Vinyl Asylum: REVIEW: Conrad-Johnson (CJ,C-J) EV-1 Phono Preamp by il toro

Model:	EV-1
Category:	Phono Preamp
Suggested Retail Price:	$2400
Description:	Conrad-Johnson EV-1 phono pre-amplifier
Manufacturer URL:	Conrad-Johnson (CJ,C-J)
Model Picture:	View

Review by il toro on November 24, 2009 at 06:56:41
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for the EV-1

This was a surprise purchase, brought round by a helpful dealer when I was looking to replace my Whest Audio PS20/MU20 with something from the valve side of the fence, looking to put a little warmth back on the vinyl side.

American high-end audio (with the odd exception such as Klipsch speakers and McIntosh amplifiers) doesn't get much of a fair crack in the UK, I think in part because of a perception that people's houses are very different (UK houses being smaller, closer to Japanese, on the whole than the mcmansions we see on teevee as the norm in the US). So I hadn't heard anything about this very fine piece of kit.

I've had various phono preamps, most memorably a Michel Iso HR/Hera PSU combination that was my faithful companion for a very long time, later an Audion two-box preamp with a wonderful internal valve phono stage I used with various step-ups but most successfully with a Klyne head amp (another American gem). The Whest was in a different league from both in terms of purity and fine detail, but sometimes two positives can be too much and used with a Lyra Helikon the result was a little too sterile.

The C-J, without giving anything at all away in terms of transparency or detail, just brought some life and warmth back in the system. Without losing that grasp of the fine nuances, it managed to fill the sound admirably, spectacular with classical vocals, solid in the bass without being tubby). Quite a dramatic improvement on the other prime contender for the Whest replacement, the EAR 834P (which was floppy in the bass and just a little harsh by comparison). All this on the standard tubes - there are four on the C-J EV-1 to play with, for those who like tube rolling).

If it has any faults, it's a slight lack in gain (only 49db when the average MM stage has 40db, and the average MC stage somthing over 55 db ... you can just about get away with the Helikon's 0.5mv but any less needs a step-up, I used it quite successfully with a Supex 900 Super Mk II (0.2mv) only with an added step-up, it was just too much background hiss with the Supex's very low output.

Matched to the right cartridge though this is a stunner. Surprise purchase indeed.

Product Weakness:	Could use another 5db of gain to be better suited for lower output MC cartridges
Product Strengths:	Refinement with valve warmth. Adds euphony without loss of detail.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: EAR valve integrated
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): none
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Townshend Rock Reference
Speakers: Quad Electrostatics
Cables/Interconnects: silver litz
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Classical, Jazz
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	EAR valve integrated
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	none
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Townshend Rock Reference
Speakers:	Quad Electrostatics
Cables/Interconnects:	silver litz
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Classical, Jazz
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner