Another Premier 350SA Question

[audiojem]

Premier 350 Questions.
New owner.
Are there different internal changes at certain serial numbers of the 350?
Is there a way to find out build date by serial #
Who designed the 350 I had heard that it was not Bill and Lew maybe the late Bascom H. King?
Any problems or Issues that come up with the 350?
Thanks
Jeff

[AnotherJohnson]

I can answer the serial number question. Historically CJ has been unwilling to date older units by serial number. Nevertheless, 20 years ago, if you’d called and spoken to Ed, or maybe even Jeff, they seemed to be able to do it. The current inability may just be just smart use of their minimal time. Or possibly they really did get lost in one of the moves.

As for changes at serial numbers, maybe such records exist , but there aren’t that many P350s extant. I suspect that the changes (if there were any) would be archived visually.

CJ is NOT SHARING any intellectual property with anyone. No service centers. No owners. No inquirers. They are protecting IP against the rash of Asian counterfeiters who are now capable of even duplicating complex vintage Krell casework.

[Joe Appierto]

AJ hit on the unlikelihood of learning the manufacture date using the serial number but it's worth a shot if you can get through to CJ.

The Premier 350SA inverts phase so that's something to be aware of and, if necessary, to compensate for.

One reviewer https://www.soundstagenetwork.com/reveq ... ier350.htm noted that after powering unit there's the sound of what is most likely a relay switching followed by a pop from your speakers.

It uses a C-19 20 amp power cord which I'm sure you're aware of.

Finally, at the risk of opening a can of worms there are five external fuses. My CA200 which is a scaled down by half child of the 350SA shoe-horned into Premier 18LS casework minus some of the Premier level parts goodies I suspect also has five external fuses. There are four B+/B- rail fuses and the mains fuse. Although the stock fuses are fine I have found that the CA200 benefits from the use of aftermarket fuses in my case the not astronomically expensive ones from HiFi-Tuning. As usual, YMMV. One caveat, of course, always use the proper fuse values.

[Big Dog RJ]

That is sound advise by Joe A mate. He's also tried audiophile grade fuses and found positive results. So definitely something going on here. Also if your system is highly revealing and utterly transparent, every minute detail you change in there will definitely show!

Just to add on the Prem350 and Prem350A series. When we first took delivery of version 1, there were a few customers who complained about the erratic behaviour of the Prem350. Such that, it was like an untamed beast... it wasn't easy to control and would go from 0 to 100 in a blink of an eye! Then for some darn reason, it would suddenly shut down, taking along a few drivers with it from its massive pop! Only a handful of speakers could handle that massive surge, like Infinity's, Genesis or Dunlevy's, which we used at the time. If memory serves correctly, I think we sold around 3 or 4 of the version 1, which were promptly upgraded to version 2, which is the Prem350A. When I had the chat with LJ, his simple reply was that the A-version incorporated extra protection when experiencing bad AC mains. That was the primary cause of those problems with the version 1 shutting down. So I suppose extra fuses were installed in critical areas and high grade fuses, not some mickey mouse type.

Apart from that, the Prem350A version was still a very erratic beast. Partnered with the ACT2 S1, it was a formidable pre-power combination. One of those combos that could drive anything and everything, and not just raw power and brute force but also quite musical as well.

Yes, Ed was a great chap to chat with... will talk on just about anything relating to CJ and audio gear in general. However, now most of that "inner info" is kept locked away by JF. Can't be too careful can we.
The counterfeit crew can replicate a Ferrari so closely you just can't tell any difference at all... until you pop open the hood, low and behold it's a Toyota engine! I saw it myself.
A Ferrari has a V12 engine with massive torque and HP on tap... Toyota ! Ha, good one maaate.

The Prem350 is just like a V12, it will super charge any speaker system effortlessly.
Cheers, RJ

[audiojem]

Big Dog RJ & Joe
I thought there was only one version of the 350SA not two?
Joe
On phase inversion I use a GAT S2 and Premier 350 both phase inverting can I leave my speakers + to + and - to - or do I have to switch them.
Regarding Ed and Len over at Audio Research his counter part they knew everything about the gear and operations on both companies sorely missed!
Thanks
Jeff

[Joe Appierto]

If the number of inversions is an even number and that sounds like your case then you're okay to leave it + to + and - to -.

[audiojem]

Joe
Thanks for your help!

Jeff

[AnotherJohnson]

In Copper Magazine Issue 164 there is an obituary/memorial for Bascom H. King. At the end Paul McGowan shares some memories too.

Paul says that BHK was “a hired gun” for CJ, but he does not identify the product or products. So … you might ask Paul if he knows any details. Paul can be contacted through his PS Audio website. Joe Appierto participates in their forum, and he might have even better information. Paul seems to be pretty accessible as High Muckity Mucks go.

[Joe Appierto]

You're welcome, Jeff.

AJ is quite right in that Paul is quite accessible on the PS Audio Forum and maybe through other avenues I'm not aware of. PS Audio did engage Bascom H, King as AJ mentions and his designs bear the BHK prefix in the PS Audio product line.

The site is forum.psaudio.com and you might want to give it a shot.

[Big Dog RJ]

Big Dog RJ & Joe
I thought there was only one version of the 350SA not two?
Joe
On phase inversion I use a GAT S2 and Premier 350 both phase inverting can I leave my speakers + to + and - to - or do I have to switch them.
Regarding Ed and Len over at Audio Research his counter part they knew everything about the gear and operations on both companies sorely missed!
Thanks
Jeff

Correct! In your case since both units are phase inverting, just leave the speakers connected as normal, and don't swap any leads. Having an even number of phase inversions will equal Absolute Phase.

In your case your system has 2 inversions (that's as long as no other components invert phase...) In order to achieve Absolute Phase, the number of inversions must be either Zero or Even, not an odd number... makes sense?

Yes, when we took delivery into our dealership, we had two versions, Prem350 and about 6.months later Prem350A. They were clearly marked on their serial number plates. I'm thinking this was most probably for the Sth East Asian region... not sure though. Obviously in US, Europe and the West in general, model numbers and versions may vary.
I can also remember our delivery of the Premier tube power amps, from Prem11/11A/11-xs, Prem12/12-xs and Prem8/8A/8A-1 & 8-xs. All various models were supplied to us at the time. At one point it was hard to keep up of these different versions but they all sounded fabulous!

Cheers, RJ