CATSL1 best pre under 3K?

At the time I had VTL 450 mono blocks.

Jwm, what was the rest of the system?

If VTL 450 mono block combination gave a forward presentation, then my Mccormack DNA-1 (silver upgrade) might also sound forwa as well ?????

DaveyF

I challenge you to a dynamic preamp throw-down! If you are near MN I will
bring my Dude over or you bring your CAT over my place. Are we on?!

Dynamics are SOTA in my Dude. Never heard better in this area. I
would love to be proven wrong or set you straight:)

Let's do it! We will post the result for all Agoners to read.

I hope you are close as I can't bring 70 plus pounds of electronics on a
plane!

You have a very nice system and well thought out room. Congrats.

This is all in good fun and I am open to such a throw down for fun and to
meet other Aphiles.

Also for the poster I have owned and listened to more preamps over the past years than you could imagine. All in my system and room. Many costing up to $12,000 new as I have been fortunate to sell gear for several high end audio friends. Without exaggeration I have listened to and compared at least 20 highly touted and highly reviewed preamps over the past 10 years....perhaps more as I lost count.

The ones mentioned are all very good indeed.... like Coincident & CAT. Others like Tom Evans Vibe, Tom Evans Soulmate, various Joule units, Atmasphere, Audio Horizons, CJ, etc...are also very good. But, in terms of which ones can be had at $3,000 and under, not sure you can get some of these like the Dude or Coincident.

The two best I have heard (in my system) under $3,000 would be these and in this order....

Audio Valve Eklipse ......absolutely a sleeper used.

Tom Evans Vibe alone and even better with Pulse power supply. But the power supply may be out of your budget.