Is McCormack and Conrad one and the same?

Yes and no. Yes, Steve McCormack sold his company to Conrad Johnson. He is however still designing the McCormick gear, so it is no different than when he owned the company.

I guess it was time to cash out. Now he can do his thing and not have to spent time running a company. Probably easier to retire when the time comes.

At CES last year Steve was in ajoining rooms with Bill Conrad and Lew Johnson. The McCormick gear in one room, the CJ gear in the other.

As far as I know they are still different products. It would appear that c-j has had some influence on McCormack and maybe visa versa. Prior to c-j's purchase of McCormack, most McCormack amps allowed for balanced inputs, now I believe only one top of the line amp allows for it. C-j has never allowed for balanced in-put or out-put. McCormack amps used to be DC coupled now they are capacitor coupled ala c-j. This might make for better compatability with c-j's tube pre's. McCormack makes an analog ss multi-channel pre, now c-j has a similar one using tubes.All of c-j's prior ss designs only used mosfets, now some incorporate bi-polars too. These decisions may have come about because of similar but independent thinking, to allow for cross brand compatability and marketing consistency, for business decisions such as part cost savings or assembly ease, or something all together. Conrad-Johnson ss products have been percieved in the market place as having a laid back sonic signature and McCormack a more forward sonic signature. With their most recent products each brands seems to show a market perception of meeting somewhere closer to the middle in this regard. Even their respective appearance has some similarities in some cases. One can't help but think that c-j maybe hedging it's own ss brand with McCormack. It maybe of some interest to see what develops in time.

The other thing is that McCormack gear is warranted by C-J, but Steve runs a successful business SMc modifying both older and newer McCormack to achieve a potential using better parts that was not allowed at the selling price points. BTW, has anyone looking at this thread done a direct comparison of the McCormack DNA 500 and Conrad Johnson Premire 350 amps?

Yes they are. CJ now owns McCormack. They still have their own product lines, however.

CJ owns McCormack but different products. To Mitch2 the DNA 500 and Premier 350 are entirely different products. Both are true representations of each others designs and sonic signitures.

Chuck