Conrad Johnson Premier 140

[User211]

MY GOD THE PREMIER 140 IS GOOD!!!! No strike that it is GREAT!!!:music:

I plan to pring it bring it Wayne. It may tweak my back but it will be worth it.

Million and one dollar question - do you like it more than the 350 overall? No "ifs" or "buts", but overall.

Keep a clear frame of mind here - it's new so you may be looking to justify your purchase. And it may be too soon for you to make such a judgement. But first impressions, at least... maybe a 1 to 10 rating for each.

 

[Cherian]

I do like the Premier 140 more than the Premier 350. The 350 is an amazing amp but something about the 140 that is so smooth and the soundstage more open. The detail of the 140 is also a little better than the 350 (this I was surprised by). Again the difference is small but noticeable. The bass performance from the premier 350 is a bit tighter. I find the 140 to be thin here. Bi-amping will be the way to go.

When I first hooked up the 140 I thought it sounded a bit off. Then I found by (RTFM) that the 140 is phase correct. I use a Premier 16LS pre and this is phase inverting and so was the Premier 350. Once I changed the phasing on the 140 everything came into focus.

On a scale from 1 to 10 I would rate the Premier 350 and 8.5 and the 140 a 9.0.

 

[Burke]

Wayne, I am bringing the the 350. If you are willing to untangle your wires, I can bring the Ayre and/or BAT also to see what the Summits and CLS can really do. Should be fun either way.

I am planing on bringing the 15 foot balanced interconnects and a roll of 10 guage speaker wire.

The big amp shootout at Wayne's is on.

 

[jtwrace]

I am planing on bringing the 15 foot balanced interconnects and a roll of 10 guage speaker wire.

The big amp shootout at Wayne's is on.

PLEASE keep us posted and don't forget the pics...

 

[Spike]

Congrats!!

I do like the Premier 140 more than the Premier 350. The 350 is an amazing amp but something about the 140 that is so smooth and the soundstage more open. The detail of the 140 is also a little better than the 350 (this I was surprised by). Again the difference is small but noticeable. The bass performance from the premier 350 is a bit tighter. I find the 140 to be thin here. Bi-amping will be the way to go.

Many congrats with your new toy. You could attribute the smooth and open soundstage to the 8 glowing glass bottles I had the same experience going from the Classe' solid-state to the tube amps. The difference was small but noticeable at first. But once you get familiar with the "new" characteristic of the tube amp, you'll notice a BIG drop in performance going from the tube back to the solid-state. It's NOT that the solid-state amp is doing anything wrong per se, but it's more that the tubes are showing what your system is capable of and you'll hesitate to go back to the way things were.

Good luck and enjoy your system
Spike

 

[User211]

On a scale from 1 to 10 I would rate the Premier 350 and 8.5 and the 140 a 9.0.

Actually, that's a testiment to how good the 350 must be. The fact you rate it as even close to a good tube amp is a credit to it's designers, IMHO.

I have have heard the 350, but not in the same system with just the amp being swapped. And not with speakers I like.

 

[theWB]

Wayne, I am bringing the the 350. If you are willing to untangle your wires, I can bring the Ayre and/or BAT also to see what the Summits and CLS can really do. Should be fun either way.

Dave,
If I remember correctly the BAT's your pre and the Ayre your source? It's a rats nest back there, might take forever to untangle. But I've got some xtra interconnects lying around. Can't wait will be very interesting to listen to 3 different high quality amps in the system. Should be a good day.

 

[Cherian]

Tonight I achieved a new level of audio nirvana. Thanks To JohnFo and Jonwa and a bit of musical crossovers I’m finally running the ML Exos active crossover and bi-amped. The active crossover is far superior to the passive crossover. The bass has more impact and extension. After listening to the bass standard, The Eagles, Hell Freezes over, Hotel California I knew I did the right thing. With the CJ premier 140 controlling the panel and the CJ premier 350 handing the Woofers all is right with the world. Finally, I feel I have squeezed 99% of what the Monoliths have to offer. GOD, it sounds good.

 

[tonepub]

Sounds like you are dialed in...

Might I ask what you paid for your Premier 140? I've always been really intrigued with that amp. Back when I bought my Premier 350, I was going to get CJ's LP140 monos, but Lew Johnson talked me out of it.

He said that for that last little bit of magic that I'd get from the tubes the P350 would be a better amp as a reviewers tool; that it would drive anything. I've never regretted it, but it might be fun to have a Premier 140 just to play once in a while for FUN, when I'm not evaluating gear.

Thanks!

 

[Cherian]

I got a good deal on the Premier 140 $3,300.00 shipped to my door off of Audiogon. It even has new tubes.

I don't know if I 100% dilaled in yet but in the next few days I should be.

I think the Premier 140 is a world calss tube amp. It has such fine detail without making the music lifeless. The sound is warm with superb micro-dynamics

 

[tonyc]

Congratulations Cherian! I frankly have never heard a cj amp I didn't love.

 

[tonepub]

I got a good deal on the Premier 140 $3,300.00 shipped to my door off of Audiogon. It even has new tubes.

I don't know if I 100% dilaled in yet but in the next few days I should be.

I think the Premier 140 is a world calss tube amp. It has such fine detail without making the music lifeless. The sound is warm with superb micro-dynamics

Wow, that's a killer deal...

Maybe next year!