Conrad Johnson Primier 16ls1 vs 16ls2 owners...

Stan

Glad I could help. Your question / comment puzzled me since I know quite a few people who are CJ fans and you are the first one I have ever heard make a comment or ask a question concerning short tube life on CJ premier pre-amps.

Chuck

I can only speak to the version 2, which I have and love. I have used it quite a lot and it was an original demo model on top of that. After more than 2 years and a lot of service easily 1,000 to 1,500 hours a year I have yet to replace a tube. I believe their estimated tube life is 5,000 hours so in a year or so I may consider it. good luck and enjoy the music.

Thanks all for your help. I've been looking for another preamp and wanted to use the nos tubes that I own. I'm happy to hear that the CJ 16ls gives normal tube wear. I think that I'll be looking for a 16ls2. Could anyone comment about the soundstage of the 16ls2? Stan

I owned the 17LS (the original, not the LS2 which uses the new capictors). The 16LS2 was a major step up in terms of clarity, bass response, and high end definition. What I heard, at least in IMHO, was a noticeable improvement in soundstaging (and the 17LS was already very good in this respect). I currently use Amperex 7308 green label in the pre-amp. I've rolled many tubes into the 17LS and the 16LS2 and this is the one I keep coming back to. The white label 7308s were a little too soft in the pre-amps but for some reason, at least in my system, work the best as the input tube in my C-J Premier 140 together with the green label 7308s in either pre-amp. I've tried Bugle Boys, Orange label 6DJ8s, HP labelled 6DJ8s in both, Telefunkens, Mullards, Siemens (including the pinched-waist varities when available of all of the above), ad nauseuem. I always come back to the combination noted. It's just a matter of the synergy with your system.

The 16LS2 is a very , very nice preamp.

Just my 2¢.

Good luck.
Joe

I think the soundstage is Excellent.I also used Telefunken
tubes in mine.The better the interconnects are the better the soundstage.Do your interconnects have ultra wide bandwidth with high resolution.If so then you are ready to go.