All ARC vs All Pass Labs vs All CJ system compare


Has any body compared a complete analog set from each of the manufactures?

Have they all ended up evolving to the same sound profile

clear, noise free, detailed, wide soundstages ?

I have a friend with an all ARC and my bet is the sound profiles/house are very close 

just wondering , so many options , so little time, not enough money

 

jeff
 

frozentundra

Showing 3 responses by ghdprentice

@johnread57 

 

+1 My  Audio Research Reference CD9SE CD / DAC is the best I have heard and I have heard much more expensive.

I cannot speak to the contemporary CJ with certainty… but I have a pretty likely true answer. Absolutely No. I have extensively owned and auditioned Audio Research, Pass, and Conrad Johnson.

While at the highest level there has been convergence… tubed getting more accurate and detailed and solid state (Pass) getting more musical. They have converged on very different sounds. Pass, much faster with greater slam (not a compliment) and increasingly musical (much better rhythm and pace recently) and CJ continuing to be really musical. Each has a very distinct sound.

Over the last forty years I moved from Pass to 100% Audio Research. My second choice would have been to CJ… Some folks might have chosen Pass. Those are the only companies I would choose in the $5 to $20K / component category. I would not choose Rouge, Mark Levinson, Rowland, Boulder, VTL. I would consider tubed Atmasphere, and Cary.