conrad-johnson Classic Vacuum-Tube Preamplifier with Phono Stage

Introduction

conrad-johnson (lower case c and j) was formed in the mid-seventies, shortly after I became seriously interested in audio gear. I'm sure the two events were entirely unrelated. Their first product, a preamplifier, was immediately recognized as "state of the art," and so their storied history began. I encourage you to visit their website for more details. There, they provide a long list of products that have been reviewed as "Best of Class", and even "Best in the World." The Classic Preamplifier is the least expensive line-stage (the phono stage is optional) in their formidable product line. Both stages are zero-feedback circuits. The phono section uses two triode amplifiers separated by a passive RIAA equalization network. The second triode amplifier is direct coupled to a high-current output stage. The line-level section has a single triode amplifier also direct coupled to a high-current output stage. I considered using the descriptor 'entry-level,' but that would hardly do the Classic justice. As I immediately discovered, there is nothing entry-level about the Classic, except for the incredible price-to-performance ratio.