CONRAD JOHNSON ART SERIES 3 PRE-AMP

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audiojem
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CONRAD JOHNSON ART SERIES 3 PRE-AMP

Post by audiojem »

For Sale Best Reasonable Offer
Here's the history on this unit from Jeff Fischel Owner Of Conrad Johnson Design.
The unit started out as a ART series 2 upgraded to a Series 3 in 2018 traded into Jeff September 2023 he fully checked it out, installed a new set of expensive Slovakian Tubes and three year warranty.
The tubes have about 300 hours on them.
This is a wonderful sounding pre amp works flawlessly and most likely the best one CJ made!
I have rated it a 7/7.5 for cosmetics only I tried to point them out in photos
The Art comes with CJ box and packing, attached power cords, remote control, umbilical cord and copy of owners manual.
Buyer pays insured shipping to lower 48 states only, if using PayPal add 3.5% or you can send bank check ship when clears into my account or wire transfer.
Solid 100% feedback feedback on USAM and AudioGon
Price Looking For Best Reasonable Offer.
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microstrip
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Re: CONRAD JOHNSON ART SERIES 3 PRE-AMP

Post by microstrip »

Can you post a photo of the PCB of one unit?
Are you located in the US or Europe? ( I do not remember if the ART 3 peramplfier can be easily wired for 230V operation)
Currently listening mostly to dCS Vivaldi, cj GAT2 preamplifier, cj ART amplifiers and SoundLab A1Px's.
audiojem
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Re: CONRAD JOHNSON ART SERIES 3 PRE-AMP

Post by audiojem »

As my ad states only interested in shipping to lower 48 States.
Thanks for your interest.
Paolo
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Re: CONRAD JOHNSON ART SERIES 3 PRE-AMP

Post by Paolo »

Dear Seller,

Have you set a minimum amount of what you might accept as a "best reasonable offer?" Just trying to weigh options and get a sense of what market value is for your lovely preamplifier.
Mille Grazie,
Paolino
audiojem
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Re: CONRAD JOHNSON ART SERIES 3 PRE-AMP

Post by audiojem »

Asking $7500.00 + Insured Shipping + Any Transaction Fees
Paolo
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Re: CONRAD JOHNSON ART SERIES 3 PRE-AMP

Post by Paolo »

Appreciate your very helpful reply, seller. Sono molto grata.
P
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Re: CONRAD JOHNSON ART SERIES 3 PRE-AMP

Post by Big Dog RJ »

Ah! The wonderful ART preamp, brings back so many memories.

Didn't have the series 3 though, it was the original Series 1 with the Premier 8A's driving the mighty Apogee Diva's, outstanding!!!
Although that was way back then... in a galaxy far far away... that particular performance and sound was just legendary. CJ didn't want to continue this sort of dual chassis design but it was definitely one of their best ever made to date. Everything is totally separated, nothing shared, completely on dedicated channels for L & R, just one awe-inspiring work of ART!

That pricing if trading in the US, seems to be ok compared to what's available now. Plus in order to surpass or equal this level of performance, it will cost you a pretty penny. CJ's newer designs have become simpler as their preamps have evolved, although their latest top model, the ART88, claims to be a dual design, it still shares the mains tranny. Then again very different era's, both top of the line during different times.

The thing is, CJ's newer series, such as the GAT and GATS2 or even the previous ACT2/S2 can be bought for this price range and they are much newer units. Nonetheless, that classic dual chassis, which was first introduced in their Premier 7 series, remained a cornerstone in pre-amplification at its finest! Then comes along the ART preamp and further embodied the meaning of Reference. Nothing more to add really.

If this ART preamp is upto spec, internals all in top order (caps, resistors, trannies, power supplies etc.) and works flawlessly, I reckon that's a good price point to start off with. The power cords could always be modded to accommodate the IEC standard type, then you have a choice of power cords, plus tubes of the 6922 variants are plenty available. So, pretty good package overall. If this was here in Aus, I would've grabbed it without any hesitation, simply because I know the true value of this ART preamp, and it's no ordinary preamp.

Similarly, you'll need to find the right type of buyer for this, one who understands the history of CJ and what it stands for, and of course the beauty and appreciation of the original ART preamp! Nothing quite like it even today.

Cheers matey and all the best.
Hope you find the right buyer.
WOOF! RJ
audiojem
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Re: CONRAD JOHNSON ART SERIES 3 PRE-AMP

Post by audiojem »

Big Dog RJ
Thank You!
You do know this pre-amp well I appreciate your great input and correct you need to know what a great pre-amp is being offered and these to not come up for sale often.
Remember newer is not always better!
Please note this ART S3 was at Conrad Johnson September of 2023 for full check up and a new complete set of expensive C-J Slovakian Tubes were installed by Jeff.
Works and sounds wonderful!
Do I love this pre-amp yes! I own two of them only selling to thin the herd as I approach year 70.
Best of all i will entertain reasonable offers.
I prefer to sell and ship to U.S. Lower 48 States but can be open to other locations.
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Re: CONRAD JOHNSON ART SERIES 3 PRE-AMP

Post by Big Dog RJ »

Cheers mate, always happy to help in any way possible. Especially the ART! It was a phenomenal preamp, I still miss this beautiful damn thing to this very day!

BTW, a note to our esteemed CJO members; everything you want to know about this ART preamp is clearly stated in the first message! It's even had a full health check at CJ's HQ by the man himself, JF. So there's nothing more to add.

Only someone truly passionate about the ART series will understand what this Anniversary Reference Triode stands for. It's the very best done during the helm of C & J, and what their legacy was all about. In fact, if I'm correct, our JF was quite a young techie back then, who was also part of the ART series design team. JF was also part of the tech crew behind CJ's Premier series power amps (Prem11A, Prem12's and Prem8A's), and now he's the boss! ... Go figure.

Woofty woof'n!
RJ
audiojem
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Re: CONRAD JOHNSON ART SERIES 3 PRE-AMP

Post by audiojem »

CJ Lovers
I am willing to wiggle on price as I need to let go of some gear.
Next up For Sale Premier 350 SA near mint.
Thanks for looking.
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Re: CONRAD JOHNSON ART SERIES 3 PRE-AMP

Post by Paolo »

Ah, audiojem, alas, after seeing your preamp listed for sale elsewhere at a considerably higher price, and not realizing there was even a hope of “wiggle room,” I went in a different direction.

I mean absolutely no disrespect, but perhaps you might rethink your marketing strategy in the future.

Vero, Mi dispiace molto

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Re: CONRAD JOHNSON ART SERIES 3 PRE-AMP

Post by microstrip »

If you posted an inside picture of the PCB probably people will become more interested in the ART III when they realize that what they are paying is less than the price of the expensive Teflon capacitors!

Unfortunately shipping, the current high usd/euro rate and the high european taxes separate me from your ART III.

I will friendly disagree with Big Dog JR - fortunately the ARTIII has the original captive mains power cable - it is an excellent sounding option, chosen by Lew Johnson. And it is not a vintage preampfier -cj replaced the PCBs when upgrading it to version III.
Currently listening mostly to dCS Vivaldi, cj GAT2 preamplifier, cj ART amplifiers and SoundLab A1Px's.
audiojem
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Re: CONRAD JOHNSON ART SERIES 3 PRE-AMP

Post by audiojem »

I will get inside photos added soon.
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Re: CONRAD JOHNSON ART SERIES 3 PRE-AMP

Post by Big Dog RJ »

microstrip wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2025 8:37 pm If you posted an inside picture of the PCB probably people will become more interested in the ART III when they realize that what they are paying is less than the price of the expensive Teflon capacitors!

Unfortunately shipping, the current high usd/euro rate and the high european taxes separate me from your ART III.

I will friendly disagree with Big Dog JR - fortunately the ARTIII has the original captive mains power cable - it is an excellent sounding option, chosen by Lew Johnson. And it is not a vintage preampfier -cj replaced the PCBs when upgrading it to version III.
Ah yes, that's correct MS, thanks for pointing that out. In fact, I totally missed out the very point being, this is the upgraded version 3 of the ART. So by no means is it an ordinary tube dual chassis vintage design. It's very extraordinary indeed! I did own the series 1, which came out the same time we upgraded our Prem8's to Prem8A's, those had a slightly different twist. Then again, both versions were superb! Three of my dealer mates owned the ART series 3 and one of them still has that very ART preamp to this day! Absolutely loves it. Although, the others have moved onto other lofty gear, such as Kondo Audio Note, Lamm and Pass Labs XS preamps, whenever I get the chance to have a listen on their ART S3's, it's definitely something special. In a class of their own. That's why they don't ever want to sell them.

The power cord debate is just a preference that most of my former dealer mates preferred. Back then, when we ordered CJ's gear, all power cords came attached. It was part of the item, packed and shipped in one carton. The only issue faced by our Sth East Asian region is that those attached power cords were of the US type, so they wouldn't fit into European type AC outlets. Hence, we had to order power boards that accommodated US type plugs... this was ok for showroom / demo use but not ideal permanent solutions for domestic settings. Quite a while after, IEC type plugs set the standards, and most HiFi gear saw the advantages of trying different power cords, which in turn were shared across our region. Until such time IEC type became the standard, some silly owners went to lengths where they decided to cut off the US type plugs and rewire for either European or UK type plugs (13amp 3 pin type)... it worked but again not a good mod. It defeated the whole purpose of having the original power cords done at CJ's factory in VA.

CJ wasn't the only one to do attached power cords, ARC and Jadis did the same, so did Sonic Frontiers. However, VTL and Manley Labs offered IEC type and that made things a whole lot easier.
I do remember at the time, whenever we placed orders for CJ's top line Premier series amplifiers, especially the Prem 11, Prem12 and Prem8, their power cords came attached with nice thick heavy duty power cords, great stuff! But wouldn't be of any use in European/ Asian regions. We had to deal with all sorts of Frankenstein mods... leading to warranty issues. The power board solution fitted with US type outlets, proved to be most useful.

That's still a very fair price for a top spec ART series 3 preamp, that AG is asking. Most have only experienced the ART series 1, not even the series 2! Those Teflons and all other parts upgraded can cost a fortune! So spending a pretty penny on the latest and greatest is whole other level... over 30grand, which in AUD$ is over 40grand. My last close chat with my CJ importer for Aus, quoted 110grand for the ART108A's and the ART88. Ha! 110grand AUD$ just for a pre-power combination...??? No thanks Charlie!

And here we have an Art series 3 preamp, a CJ original classic top of the line... damn! That would've been playing beautiful tunes in my system by now. I truly hope it finds the deserving and right type of owner. Has to be someone truly passionate about CJ.

Cheers, RJ
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