CJ PV12 AL verses CJ PV12 L


Is there a difference between a Conrad Johnson PV 12AL and a CJ PV 12L preamp. I have seen personal reviews referring to their PV12's in both ways and assume they are the same. I am about to buy a PV12 and any clarification would be appreciated.
bbro
The PV12AL is an upgraded version of the PV12L.

This is from the Conrad-Johnson website:

"The PV-12 superseded the PV11. Like its predecessor, it featured zero feedback circuits, and passive equalization in the phono stage. For the PV12, critical plate resistors are a special laser-trimmed metal foil type chosen for their extremely low noise and low inductance. The balance control is an eleven-step switch incorporating discrete resistors.

The PV-12L is a line stage version of the PV-12 without the phono section. The PV-12A/AL upgrade consisted of upgrading the volume control circuit and incorporationg a new biasing circuit for the input amplifier of the line stage. This new arrangement eliminates local feedback from the line stage voltage amplifier."

The PV12 and 12A have a phono stage and line stage, the PV12L and 12AL are line stage only with no phono stage.

Hope this helps.
The PV-12L (c. 1993) is the line stage version of the PV-12. In 1997, these were upgraded to the PV-12A and AL models. The upgrades involved improved volume control circuits and a new biasing circuit for the input amplifier of the line stage to eliminate local feedback from the voltage amplifier.