I'm a lucky boy - new C-J ET3 preamplifier.
Yes, indeedy, I am a happy chappy... I have upgraded my C-J PV15 preamp to a C-J ET3.
2014-05-22 15.49.35 by alexmastersuk, on Flickr
The ET3 is a simplified dervative of the circuit in the statement GAT preamp - circuit topology is similar, but without the expensive and complex power supply arrangements, and very high end resistors, capacitors and other passive components. The line stage uses a single 6922 for voltage gain, and a MOSFET buffer to ensure a low output impedance. The gain seems to be quite a bit higher than my PV15 - maybe this is because no feedback is used. Volume control is by relay controlled resistor ladder, and the preamp has full remote control.
There is a seperate MC phono board using 3x 12AX7s that is a close relative of the TEA1 stand-alone phono stage that can be seen on the left hand side of this picture
2014-05-22 16.11.36 by alexmastersuk, on Flickr
First impressions - wow! the ET3 blows the doors off my PV-15. I had quite high expectations, but it really is quite a big step up. I think that it is true what they say that you don't know how good the rest of your system can sound unless you have a top line pre-amp.
Listening to the SB Touch via the Cambridge Audio Azur 851C CD/Dac, first impressions are that the soundstage is now W-I-D-E, extending well clear of the speakers, and and appreciable height and depth. On acoustic recordings you can really get a sense of a group of musicians performing in a space and being able to hear what was only hinted at - echos and reverberation cues give a spookily realistic sense of a being in a defined volume of space.
High frequency detail is outstanding, clean and crisp, and this is the best that I've heard cymbals from a digital source. You can hear exactly where a ride cymbal is being hit, on the bell or on the rim and exactly how hard. It makes precussion tracks fascinating to listen to because there is so much going with the playing of a drummer like Dave Weckyl that I didn't appreciate before.
In the mids, voices sound natural and well defined, and there is a sense of each instrument in the recording doing it's own thing and being easy to pick out, with realistic timbre and dynamic envelope. Sounds like brass stabs start and stop in a totally believable way, and despite the detail/resolution the overall sounds blends together as a performance rather than being disected in a weird 'Hi-Fi' way. There seems to be an impression that louder sounds dominate quieter ones less than before - less blending and modulation of decays by 'foreground' sounds.
Bass performance is weighty and powerful, without being soggy or boomy in any way. Electric Bass, Acoustic bass or left hand piano just sound right to me - plenty of weight and heft, with believable texture and envelopes. Hearing a five string bass played on something like Donald Fagin's Security Joan from Morph the Cat seems that the lower notes on the B string have consistent weight and a defined envelope wheras before they tended to waffle and become less distinct. I am an ex-bassist so I really appreciate this clarity and dynamics I'm getting at the low end with this pre-amp. I love Brian Bromberg's double bass on Downright uptight.. just marvelous.
So, although I cheaped out and didn't get the even more excellent (and much more expensive) SE model with nice teflon caps and mega expensive resistors I feel that I'm getting a good chunk of it's perfomance. I can upgrade further for the same cost as the price difference, but I think I would need new speakers, turntable etc first. Oh dear.
Cheers,
Alex
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Originally Posted by AlexM
