Category: Preamps
Recently the Sonographe SC-1 preamp came my way via the trade in route. The Sonographe line was Conrad Johnson first foray into the solid state field. Broke into the market in the late 80s with a $695.00 price tag.
The SC-1 is a pure FET preamp and has on board phono section as well as Tuner,CD,Video and Tape 1 line stages. Provisions for two decks. Also has a very nice feature not often found at any price level, is a control for setting reverse stereo,stereo, and mono, very nice touch there. The rest of the controls are balance and volume control using Noble pots.These controls have a solid positive feel to them,and the balance control and volume control are of the non-stepped variety with a smooth silky touch,very well done and high quality. Typical black finish with real wood sides. RCA connectors on back are of the nickel plate variety.Only one set of preouts. Power cord is of the fixed variety,2 prong non grounded 16 gauge. The Sonographe SC-1 does not have an on/off switch,is mean't to be powered 24/7.In fact all solid state preamps should be powered 24/7 for best possible signature and this is typical of all preamps in this range and above.
Was tested with following gear.
Associated Components:
Threshold 400A Class A power amp.
Rega P3 Turntable with RB 300 Arm. Mods are JA Michell Tecno Weight,Deep Groove Sub Platter and Iron Audio Acrylic Platter with Herbies Mat.
Phono Cartridge: Denon DL 160 or Sumiko Blue Point No.2
Onix XCD-88 CD Player(same as Music Hall CD25)with DH Labs Power Plus A/C Cable.
Yamaha T - 1 AM/FM Stereo Tuner
Sony Mini Disc Deck MDS 501
Sony Mini Disc Deck MDS 480
Alon Model 1 Speakers
Alon Black Orpheus Speaker Cable
DH Labs Power Plus A/C Cable
Musical Concepts Super IV Interconnects
Following list of LPs and CDs used in evaluation.
LPs:
Bob James - Hands Down (Columbia FC 38067)
Hiroshima - Self Titled - (Arista MFSL1-525)
John Coltrane - Blue Train - (Blue Note BST 81577)
Wes Montgomery - Bumpin' - (Verve V6-8625)
Rickie Lee Jones - Self Titled - (Warner BSK 3296)
Wynton Marsalis - Live Blues Alley - (Columbia PC2-40675)
Eric Gale - Forecast - (KUDU Records KU 11)(CTI Records)
Kenny Burrell & Grover Washington Jr - (Blue Note BT 85106)
Earl Klugh - Finger Painting - (Blue Note MFSL 1-025)
Larry Carlton - Friends - (Warner 23834-1)
Sadao Watanabe - Autumn Blow - (Inner City IC 6064)
Doobie Brothers - Minute by Minute - (Warner BSK 3193)
Santana - Zebop - (Columbia FC37158)
Pat Metheny Group - American Garage - (ECM 1-1155)
Frederick Fennel - Cleveland Symphonic Winds - (Telarc 5038)
Paul Desmond/Jim Hall - Complete Recordings - Mosaic(MR6-120)
CDs:
Ben Webster At The Renaissance (Contemporary Records OJCCD-390-2)
The Royal Ballet Gala Performances (Classic Compact Discs CDSCD 6065)
Peter And The Wolf - Boston Symphony Orchestra (Sony SK 64079)
Jurassic Park Motion Picture Soundtrack (MCAD 10859)
We Get Requests - The Oscar Peterson Trio (Verve 810047-2)
You Won't Forget Me - Shirley Horn (Verve 847482-2)
Sneakers Motion Picture Soundtrack (Columbia DIDP 078100)
On Every Street - Dire Straits (Warner Brothers 26680-2)
Trio Jeepy - Branford Marsalis (Columbia CK44199)
Paris Jazz Concert - Louis Armstrong (RTE 1001-2)
Braveheart Motion Picture Soundtrack - London Symphony Orchestra (London LC0171)
Patriot Games Motion Picture Soundtrack (RCA 07863 66051-2)
Hook Motion Picture Soundtrack (Epic EK 4888)
Highlights From The Plugged Nickel - Miles Davis (Columbia CK 67377)
This is by means all of the material used, but is a reference point to start with.
To be candid was not expecting much from the SC-1 based upon its starting price and the current re-sell price. Cosmetically a very attractive, but unassuming black box, that is well built,although not to the standards of Pass Labs,Threshold,Krell,Levinson or Spectral. But the build quality is on par with Bryston,Classe,Marsh,Sim Audio and is better built than Adcom,B&K,Arcam and NAD to mention a few of that ilk.
Let the unit power on for 24/7 for 3 days before starting the evaluation process. All functions of the SC-1 were evaluated and all performed as intended, no surprises.
First of all this is a very quiet preamp and the phono section is definetely one the better ones I have used. Not suprising as it comes from Conrad Johnson, whose phono sections are some of the best in the business. Conrad Johnson knows how to build phono sections in preamps and the Sonographe SC-1 is decidedly one of their better efforts. All of the LPs used in the evaluation were played as well as some not listed.
I cannot find a fault with the phono section. Although not in the exaulted class of phono preamps. The SC-1 phono section is one of the most musical I have heard. The Denon DL 160 phono cartridge is a great match and the two together give one of the most musical presentations I have heard in sometime. A very smooth and liquid siganture with just enough bass response,without the boom. Nice and well defined lower extension. The mid range and above have a warm signature that reminds one of the Conrad Johnson tube preamps, but in my opinion a wider sound stage, with excellent layering in of the instruments. All in all a very fine phono section, most of us could get easily spoiled with.
The line stages of the SC-1 are impressive as well,particulary the CD section. This section handles the input from the CD player with total authority, and did not once have a harsh signature. One of the better CD inputs I have used of late. In fact the budget Onix XCD 88 never sounded better than with the SC-1. Totally on par with my Threshold preamp there,big surprise there!
The tuner and tape inputs are of high quality and induce zero noise and let the associated components come through with their signature and not those of the SC-1.
Overall I am more than impressed with the sonic excellence of the Sonographe SC-1. My expectations have been clearly exceeded by a wide margin. The Sonographe SC-1 is not a mega buck reference preamp, nor is it in the leaque of a Pass Labs,Krell,Spectral or Levinson. With that being said the SC-1 far excells the Adcom,B&K,Hafler and NAD preamps,all of which I have had here at one time or the other, which I felt at the time did not warrant an in depth review. The Sonographe SC-1 far exceeds those preamps in overall sonic siganture. Not even a fair comparison really.Not to disparage those preamps, but to my ears the SC-1 is head and shoulders above them.The SC-1 has a way of layering in the various instruments that is all so subtle yet very pleasing. Wide soundstage with very good depth a most convincing musical presentation.
Now here is the good part. The average resale on the SC-1 is a paltry $250.00. Good grief at its introductry price of $695.00 when it was new, was a total bargain for a preamp of this caliber. At its now used value it is a outright gift from the audio gods. There is nothing and I mean nothing out there as a pre owned preamp, that can come close to the overall excellence of the Sonographe SC-1, for its pre owned value. Why a preamp of this quality sells for so little in the pre owned market place is a mystery to me. After 48 years in this hobby/business, one does not often find a performance value such as the SC-1.
And even better as well, Conrad Johnson remains in business today so service will not be an issue. I am beginning to think of its performance level with some upgrades such as black gate caps and so on. But as it is now, it is a pure joy one does not often find in pre owned audio today.
Conrad Johnson produced four preamps in the Sonographe product range. Next was the SC-22 followed by the SC- 25 and finally the SC-26. I have not heard the SC-22 or SC-25. However a few years did get to listen to the SC-26,which was a line stage preamp, with remote. Now that I have had the opportunity to listen to the SC-1,I have to give the edge to the SC-1. It is more musical than the SC-26. And thats what this is all about, the music, we as audiophiles all enjoy.
The SC-1 in my opinion is very close to the Conrad Johnson PF-1 and PF-2. In fact so close,I see no need to spend more for the CJ solid state preamps. The differences to my ears are quite marginal. In the late 90s the Sonographe line was discontinued and some products folded into the CJ product range. The Sonographe SC-1 can be the genesis of a very good 2 channel system and one certainly does not have to make an excuse for owning it. By all accounts in my evalaution it is a stellar performer and ranks with some of the best that have come through here. Yes you can do better than the Sonographe SC-1 in a preamp. But you will dig very deep into your resources to do so. Combine the SC-1 with a good amp,speakers along with a good turntable and CD player and your set. This is a musical performer by any standard one would judge. One could almost call this an entry level reference preamp, it is that good.
This is one of the few items that came my way, that totally impressed this jaded audiophile. I would say if a preamp is on your short list and resources are a little thin, then find a Sonographe SC-1 and be prepared to be wildly impressed. I do not believe that the current re-sale price on the Sonographe SC-1 at about $250.00 will stay there very long. As more of these enter the pre-owned market place and once word gets out on how good they really are, expect prices to move further upstream. As a final thought on the SC-1,it is staying here. One of the few non Threshold/Pass Labs products I really like. While not in the same leaque as the Pass gear, it is not that far off the pace and when price is factored into the equation the SC-1 has few peers. I have spent a lot more, and got a lot less in this area of preamps.
Associated gear Click to view my Virtual SystemSimilar products Marsh,Classe,Threshold,Bryston,Krell,Levinson,Klyne,etc
