2. amps-preamps
  3. 1191613946

Better than a CAT?

I own a CAT JL2. It is the best amp I have ever heard. I would like to know if someone who has owned a CAT, or is very familiar with their sound, has found an amp that they have found to be better in their opinion. I would like to hear from those that have auditioned other highly touted ampfliers and decided to stay with their CAT - the CAT withstood the challenge. I'm really only interested in comparisons to the CAT, not genralized comments like ,"amp xyz is the best amp I ever heard", "you should try amp xyz". I'm interested in comparative comments from those familiar with the CAT through ownership or frequent exposure to it. I personally find the amp tough to beat with its Krell-like bass and SET-like immediacy. Thank you.
pubul57

Showing 7 responses by pubul57

pubul57 OP
3,712 posts
 
I've actually heard very strong review from a fellow-audiogoner that is using the Ming Da with his CAT JL2 and loves it. Price does not appear to be an issue. So there may be someting to the Ming Da product, but of course you never know. He lives near me, I'm tempted to audition. If the person you mentioned left CAT for Ming Da, and money was not an issue, and he has "good" ears, then your know the Ming Da must be something special.
pubul57 OP
3,712 posts
 
I can't imagine that either, but this fella is a pretty seasoned audiophile. By the way, I had the CAT SL1 MKII Ultimate, and I ended up with the Joule LA 150 MKII. Both great preamps and some will love one, some the other. But I have not ever heard anything to knock the amp off it's pedestal - it is simply incredible - power and control to drive any speaker, and finesse and transparency. But this Ming Da pre does have me interested, it is "dirt" cheap by comparison to other top flight pres. Another fella whose ears I most defintely trust has falling in love with an ASL FLora pre, I think it is $3000. If this holds true, there may be some real gems in the Chinese frontier. Again, I have not heard either.
pubul57 OP
3,712 posts
 
Symphonic Line also happens to be the SS amplifier that Ken mentioned as one of his favourites. It might be an interesting amp to consider, but the currency exchange rates are making European equipment less and less interesting; and you don't see SL come up for sale on AG very often - but defintely a company that is on the radar screen. My speakers are Merlin VSM-MXes and they don't need a whole lot of amp to be controlled, very easy to drive
pubul57 OP
3,712 posts
 
I basically agree with you on the CAT. Send me an e-mail on what you would upgrade. The only thing I would not change is the Merlins. Thanks.
pubul57 OP
3,712 posts
 
Given an easy load with reasonable sensitivity, I think the JL3 would be overkill, it certainly would be with the Merlins. My view is that less power is always better if it is enough power to drive your speakers, almost always. I think it takes a lot of design ingenuity to get more power from the same basic circuit not sound worse, and that task is progressively more complex and more expensive.
pubul57 OP
3,712 posts
 
Interesting. I too recently bought an Music Reference RM9 SE, so I think Roger only has a handful left.
pubul57 OP
3,712 posts
 
The SEs were also built back then, but are all point-to-point wiring (the RM9 MKI and IIs had a board for the input stage) and use six 6bq7s in the driver stage, versus 4 6922s. I'm not sure what other tinkering Roger may have done. If I sell the CAT, the Atma-sphere OTLs are the next I want to try with my Merlins - for obvious reasons.
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