Conrad Johnson PV12 AL

Erik, you seem to be quite an expert on these modifications. Right now I'm looking at a schematic of the PV-12; I've already replaced the electrolytic capacitors with Black Gates, when they were still selling them. Which capacitors do you suggest replacing? I had good luck in a speaker crossover with top of the line Jensen poly caps. The PV-12 I'm looking at wont work unless I get a transformer.

I imagine you have a schematic as well; are there any specific caps that you recommend replacing, I always use the same value and voltage of course.

BTW I e-mailed Chris, and told him that you recommended him; I even got a reply; this is just the beginning.

Those of us who are handy with a soldering iron can go a long way on improving most components in our rigs.

Good luck on all your future mods.

@orpheus10 Sorry for the delay.

For the PV-12, there are 2 sets of caps which are really key. As I wrote before, the output caps are really most critical If they are 2uF, upgrade them to 4uF, maintaining or exceeding the original voltage. Alternatively use a pair of 2uF caps on each.  How crazy you want to go is up to you. The sky is the limit in your spending.

After this there is a large electrolytic which I believe is on the heater or something like that. It basically just maintains a DC voltage to the tubes, but it’s part of the signal instead of the DC supply, so it’s not fed directly by the regulators.

After these two, the PV-12 (if memory serves) has a 2 level voltage regulation stages. A pre-regulator, and then 1 more per channel. You can identify the stages by the chain of zener diodes in each.

Don’t go too crazy, but it may be worth replacing or bypassing the filter caps on the outputs of each of these 3 stages. Save your money for the output caps though!

Lastly, add heat sinks to each of the transistors used as regulators. They go out frequently and sinks are cheap. :)

One more advanced mod which I never did and now don't remember is to lower the total gain. That preamp has too much gain, and you don't need it.  Lower the gain and you'll get much less noise.

@orpheus10  I have experience with Musical Design and agree that you might visit them, especially if they are in close proximity.  But first...finding that PV-12.

I have been an audiophile for over 40 years, and purchased my pl12 L new in 2000, along with a Threshold stasis 3 amp and jm lab electra 920,s. The pv-12 basically blew  every thing out of the water back then up to about 4k,  then i stopped. I have listened to it all this time and still love it.....i recently got the urge to upgrade and tried quite a few pre amps; canary, ar,  audible illusions, mark levinson, etc, and the pv 12 just sounds better in almost every way.
I was going to upgrade it by conrad johnson, but then heard of a  Beakart Labs upgrade. The co - owner actually came to my house since i live near by and brought his own Beackart lab pre amp, a 1.3 rhumba....It actually was one of the best sounding pre amps i have heard yet, and it was left with me for a week while my pv 12 got upgraded at thier facility. After i got it back i was beyond surprised. It sounded better than thier pre amp overall was simply incredible . It was the best money i ever spent in audio.  Newer technology does get a slightly lower noise floor, clean and a bit digital like , but the old cj pre amps have thier own excellent sound, more like a vintage  martin guitar  with steel strings, vs. an electric guitar. If you can find a clean pv 12 buy it, get the right tubes; telefunken or the new issue mullards actually sound fantastic, then get it up graded by Beakart labs.  PV 12'S JUST SOUND RIGHT...no kidding.

@unclekenny   Congratulations!  Bob and his son are real craftsmen.  I too live in close proximity to the Backerts and have had very extensive mods. done to my cj PV-12L.  It is truly remarkable what they can do, especially with the power supply, to improve the stability and performance of the gear they modify.  The cherry on top is that the Backert's are salt of the Earth folks who truly care about their customer's satisfaction. 

I hope you enjoy your Backert Labs cj for years to come.