Conrad Johnson Tube Amp For CJ Premier 17ls

Hi Maplegrove, If you go to c-j's home page there is a Vintage Products link on the left side of the page. That will take you to a page with their discontinued models listed. Click on the model # and you'll go to a page that describes the unit , when it was introduced, etc.

For a vintage unit you might want to look at the Premier 12 or the MV 60, or you might want to look at one of their newer designs for a more neutral sound.

I had a Premier 17LS2 which I partnered with an MV60SE.
I enjoyed this combo initially but ultimately have to endorse the idea of finding a newer amp. The 17LS2/MV60SE is a bit too golden for me.

Between the 2, though, the 17LS2 was the standout. Before that I had 4 different preamps and this was the best of them. These days quite content with a Pass Int-150

I used a 17LS with a Premier 140 and thought the combination was excellent. They went really well together with my Quad 989 speakers. I subsequently had the 140 upgraded by conrad-johnson with their C1 Teflon Capacitor package.

I've since moved on to a c-j CA200 integrated and have the Premier 140 available for sale if you're interested.

Joe

How does the ca200 compare to the 140/17 combo?

Thanks

The 140/17 was a little bit more three dimensional. The CA200, on the other hand, more dynamic with tighter bass and and slightly more extended at the top without being at all irritating (neither was the Pr. 140).

My intent was to simplify my life and so I went with the integrated amp. In most ways, the Premier 16LS2 was an even better match for the Premier 140. But the PR. 17LS was less expensive to maintain (4 tubes versus 6) and an excellent preamp in its own right.

I have a premier 16 ls2 driving Premier 140s into Kef 104/2s. Just put new tubes in the 140 and I am again in audio nirvana. On great vinyl w my VPI Scoutmaster / Shelter 90x the 3d presentation and sound stage especially in the mid range with vocals, piano and violin is insane. Brings tears of joy to my heart. Everything is a keeper except I have to replace my 104s bought in 1987 at some point. Just got some Morrell tweeter replacements for the 104s to try out. Other than the 104/2 replacement I feel I am set for life.

Joe,
I am sure if you have upgraded the Premier 17 to e.g. a CT-5 the result would be much better, esp with the recapped P140. I had the CA200 for a while and it is indeed very good. Maybe you can use the freed up funds to upgrade the power cord and/or power conditioner.

Lewdis, did you find a successor for the 104/2? If you like the KEF sound, a pair of 107/2 is a safe bet. I had all of them and liked the 107/2 best for vintage speakers. The 205/2 and 207/2 are really awesome! The Premier 16 LS2 / P140 combo deserve much better speakers than the 104/2s.