designs their gear, focuses on enjoying your music.

At the same time all this goodness is happening with wonderful music, the rest of your components also have to be on par with CJ's top quality. That is, your speakers and source components must be able to keep up, otherwise you're not going to experience the true finesse of CJ's designs. Including their power amplifiers, over time they have vastly improved, with less parts, simple circuits and very high grade parts used throughout.

For my final point, if you have already achieved what your favourite recordings offer according to your budget and finances, that's all that matters! Whether it's a PV8, 10 or GAT, and it provides pure musicality and a fine level of performance that only you will know and begin to appreciate, just sit back and enjoy the music!

Cheers mate, and have a good one.
RJ

[roberto]

Rj,
Thanks for your wisdom and superb recommendations.
Happy listening!

[paulCJ]

Thanks Big Dog!

[roberto]

RJ wrote...
...For my final point, if you have already achieved what your favourite recordings offer according to your budget and finances, that's all that matters! Whether it's a PV8, 10 or GAT, and it provides pure musicality and a fine level of performance that only you will know and begin to appreciate, just sit back and enjoy the music!...

This is what really matters for me...I am so happy with my system, that I can't get away from Bat Cave. This room is a magical place. And this magic I will not achieve it without the Conrad Johnson goods.

I know it is not perfect too. On the other hand, I am enjoying this quality sound and still today I am rediscovering my recordings. They are full of exquisites musical passages, that I was not aware to them before. The details, the nuances, the musician communication and having all the fun together. The soloist interpretations at the stage, the warmth that every musical instrument has, the easy to understand any musician (his or her expression) with their musical instrument and voices...I have to thank to Conrad Johnson.

Happy listening¡

[AnotherJohnson]

Very nice!

[roberto]

Thanks AnotherJohnson,

I did see that you are another Martin Logan user...the stats are magnificent, and love the quality sound of Conrad Johnson. They do really are made for the best! Your ears can tell the difference.

Happy listening and thanks for passing by.

[AnotherJohnson]

I just read further up this string and it was asked to share some differences between the PV and ET preamps. Some shared, and made good points.

Just to add a few other thoughts ... I owned a PV5 when it was the current best model outside of the Premier series. I later upgraded to the PV8, and later still to the PV11. I had the full blown PV11. There was also a “line stage only” version to accommodate those who had already abandoned vinyl.

In recent years I’ve had the ET3SE, the ET7, and the ET7s2.

I’ve loved all of these, but my first love was the PV5. It was an incredibly audible step up from my McIntosh C22 and the solid state McIntosh gear that I was also using at the time.

Compared to anything else available at the time, the phono section was mind blowing. The whole concept of a sound stage instead of tonal character came forward (literally).

The controls on the 5, 8, and 11 were superb too. You could swap L to R, choose L+R, L to L and R, etc all with a dial in the front. These kinds of features were great for trouble shooting. They were the kind of features that McIntosh had always included. They all had two Main-out jacks and a real tape loop too.

The progression from 5 to 8 to 11 brought a greater sense of blackness to the dead space and a more clearly neutral tonal presentation.

When these need service, they could be upgraded to CJ-D Teflon caps. I did this with the PV11, and it led to an even deeper black space and even snappier dynamics.

None of these had remote control.

None of these had load adjustable phono sections (they were all 47k fixed).

All of these had modest phono stage gain that would require a head amp or transformers to run low output moving coils.

The performance of the 5 8 11 phono sections was a major feature of these units during the MM era.

When low output MC cartridges advanced, the phono sections became a liability. Eventually outboard phono sections replaced the idea of a built in, so today it might not matter as much.

I could happily live with a PV11 that had had the Teflon cap upgrade and an outboard TEA2 HG for moving coil.

I prefer the ET7 or the ET7s2 plus TEA1. The subconscious silence is deeper still, the dynamics are more thrilling, the tonal balance is more neutral, they have remotes, they have two pair of main out jacks, they have balance controls.

I was less inclined to live happily with the ET3SE. As great as it sounded, as an entry level product, too many features were missing. For someone moving up from typical run of the mill gear, the sonic performance of the ET3SE could be enough to make it a good choice, but I was disappointed when I gave up the cap modified PV11. I kept the PV11 for its low gain 47k phono stage for a while, but I’ll probably never go back to MM cartridges, so I eventually sold it.

The problem with the PV series now is aging of controls. Eventually the relays, switches and pots will fail due to wear and they are not readily available for purchase. Cleaning can only resurrect relays, switches and pots so many times.

I think that if I were going to buy CJ gear as a newbie, a used ET7 would be a good place to start. They are available at modest prices for what you get.

It would be hard to beat a used ET3 or ET7 and used MF2275 as a great entry level set for modest money.

A used CA150 would be another great starting point for budget minded folks. They may be found used for a price similar to a used ET3 by itself.

Last thought. Every time I’ve gone for the unit with the CJ-D Teflon caps, it has been a good decision. The price difference seems large, but the improvement is larger still, at least to my ears.

FWIW, I thought about upgrading my CA150 to the SE version, but it sounds so good, I hesitate.

I talked with Mr Fischel about it, and he said that only a small percentage of CA150s were made in the SE configuration and that they had not done any CA150 to CA150SE conversions so far. Maybe mine will be the first.

[AnotherJohnson]

I just picked up on the Shatki Hallagraphs.

They should provide some diffraction of the Acoustic waves, with the effect of reducing some standing waves. I use diffraction in one of my systems, but in the practical way of open wire rolling shelves. Egan discusses use of diffraction in room treatments in his early book Concepts in Architectural Acoustics. Diffraction occurs any time a wave (water, pressure, light ...) impacts a sharp edge. In control of highway noise by barriers, it is a complication because a part of the energy in the diffracted sound wave is directed toward the ground on the other side (where there are people who don’t want the noise).

In this Shatki case, it looks to me like they’re using the concept to break up (disorganize) waves that might be established in the room. It’s nice to hear that it works.

[roberto]

Hola AJ,

Thanks for taking your time to see my system, and also for your great advices. It is a pleasure to meet you here, and I hope that in a very near future, we can have a glass of wine, or a beer or glass of water...

I have so many little things hidden. This little things are for people like you too. Try the shun mook products. You will be amazed by their results. Ask for a demo...and if you can hear them, you will have another toys to play with. Be careful, these product is pure snake oil.

http://shunmook.com/explained/HK-TN-038 ... %20-LH.pdf

I have the shakti hallograph and because my room is very small, they help to break the unwanted standing waves and some frequencies that resonates more than what the musical instruments do.

A big hug from Costa Rica AJ,
happy listening!

[AnotherJohnson]

Try the shun mook products. You will be amazed by their results. Ask for a demo...and if you can hear them, you will have another toys to play with. Be careful, these product is pure snake oil. I have the shakti hallograph and because my room is very small, they help to break the unwanted standing waves and some frequencies that resonates more than what the musical instruments do.

Yes, that’s what the Shatki Hallograph must do. It is a diffraction grid and it is good that it has a positive effect.

Regarding snake oil ... don’t forget that I have had at least one Linn Turntable in my systems for 35+ years.

Linn and the aftermarket that supports them invented snake oil. I have a large bottle of it.

I see Shun Mook even suggests that the label should be in a particular orientation. This is better than Linn who tell you that the felt mat sounds different depending on the side, but don’t tell you the better side because you have to earn the right to hear the best.

Pointed feet, tin hats, VPI Bricks, $2000 power chords, they improve the sound for someone. I think of Pink Floyd and MONEY. That cash register sounds mighty good too.

I’m heading over to my best system for some vinyl relaxation. Wish you were here!

[roberto]

AJ,
Do you know what?, I have a Lynn LP12 too. I have the Goldmund vinyl disc at the platter. It is glued to it. Also, I have a Magnepan tone arm. The Unitrack. I love it! And this is the only TT that I use. I am using the DL-103 MC cartridge. I had Koetsu (my favourite) Rosewood and the Black. They are gone. The others TT need service, and I am now too lazy to repair them.

I do know that God will make possible to get us together. There are sooo many things in common...and also, I am a blotting paper, and love to learn, and you are an Encyclopaedic! (with much respect).

And, right on!. In our beloved world, there are a lot of things that I do not hear. Those are the ones that I do not use. If I don't hear a thing, why to bother buying them?. But if you do, why not?

Because I have my CLXs as almost earphones, they do disappear. You can'y say you hear them, only when I am playing LPs, with the clicks, pops, because they do not belong to the music, the thicks or pops come from them. Funny thing, right?

Right now I am listening to Mozart clarinet concerto, and the wood sound coming from the clarinet is amazing. The strings are silky and solft, boy I get goosebumps with this.

The wife says that I am nuts, I think she is right. Tomorrow is the Father's Day here. It is a shame that I could not visit my children and grandchildren due to the pandemic. Our government wants us to stay at home...so this is what I am doing.

I am servicing a PV-5. Someone did a mod, at the power supply. I measure the S/R, and there is no hum. I better do not touch anything there...Both channels are working OK. I did change the 12AUX7 for the phono preamp, and now everything seems to be ok.

Have a good one AJ,
Happy listening!

[AnotherJohnson]

Last night two recordings stood out, for different reasons, in my listening session.

First was a Max Roach recording (The many sides of Max Roach) on vinyl. The recording was made in 1961, but my copy is a re-release from the early 70’s (prominently displayed on the jacket is that the album is also available on 8-Track Cartridge).

This recording really shows off the beauty of capturing all the players in real time with a few microphones. Every man has a stable position, creating our beloved illusion, née reality, of a sound stage.

The second was Sarah MacLachlan’s Solace on SACD.
This is really a hyper-produced multi track kluge and the really excellent playback system shows its weakness effectively.

The music is eclectic. The poetry is as would be expected from a very bright and talented young woman. The fact that it was put together track on track kills the concept of sound stage or reality. Sarah, an accomplished pianist and vocal force is no where near her piano on several cuts. The disembodied voice is set back and aside.

This was her first major domestic success. It would sound pretty “OK” in the car, or on the kitchen radio of the day 1991). Even with SACD remastering, this is an album for Sarah’s diehard fans, not audiophiles. Don’t waste your money on the SACD ... it’s not better than the CD.

One thing that also stood out to my ears is the apparent influence of another Canadian singer/poet... Joni Mitchell. The similarity in vocal style and angst has never been as clear to me as it was last night.

[roberto]

AJ, I am hearing you!. Sara is one of my female vocalist. Her voice is sweet and she has a wonderful tone. Some of her recordinth too much bass energy, so what I do is to bring down the level of the sub. I love the musicians that she likes...they do know what being in a group is.

I am going to recommend to you Quality of Silence by Steve Davis. This is a DMP recording. The way that this drummer plays the cymbals is remarkable. There is a lot of air between them, and he use around five different cymbals. If my ears don't betray me, most are zildjian. And also, you can spot when he use his bare hands and when there are the sticks with wood only or when he use nylon tips. Wonderful timbre comes out of this recording. Track No. 2 is the one that I like most.

Salvatore Accardo playing the 6 violin concertos by Paganini. This is a late 70s recording. It is AAD. The violin size, the feel and listen the wood of that Stradivari violin and all the sound effects that this gentleman gets out of this instrument is amazing. The bow's movement is granted too. And the musical interpretation is one of the best...there are great violin players out there, and Mr. Salvatore is one of them!.

There is another recording that I do like a lot is Hank Jones (piano) with Jemmie Smith (drummer) and Ray Brown (bass). The album name is Rockin' in Rhythm. The first song is also my favourite. All are OK, but here with a Fender Rhodes, the feeling of Mr. Hank along with these two guys is magnificent. The cymbals are silky and the tempo is fantastic. The way that Mr Ray gives to us his solo, is also breath taking. Again, out there are magnificent artists. Mr Hank, Mr Ray and Mr Jimmie, did a fantastic job in this recording.

Alan Broadbent is another piano player that I do like a lot, It happens that he is the strings arranger that Diana Krall use often. He also conducts the philharmonic orchestra too. Well, he is a magnificent jazz piano player too. He use mostly the bass player Brian Bromberg, and the drummer is Joe Labarbera...this trio really has the jazz magic.

Brian Bromberg also has a lot of great bass recordings...

Have a good one!
Happy listening!