Analog source: VPI TNT Mk.V Hot Rod turntable, JMW Memorial tonearm, Benz-Micro L04 cartridge.
Digital source: SimAudio Moon Eclipse, Parasound CDP-1000 CD players.
Preamplification: VAC CPA1 Mk.III preamplifier, Conrad-Johnson Premier 15 phono stage.
Power amplifiers: Classé CAM-350, VTL Ichiban, Mark Levinson No.20.6 monoblocks, VAC Renaissance 70/70.
Loudspeaker: Magnepan MG3.6/R.
Cables: Digital: Nirvana T-2. Interconnect: Nirvana S-X Ltd., Nordost Valhalla, Goertz Alpha Core Micro Purl Silver. Speaker: Synergistic Research Resolution…
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Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Sidebar 3: Measurements
As is usually the case with a tube preamp that doesn't use negative feedback, the Conrad-Johnson Premier 17LS provides way too much amplification for practical use. With the volume control set to its maximum position of "99," the voltage gain measured 25.9dB. The volume control, however, is sensibly arranged to operate in large steps at the top of its range (with some numbers duplicating the level; for example, "99" and "98" are both equivalent to the maximum gain), but in smaller, fraction-of-a-dB steps in the range where the control is most likely to be used.…
It must also be taken into account that the distortion content is almost entirely pure second harmonic, even at high levels of a low-frequency tone into a high impedance (fig.4). And while the third harmonic rises almost to -80dB (0.01%) into the punishing 1k ohm load (fig.5), the distortion spectrum still remains predominantly second harmonic.
Fig.4 Conrad-Johnson Premier 17LS, spectrum of 50Hz sinewave, DC-1kHz, at 2V into 100k ohms (linear frequency scale).
Fig.5 Conrad-Johnson Premier 17LS, spectrum of 50Hz sinewave, DC-1kHz, at 2V into 1k ohms (linear…
Sam Tellig wrote about the Premier 17LS2 in October 2004 (Vol.27 No.10):
If you own a mediocre preamplifier, it will compromise the sound of your entire system. If you substitute a great preamp, it will likely transform the sound of your entire system—making a much bigger difference, say, than upgrading your power amp or buying a better CD player.
You can also give your entire system what Antony Michaelson, of Musical Fidelity, describes as "the ineffable magic of tubes." Just put a tubed preamp in the equipment chain. That's what Bill Conrad and Lew Johnson, of Conrad-Johnson,…
Really Big Hi-Fi came to live with me for a couple of months this past spring in the form of a pair of Tannoy Churchill loudspeakers. They were trucked directly to San Rafael, California from Kitchener, Ontario, in flight cases so bulky they could double as coffins for NFL offensive linemen. Once ensconced chez moi, the Tannoy dreadnoughts provoked bewilderment, alarm, curiosity, envy, admiration, awe, and amazement in all who heard and saw them.
Arranging their arrival wasn't easy. The North American Free Trade Agreement may have been intended to make American-Canadian transactions as…
Space
My listening area (a "living room" in a more conventional household) is airy, open, and full of natural light, with a view to the north across the valley, where the town is nestled. Some folks say it looks like Italy. The room's east wall—the front of the house—is 18' long and features a large picture window flanked by two hinged windows, which are usually open during all but the most extreme weather—or the loudest listening sessions. A bamboo shade and full-length drapes mitigate both the amount of incoming light and the acoustic character of the glass. On either side of the…
My listening area (a "living room" in a more conventional household) is airy, open, and full of natural light, with a view to the north across the valley, where the town is nestled. Some folks say it looks like Italy. The room's east wall—the front of the house—is 18' long and features a large picture window flanked by two hinged windows, which are usually open during all but the most extreme weather—or the loudest listening sessions. A bamboo shade and full-length drapes mitigate both the amount of incoming light and the acoustic character of the glass. On either side of the…
The Tannoys turned this assumption upside-down. At volume levels from pianissimo to molto forte they always invited me in, rather than closing me out. Positioned a bit over 2½' out from the wall, about 7' apart at the inside corners, and toed-in just slightly, they cast an enormous soundstage that seemed to extend in all directions. After a bit of experimentation, I settled on the Nordost SPM cables and interconnects as the best choice for the Churchills. The incredible speed and detail of the SPM freed them from any lingering laboriousness that softer-sounding cables might have imparted.…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Reflex-loaded, two-way floorstanding loudspeaker with 15" dual-concentric drive-unit. Crossover: fourth-order low-pass, second-order high-pass, at 1kHz. Frequency response: 32Hz-20kHz, ±1.5dB. Sensitivity: 95dB/2.83V/m. Dispersion: 90 degrees conical. Impedance: not specified.
Dimensions: 48.75" H by 22.5" W by 22.5" D. Weight: 177 lbs (80.45kg) each.
Finishes: dark cherry, French walnut, Santos rosewood.
Serial numbers of units reviewed: 019A & B.
Price: $14,000/pair. Approximate number of dealers: 50.
Manufacturer: Tannoy Ltd.,…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Power amplifiers: Threshold T-100 (pair used as "fully balanced" 180W monoblocks), Sumo Andromeda (very good 14-year-old amp, 200Wpc), Parasound HCA-1000A (165Wpc), Dynaco Stereo 70 (modified tube amp with MIT coupling caps and push-pull EL34 outputs, 35Wpc), Nirvana Electronic Works DCA 33 (battery-powered class-A stereo amplifier, 33Wpc).
Preamplifiers: Threshold T3i (balanced output), Creek OBH-12 (passive remote), Parasound P/LD 2000 (balanced, unbalanced, and "direct"), Chase Technologies RLC-1 (remote line controller).
Digital sources: PS Audio…
Sidebar 3: Tunes (a partial list)
Audiophile recordings:
Fairfield Four: Standing in the Safety Zone, Warner Alliance WBD-4137
Sara K.: Hobo, Chesky JD155
Rebecca Pidgeon: The New York City Girls' Club, Chesky JD141
Spirit Traveler: Playing the Hits from Motor City, JVC JVCXR-0007-2 (XRCD)
Blues:
Came So Far, various artists, Melody Maker MMCD 1294
B.B. King: Deuces Wild, MCA MCAD-11711
Classical:
Bach: Michael Murray, The Organ at First Congregational Church, Los Angeles, Telarc CD-80088
Paganini: Violin Concerto 1, Sarah Chang, EMI CDC 5 55026 2
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