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Having been a hifi gear head since the mid 70's I have always wanted a Conrad Johnson preamp. Being young with less than 2 nickels in my pocket I would walk into this hifi store and dream of owning this Conrad Johnson that sat center stage. Thru the years the CJ sat there and the look stayed as things went silver to black. The Conrad Johnson on the self seem to never change. Wanted one so badly. Sadly that hifi store went the same direction as most.
On my 55th birthday I decided to get back into vinyl and found a local hifi store that had turntables on display once again. As I look around there on center display was a Conrad Johnson ET3 looking just as I remember last seeing other CJ's from my past. Had to have it for my 55th present to myself and purchased it new.
2 months went by and a low audible hiss appeared. Called the store and they said the tube might need replacing and they would send one to me as a favor. Within a several months that one began hissing also. Store told me to contact CJ which I did.
To save this story from getting any longer, I am now on my 4th tube in 3 1/2 years. I rarely play it as this ET3 only wears them out fast. Seems the bias needs fixing. Contacted Conrad Johnson and my less than 1 year old CJ was out of warranty. The CT ET3 had been in that store so long and had chewed up the warranty. The best I got out of CJ and the store was to send it in, pay a service fee to look at it and then pay for repairs.
I chose to shelf it.
I had never heard of this type of warranty before, one in which the manufacture date begins the clock running. I also understand the concept and the need. But I cannot say I like it, especially from CJ. The store even confirmed to them my purchase date.
I also have heard that CJ's are high maintenance before ever purchasing one. I had a lot of choices that I could have made but kept seeing that model I first saw on the shelf in my youth. Now I think I know why it never changed, it was most likely the same unit sitting there when the store closed, not working.
On my 55th birthday I decided to get back into vinyl and found a local hifi store that had turntables on display once again. As I look around there on center display was a Conrad Johnson ET3 looking just as I remember last seeing other CJ's from my past. Had to have it for my 55th present to myself and purchased it new.
2 months went by and a low audible hiss appeared. Called the store and they said the tube might need replacing and they would send one to me as a favor. Within a several months that one began hissing also. Store told me to contact CJ which I did.
To save this story from getting any longer, I am now on my 4th tube in 3 1/2 years. I rarely play it as this ET3 only wears them out fast. Seems the bias needs fixing. Contacted Conrad Johnson and my less than 1 year old CJ was out of warranty. The CT ET3 had been in that store so long and had chewed up the warranty. The best I got out of CJ and the store was to send it in, pay a service fee to look at it and then pay for repairs.
I chose to shelf it.
I had never heard of this type of warranty before, one in which the manufacture date begins the clock running. I also understand the concept and the need. But I cannot say I like it, especially from CJ. The store even confirmed to them my purchase date.
I also have heard that CJ's are high maintenance before ever purchasing one. I had a lot of choices that I could have made but kept seeing that model I first saw on the shelf in my youth. Now I think I know why it never changed, it was most likely the same unit sitting there when the store closed, not working.