cat jl3 signatures vs. atmashere ma2III's

Louis, thanks for referencing the Marc Mickelson review of the CAT JL2 amps. It was an interesting read. I suppose, as with so much else in this hobby of ours, the right answer for each of us will ultimately depend on finding the right balance and synergy of components that comprise the entire system. One thing I ponder over is the impact of Mickelson's preferred speakers in his appraisal of what he's hearing. Still, a good article and well worth reading. Thanks again for pointing to it.

Regards,

Duane were you being serious? Just curious. I totally agree with the "overkill" comments, in my view less power is almost always better than more if it is sufficient for the speaker load and sensitivity and a loudness level you seek. Duke, do you think the S-30 would drive the Merlin VSM-MXe (89db, very linear 8 ohm load)as effectivley as the higher powered Atmas?

Interesting he finds stronger attributes in the JL2 amps in his August review but then in his new October review of Atma's MP-1 preamp, he has this comment.

"Regardless of technology, pairing the MP-1 Mk III preamp to my Atma-Sphere MA-1 Mk III power amps increased the sonic realism of my system. But the effect was subtractive -- this dynamic duo simply put less between the music and my ears. Together they yielded a distortion floor lower than any combination of gear I’ve used thus far."

The S-30 loves 12 ohm and ideally higher impedance loads. It will drive your Merlins but the M-60 is a better match IMO.

Disclaimer: AS retailer

I get the sense we are talking about two great companies and the choice of one over the other is personal to the listener and the answer on how to choose must be based on audition - we all hear a bit different and have our own priorities on the type of sound we prefer. I suspect the CAT will perform with a wider selection of speakers, able to handle more difficult loads than the Atma, but others might pipe in and say that is not really the case. If one is already considering Atma OTLs, it might also make sense to add the Joule amp to the audition list.