Please recommend Tube pre-amp(s)

CJ preamps do have a distinct sound, but the Premier series is perhaps the least guilty of this. To me CJ sound is warm in the sense of a slight glowing halo thrown around the sound. In their lower preamps like the PV12, this halo can actually seem to cloud some of the details, but still provides a richness to the sound. ARC and BAT, on the other hand, have none of this warmth, almost leaning towards analytical. They do still provide the three dimensionality that only tube preamps can, along with dynamics and detail more like solid state. Cary tube preamps tend to have warmth again, but more in the sense of a glow from within the sound, rather than surrounding the sound. They do not have the transient attacks or crispness of ARC, but to me offer more realistic sounds. Air Tight makes my favorite tube preamps, whose sound seems as uncolored as ARC and BAT, yet has the palpability and fullness that CJ tends to have. Air Tight just released a line stage for $2500 that is spectacular. All I can say is, once you get to like a tube preamp, there is no going back!

I purchased a used CJ Premier 10 a few months ago as a start in upgrading my system. Listened to many preamps in showrooms and was mainly impressed with the PV10 over a similar catergory Anthem preamp. I bought the Premier 10 (used)based on Sterephile recommendations of CJ products and the PV10 sound (Premier 10 couldn't sound worse). I was amazed on the improvement in sound in my system. Had been using a highly modified Dynaco 3 for years,with an Adcom amp and Fulton J speakers, so I guess I'm sold on tube preamps. Recently had the chance to try this Premier 10 in a friends high end system (one that's pricer than I aspire to). He uses a Levison preamp and 200w amp with Proceed CD transport and processor, feeding Mangaplanar 4.5? (6 ft. tall) speakers. I am very impressed with the Magnaplanars, great clear sound, fast, fast transients, endless top end (unfortunately not much bass). However, something was missing. And it's soundstage. Several tries at speaker positioning finally gave a decent image, no hole in the middle but spread out sound. Still not impressive, as clear as the sound was, still not really involving. So we install the CJ preamp, with plain Jane cables, not the pricier ones he normally uses cause his system normally uses balanced cables. But what a difference!! 3D in spades, some sounds literally jumped out at you! He noted less quick high ends, but to me it was just more realistic. Transients aren't supposed to shock you everytime. But the loss of high end speed doesn't mean highs weren't there, probably shouldn't use the term "loss", just a little different. As I said, to me the tubes won hands down, but he prefers the quickness, to each his own. And this with a solid state amp, although a good one, I wonder what the sound would be with a CJ tube amp? CJ told me that the Premier 10 circuit is the same as the 14 but without the microprocessor remote. I don't know where you could get a 10 to save money (I had never heard of one before I bought mine) but I'd sure give up the remote before I'd go to a solid state preamp. At least any that I have heard. As far as CJ vs the world, the only preamp to equal it was a ARC and I don't remember the model,but it wasn't remote anyway. Sonic Frontiers, Anthem, VTL, Audible Illusions 2A didn't have the openess that I want. Probably have other things that others want.

belcanto SEP-1 for $3500 retail. belcanto SEP-2 for $2500 retail. There is not better SE tube preamp for the buk. Also, build quality is hard to beat. And yes, full (real) remote included. www.belcantodesign.com It took us 2.5 years to find a new tube line, and this is what we went with. belcanto factory also gives great customer and dealer support. Really a well rounded product (lloks great too). thanks, Brian@HelloHiFi.com ph805.527.9739 fax805.527.9808 www.hellohifi.com eCatalog available. New equipment demo’s by appointment. All quotes are good for 30 days. Customers in every state, & 26 countries (angol/ingles/englisch/beszelunk magyarul!/ hablamos en espanol/wir sprechen deutsch).

I have been happy with a Paoli modified SP-6 (ARC) which is basically a Curcio Daniel II (hybrid), very similar to the Sonic Frontiers SL-1. I recntly rpleced it with a much more expensive Presence Audio (First Sound) unit. The Sp-6 was that good! Return e-mail if this is of interest to you.