CAT Preamps vs Amps

Strapper: Thanks for the details.

Bombay: Yes, I like to whine a lot.

I ran the CAT SL-1 Mk. 3 preamp with built-in phono stage in my system for several years and eventually replaced it with the Lamm L2 (line stage) and LP2 (phono stage). The Lamm phono stage came first, and it handily outperformed the phono stage built into the CAT. While the phono stage in the CAT is phenomenal for the money, IMO it is really not competitive with the very best stand-alone phono stages. About six months later, I replaced the CAT line stage with the Lamm L2. To my ears and in my system, the Lamm L2 was clearly superior to the line stage in the CAT.

Just my $.02.

I heard Jafox's Aethetix AND a CAT SL-1 Sig III in my system, and I MUCH preferred the Aesthetix. It was in nearly every way (except maybe bass) better to my ears than the CAT. I found the cat sterile and slightly artificial (but not bright) by comparison.

That's not to say the CAT preamps arent great, they are, but just not for me. At the time, I had Berning amp with Verity Parsifal Encores, and an AA Capitole II feeding the mix. Now, to be fair, i did not have the very best tubes i nthe CAT, and that may have had something to do with it as well...

One thing I forgot to mention in my novel above was that I first heard the JL-2 with the Blowtorch line stage. This pairing had far far more resolution and dynamic contrasts than I will ever have with the Aesthetix. I suspect for you ultra transparency diehards, you better hurry up and order one of these before it's too late. We had the CAT preamp on for a brief moment but immediately we went back to the Blowtorch as something was so very "right". When I go back there in Dec with the JL-3s, I hope to report on the CAT preamp with this as well.

Art, I wanted you to get that Ultimate more than you did as I was dieing to hear it over here. Now I must wait! You should see the floor in here with tubes all over the place. I got a ton of 12AX7, EL34, 6922 and 6SN7 and am swapping all sorts of combinations in the Callisto and Io trying to squeeze out a wee bit more headroom and little less noise.

The Cat SL1 Ultimate Mk II preamp is a interesting piece of equipment. Some folks prefer it and some do not. I put myself in in later category. I recently just sold my Cat Ultimate but I know there are others which really like it. I have owned several SL1 Cat ultimates over the years starting in 1999 with the original Ultimate Mk I and more recently earlier this year I repurchased the Mk II to evaluate. My opinion of this preamp has changed with the passage of time.

The SL1 Ultimate does have some strengths. It is very clear and clean sounding. It has good detail and imaging and excellent bottom end extension on the bass region, perhaps the best extension at the bottom of any tube preamp I have heard and it is very quite especially with the MK II version. It also has a certain "see through" quality that can be very appealing at first. These traits of the preamp are what first attracted me with the first Cat Ultimate I owned for several years in the beginning. Now for the bad news. I was using my SL1 Ultimate as a line stage connected to the JL2 Mk II amp using the Manley steelhead phono stage. The Cat preamp lacks the substance, size, body and especially tone I have experienced with other preamps. The dynamics are mediocre and it lacks slam impact even thought it is very clear. When I was listening to this setup and closed my eyes listening to familiar source material I was doing less toe tapping. I was not as emotionally involved with the music as I was before. I was thinking to my self "where is the beef", or another way of putting it is "where is the flesh on the bones". The lack of body, flesh and tonal balance left me feeling this preamp was "soulless". There is a certain "sameness" from record to record with the Cat Ultimate. The texture and great tone I previously was hearing on my modified MFA Luminescence preamp were missing with the Cat. While no preamp is perfect and they all have certain shortcomings it was the lack of emotion involvement and tone I noticed the most with the Ultimate Mk II. I guess some people will like the Cat preamp for its strengths but for me to many things were missing.

I do believe Ken Stevens has hit a home run with the JL2 amp. I have owned one now for 3 1/2 years and I love it. I have no desire to change or sell my JL2 amp as the flaws I listed above are not apparent with his outstanding amplifier. The sense of authority, power and "see through" like clarity of the amp have me hooked on this product. A true reference piece and his Statement product. Hopefully Ken's new 15k statement preamp will resolve some of the issues I listed above.