Price Paid:  $625.00 from e bay auction

Summary:
very happy with the unit/huge improvement over the carver.it is said that the unit eats up the tubes at a fast rate,i'll just have to see.it runs rather warm,so good ventilation is a must.

Strengths:
very warm and musical.vocals and mid range are excellent.definition is superb.the bass is less defined,but that is hard to really assess,because my interconnects aren't broken in yet.

Weaknesses:
no headphone jack.don't know if this is a weakness,but it runs warm

Similar Products Used:
carver c 1 [ss]pre amp

Price Paid:  $700.00

Summary:
I've had this preamp for years. Nothing seems to approach it. Deep, clean bass, liquid midrange, crystal highs. Never shrill, always musical. I use this amp with a McIntosh 240 power amp for a combination I find hard to beat. Plenty of inputs/outputs, including two main amp outputs (in case you have a subwoofer, as I do).

I've heard more expensive units, but very little that sounds better.

Strengths:
Imaging, detail, low noise.

Weaknesses:
None.

Similar Products Used:
Carver preamp.

Price Paid:  $600.00 from ebay

Summary:
This is my first time in the "tube" equipment;very nice preamp but comes with Sovtech.....buy some mullard with nice improvement in sound but not sufficient details vs. a solid state preamp.Read these reviews and follow the recommandation about the amperex...WOW that was it!!Now this preamp is realy a top unit (it has been upgrade at the factory before I bought it with new caps,etc..).Anyone who want to upgrade should try first the Amperex "bug. boy".

For all my "solid state" friend who would like to try tubes go for it;I think that tubes for power amp. is very expensive and good for only specific music/system.For the preamp it is different,you should try it and see.

The tube need good ventilation,I removed the cover for the preamp to give it more air;the faceplate runs hot....so if you want to preserve the tube's life give it air.

My system:
CJ PV10a-preamp
Odissey HT-2 power amp
Madrigal cd transport
Parasound 1500 DAC
Audio Alchemy jitter filter
Martin Logan aerius i
MIT 350+ interconnect
Monster cable optical
MIT 750 speakers cables

Strengths:
sound-look-simplicity-

Weaknesses:
run hot

Similar Products Used:
yamaha-luxman-aragon

Price Paid:  $1000.00 from sound by singer

Summary:
I have been using my Conrad Johnson PV10A, on and off, for the last five, six, seven years. It's not perfect but it is always musical.

I just re-tubed the line stage section with with Amperex Bugle Boy (made in Holland) tubes and the magic is back. The factory tubes (made in East Germany) were past their life expectancy and the sound was slowing becoming more closed in. Less sparkle and less at the frequency extremes. While many report good sound with the Bugle Boy tubes, some also state that they don't last long in the PV10A. We'll see.

While I admit I have not done extensive comparison, in my systems with other comparably priced peramps, I have compared the cj's sound to the pre-amp sections of several "higher-end" receivers. I am always amazed how much better the cj sounds. Highs, in particular, float in the air and have life instead of too much urgency. The PV's sound stage is probably my favorite aspect of the unit. If the sound stage on the recording is big the cj will recreate it. Not a whole lot wider than solid stage but much much deeper.

For me, the cj has just the right controls - simple and straight-forward. I do wish it had a mono button and a pass-thru for Home Theater but for the price it's got the basics.

Oddly, even thought I purchased the PV10A with a phono section I have never used it. Never have resolved the tone arm question on my VPI turntable. One day soon hopefully - and then I will need to replace the three tubes in the phono section.

Relatively soon I plan on upgrading my entire system and will probably replace the cj [or just use the phone section] ... not for sound reasons but because it does not include a remote. I only have two other criticisms of the pre-amp. The background is not completely black/quiet, there is just the faintest hint of hiss. And the switchgear does not seem quite up to snuff. It all works ok but it doesn't feel solid or substantial when used.

For the same money, even today, I am not sure there is a better buy than this pre-amp if you can live w/o remote control.

Strengths:
highs, soundstage, simplicity

Weaknesses:
no remote, touch of hiss

Price Paid:  $1000.00 from Hi Notes

Summary:
[In my opinion] This is one of the best pre-amps in the market. The price is affordable. Sounds reaaaaly awesome. Better than I expected.
Tried the pre-amp about 4x more expensive than this CJ, but I was not sure if it sounded better than this CJ.

Strengths:
Smooth, Affordable, Flawless ; ALmost perfect ;

Weaknesses:
Bass, no remote control;