Lamm 2L Reference vs CJ GAT

Suteetat,

i have heard Ref 5 and liked it a good deal more than Ref 3 which i respected but could not love, possibly for reasons not dissmilar from your own.

GAT is a CJ, and its natural tonality is just that, natural and not strident/forced linearity. Pls let me know when you've heard it for yourself...just make its been playing for at least 400-500 hours before you do...Myles Astor uses it as his reference (over the ART 3), and is adamant about this. Others have said the same.

Is CJ shrinking? It's funny how limited the Conrad Johnson preamp lineup is. There is the GAT (just 250 units CJ says), the ET3 & ET5 (with just 1 tube in these?), and the Classic.
It looks like a company planning to shut down.
Preamps I thought were their mainstay and there's not much there.

Actually, there is also an ET2. So that's GAT, ET5, ET3, ET2...i think Classic is now replaced? Four preamps is a pretty good line up. though in this economy, hard to say anyone is unshrinkable.

I have not been able to demo the CJ GAT. I did audition the CJ Act 2 Series 2 and it is the best pre IMO.

Hi Jafant,

I owned the ACT 2 Series 1, and i will say, the GAT crushed it. not close. The GAT is way more extended, has superior micro and macro dynamics...and extension. Which means the super treble comes out where you never even heard it before...but it also sounds so easy/natural on your ears, you realize the ACT 2 was "wrong".

Plus, the midrange magic is back in a way the aCT 2 does not quite deliver...at least not in comparison. And the noise floor is so low, the decay is remarkable. when you hear clapton, you can hear the voice in the back of his throat, and you can hear his throat roughness...as opposed to just the words and his breath. its crazy.

And it is more natural sounding...in a way i did not fully appreciate the ACT 2 was lacking...until i heard it in my own system. Crazy...