The resulting conrad-johnson preamplifier was immediately recognized as a state of the art contender and catapulted Conrad and Johnson into the audio industry.

The most important legacy of conrad-johnson design's beginnings is the basic methodology which took shape in the course of the development of that first preamplifier. This methodology has enabled Conrad and Johnson to develop new products which have routinely been ranked among the most musically satisfying. Few other manufacturers have so consistently received such high praise for their products.

Key Product Introductions

1977 - conrad-johnson preamplifier: this all tube preamplifier, later named the PV1, immediately established conrad-johnson as a significant player in the high-end audio arena.

1978 - MV75: (our first power amplifier). The success of this product did much to ensure the long term viability of conrad- johnson design.

1979 - Premier One: a high power 200 watt per channel all tube power amp, and conrad-johnson's first "state of the art" product. In the 10th Anniversary issue of The Absolute Sound Magazine, the Premier One was credited with being the finest sounding amplifier of that decade.

1983 - Premier Three: Absolute Sound named this all-tube preamp the best sounding preamp of the decade.

1983 - PV5: a highly successful all-tube preamplifier that found its way into the reference systems of many reviewers of the time.

1985 - MC7: under our motif brand name, the MC7 established our credentials as designers of high-end solid-state products. Solid- state products have since become a lasting and important part of conrad-johnson's line.

1986 Sonographe SD1: this low priced cd player was widely re- garded to be the equal of the most expensive cd players at that time. It marked the company's entry into digital products.

1988 Premier Seven: a full featured dual-mono preamplifier, the Premier Seven was labeled the best in the world by prominent reviewers.

1992 Premier Eight: an all tube 275 watt mono amp maintains conrad-johnson's claim to state of the art performance in amplifiers.

1997 - Anniversary Reference Triode Preamplifier (ART): this all tube line-stage preamplifier has been identified as the best sounding line-stage available by many of the industries most prominent reviewers.

Design Philosophy

The sole legitimate function of a stereo system, from modest to state of the art, is to enable the listener to enjoy the emotional experience of music performances. conrad-johnson's R&D efforts are concentrated on developing audio components which offer increasingly exact recreation of live music performances without interfering with the enjoyment of the music. This pursuit demands dedication and a genuine love of music that is impossible to hire, which explains the fact that in those few companies which succeed in producing musically satisfying components, product development is inevitably dominated by one or two individual personalities who are inextricably identified with the company.