CAT SL-1 iterations

sbank. thanks for your very kind words. i´ll try to look for a Mk III.
Rgds., Frank

Andrew,
Yes, the CAT has plenty of gain to drive the .48mv ZYX. Prior to buying the ZYX, I used a Shelter 501II that is .40mv. Both were fine matches. I typically keep volume around 8:00-9:00 for about 80-85db.
The CAT allows for on the fly loading via resistors mounted on RCA plugs that connect just like interconnects. I most often use 300ohms with the ZYX, while I chose to load the Shelter at 100ohms or 150ohms.

Frank, anytime. You might want to call Ken and discuss with him yourself. He is quite approachable. Cheers,
Spencer

Sbank,

Thank you for responding. I feel much more at ease now. Thanks.

Andrew

another question... as the SL-1 is not a true balanced design and hasen´t got balanced in´s and out´s either is it worth the try to combine it with balanced gear such as Ayre, BAT or Aesthetix?

Frank,
It's hard to say without having heard those combinations.
When I owned BAT amp & preamp, I used Balanced connections, because they recommended strongly doing do, and you need adapters to use RCAs.
My experience in general is that balanced makes a big difference only with VERY long cable runs(i.e. >25ft)are used.
Every balanced piece I've seen except the BAT also has single ended, so the designers probably think it's reasonable to use with single-ended gear.
I don't think there is a concrete answer to your question. Cheers,
Spencer