I must tell you that as the owner of the best preamp I ever heard that you could have made a better choice. In this hobby there are always better pieces of gear. I simply would not let cost deter me from getting my current preamp. It cost an unimaginable sum for the satisfaction I was almost certain would be temporary but a step in the right direction. I had bad luck with peamps but hope springs eternal.
I had hoped that spending this money would be a stop on the way but never make it all the way to Nirvana. I bought it to sound check a certain tube I collect . Little miracles can happen. Instead of being a waste of good money it had a magical synergy with my amps. It is just a sheer pleasure and has been for two year and more no signs of failing.
It cost $350 and I will buy another of it breaks. I didn't think my gear cost enough to be any good compared with any other of the fine systems in my audio group. It doesn't compare, I am right, in fact it is much better in my view.
As for the CJ I don't recall any negative reviews but one pre I own is the "legendary" ARC SP6 B, considered by many as having set a new high mark due it's superb phono section. It has rarely been subject to negative review. My review is that it is legendary all right , it has a noise floor like no other, it has unrivaled gain, I doubt you would ever need a step up tranny if you used it. Not even for a Cartridge that has an output in the negative numbers i.e. less than zero,
It was modded by the original owner to be a wire with gain. I was told I should be aiming for such a pre. After a bunch of fruitless tube rolls to calm this pre down and thinking something exploded with the smallest mote of dust that escaped the cleaning machine. I just gave up I bought a little SS phono box with a fine reputation with glowing reviews all over. Indeed I find it sounds quiet and controlled also has no idea that it should sound musical either unfortunately. I will list the landmark ARC soon. I am sure it will make some headbanger happy.
I had hoped that spending this money would be a stop on the way but never make it all the way to Nirvana. I bought it to sound check a certain tube I collect . Little miracles can happen. Instead of being a waste of good money it had a magical synergy with my amps. It is just a sheer pleasure and has been for two year and more no signs of failing.
It cost $350 and I will buy another of it breaks. I didn't think my gear cost enough to be any good compared with any other of the fine systems in my audio group. It doesn't compare, I am right, in fact it is much better in my view.
As for the CJ I don't recall any negative reviews but one pre I own is the "legendary" ARC SP6 B, considered by many as having set a new high mark due it's superb phono section. It has rarely been subject to negative review. My review is that it is legendary all right , it has a noise floor like no other, it has unrivaled gain, I doubt you would ever need a step up tranny if you used it. Not even for a Cartridge that has an output in the negative numbers i.e. less than zero,
It was modded by the original owner to be a wire with gain. I was told I should be aiming for such a pre. After a bunch of fruitless tube rolls to calm this pre down and thinking something exploded with the smallest mote of dust that escaped the cleaning machine. I just gave up I bought a little SS phono box with a fine reputation with glowing reviews all over. Indeed I find it sounds quiet and controlled also has no idea that it should sound musical either unfortunately. I will list the landmark ARC soon. I am sure it will make some headbanger happy.