Listening to the C-J Premier 17 tonight

[Puma Cat]

I've decided trying to do "fast" A/B comparos between the CT-5 and Premier 17LS are less than optimal, it's better just to live with one for a while, then swap out and live with the other for a while.

After a week of living with the CT-5, I patched in the Premier 17 tonight. Listening to a Music Matters 45 of Donald Byrd's "Cat Walk" on the Michell Gyro tonight and it sounds, well...purdy dang wonderful.

The Premier 17 images like nobody's business, has a wonderful musical "rightness" about it and a sweetness to it's presentation that is very special.

For what you can get these for used (if you act fast enough, they go on Audiogon in a day or less usually), they are smokin' good preamp.

Great way for someone who's interested in checking out C-J preamps to get into the line.

[ronenash]

Everything that is said about the Premier 17 is spot on.
Another option is the new ET3 which is said to better many of the previous designs and goes new for $2500 without the phono section.

CJ are constantly improving their products I guess.