What can you tell me about First Sound pre-amps?

Rayhall thanks again. I bought a CAT SL-1 Ultimate MK II today. I had been eying it for a long time, so it was time to finally pull the trigger. I'm partial to smooth, lush and midhall performance. Plus David Berning himself likes the CAT with the Berning. I am hoping this will be the last peice of gear I buy for a loooong time. Time to start enjoying the music. Anyway, thanks for the input!

BTW, what tubes are in the CAT? I have a set of nice 6922's from my FS days that i would love to put back into service.

Hi Art,

Now you've got me interested! I have always wanted to know about the Mk II and what it sounded like relative to the Mk I. Since I have a Mk I, your experience might differ somewhat, but I love the Telefunken 6922's in the V6 and V7 position, Telefunken 12AX7 in the V8 and V9 position and a Telefunken 6DJ8 in V10. If you don't use phono and your unit has a phono section, you can economize with the tubes in V1-V5. Otherwise, use the same tubes in V1-V5. If the cost of this tube substitution is too expensive, you can either leave or acquire the stock EI Yugo 12AX7's. They are not bad at all. But do replace the stock Sovtek 6922's. With Telefunken, you will get deeper bass, better dynamics, and better extension in the high frequencies. As far as the Mark I is concerned, I have tried many tubes in the CAT Ultimate, particularly in the V6 and V7 position, and I doubt that you will find better than the Telefunken 6922. With other NOS tubes that I have tried, you are bound to lose something

You just made my day. I has spent a small fortune on a pair of Amperex 'pinched waist' 6922's (US) from 1960, which were simply awesome in the FS. I did not sell them with the FS, so now they will have a home in my CAT!

I hope they work for you in the CAT. I have found tubes which work in the F.S. often don't work in the CAt and vice versa. I would, if I had any money left, compare them to the Telefunken 6922.

Art's system changes make my head spin! Way to go, guy. Can't wait to hear how you like the CAT. (Of course, you also have new speakers to get used to.)