CJ sound

There's significant difference between the 17LS (MSRP, $4500) and the 17LS2 (MSRP, $6000) due mostly to the teflon capacitors in the latter, and a TON of difference between the Premier 14 that I formerly owned and the 17LS2. I don't find it either laid back or excessively forward but it is supremely musical. A friend borrowed the new CJ CT5 and CT6 preamps from a dealer and my 17LS2 outperformed both of them in my system, probably because the CT5 wasn't fully broken in. I did invest in Old Stock tubes (Mullard) for mine which may account for some of the difference. Good luck, Dave

"Laid back, very dark sound." May have been the partnering components or cables (not Cardas by any chance?). I've had a lot of preamps to compare in my system, from my DIY friends and others, and the 17LS2 just doesn't sound like that. Sparkle aplenty, among other virtues :-)