What speakers are you using with your Conrad Johnson gear?

[Big Dog RJ]

There's one system I recently auditioned that's just awe inspiring and also comes with a hefty price tag! The speakers alone are rated at 80 grand a pair, which is in USD$. I was told by the Spain distributor that if these were to land in Aus we're looking at around 140 - 160 grand for the pair, which is basically the same price as the Martin Logan Neolith. And thats ML's top of the line, whereas these speakers at 80 grand is just their entry level!

The speaker I'm talking about is the Alsyvox ribbons, one heck of a ribbon panel. It was driven by the CJ ART300's, same chap using the Dan D'Augostino Momentums and the Relentless monoblocks on his ML Statements.

There's another chap on WBF using the same pair of Alsyvox but drives them with the original CJ ART monoblocks, and they sound superb!

Well just to experience this level once in a lifetime is something special and to know that the main amplifiers are CJ is definitely very special!

So if any of you get a chance to listen to the Alsyvox ribbons, do let me know what your thoughts are. To sum it up, basically they can do solid tight bass just like a Dynamic driver, it has startling acceleration equivalent to stats, it has that glorious mid-range warmth that ribbons and stats are known for and it has a top end that's pure as silk! I'm not sure if 80 grand would be considered entry level but the other double and triple panel configs offered are well into the 200 grand region.

I do know that these particular ribbons use the most powerful magnets on earth, called the Neyodimium magnets, these are extremely powerful, creating powerful dynamics plus high efficiency, so that these speakers can be driven with low powered SET tube amps. My next visit which will be around late Feb, I'll get to hear another Alsyvox system driven by Lamm Audio SET power amps, the ML3.2 series. This gets even better, and so does the price tag... Pre-power match up = 200 grand alone, then add another 80 grand to the speakers and you have close to 300 grand just for amplification and speakers! Hot damn! Slap me silly...

Anyway, I guess when we get home and listen to our humble systems, we truly appreciate it even more!

So here's another ribbon panel speaker used with CJ gear. Check out the Alsyvox video clip on you-tube, truly one of a kind.
Cheers maties, RJ

[admin]

Just took a look at these speakers online: https://alsyvox.com/products/

They look very much like a "fancy" magnepan. I would love to hear these in person, although I know they are in no way within my budget!

[bear]

Agree with RJ. I heard these ribbons and they are excellent. Would have loved to hear them with CJ amps but I had to "settle" with mega buck high power solid state mono blocks that cost much more than CJ. It only took less than one minute to hear the excellence in the Alsyvox design.

Are they better than ML? Would have to hear them in the same system side by side. But they are in the top list of currently available speakers. Their pricing, like most high end today, is obscene.

There are also some other designs I have heard that are superb also, hybrid horns and omni type speakers among them. Pricing is also way out of reach for all but the extremely wealthy. Really makes ML seem like a bargain??

[Big Dog RJ]

Yes that's a definite! ML or Maggies are value for money and true high-end contenders at somewhat affordable range.
The materials used on the Alsyvox are top notch. Even the stand / base which holds the entire frame is priced at 10 grand! And you can't use it without this stand, as it supports the whole panel that rests on four high grade steel feet made from a specific type of metal alloy. Every inch of this panel from top to bottom is truly exotic, by just looking at it you can tell the difference, let alone listening to music...

The beauty of these are that they can be driven with low powered SET tube amps. So you really don't need 300w/ch of CJ finesse! But oh wow what a performance!

Having said that and experienced this, the CLX's are still my all time favourite. There's simply no other speakers I would want to own and retain in the long term. They were my dream speakers and I've built my particular system around the type of custom sound that I prefer. It purely delivers the truth in the recording, that's the most important factor for me.

The Alsyvox and other gear that are in the range of 100 grand and above are suited to those who have large disposal incomes, basically don't know what do with their money. As for and the majority of my trusted fellow Audiophiles, we live and lead normal realistic lives, kids higher education, family and house matters to attend to plus most importantly health and wellness. Therefore, even if I had this kind of finances, I wouldn't spend this kind of money on hi-fi, after all that's simply what it is, just audio hi-fi gear with fancy gadgets claiming to be the real thing.

In all my experience with this audio passion, I learnt one very important lesson and that is if the recording is at its best, you will enjoy your music on any decent sounding gear, it doesn't have to be lofty... It all starts with the quality of the recording, that's about as good as it gets!

Regardless of system price, design, materials, & tech used, if the recording is bad to mediocre then that's exactly what you're going to get. Start with the source and build your way up to what you can possibly afford, that way you will end up with a truly satisfying system rather than the other way round, hoping to achieve great sound without addressing the basics just because it costs a million bucks!

With that said, I truly believe that CJ is value too! There are so many ultra-highend gear that are priced at fancy tags but they're no where close to what CJ can deliver... I've heard far too many lofty systems that fall short big time, again the basics have not been addressed.

I sincerely hope in time to come that CJ will continue to offer products at good value and not get carried away in the fancy dome... Would certainly like to see another revamped PV & MV series making a comeback but I guess that's upto JF to decide.

For what it's worth, just enjoy the CJ gear we all have and be satisfied knowing that we all currently own one of the finest in high-end audio!

Cheers to CJ,
Best, RJ

[Nascimento Brasil]

In the late 90s I used CJ premier 12 with B&W 801 Matrix S3, today I use LP70S with Tannoy Westminster Royal HE!
 

[scipio13031965]

I use Avalon Opus, but everyone tells me that it would be better to power these speakers with Spectral, what do you think?

[AnotherJohnson]

Speaker and amp matching is art ... perhaps the best matches were found serendipitously.

I could not say that this brand or that brand always drives a particular speaker best. It’s not brand dependent. It’s model combination dependent.

As an example, I used to run a pair of Martin Logan Theos in one system. It was powered by an MF2200. I thought it sounded good at the time.

I picked up another MF2200 and vertically biamped them. It was obvious to casual listeners that the two MF2200s were better on the Theos than just one.

I replaced them with a Krell KSA150. Better still.

I added a second KSA150, and left the system alone for several years because I thought it was about as good a match as I could make.

Later, the maintenance on the Krells was just too aggravating. I had Krell do one last service on them, sold them, and ran the Theos with my MF2550SE.

The MF2550SE by itself was as good as the biamped Krells. It was also 100% reliable.

Later I tried the LP275m monoblocks with the Theos. I liked the MF2550SE better.

With all of these combinations I ran the shortest, heaviest gage oxygen free copper speaker cables I could make with solder free Nakamichi banana plugs. Shorter, heavier gage has the least impact on the load the amps sees, especially with Theos which can dip to below 1 ohm at 20,000 Hz.

My point is that it’s not so much about one brand, but about models within brands.

FWIW, in the Revel line of speakers, it’s not hard to find a good amp to match with them. They’re not finicky and if their load dips, it’s more likely to dip to 4 ohms than to 1 ohm.

[AnotherJohnson]

The KSA150 pair was vertically biamped.

I forgot to mention that I also tried an MV52 with the Theos and , to my ears, this was a horrible combination. I’ve never heard such poorly controlled bass.

[Big Dog RJ]

Hey AJ,

The MV52 is a very old design, dating well back to the 80's...
Therefore, this particular tube amplifier was not built on "reference" standards. It was more for the enjoyment of music, not used as the ultimate in analytics...

For that league, CJ offered the Premier series amplifiers, and as you are well aware they are in a different league. So it's a bit difficult to judge this amplifier only on bass but it was far more musical than most tube amplifiers during that time. This musicality or let's call it "golden glow" is what CJ was known for and it was the hallmark of CJ's quality back then.

Obviously the Premier series offers far greater sonic performance in every aspect but that was also surpassed by the LP series, and now by CJ's latest offerings, such as the ART series of amplifiers. So it's quite a big margin since the humble MV52...

I would also agree, not a good match with your ML Theos. However, if it was a Premier 11A that would be a very fine combination. I had at one time a Prem 11A driving a pair of ML CLS IIZ's, although within limits, boy was it awesome!

The MV52's next version, which was the MV55 was much better and then further improved in the MV60/SE, which actually replaced the Prem 11A. The MV60SE will also be an excellent match with the Theos. No issues handling stats, it drove my previous Quad ESL2905's effortlessly. Marvelous sound indeed!

Cheers mate,
RJ

[AnotherJohnson]

My point was that you can’t generalize by brand. MV52, MF2200, MF2550, LP275 ... all are Conrad Johnson. They sound different one to the next. They sound different biamped. When I think of CJ signature sound, I always have in mind the space around voices and instruments. How well CJ sound is delivered is tied to the whole system.

Of course the MV52 was very nice for its time and price point.

But it was never a good match for speakers like the ML hybrids.

FWIW, I am not generally happy with the way lower powered amps control most speakers. It may be that my preference for live sound levels in a large space drive this.

[roberto]

Hola,

Getting back, my Martin Logan CLXs, are singing beautiful. I did clean all the contacts of the preamp and power amp, and clean the cable contacts and the speaker contacts...it is just amazing doing this little thing. I am using a sub along the CLXs, but just a little bit of volume, just enough for the deepest bass notes, using the ML special filter that you can download from the site, and it is specially made to blend the CLXs with the BF-210. It works like magic.

Happy listening!

[Markportwash]

Hello

I have a Conrad Johnson ET-5 and a lp125sa+ I just started using the new Fleet Wood Sound Deville speakers that look and sound wonderful they are very natural and no overly harshness like some speakers

[roberto]

Hola Mark,
That's a great system...I have a very dear friend here in Costa Rica who has the same, the LP125SA and the ET-5. His sound is wonderful. Those Fleetwood speakers look splendid. I love the wood and the tweeter shape is awesome. Enjoy!
Happy listening!

[rff000]

NHT 2.5. Bought new a long time ago. Work better than ever with the CJ MF-2550.

[MattHooper]

I have CJ Premier 12s (in use for the last 20 years).

Currently I use these speakers:

Thiel 2.7
Joseph Audio Perspective

Also: Spendor S3/5

My list of previous speakers spans back a long time, all powered beautifully by the CJs. The list includes: MBL 121 omni monitors, Thiel 3.7 (larger flagship speakers), Audio Physic (various), Hales, Von Schweikert, Meadowlark Audio, Waveform, and others.

[Big Dog RJ]

Nice one on the Theil's, especially the 3.7 big speakers need good power and current drive. CJ's monoblocks will handle these speakers really well.

Enjoy those fine tunes!
Cheers, RJ

[MattHooper]

Big Dog RJ,

I'd always been intrigued by the Thiels I'd heard in stores, finding them incredibly accurate sounding and imaging with a density, focus and palpability lacking in many other speakers (perhaps Jim Thiel was on to something with time/phase accuracy). But there always a bit on the "hard" slightly thin, reductive side.

Then at a CES audio show (going back a long time) I heard Thiel CS6s powered by VAC tubes, in the VAC room. It was among the most glorious sounds of the show. It had that Thiel sense of accuracy, density and aliveness, but smoother, richer, just about perfect sound.

I was smitten with that sound and wanted to re create it. At the time I had a CJ MV55 amp which wouldn't really control something like the Thiels.
So I went for the Premier 12s, around the time I got some Thiel CS6 in the house to try. There it was! That magic sound of Thiels on tubes! Pretty much what I'd heard in the VAC room. Ultimately I went through many different speakers, but came back to the Thiels when the CS3.7 were being sold off cheaper, just as Thiel was changing hands (and dropping Jim's coherent source design, sadly). The 3.7s were incredible with the Premier 12s. Utterly in control from top to bottom, open, airy, dense, punchy, bang on timbre, organic. My friend who said he always wanted to run screaming from the room when encountering Thiel speakers (too bright!), was dumbfounded, said it was incredible and the best sound I'd ever had.

Ultimately I had to downsize from the 3.7s which were causing a bit of aesthetic and ergonomic issues in my modest sized room (which also does double duty for home theater). So the search was on for somewhat smaller speakers that could still sound big. Which led me to the Joseph Perspectives. They are just extraordinary speakers, transparent has hell, yet utterly smooth and grain free, punchy, dynamic, disappear as sound sources, massive soundstage, crazy bass for their size, the CJs power them beautifully. But I also found a crazy deal on some Thiel 2.7s, the slightly smaller version of the flagship that came out just after the 3.7s, and they give me a big helping of what I had with the 3.7s. So I switch between the Thiels and the Joseph speakers, great in their own ways.

One thing is I was also bitten by another speaker during my auditions, the Devore Fidelity O/96 speakers. Absolutely loved how big and rich and dynamic they sounded while having incredible organic instrumental timbre. Some day I might try those out too.

[AnotherJohnson]

During Jim Thiel’s lifetime, there were no finer speakers.

He was a real innovator. No B.S. or gobbledygook either. He was a straight shooter. In Jim’s designs, there was never anything included with the intent to obfuscate.

As a lover of Jim’s designs, I find myself drawn to the middle and upper range of the Revel line. To my ears, the Performa3 and higher Revels share many Thiel qualities.

[MattHooper]

I agree AnotherJohnson.

When I did a huge speaker audition search to replace the Thiels, it was the Paradigm Persona and Revel speakers that came closest to the sound, especially the Revel. However I found the Paradigms tipped up and fatiguing in the high end, and the Revel, though extremely competent, just didn't really grab me. When I'd come home to the Thiels there was a warmth to the tone and timbre that I desired. (Part of it being the CJ amps, though not entirely as I also tried solid state amps with the Thiels). But I certainly understand why people love Revel. Really evenly balanced, smooth from top to bottom, very transparent but not thin sounding.

[AnotherJohnson]

The Paradigm family are indeed Thiel like in many ways. Jim used Scandinavian sourced drivers in many of his designs.

Until I found the Martin Logan hybrids, I was never anxious to replace my Thiels. It was a sad day when I fully understood just how critical Jim’s input was in the success of the speakers that bore his name. His passing ended the era of Thiel dominance, at least to my ears. The post Jim designs never satisfied me. The Nashville incarnation of the company turned out to be different.

Meanwhile, the Revel F228 Be is a wonderful match for my CJ LP275Ms. I couldn’t be happier.