Really liking the Conrad Johnson

vintage 5.0

vintage 5.0

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Mar 11, 2019
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I am new to this forum. I have just got two older pieces of Conrad Johnson gear. I got a MV 55 amp and a PV 12 pre amp. I will tell you this one thing. I have had lots of gear over the years but man this stuff sounds really nice. I like to hear goo mids and highs and it produces that. It is a real smooth sound. I am really liking what I am hearing from this equipment.
 
Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

Congratulations!

I absolutely love CJ gear, and my GAT2 especially.

Welcome to the forum.
 
Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

joeinid said:
Congratulations!

I absolutely love CJ gear, and my GAT2 especially.

Welcome to the forum.
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Thanks is the GAT2 a newer piece. I was not into Conrad Johnson but have always liked tube gear. I think they do it right. The sound is so smooth and just sounds right. This looks like a great forum. :D
 
Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

vintage 5.0 said:
Thanks is the GAT2 a newer piece. I was not into Conrad Johnson but have always liked tube gear. I think they do it right. The sound is so smooth and just sounds right. This looks like a great forum. :D
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The GAT2 is the current top of the line preamp. I've had more than my share of CJ gear over the years but nothing ever came close to sounding like music should sound.

You obviously have great taste :) Ha!

Thank you for the forum compliments. We have a great group of audiophiles here and I'm grateful for the members here.
 
Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

Welcome. I like CJ as well and used to own the PV14ls2, the CT-6 and a couple ov MV60's converted to mono. Really enjoyable sound. The pieces you have are a bit older.

Curious how the CJ compares to the VTL you have?
 
Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

I had an ET3 SE preamp and really enjoyed it while it was here.

vintage 5.0 said:
Thanks is the GAT2 a newer piece. I was not into Conrad Johnson but have always liked tube gear. I think they do it right. The sound is so smooth and just sounds right. This looks like a great forum. :D
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Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

Welcome. Are you doing mch? (seeing the 5.0 in your signature). Still using my MET-1 for my multichannel files. Nice, elegant machine.

Larry
 
Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

astrotoy said:
Welcome. Are you doing mch? (seeing the 5.0 in your signature). Still using my MET-1 for my multichannel files. Nice, elegant machine.

Larry
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Larry my 5.0 stands for something else. I am in my mid 50s also.
 
Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

I like the VTL alot. Is just a line stage but it has nice sound. I have some pretty good tubes in it. I ran it with a Nakamichi PA 7 and a McCormack DNA .05 gold mod I just sold. It did a real nice job. I have it now playing with a Aragon 4004 MKII. I think for me I like what the Conrad Johnson is doing a little more. Not sure what the sound is except real smooth and nice. I have never had a set up like this that I just did not want to stop listening to the music. I would like to know about those mono amps. I have a set of Quicksilver 8417 mono amps I really like. They were my first favorite but now I think my second best.
 
Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

When I had my original GAT with my ART monos on my Studio2, it was pure heaven. It was just way too many tubes for me but great memories.

You’ll notice with CJ, not only smooth, but layered, tremendous depth, 3D and amazing separation. You don’t immediately notice it, but the more you listen the more you realize how musical and right CJ sounds. It’s just wonderful.
 
Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

I am right now listening to some Adele on Vinyl. I have not really had a chance to get to listen to the phono stage. WOW it is really nice and you are right i can hear so much separation. I can hear ever detail but so smooth. I can hear all of the different instruments. I can even hear the slides of the fingers on the strings and so life like. Oh did I say I am a Conrad Johnson fan. Truthfully I was not a big fan of the gold look. After hearing what this gear can do I really like the looks of it. I bet the newer gear is simply unreal.
 
Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

As a youngster there were two brands that I loved to look at and listen to in the stereo store. McIntosh and Conrad Johnson.

I’m glad you are loving the gear.
 
Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

I believe the MV60 was the next model after the MV55. The MV60 was really good though, one review said it was better than the Premier 11 by comparison. The MV60 used EL34's for the great midrange, the MV60se used 6550's which gave up a bit of the sweetness for better bass slam.

Anyway, the MV60 is a stereo amp. I bought a 2nd one, then shipped both back to CJ who converted them to mono for me. Very reasonable I must say.

If they still offer that service you could do the same with your 55. You'd just have to find another 55. CJ was very good with making sure each amp had similar specs. They had to replace a couple miner things to make the amps match.

I kept the cages off my amps, my brother used to say I had a Frankstein stereo, referencing all the glowing tubes.

Joe, it would be interesting to hear CJ and ARC together. CJ sounded to me to have a nice dark background, where ARC has this sort of white background. Would they cancel, one be dominate.....
 
Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

Interesting about ARC and CJ. One thing I’d be concerned about would be mixing balanced with single ended. Some say it doesn’t matter but from my experience and that of friends, it really does make a difference. Some pieces need balanced and some are fine single ended.

I do think you are right about the CJ taming and making the most of the ARC amp. I definitely think the new Ref 160m is better than previous amps so that would be my choice to pair with the GAT2.
 
Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

Mr Peabody said:
I believe the MV60 was the next model after the MV55. The MV60 was really good though, one review said it was better than the Premier 11 by comparison. The MV60 used EL34's for the great midrange, the MV60se used 6550's which gave up a bit of the sweetness for better bass slam.

Anyway, the MV60 is a stereo amp. I bought a 2nd one, then shipped both back to CJ who converted them to mono for me. Very reasonable I must say.

If they still offer that service you could do the same with your 55. You'd just have to find another 55. CJ was very good with making sure each amp had similar specs. They had to replace a couple miner things to make the amps match.

I kept the cages off my amps, my brother used to say I had a Frankstein stereo, referencing all the glowing tubes.

Joe, it would be interesting to hear CJ and ARC together. CJ sounded to me to have a nice dark background, where ARC has this sort of white background. Would they cancel, one be dominate.....
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Mr Peabody that makes sense now. I was looking last night and saw the MV60 as a single amp. McCormack will do that also. Is it pretty costly to do that. I bet those were some great sounding amps. I really in the small room I am in have plenty of power. I see you are in St Louis right up the road. I always look at your area Craigslist lots of audio guys up there.
 
Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

It has been several years but I think it was only $150.00 per amp, I can't remember if I had to pay shipping both ways.

I haven't been to CL in a while. Normally you wade through too much crap to find anything of interest.

We have a group Gateway Audio Society on Audio Circle if interested. There is a "Flea Market" thread where items are sold. Many of the group are really into vintage gear.



vintage 5.0 said:
Mr Peabody that makes sense now. I was looking last night and saw the MV60 as a single amp. McCormack will do that also. Is it pretty costly to do that. I bet those were some great sounding amps. I really in the small room I am in have plenty of power. I see you are in St Louis right up the road. I always look at your area Craigslist lots of audio guys up there.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

Mr Peabody said:
It has been several years but I think it was only $150.00 per amp, I can't remember if I had to pay shipping both ways.

I haven't been to CL in a while. Normally you wade through too much crap to find anything of interest.

We have a group Gateway Audio Society on Audio Circle if interested. There is a "Flea Market" thread where items are sold. Many of the group are really into vintage gear.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info I will check it out. I just need to figure out how to post with no quote above. That price sounds really good on that kind of work.
 
Re: Really liking the Conard Johnson

Small typo in the thread's title...simple observation.
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