CJ premier 8 - please share your comments

enjoyed them for several years purchased them used had never heard them before purchasing them was extremely pleased when I heard them play those first few notes definitely was the best amplifier I ever heard at that time. they are extremely musical sounding amplifiers with very few identifiable flaws. excellent bass,very well balanced dynamically from top to bottom,excellent midrange. Oh they are very reliable also usually left mine on continuously tubes last about a year this way. would like to hear a pair again on my current system someday definitely.

I have the 8xs(factory)----Not only am I tube junkie; I'm a triode junkie as well.---Everybody I know that owned the 'A' version 8's sold them. Most 6550 amps don't give me what I like--compared to el34's. To me the sound is very different---used with a friendly-load speaker. I owned the 5's and had them converted to triode---Eerily close to the 8xs with "all the right tubes"---At the price of tubes; I never 'just' leave them powered up.

Thanks, here are my observations so far:

a) very clean and life-like midrange reproduction
b) nice roundness to accoustic instruments
c) excellent pitch reproducing piano and female voices
d) not very good control and bass tonality compared to the X250
e) not the same degree of soubdstaging and dynamic handling as my reference amp

I have today as the last to make up my mind, as-of-today I am leaning towards keeping the x250 and save $3000.00 in the trade.

Fernando

I agree with all the comments above. One of the truly great amps (tube or SS) of all time. Al colleague of mine uses them to drive the top end of the same speakers I have...the Infinity RS 1-B's.....truely magical!!!

Fernando,

I would agree with all of your listening observations, with the exception that I am puzzled by two: I would have expected superb soundstaging from the Premier 8 and at least very good dynamic handling, with perhaps better microdynamics than macro. But, as always you have to make the choice based on what you hear in your system, and where your listening priorities fall.

Thanks for sharing your observations! Just goes to show that Pass Labs gear is well designed and executed.