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cat jl3 signatures vs. atmashere ma2III's

Has anyone had the cahnce to hear these amps side by side? I was wondering what the sonic differences would be between them. I have heard the cat jL2 signature but have not heard the monoblocks. Do you think the atmasphere would give me the bass slam of the cats. I know both have great midrange and I know that the cat will be a little more "maintenance" but which one do you folks prefer and why? Any input would be much appreciated.
billyg1
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Well, I've traded my CAT JL2s for Atma-sphere M-60s. Both are fantastic amps, but on my Merlins, which are OTL friendly, the OTLs are pure magic, I clearly prefer them in almost every way, though the nod has to go to the CAT on bass IMHO - not that the M-60s are not perfectly satisfactory, but those huge transformers on the CAT are there for a reason. I suspect with other speakers the CATs would have the advantage - they can drive most anything, but if your speakers are OTL friendly I suspect nothing will sound better than an Atma-sphere amp, and proabably the Joule OTLs as well.
kyomi_audio's avatar
kyomi_audio
63 posts
 
HI Pubul57,

Was your CAT JL2 or JL2 Signature?
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
non-Signature. Both brands are fantastic. But, I think if you can eliminate transformers and still drive your speakers, it is hard to beat OYLs for transparency, clarity, speed, and presence. Given that, the CAT is very, very good in those areas, with incredible bass and drive and can obviously perform well with a wider array of speaker choice (almost all). We are talking cream of crop with both brands IMHO. I'm also fortunate in that 60 watts (M-60s) is way more than enough power to drive my Merlins.
kyomi_audio's avatar
kyomi_audio
63 posts
 
There is a huge difference in transparency between JL2 and JL2 Signature MKII. It has the purity of SET and OTL and beats them in every other area you mentioned: bass, drive, dynamics. As you probably know, nobody uses top of the line Black Gate caps except Kondo, Audio Note UK, and CAT. As far as the Teflon circuit boards, they are exclusive to CAT Signature amps and the Legend preamp.
bpwalsh
1,208 posts
 
Kyomi, when posting the professional thing to do is disclose that you are a dealer with a vested interest. While it may seem to reduce the influence of your remarks, it actually lends credibility by virtue of being open about one's affiliations. People in the industry are allowed to have opinions, so no problem with that.
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