Some good points of discussion here, and this is exactly what lead me to do the extra upgrades on my pre-power match up.
After first experiencing the ML Statement EVO II's, driven by Dan D's Relentless amps, I knew straight away this is my reference! The statements are no longer made and prices were soaring... The CLSIIz were about the closest you could get to full range stats and that superb level of transparency in the mids & highs but bass was pretty flat. It was there but couldn't do the low notes, match it with a sub and everything is ruined.
Then came along several versions of hybrids that addressed the LF issues but to me they didn't gel perfectly with the stat panel. Although close, there was still a-miss. Almost like listening to two separate speaker systems, and trying to think it's working...
After so many years, finally arrives the CLX's. And what a radical change it was, designed from the ground up, using very high quality materials and tech, special carbon alloys, X stat vacuum bonded panels, air-frame structure, high quality parts throughout the transformers and its components and the use of triple stators for the bass. The triple stators have never been used on any stats design before, it was only ML that incorporated this design into the bass panels, and when driven properly and effectively, they can reproduce some serious bass!
After the Statement audition, I then got a chance to experience the CLX's driven by Dan D's Momentums, and being in Class A, it had an unusual grip on the bass panels. A few years after that I got another chance to experience the CLX's driven by Pass Labs amplifiers, being the XA series. Rated at just 30w/ch, it was that sheer Class A control that once again gripped the bass panels as I had experienced earlier.
Over the decades I've come across CJ gear as being highly musical and engaging, and as Roberto correctly pointed out, CJ is all about enjoying your favourite recordings, not blowing the roof off. I have found them to be exceptionally good on the mids & highs and tuneful bass but sometimes lacks in deep gutty bass, with a solid thud or whack compared to SS slam. I could term CJ's bass as being bit soft, unless it were the big monoblocks, such as the premier 8A, LP260m, LP275m, ART250's or the ART300's. These amps have plenty of open mid-range warmth and tremendous bass output, provided the speakers can handle it, these big amps can deliver!
That's when I decided to go for the upgrade on Class A ops. I didn't want to end up with huge monoblocks, these are costly to maintain and things don't get any better down the line... OTH CJ's mid-powered amps, 60-70w/ch are very musical indeed but don't offer the extra bass oomph compared with the mighty ones. So this is where I actually ventured on a major project, taking mid to high-powered amps, such as the LP125m monoblocks, rated at 125w/ch, modifying the Class A bias - voltage rails, DC regulators and power supplies, plus using the KT120 output tubes, this allows for ample Class operation, so we managed to get around 65 to 70w of Class A, anything pushed harder than this, and the output stage goes into Class AB operating above 90w and beyond.
After several tweaks and the final adjustments were completed on the main circuit, the moment I heard the first note, I realised what a remarkable difference between Class A and AB. The Class A operation grips the stats full range like no other and will drive that triple stator bass panel to their full potential! It's a massive difference compared to the standard config of Class AB, and this is exactly what CJ has done with the introduction of the ART27A. Rated at just 35w/ch but in Class A, also a similar circuit and can drive difficult loads along with a very tight grip.
After having experienced the Relentless amps, then the Momentums and third the Pass Labs, only then did I realise how much of a difference this Class A bias works, especially driving full range stats.
However, you have to be extremely careful in such mods and obviously the person doing this must know the ins & outs of the circuit like butter cake. I was also in touch with the legend himself, Nelson Pass and the tech guys at my CJ dealer, so the full go-ahead was obtained prior to any of these mods. This is why the amps sound so different from the norm of the SE versions, which are superb in every way. I sincerely think CJ should also offer a full Class A bias upgrade when offering the SE version over the standard version.
Afterall "SE" stands for "special edition", might as well just make it very unique by offering Class A operation, as they used to do on their big SS amps. The MF2550 and Premier 350 were capable of Class A operation as well. Many people didn't know exactly how much of Class A these amps were capable of before switching into Class AB.
Roberto, I've custom made my CJ pre-power to sound in a certain way, which is proprietry in design and very unique in overall sound. The preamp was also fully upgraded to the point of transformers as well being a special version. Since these are much smaller than the power amp trannies, it's more cost effective solution. I also prefer the Sovtek 6H30p tube's in the preamp stage compared to the 6922's. So I don't think my system is any better, it's just a different flavor or let's say, a different way of delivering recorded music, through driving the CLX's to their full potential without over-powering the room. It's a custom sound and something that took me nearly 15 years to achieve.
So now I guess it's time to sit back, and enjoy the music. Of course with the scotch and that cigar... Puff ?
Cheers mate, RJ
After first experiencing the ML Statement EVO II's, driven by Dan D's Relentless amps, I knew straight away this is my reference! The statements are no longer made and prices were soaring... The CLSIIz were about the closest you could get to full range stats and that superb level of transparency in the mids & highs but bass was pretty flat. It was there but couldn't do the low notes, match it with a sub and everything is ruined.
Then came along several versions of hybrids that addressed the LF issues but to me they didn't gel perfectly with the stat panel. Although close, there was still a-miss. Almost like listening to two separate speaker systems, and trying to think it's working...
After so many years, finally arrives the CLX's. And what a radical change it was, designed from the ground up, using very high quality materials and tech, special carbon alloys, X stat vacuum bonded panels, air-frame structure, high quality parts throughout the transformers and its components and the use of triple stators for the bass. The triple stators have never been used on any stats design before, it was only ML that incorporated this design into the bass panels, and when driven properly and effectively, they can reproduce some serious bass!
After the Statement audition, I then got a chance to experience the CLX's driven by Dan D's Momentums, and being in Class A, it had an unusual grip on the bass panels. A few years after that I got another chance to experience the CLX's driven by Pass Labs amplifiers, being the XA series. Rated at just 30w/ch, it was that sheer Class A control that once again gripped the bass panels as I had experienced earlier.
Over the decades I've come across CJ gear as being highly musical and engaging, and as Roberto correctly pointed out, CJ is all about enjoying your favourite recordings, not blowing the roof off. I have found them to be exceptionally good on the mids & highs and tuneful bass but sometimes lacks in deep gutty bass, with a solid thud or whack compared to SS slam. I could term CJ's bass as being bit soft, unless it were the big monoblocks, such as the premier 8A, LP260m, LP275m, ART250's or the ART300's. These amps have plenty of open mid-range warmth and tremendous bass output, provided the speakers can handle it, these big amps can deliver!
That's when I decided to go for the upgrade on Class A ops. I didn't want to end up with huge monoblocks, these are costly to maintain and things don't get any better down the line... OTH CJ's mid-powered amps, 60-70w/ch are very musical indeed but don't offer the extra bass oomph compared with the mighty ones. So this is where I actually ventured on a major project, taking mid to high-powered amps, such as the LP125m monoblocks, rated at 125w/ch, modifying the Class A bias - voltage rails, DC regulators and power supplies, plus using the KT120 output tubes, this allows for ample Class operation, so we managed to get around 65 to 70w of Class A, anything pushed harder than this, and the output stage goes into Class AB operating above 90w and beyond.
After several tweaks and the final adjustments were completed on the main circuit, the moment I heard the first note, I realised what a remarkable difference between Class A and AB. The Class A operation grips the stats full range like no other and will drive that triple stator bass panel to their full potential! It's a massive difference compared to the standard config of Class AB, and this is exactly what CJ has done with the introduction of the ART27A. Rated at just 35w/ch but in Class A, also a similar circuit and can drive difficult loads along with a very tight grip.
After having experienced the Relentless amps, then the Momentums and third the Pass Labs, only then did I realise how much of a difference this Class A bias works, especially driving full range stats.
However, you have to be extremely careful in such mods and obviously the person doing this must know the ins & outs of the circuit like butter cake. I was also in touch with the legend himself, Nelson Pass and the tech guys at my CJ dealer, so the full go-ahead was obtained prior to any of these mods. This is why the amps sound so different from the norm of the SE versions, which are superb in every way. I sincerely think CJ should also offer a full Class A bias upgrade when offering the SE version over the standard version.
Afterall "SE" stands for "special edition", might as well just make it very unique by offering Class A operation, as they used to do on their big SS amps. The MF2550 and Premier 350 were capable of Class A operation as well. Many people didn't know exactly how much of Class A these amps were capable of before switching into Class AB.
Roberto, I've custom made my CJ pre-power to sound in a certain way, which is proprietry in design and very unique in overall sound. The preamp was also fully upgraded to the point of transformers as well being a special version. Since these are much smaller than the power amp trannies, it's more cost effective solution. I also prefer the Sovtek 6H30p tube's in the preamp stage compared to the 6922's. So I don't think my system is any better, it's just a different flavor or let's say, a different way of delivering recorded music, through driving the CLX's to their full potential without over-powering the room. It's a custom sound and something that took me nearly 15 years to achieve.
So now I guess it's time to sit back, and enjoy the music. Of course with the scotch and that cigar... Puff ?
Cheers mate, RJ
