No preamp in system

@mrdecibel 

Hi!  I hope all is going well with you too.  
To answer your question: Without the preamp most everything sounds very good, but is missing something. That something is the high frequencies and, to an extent, soundstaging.  And, on some things I think it actually sounds a little better that way. With most things though it lacks a certain presence and excitement.

Well, after waiting two months for service my CJ is finally repaired.  However, on the way home I dropped it on the ground (from not too high) bringing it into the house.  I called the technician who said if probably won’t have damaged it.  I checked the tubes and they were intact.  I won’t be able to hear it until tomorrow night when the installer will do the job.

 Keeping my fingers crossed.

The CJ is finally back in the system and the difference  is wonderful.  All of the harmonics are now in place, and the highs are extant and very sweet.  Soundstage is back to being huge.

AT LAST!

I turned the preamp on one day and all I got was a low tone emanating from the speakers.

Jetter,

I have to confess, I wasn’t really listening to the technician when he told me what was wrong.  I was so happy to get it back.  It went right over my head.  Sufficed to say he did a real overhaul of the unit.  Sorry I can’t provide more information.  Maybe I’ll call and find out, and get back to you.

Now that I’m listening for a couple of days I notice the analogue side is sounding better than the digital. The digital has lost some of its fullness.  Maybe it’s a matter of preamp break-in.

Well, I just blasted some digital organ music at full volume and that seems to have helped break-in.