CAT JL-2 Mk2 vs LAMM M1.2 ... on WP 6 or 7

Brian: That is an amzing idea you are thinking as I was thinking exactly the same thing. Wow, weird!

Bob: I need to go to Chicago to drop off a turntable to be repaired by Brian's friend and I figured that since I will be there, I might as well take the CAT amps too. And then when I read your interest to also hear these two amps, I was thinking Brian's place would be perfect.

My system here is on the warm and bloomy side with some compromises to the ultimate in neutrality and resolution. Dynamics and contrasts are very good but not quite excellent. Brian's system has much more resolving and dynamic capability so this should really show the strengths and differences of each of the CAT amps.....and in comparison to the Atma-Sphere amps. This would be a very cool opportunity to hear these amps in a state of the art system.

My only concern is that we might triple his monthly electric bill in just one day. Hopefully there are one or two spare 30A circuits to use.

So gentlemen, let me know if this sounds possible in late July or early August.

John

Guys, I have to admit that I am not very enthused about the idea of lugging a pair of 200-lb. amps on an 11-hour round-trip journey. Nonetheless, Brian, I very much appreciate your generous offer and your hospitality.

I wouldn't be very hot on the idea either Bob. You and Racquel are the only two people here who don't know what would happen during the course of that evaluation. Here's the conversation you'd have minutes after completing the comparison: "Hello Mr. Stevens, what's the price of a pair of JL-3's?"

speakerdupe: I think you are wrong.

Well in all fairness to Bob, I can relate to the hassle of having to haul these beasts around. And with this taking up most of 2 days with travel and several hours of listening, that's tough for anyone to do these days. It's easier for me as I already was planning to make the journey, and I previously mentioned to Brian that I would bring the amps with me. If I had not planned for nor had a reason to drive to Chicago other than for this listening session, I'm sure I would have replied much the same as Bob did above.

As for the outcome in the listening session, we all have some expectations here. And we would certainly hear qualities from Brian's burned-in Atma-Sphere amps driving the U1s that exceeds either of the CAT amps.

With or without the opportunity to hear these two amps at one time, Bob and I both realize how fortunate we are to own these amplifiers.

John