CONRAD JOHNSON ACT2

Pre owned. In excellent condition. No visible signs of wear. Supplied with original manual and packaging.

N.B. remote control not included.

The Conrad-Johnson ACT2 was created as a direct evolution of the legendary 1998 ART preamplifier, produced for the company’s 20th anniversary and regarded as one of the absolute reference designs in the brand’s history. After that extreme and highly complex project, CJ felt the need to develop a more accessible unit while preserving much of the same sonic philosophy, reducing circuit complexity and component count without abandoning its high-end design approach.

The circuit topology is directly derived from the “composite triode” concept introduced with the ART, a solution that combines multiple tube sections to emulate the electrical behavior of a single ultra–high-transconductance triode. In the ART this is achieved using ten 6922/E88CC dual triodes, while in the ACT2 the design is simplified through the use of four Russian 6H30P dual triodes per channel, known for their high electrical performance and greater operational efficiency.

The use of 6H30P tubes allows for low output impedance and a gain of approximately 21.5 dB, slightly lower than the ART’s 25 dB, but still more than sufficient to ensure stable and dynamic system drive. This configuration reduces the total number of tubes required and simplifies the internal layout while maintaining highly capable electrical performance consistent with the original design intent.

The build philosophy remains largely unchanged compared to the flagship model, with extensive use of premium components such as Teflon, polypropylene and polystyrene capacitors, ultra-tight tolerance Vishay resistors, and carefully filtered power supplies. Volume control is implemented through a precision resistor ladder switched by relays in very fine steps, while the filament supplies are fully separate and tightly regulated to ensure low noise and operational stability.

The sonic result is characterized by remarkable naturalness and a strong ability to convey music in an organic and coherent way, with a continuous and fluid presentation. The reproduction features high transparency, excellent dynamic definition, and a highly convincing soundstage, favoring the overall musical experience rather than focusing on isolated details.

From a construction standpoint, the preamplifier maintains a high-end single-chassis design with an internal layout optimized compared to the ART, making it more compact while still highly refined. The overall design approach allows it to come surprisingly close to the performance of the reference model, striking a balance between absolute performance and improved accessibility compared to the original concept.

Technical specifications:

• Gain: 21.5 dB
• Maximum output: 10 Vrms
• Output impedance: below 500 ohms
• Distortion: less than 0.1% THD
• Frequency response: 2 Hz to over 100 kHz (at unity gain)
• Hum and noise: 100 dB below 1.0 V
• Tubes: 4 x 6N30P
• Dimensions: 48.3 x 40.0 x 13.7 cm
• Total weight: 13.6 kg