Opportunity to buy the best Preamp... but which?

I have owned the VTL 7.5 and currently own a cj ART and it sounds sublime.
If I had unlimited budget I would buy the cj ART 3 and compare it to my original ART. would be interesting as the ART is likie a musical instrument.

Hi Dave

I agree with you re the cj ACT2. I had it at home and it did not do it for me. Same with the CT5. hence me going back to the ART, which is musically wonderful. I guess that is why its s/h value is more than the ACT2.
I don't think having 3 versions of a pre amp in 10 years is excessive - do you??
ARC have gone thru triple that with the ref pre.
I have heard the PH7 and it is a honey.

That is the great thing about audio, they are so many different routes to personal music satisfaction.

Hi John

Been a while.

What do you have these days, besides a ref3 pre which by all accounts is a luvely pre amp and easily ARC's best.

have you heard the PH7, sounds wonderful. me i am just a little worried about the 57.5db gain but now I have the ART with quite a bit of gain I will try the PH7 again.

You should put your system on gon.

cheers Shane

Hi Barayni

Good question. I have series 1 ART.
I would suggest if you have never heard the prem 16/17 or ART one would be very happy with the ACT2/CT5.
For me the prem16/ART series has a more organic musical presentation.
the ACT2 does the hifi aspects of music better like tight bass, more extended treble.
But the ART to my ears is just more natural sounding and lets the natural tonal qualities of instruments become easier to hear. Soundstage is just huge with the ART as well. A Bad recording will still sound bad, however the ART seems to make it easier to listen to, without making everything slow and veiled.
I would luv to hear the ART3, however I may end up preferring the original - who knows thou.

NO Baranyi, I have not heard the ref 3. I have heard the previous ref series and for my tastes a little too forward and closer to SS sound than I would like.
An audio buddy of mine in Melb owns a suptratek and he likes it a lot, however I live in Sydney, so have never heard it. They suptratek guy, Mick is based in Perth, which is 4000 miles away, so he might as well be in the USA :)

HI Larry
I would hope the cj ART3 at $25k would bring something unique to the musical equation that the original ART or REF3 don't currently bring :-)

I am not sure what your point is Atmasphere.
I can think of plenty of tube pre amps as well. I have tried VTL7.5, ARC ref 1 & 2, CAT, cary 98P and new cj ACT2 / CT5.

I much prefer the musical presentation of the original ART/prem16. That is why I have come back to cj pre amp after 3 years of not limiting myself to cj.

Atmasphere

I think I have tried as many pre amps I could get my hand's on, especially living in Sydney and after 3 years of trying and wasting money, time to settle down
Unfortunately one cannot try everything, especially downunder. Remote is a must for me, and Aesthetix has only recently included remote control, einstein from all reports sounds too lean for my tastes.
I have not had any luck with your distributor in WA, as he does not want to demo anything out of WA and has no dealers in Sydney.
I liked the sound of the cj prem16 when I had it so bought a s/h ART. Sounds wonderful and I am off the pre amp merry go round - for pre amps at least :)

Atmasphere

That is a pity your distributor is no longer around - unfortunately not surprising. Good luck with finding a new importer. Melb, Sydney or brisbane would be better for all audiophiles.

You guys in the US and Europe don't know how lucky you have it :-)

yes, so for what i have heard the ART is the best and most musical.

cheers