Conrad Johnson CT5 Stereo Preamplifier Reviewed
- By: Brian Kahn,
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Conrad Johnson is one of most well-known and respected names in the world of tube audio gear. The CT5 stereo preamplifier reviewed here is the result of trickle-down technology from the company's famous ACT preamplifier, which itself descends from the legendary and far more expensive ART preamplifier. At $8,500, it is roughly half of the price of the current ACT II preamplifier, which shares its composite triode circuit design. The Conrad Johnson website provides more information on this circuit design.• Read more preamplifier reviews from HomeTheaterReview.com.
• Find a receiver to connect with the CT5 preamplifier.
The CT5 is a beautifully designed and wonderfully built preamplifier. It features Conrad Johnson's signature champagne-colored faceplate, divided into three horizontal sections. The left section features a discreet silk screen of "Conrad Johnson" above two metallic buttons, power and source. Adjacent to the source button is a row of five orange LEDs to indicate the selected source. The center section is concave, with horizontal Plexiglas panels that protect the two 6N30P tubes.
The right side of the unit has a circular display window with orange LED numerals displaying the volume for each channel. Buttons below the circle control volume, mute and engagement of the external processor loop. The external processor loop allows for easy integration with a theater system. The back side of this 31-pound, 15.5-inch-deep, 19-inch-wide and five-inch-tall unit features a bevy of high quality single ended inputs and outputs. The CT5 comes with a hefty machined metal remote control.
Turning on the CT5, I was surprised by the long wait for the unit to warm up, during which no control input is accepted. I quickly learned to simply leave the unit on and muted in between a day's listening sessions. Once warmed up, I found the sound quality to be excellent. The CT5 is quite simply one of the best preamplifiers I have heard to date. I have heard the twice as expensive ACTII and, while it is better, it isn't even near twice as good. The midrange is extremely smooth and liquid, without smearing details. Likewise, the highs are extended and clear without any harshness, and the lows are deep, solid and detailed, albeit lacking some of the impact of the best solid state amplifiers.
Read more about the high points and low points of the CT5 on Page 2.
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Comment on this article
RE: The lack of balanced connectors.
If you have a little chat with Lew Johnson, he'll gladly tell you that his company doesn't cheap-out when it comes to compoents for their products. Keeping that in mind, if you were to include a balanced side, you would effectively double the number of parts in the box. Guess what that does to the price!
Another aspect to this is that adding the balanced input/output further complicates the basic design which in turn can color sound reproduction. Remember K.I.S. (keep it simple).
As a former recording engineer, I'm all for using XLR connections... FOR PROFESSIONAL USE! If you're not making 50 ft.+ cable runs and you don't have to worry about a performer swinging his mic around like a propeller, in my opinion you're wasting your money by using a balanced system with XLR connectors. But that's just MY opinion.
In the meantime, if it sounds good to your ears... That's what's important. This stuff is supposed to be FUN!
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