CONRAD JOHNSON MV50 Owners, anyone outthere?


Hi
I have one of these old babys in my main system and I love the way it sound.
The sweet,warm and relax sound it delivers.
Year after year I refuse to sell it and buy another tube amplifier, although all my friends said that im crazy and this guy belong to the past.
So, last night, I was wondering how many people outthere use it today in his main stereo system?
And also if anybody has made some capacitors and other type of upgrade like the ones that partsconexxtion offers?
Well, lets see how many MV50s are living and kicking today...
128x128alanbrain
I have checked in Internet and it says this "The MV50 was, in effect, a more refined version of the earlier MV45. The input voltage amplifier included a cathode follower to provide low impedance drive to the inverter stage, to which it was direct coupled, eliminating one capacitor from the signal path. The remaining coupling capacitors were "cjd" polystyrene. Separate discrete dc voltage regulators supplied dc voltage to the input amplifier and the phase inverter."
So, I suposse My MV50 has that caps.
But, Whats the issue with that capacitors?
Please give us some light
I don't own one but have always liked it. I heard it many times with ML CLSs. It could not control the bass but still had magic.
Hi there,
I used to have a CJ MV45. I figured that a tube amp with my vintage electrostatic loudspeakers was the way to go. Ultimately I had a bad experience with my CJ equipment (both pre amp and power amp). They were very unreliable and poor quality. To make matters worse, I received rather poor support from CJ. The transformers in the MV45 buzzed significantly, and the capacitors failed (CJ initally claimed they were OK). I had to send the transformers to the manufacturer to have them reimpregnated (again no help from CJ). When I took it apart, I noted that the single-sided, hand laid PCB had an intential gouge throug a trace which I concluded was there to break a ground loop in the layout. I was happy to sell these units (nearly gave away the MV45 due to the cap replacement cost).
Ultimately I concluded that tube amps are unreliable (esp CJ) and have significantly more distortion than properly designed transistor amps.
I also had an MV45 about 20 years ago. Along with a PV5 purchased a year earlier, these comprised my first all tube system. Had to send the pre-amp back for repairs twice and the amp once. I then decided to go with transistors in about 1990 but lost interest in music listening. Had to go back to tubes to find myself planted in the sweet spot for any length of time. I found CJ very helpful during all three repair shippings and they even twice sent back new phono tubes with the pre.

However, I think my mid 80s experience with CJ stuff was rather typical. I also bought a PV3(4?) in 1983 which had a resistor go bad (how does that happen??) and CJ fixed it. All four times repairs were done I paid shipping to them and CJ paid for return shipping. No complaints with their customer service then. I'm sure, however, their stuff from the last 10 years is very reliable. Have heard nothing about problems.

By the way, I haven't had a tube amp/pre-amp problem with anything since going back to tubes 15 years ago. Longest time with one piece was an Air Tight amp owned for over four and one half years, it performed flawlessly and made great music.
So, it seems that Im one of the few that still use this vintage gear in his main set up...
I really loved the way the mV50 sounds in my system, the round and sweet type of sound it provides. But I think there has to be outthere another more recent gear that has that same type of sound,,,Do you know if the Premier 11 has that same type of sound?
Thanks