Cat JL2 with blown board. Advice needed

I would recommend one tip to all CAT owners when replacing resistors which I have found very useful. You cannot lay the amp directly on its back end on the floor because of concerns about damaging the on/off switch and fuse holder. I have found a beanbag chair to make an excellent stand, however, because you can rotate the amp backwards about 45° on the chair on the back end and top of the transformers, affording excellent access to the bottom without worrying about hurting anything sticking out the back.

I have spoke with you about this problem in the past.
I sold my CAT JL2 and use a SL Kraft 250. What I never realized before hearing the SL was how sloppy the bass from the CAT is! You never know what you are missing until you hear it! That is only one point, the truth is, the SL beats the CAT in ALL parameters. Better transparency, detail, articulation and extension on both ends of the spectrum. You already have the SL pre (the same one I am using). The SL Kraft is not your typical SS sound. It is the best SS I have heard and doesn't have the sonic drawbacks typically associated with SS sound. The SL pre is the right one for the SL amp (tried the CAT Ult MK2 on it). All this in a RELIABLE no nonsense product. An easy conclusion from someone that has used both. By the way, I have used all tubed systems for most of my life. The SL is the only SS I could live with long term (with the possible exception of Spectral) and I have no desire to return to tubed amps and likely never will.

Bart

Ken did tell me that if I did not buy his amp, he would suggest Symphonic Line. I've never heard an SS amp I preferred to tubes (the best I have owned personally was the Pass XA30.5), but I suspect this is just a matter of taste of what tubes do and what SS does and the reality being they can never really sound like each other. We all look for different things that satisfy us, so I don't think there can be any defintive claims for which is better for all listeners. If you can't be happy with the sound of either, you are unlikely to ever be satisfied. If I could find an SS that I preferred to my tube amps (Atma-Sphere, Music Reference RM-9SE, or my Ars-Sonum integrate) I would defintiely prefer the convenience of SS.

Bart,
Do be careful before you universally recommend the Kraft 250 over the CAT JL2.
The Kraft 250 works for YOUR particular system - the CAT JL2 was always a misfit for your system because of the flagship Avalon speaker that you have. The CAT JL2 being a tubed power amp never had the ability from the get-go to ever drive your speakers. Thus, with the Kraft 250, you are hearing, maybe for the 1st time ever, what your speakers are capable of. You can thank Jay for this turn-around in your system.

I do not know much about the Andra speakers but it is entirely possible that they are beasts to drive (just like the Avalon flagship speakers) in which case the CAT JL2 is the wrong amp for the job. Yes, it'll give you good sound but I do not think that it would do justice to the Andra speakers - I could be wrong but this seems to be my opinion from what I have read & heard about these speakers. You would need a much higher wattage amp - if you want to stay in the tube domain then a VTL MB450, MB185 or VTL MB750 or a TRL 400, Wolcott Presence 220. If you want to switch to a s.s. amp then the Kraft 250 would do very nicely. Like Bart wrote, it is unlike any other s.s. amp you might have heard. Best of both tube & s.s. worlds + stable to 0.5 Ohms.

I suppose in some system that doesn't play below 100hz (I am thinking an actively biamped system where the CAT handles above 100hz) the CAT would be very nice. Even in a speaker that is relatively easy to drive, the CAT (with a damping factor of 10!) will not reproduce the lower octaves as the SL will. I sold my CAT to a guy that had exactly this setup (CAT driving 100hz and up). I am guessing he is enjoying it. I still would bet that even in that application, the SL would perform better (to most peoples taste)than the CAT. With the current crop of PLC and cables it is easy to push the SL waaaay over the neutral line to euphonic. As previously stated, I have loved and used tubes all my life and like you Bombay have a large collection of the best NOS tubes available. I rolled them all in the CAT JL2/Cat Ult MK2 combo. I disagree with you about a higher wattage tubed amp working well on his Andras. I almost went for a pair of VTL Wotan's
before Jay persuaded me to reconsider. The Andras and Avalons are looking for current not wattage. The VTL's would do the bass a bit better than the CAT (damping factor of 20 vs 10) but nothing like the SL (damping factor > 800!). I didn't realize things weren't wonderful until Jay graciously lugged his Kraft over for me. You never know something is wrong until something right points it out. I was lucky to run into Jay (he called asking about the ability of the CAT JL2 to drive his B&W 802's). I have thanked him for all the help he has given me over the last year or so. He is a great friend and very knowledgeable. I advised Defender1844 to repair or have the CAT repaired and sell it. The SL is perfect for his application. He also wants to use the amp to listen to his TV. His situation requires an amp that is RELIABLE.

Bart