The final Act in a study in preamps the ART 3

Conclusion and final thoughts.

I rotated discs from my Redbook , SACD as well as DVD A collection .Initially I treated my system with the Purist Audio Design , System Enhancer Rev-B disc . Discs used in this evaluation were as follows:

1: Best of Mickey Hart . DVD A
2: Dead Can Dance . Spiritchaser both for percussion . Redbook
3:Rachmaninoff . Eiji Oue . Vocalise . Minnesota Orchestra Reference Recordings . HDCD
4:Copland . Eiji Oue . Fanfare for the Common Man . Minnesota Orchestra Reference Recordings . HDCD
5:Diana Krall . Steppin Out . Redbook
6:Al Dimeola . Flesh on Flesh . SACD
7:Patricia Barber. Live a Forthnight in France . Redbook
8:Kraftwerk . Tour de France . Electronica . Redbook

Passing 500 hours of break in I sensed a complete picture coming together. The attribute I admired most of this preamp was its grip on its own purpose. It began as an unassuming yet exuded its presence of direction from the opening note. It slowly blossomed in all directions starting at the center of the frequency response: the glorious midrange . This is what many buy Conrad Johnson products for and this is their ultimate statement on the subject . From this perspective , I would have been completely satisfied if it offered nothing more . I knew better as I had experience with the Teflon caps .

The top opened up and painted a crystal clear window that excelled in lighting the back of the recording. This attribute of gear is fast becoming a critical necessity to my own listening preferences. Cables can choke this off so never neglect proper cabling.
Diana Kralls Steppin out is a favorite of mine as well as Pat Barbers Live in France in this regard. To hear this phenomenon come to life before your eyes is to understand one of the sonic roots of our obsession we share.

Bass response is one of the most difficult areas to accurately reproduce in a system. So many factors can contribute to its effect that to ascertain the role of a particular component is most difficult. I used Kraftwerks Tour de France to get a handle on its low bass support but ended up with Al Dimeola as the final barometer. The articulation of upper bass notes as they pass to lower midrange is where I was able to discover the nuances and shadings this preamp was capable of. Clear clean and fast yet possessing weight and density , bass and lower midrange percussive notes stood out from one another in its own space which left you with the ability to follow whatever note you wanted within the soundscape with surprising ease .

Finally , its all about the music . Music can be alluring in that you feel a part of something larger than a song. You want to move and groove and share it with others . You want to sit forever and never leave your listening chair. Music can also be a portrait. It can be the most perfect arrangement of notes with dynamic contrasts, lightning leading edge transient notes and crystal clear top end extension . It can even be made to measure almost perfectly . The difference is that one is musically rewarding and makes you forget about the electronics. The other is beautiful , seemingly perfect yet the connection with your soul is somehow lost. This preamp grips you and draws you inside the music .

This preamp is the kind of product that can define a company . The Conrad Johnson ART 3 should certainly hammer its legend in stone for decades to come .

....................

This review was a labor of love for me. I am so fortunate to be able to have had this unique opportunity to share my journey with some of you .

Hi Brainwater

How is the cj ART3 going now??

I have to tell you & Tim if you are viewing that cj is back in my life baby!!.

I just bought a pre luved ART. number 56 in fact (thanks Jimbox) It sounds just wonderful. Music just seems to float in a huge 3d soundstage sounding as natural and unforced as I have ever heard.

AS you know the ACT2 and CT5 did not really float my boat, however I always luved my prem 16 and regretted selling it 3 years ago on my grass is greener over the next hill tour. Sometimes you must look back to move forward.

I have had the ART since Monday and enjoying my music more than ever, which is the point isn't it.

I even feel privilaged to have one of the 250 ART's ever made. In the future if I feel the need or desire I can upgrade to series 2 or heaven forbid series 3.

Yes the ART is truely one of the great pre amps.

Congrats Shane - that is great! The 16LS is the 'baby ART' so its father should take you to just the right spot for your sonic preferences. Now all you need are some nice Amperex Orange Globe 6DJ8 or 7308s. :-)

Tim

Thanks Tim

the ART seems to be a lot quieter than the LS16 ever was, however I think most of that is from the Mac 2102's. They are a lot quieter than my old prem8a's.

What do the Amperex Orange globe's bring to the musical equation?.
I am sure they are expensive and buying 10 should be fun.

The stk electro harmonic's sound prety good at the moment

I mentioned Amperex Organge Globes because they seem to be out there, are not the priciest, and are a reasonable representative of what early (NOS or near NOS) tubes can do. But there is a variety of manufacturers: Telefunken, Siemans, Mullard, etc. You don't need all ten of the same manufacturer , but they must all be of the same type (6DJ8, 6922 or 7308). I've found that mixing manufacturers can yield the best results. I'm guessing that two or three per channel would make an improvement.

So what do less than contemporary tubes bring? Typically more extended highs, much better harmonics, and often a deeper more dimensional souundstage. Their sound tends to be less 'mechanical' or analytic - but I don't want to over-generalize. And NOS usually will last quite a bit longer. That was certainly the case with my 16LS. There simply was no point listening to the stock CJ 6922s (typically Sovtek) when there were easily better choices. Price is all over the map - anywhere from $35 a tube up to several hundred. Depends on the seller and the tube.

Tube rolling is one thing I miss w/ the ACT2.

Tim