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Which Conrad Johnson pre is a step-up from PFR?

Hi
Recently for some unknown reason i sold my beloved PFR preamp and after numerous preamp changes realized that i cannot recapture the magic i once had in my system when it was in it.My question is:which other CJ preamp has the same kind of sound (golden glow sound,big presence in the midrange,wide soundstage)?To be precise i am looking at the Premier line but not with the "new school"ultra transparent sound that CJ switched to around 2000-2001.I know that Premier 15 is very good but i already own CJ EV-1 phono stage so it kinda defeats the purpose.Would Premier 14 or 16 be a substantial step-up from PFR?Thank You all for your advices.
overhang
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uru975
684 posts
 
The McIntosh preamp was/is the C-45 and it cannot begin to compare to the Premier 16 by CJ thnaks for asking Michael
kw6
691 posts
 
Hi,

I owned the PV-10AL but haven't heard the other c-j pre-amps mentioned, but I can tell you that the 17LS Series 2 makes music in my system. Great tone, soundstaging, inner detail, natural dynamics and most importantly conveys the essence (continuousness) of music!

Good Luck!
nglazer
845 posts
 
I "moved up" from the PFR and the closest CJ I heard to it with an improvement was the 17. I bought a Hovland HP100 although the 17 was a close second. (I have since moved on to a Wyetech Opal -- different level entirely).

I later bought a modded PFR on Audiogon (not sure who modded it) for my second system because I missed it so much and now live happily ever after with it. But the 17 offered some greater resolution and clarity, but still with the traditional CJ "magic".

Neal
david12
1,454 posts
 
Any of the Premier range will be the ticket. I've heard the 14 and bought the 17. I ai'nt changing. They are both excellent. Do'nt forget the premier 10, if you can find one. It's basically a 14 without the remote. They seem to go for about $1000, when they apppear on the 'gon site
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