For more than thirty years, conrad-johnson has refined the concept of high
end audio through its relentless pursuit of excellence. For as long as the
company has been producing its world-renowned state of the art audio
instruments, it has also been adapting the technologies and construction
techniques responsible for those products and applying them to more affordable
components designed for the music-lover who requires musically satisfying
performance but whose budget does not encompass the loftiest of current
offerings. The conrad-johnson Classic vacuum-tube preamplifier honors
this thirty-year heritage of musically accurate, moderately priced preamplifiers
which have displayed the conrad-johnson name.
The Classic faithfully reproduces the harmonic structure of complex
musical passages, preserving the distinctive tonal character of each instrument
and voice. The space of the sound stage and the ambience of the concert hall are
conveyed in realistic, three dimensional perspective. Individual instruments are
precisely located within that three dimensional space. Musical transients are
reproduced naturally, with realistic impact, but without the artificial
enhancement which characterizes so many "hi-fi" components. Never imposing its
own distractions, the Classic invites the listener to enjoy the musical
performance.
The Classic preamplifier is available as either a line-stage, or
with an optional phono stage. Both stages are zero-feedback circuits. The phono
section uses two triode amplifiers separated by a passive RIAA equalization
network. The second triode amplifier is direct coupled to a high-current output
stage. The line-level section has a single triode amplifier also direct coupled
to a high-current output stage. These output buffer stages minimize the output
impedance, making the Classic compatible with nearly all installations,
including those requiring long lengths of interconnect cable. DC plate voltages
are supplied by a very low impedance discrete regulator, designed to prevent the
power supply from imposing its own colorations on the audio signal. A regulated
filament supply further isolates the unit from ac line voltage fluctuations.
Premium quality component parts are specified for the Classic to assure
full realization of the potential performance of the circuit designs and to
dependably sustain that performance for years to come. Precision, metal-film
resistors yield low noise performance for greatest clarity. Polypropylene and
polystyrene capacitors, used exclusively in both the audio circuits and the
regulated plate voltage supplies, offer maximum temporal accuracy. Phono
equalization in the Classic is accomplished with 1% tolerance precision
parts to assure tonal neutrality. Industrial quality controls offer extended
life and maintain a crisp, precise feel.
