Transistor Preamp that sounds like a Tube Preamp?

Tbg, whose the one who can't stop chirping? No, no, no ain't "malice" - which was my original post, followed by your "stupid" comment. Which I don't think is malicious either, just rudeness. I tried to let it go for both of us, but...

I have a better idea. I'm sending you my info. Give me a ring. Maybe we can track each other down.

BTW, I can't quite remember or not from the H-Cat thread, but were you ever affiliated with H-Cat in any way, or was it just a good buddy thing, or only a satisfied customer?

On issue, tgb - and, yes, I'm still trying to get there - could you please address the issues I raised about SS limitations. How do you think that the H-Cat overcomes those limitations?

Tbg, on gregm's point, how do you think SS circuit design has improved, beyond better routing and isolation? I don't know the answer myself, necessarily, but would be interested in your answer.

Tbg has good feedback as a seller. I sent him a concilliatory message asking him to call me. Seemed the best away around things over the long haul.

I just talked to Tbg. Seems like a really sweet guy. Funny how that works. Another lesson in life for us both. We both agreed that, as stubborn people, we both got sucked in by the dreaded thread monster. The world is sunny again (or always was, and we just stopped paying attention for a while). Sorry, Mrtennis...

Asa and I had a very good conversation by telephone. We talked about how discussions on the internet escalate beyond what either party intended. We both apologized and all is well.

Asa, I think that some have learned how to better use transistors and other parts have greatly improved. Certainly, I would agree with gregm's thought that we have seen a great improvement in isolating components, which has cost me dearly as I think the Halcyonic active isolation base because I have found it is clearly superior, in getting ac power to components, and certainly in the quality of parts, wire, boards, power supply, and even jacks used.

Based on what I have heard, I believe that Roger Paul's H-Cat circuitry must be an innovative circuit. I say must be as everything is potted in modules. I would not claim to have much more than a rudimentary understanding of how his Doppler sensors work, but I do know they have proven quite sensitive to external influences. Many of the recent updates have been directed toward better isolating them from emi.

Again, I cannot speak of the circuit itself, and merely meant to suggest that the H-Cat should be heard, not that this is easy to do. My system is always available when I am not traveling and if you can find your way to College Station, Texas, which is about 100 miles north of Houston. The proof is in the pudding.

Asa, my experience with passives has not been a consistent journey as some have worked better than others. I've been comparing a series of passives with some pretty good tube pres, most recently CAT SL1 Ultimate, Joule LA150 MKII, and Lamm LL2. In all cases, I thought the system, feeding either a CAT JL2 or Music Reference RM9 Special Edition to Merlin VSM MXes sounded fantastic and musically satisfying - so we are really the realm of hairsplitting and personal preference. I was suprised how one of the passives, a Music Reference Pot-in-a-Box ($135) sounded compared to the tube preamps, and at the price point a bit of a no brainer, but I did still prefer the actives - a bit more dynamic and bloom (which I think is the attribute that differentiates SS from tubes in your description). I also tried a SB102 transformer passive, but I actually preferred the simpler resistor based attentuator - even though most folks will swear up and down that the transformer approach is clearly superior. It wasn't till I received the new Bent TAP-x that uses an autoformer that I felt comfortable making the move to passive in place of the fine tube pres I had been using. I still think personal preference is key here and while their may be an absolute sound, there is not likely absolute ears. In my system, which is very "passive" friendly, the Bent Tap certainly competes with tubes (to my ears). That being said, I still use an Atma-sphere pre with my Atma-sphere amp - there is something to be said for synergy and system context.