2. amps-preamps
  3. 132740-3884

Fix it or not, my CJ Premier 11a Amp?

I can't get rid of my old stuff, but I'm trying. So, one day years ago I have my system turned on and just warming up. I walk up to it and see my Conrad Johnson Premier 11a power amp turned off. I thought I turned it on, so l flip the switch a couple of times and nothing. The fuse is blown, I replace it, and then snap, crackle, pop. Crap, what did I do, many know the feeling...Now what?

I would wind up upgrading my system after that, so today I don't have speakers compatible with my old CJ. It sits on a shelf in a basement back room and shares its company with other relics like Sansui, BAT, SOTA, Anthem, Theta, Heathkit, etc.. It's a museum of old memories.

So, that's the story behind my indecision about what to do with the amp. All my other relics actually work, so I have better options with those. I have also seen in some recent threads, that the customer service at CJ may have slipped somewhat, but that's heresay. So, is my amp worth fixing or just a pretty door stop?
Kenny
kennythekey
inna
7,923 posts
 
Old memories should not be broken. Whether you would want to keep it or pass it on to someone else.
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
It's a classic tube amp, get it fixed or if you don't want to bother you might try the auction route as is with a minimum bid you would be comfortable with, you may be surprised. The other option IF you have a comparable speaker is to upgrade it. You are in a good position with such a vintage product. Wanna trade for a vintage Perreau amp plus cash, I'd be more than happy to oblige. In all cases you have excellent options, good luck! 



marco1's avatar
marco1
617 posts
 
Getting it done inexpensively or quickly at CJ, based on my past experiences, is wishful thinking.  Whether its worth fixing imo would depend upon the cost to fix.  Depending on where you're located shipping back to CJ and the bench charge along could be several hundred dollars.  Try to find someone locally to at least give you an estimate of the repair cost.

Good luck.
erik_squires
16,746 posts
 
Another alternative, you could sell it AS-IS.

I imagine a number of people would buy it under those circumstances. Then you could get it off your hands, and not deal with the service at all. You would loose a lot of value that way though, just depends on whether you'd like cash now, or to do a little work to get more cash later.

Best,

E
bigkidz
3,435 posts
 
Send it to me in New Jersey and I will convert to point-to-point wiring and then it will just sound magical. I did this for a CJ MV-50 amp and paired with my Meadowlark speakers at the time was just pure magic. I also upgraded a few resistors and caps but nothing that expensive. It changed the sound of that amp for the better. Happy Listening.
More to discover