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The final Act in a study in preamps the ART 3

Tom Cruise is rescuing a female agent he trained in Mission Impossible 3. He finds her alive but weak . He needs her to jump up and save the world with him so he shoots her in the chest with a jolt of adrenaline . She was alive technically but now she instantly becomes superwoman..... for while anyway. Thus goes the saga of my latest personal occupation . The study of a few remarkable preamps.

I did an "impression" of the CJ Act 2. I then did a follow-up on the replacement , the Act 2.2. The 2.2 was the superwoman injected with the adrenaline to be sure. It certainly was capable of conquering the world with Tom but alas, the story takes another Hollywood twist : Enter the Conrad Johnson ART 3 .

This again is an impression piece and this starts a series of posts dedicated to resolving this work of ...." Art".

There will only be 25 made , half are already sold and at 25k , doesn't fit into many audiophiles budgets. I am lucky to be without kids , with an incredibly understanding wife and have the time, passion and patience to address this study competently. It has about 50 hours on it , hardly enough to press a key but what needs too be stated are a few obvious differences between the Act and Art series of valve preamps from Lew and Bill.

The system it is being evaluated in is as follows. Aerial 20 T main speakers , 2 Aerial SW 12 subs , Conrad Johnson LP 140 Monoblocs , APL Hi Fi NWO 2.5 Universal player , Kubala Sosna Emotion cables . Sound Application RLS conditioners , Sistrum stands.

The Art starts deeper in the Yin region initially than either Act siblings. The Acts ability to settle comfortably inside itself is really interesting to watch... or listen to. The Act fidgets around moving up towards neutral as it fleshes out its unique sonic character and strengths . Then it emboldens the midrange blooming luxuriously as the Teflon caps mature into something that draws you inside its world of color and speed. This phenomenon seems to settle it back into the yin where the midrange takes you ... " body and soul . " It never however loses its grip on transparency , immediacy , leading edge definition and ambience retrieval. The 2.2 however continues the evolution and struts its sonic wardrobe in unimaginable directions and leaves you passionately involved with your beloved music library.This is the moment we wait for : the connection to the music that literally moves you and keeps you glued to your seat for hours on end. It is simply what CJ is famous for. Whether I regret losing the 2.2 over the ART 3 will remain to be seen as the Act 2.2 was the best sounding preamp I have ever encountered by a wide margin . We will also see if the adrenaline pumping superwoman will be overcome by this intimidating newcomer that is threatening to bump her from Toms side . This will be interesting indeed . Stay tuned for progressive follow-ups to the final chapter in a 3 part series of preamplifiers from one of the most beloved audio companies ever formed . Conrad Johnson.

Brent Rainwater
brainwater

Showing 3 responses by jtimothya

jtimothya
612 posts
 
CJ's innovative composite triode architecture began with the ART and trickled down from that 20th Anniversary release of 250 to all subsequent CJ Premier level preamps, and beyond to the ACT2 and CT-5. The ART III, issuance capped at 25, effectively commemorates CJ's 30th anniversary! I hope it has a little plaque on its backside.

And what a marvelous 30 years its been. Even today CJ and ARC - two titans of the high-end - the Yin and the Yang - remain locked in mortal struggle for the very soul of the modern audiophile. With the advent of their current line - and most particularly the REF3 and PH7, ARC has taken their largest step yet (imo) toward the neutral. This is the same journey CJ has been on since the ART, with the ACT2 being their most neutral preamp to date. I can remember how shocked and awed were folks at the sound of the 16LS - so radically different from what had been CJ's trademark bronzey/chocolate sound. It has been fascinating to listen across the years to these companies coming closer and closer to one another - yet never touching - as each maintains their unique house sound.

If I recall, a major part of the ACT2.2 upgrade is a new power supply. It would not surprise me if this same PS is shared with the ART III. Anyone know?

Brent you are one lucky hombre. Thanks for the titillation! I'm looking forward to your report on the ART III.

Cheers,
Tim
jtimothya
612 posts
 

Congrats Shane - that is great! The 16LS is the 'baby ART' so its father should take you to just the right spot for your sonic preferences. Now all you need are some nice Amperex Orange Globe 6DJ8 or 7308s. :-)

Tim
jtimothya
612 posts
 
I mentioned Amperex Organge Globes because they seem to be out there, are not the priciest, and are a reasonable representative of what early (NOS or near NOS) tubes can do. But there is a variety of manufacturers: Telefunken, Siemans, Mullard, etc. You don't need all ten of the same manufacturer , but they must all be of the same type (6DJ8, 6922 or 7308). I've found that mixing manufacturers can yield the best results. I'm guessing that two or three per channel would make an improvement.

So what do less than contemporary tubes bring? Typically more extended highs, much better harmonics, and often a deeper more dimensional souundstage. Their sound tends to be less 'mechanical' or analytic - but I don't want to over-generalize. And NOS usually will last quite a bit longer. That was certainly the case with my 16LS. There simply was no point listening to the stock CJ 6922s (typically Sovtek) when there were easily better choices. Price is all over the map - anywhere from $35 a tube up to several hundred. Depends on the seller and the tube.

Tube rolling is one thing I miss w/ the ACT2.

Tim
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