Prima Luna Premium Pre or Conrad Johnson ET3 SE

The 6H23-EB is the only tube that will hold up in the CJ Classic 2SE, ET3SE and ET5 enough that I will warranty them for 90 days. And that tube is increasingly hard to get. Just a heads up. I would buy some back ups.

I have over ten thousand new old stock 6922's in stock, but only 50 of those 6H23-EB. How many owners of those preamps will be seeking them out?

The idea of 22, 25, or 27dB of gain means one thing: Problems. Do you know that preamps are usually REDUCING gain by 6dB in normal use? Now add 6dB to 22dB and you've got to 28dB of un-needed un-wanted amplification. Talk to any electrical engineer, and they will explain I know from where I speak.

So tubes that are good will go noisy or microphonic like yours did. Over and over and over.

As to comparing it to the PrimaLuna I already answered that question on another thread. Most preamps sound good. It isn't tough. There's no new designs. But the PrimaLuna at $2199 has so much more than the ET3SE. The $3199 model is another matter altogether.

I know....I'm biased...say what you want. I speak the absolute truth, with quite a bit of authority.

Look at this picture.

http://www.spearitsound.com/img-classic2seinnard.jpg

Tell me what you see.

Zd542 sorry you got upset. I didn't say that was a picture of a ET3SE. If you look at the link it says what it is clearly. FWIW I put the picture of the ET3SE on the bottom.

As to your statement about nobody having tube problems in the ET3SE etc, go to the CJ owner's group here
http://www.conradjohnsonowners.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=469

Their preamps sound very good and always have. The question in this thread is how two preamps compare. Any and all information about that is valid. How it's built including weight, technical data, or holes in it's engineering underpants is important

As to the comment about where something is made and China, I'm old enough to remember when "Made in Japan" meant junk. Now it's held up as the standard for perfection.

Do you know where Triode Japan's products are made? Ayon says "Austria" on their gear. Google that question and see what people say. Is Cary made in the USA? Certainly some of it is. I've been to China more than once and I've seen German, Austrian and US products either being made 100% or being manufactured there then final assembly (putting the circuit boards into the casework) being done "at the factory".

But at the end of the day I have never sold a Chinese brand that I've had a good experience with. So I don't. Apple is made in China. Not a Chinese brand. PrimaLuna is made in China. Not a Chinese brand. It was the first brand to say it honestly and to tell the whole story of how it's done and where the parts to do it come from, meaning from name-brand Western suppliers like Alps, Takman, Fujitsu, SCR/Solen, and so on. Experts talk about the quality often. Art Dudley said in his Stereophile review "These are the best-built amps I've ever seen.... Somebody built these as if it mattered"

I will also go on record saying that in my opinion preamps have become a place where manufacturers can make better profit margin by using fewer parts.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3DlJDOj4AVY/UjdywXdSDrI/AAAAAAAAKfc/HKEt7PbOexw/w1183-h784-no/RAY_2146.JPG

Thanks for the kind words. And Zd542, I don't know what comments I made, but back in the day, there was a lot of that. Frankly that's why most industry people don't get involved in forums anymore, including me. No data, just meaningless sweeping comments and insults. I'm just not into that. Principles before personalities.

I am not trying to put down anyone's purchase either. I will however point out things as I see them, like everybody should. I have a lot of experience in this stuff as many of you do.

If a company is making something that has holes in it's underpants either for engineering, build, or price it should be discussed. It's our money guys. I want all the information I can get when I lay down some jack. I count on information from people with more experience than me when I buy certain things. That's why I like Amazon.

Zd542, if I upset you somehow, I'm sorry. On to the topic of the thread.

Abrew: I do think about that. Everybody is trying to make a sale I suppose. Including consumers that bought a product and want to explain why. But motives don't matter that much as long as he gets data. Data is what's important.

I think that if you look at this thread, there is a LOT of information for him. Where it comes from is irrelevant as long as it's accurate. My statements were based on facts I know, and he was asking for that. If somebody thinks any of my statements were not accurate they can say so.

I think that if somebody from ARC, Cary, CJ, or whoever came in and made their case it would REALLY be incredible instead of things that have nothing to do with the question at hand. People in the industry talk about what to do with forums and the answer is the same. It goes off-topic.

Back to the original question. I think I've pretty much answered most anything relevant unless there is something else.