advertisement


Conrad Johnson Solid State Amps.

mandryka

mandryka

pfm Member
There’s an mf80 on eBay at the moment, and I’m wondering whether to chase the January blues away by buying it. Anyone had any experience of these amps? How serviceable are they.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
Tony L said:
I don’t know that model, but I’ve certainly liked the CJ power amps I’ve heard.
Click to expand...

I know, and it’s partly your comments which has made me curious. Let’s wait for someone to comment on whether they’re a service nightmare.

I want a really top SS amp to put with the Spendor SP1s, something I can turn on in the morning and leave on all day. So no class A! They sound incredible with the Krell.
 
mandryka said:
I know, and it’s partly your comments which has made me curious. Let’s wait for someone to comment on whether they’re a service nightmare.
Click to expand...

The ones I’ve seen really aren’t. They tend to be full of large and expensive film caps that will last pretty much indefinitely, just a couple of electrolytic caps in the PSU, and those are all I’d think about swapping out. I’ve no idea what parts availability (output transistors etc) is if you actually blow it up, or it arrives damaged, but they are beautifully made things that I’d have far more confidence in than the vast majority of kit that age. The bill of materials really is no compromise in the ones I’ve seen. Just way better than the typical hi-fi product.
 
Ahem... for once I can help.
I had one. Powerful, smooth, very listenable, deep, deep controlled bass. I sold it when the rest of my 10k system went ( i started my own business - it was just sitting there)
I would gladly have one again. It was lovely.
 
From the little I can see on them they use Hitachi power mosfet output devices. Now obsolete but can usually still be obtained at a price. Close enough equivalent exists but if just one went and you wanted everything to be back to two identical channels then all would need to be replaced and they are not that cheap. They are however probably the most reliable output devices in existence!
Other than that it appears relatively conventional if maybe a little awkward to work on. i would guess that the choice of output devices alone suggests they are getting on a bit (still SOTA in many ways but the cost plus conventional transistors improving means they are not often used these days). I'll guess from the late 80's - early 90's? Some electrolytics etc may need changing by now for best results but it would prob work fine anyway for now.
 
halvis said:
I assume it is this one you are referring to?
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=284143882257

In the past I have seen them advertised and sold for a lot less, around €400 here in Ireland. So I think that is a little over priced tbh.
Click to expand...

Yes thanks for the warning. What I can see from hifishark is that the price is double what you would expect to pay for the same amp in the USA, where they come up frequently. But it goes for that sort of money in Europe. I didn’t see the Irish one you mentioned.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
mandryka said:
hat I can see from hifishark is that the price is double what you would expect to pay for the same amp in the USA, where they come up frequently. But it goes for that sort of money in Europe.
Click to expand...

Check the Shark sold listings for Europe. Prices are a bit all over the place but 750 seems a reasonable average.
 
I think that if an amp is being sold at market price then I need to have heard it in my system. If this guy were offering it with returns I'd bite his hand off. I have written to him offering the asking price if he will let me have a 14 day return period.
 
Bloody hell, it’s heavy! It feels as heavy as the Krell but more awkward to move because it doesn’t have handles!

First impressions with Spendor SP1s.

Image is good - no sense of music coming out of a box, all the singers in a motet by Josquin firmly in their place, even when there are, for example, eight of them singing different lines of music. Depth to the image too. There’s more of a feeling of people making music in a real space, a room ambience.

Certainly better bass than with the Rotel that I was using before. Not too bright, the sound seems well balanced.

This is not a grey and lifeless amp at all.

Will live with it for a few days and report back. I think it’s a winner, positive feelings so far (after an hour!)

Added after another 5 minutes: I’ve got the word for it. It’s a gentleman of an amp. It is refined, nuanced and civilised. It’s certainly not a monster, and it’s not a pussy cat. It is an American gentleman.
 
mandryka said:
Bloody hell, it’s heavy! It feels as heavy as the Krell but more awkward to move because it doesn’t have handles!

First impressions with Spendor SP1s.

Image is good - no sense of music coming out of a box, all the singers in a motet by Josquin firmly in their place, even when there are, for example, eight of them singing different lines of music. Depth to the image too. There’s more of a feeling of people making music in a real space, a room ambience.

Certainly better bass than with the Rotel that I was using before. Not too bright, the sound seems well balanced.

This is not a grey and lifeless amp at all.

Will live with it for a few days and report back. I think it’s a winner, positive feelings so far (after an hour!)

Added after another 5 minutes: I’ve got the word for it. It’s a gentleman of an amp. It is refined, nuanced and civilised. It’s certainly not a monster, and it’s not a pussy cat. It is an American gentleman.
Click to expand...
"It is an American gentleman."
like Trump ;)? What would be a Trump like amp?
 
mandryka said:
Certainly better bass than with the Rotel that I was using before.
Click to expand...

Which Rotel was that, Mandryka ? I've been looking at Rotel power amps as a stop-gap for my 2905 ESLs, but there are just SO many of them, most with similar spec's; awfully cheap though.
 
Well I can see why Tony likes the CJ sound, it is an adorable sound. Too beautiful? Well, it’s such a charmer, so sweet, that when you’re listening you don’t care. Bottom is tight, top is smooth. Anyway it’s kind of nice for me to have this sort of system, it’s such a contrast from the more intense incisive sound of the other.

Apart from that, the way it has altered the image of the Spendors is remarkable, suddenly there is depth. The image is not as seamless and boxless as my JR149 Mk2 and Radford STA25 - but it’s not far off - and I can’t say if that’s caused by the speakers or CJ.

It’s proof of how much of a difference an amp makes.
 
mandryka said:
RB 870BX.
Click to expand...

You can have it if you want - I mean, I’m sure we can agree a fair price, the only problem will be getting it to you. It’s a good amp, no doubt about it. If you’re interested let me know and I’ll keep all the foam gubbins that CJ was wrapped in, the binmen come a week Friday.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top