CJ Premier 18/Cary slp 98-which is closer to PF-R?

Not familiar with the CJs, but the SLP-98 does the "lush, bloomy" thing big time, but not at the expense of extension or dynamics. It's a very ballsy sounding preamp when outfitted with quality NOS 6SN7s...mine also has the oil caps and direct-coupled output options.

I agree with Triode that the SLP-98 does the "'lush, bloomy' thing big time." In my system, it did it a bit too much, but I can certainly see how it would be perfect for some systems and taste. The Conrad Johnson I am familar with is the 17, and it is not nearly as rich and heavy in the midbass.

An interesting alternative, allbeit more expensive, would be an Emotive Audio Sira. This is a very lively, harmonically rich and exciting sounding linestage that make both the CJ and the Cary sound a tiny bit flat and boring by comparison.

If you don't need a remote control then First Sound preamps are amazing. Very rich and musical and honest at the same time. Notes seem to explode out of a blackness.

I think it's hard to go wrong with Cary or CJ though. I've heard a lot of Cary and CJ gear and Cary does seem the richer sounding of the two generally. CJ finds a nice middle ground between being overly sterile and being overly rich. My choice would probably depend on my mood in the moment. I definitely have CJ moods and Cary moods...

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