Lamm 2L Reference vs CJ GAT

Thanks everyone for helpful suggestion. I was thinking about BAT for awhile but have not had a chance to audition it yet. A local dealer was trying to get VAC here but supposedly VAC told him that they are already at full capacity in their production line so they are not looking to add another oversea supplier at this time or something to that effect.

Syntax, I hope you read my post a bit more carefully. Remote is certainly a plus for me, but I also could use more than 3 inputs. If you stop being a sarcastic and actually pay attention a bit more, you could be a bit more useful here. If you think warm and tubey sound is inferior, that's your choice, I was not asking for your critique on my preference for sound.

For all of you anti-remote people out there, please explain how a stepper motor driven analog volume control would degrade the sound.

Rhljazz states that

"A deal breaker for me with the CJ, is all their preamps invert polarity."

With all respect, could you please explain to me why this is an automatic deal breaker in considering conrad-johnson preamps when all that is needed is to reverse the speaker cable leads either at the amplifier end or the speaker end? I'm not aware of any sonic consequences of the reversed polarity if this is done.

Thanks.

"A deal breaker for me with the CJ, is all their preamps invert polarity."

It was a deal "maker" for me. Their ART and ACT 2.2 only have "one" gain stage and invert, I would assume the same for the GAT. Don't see any drawback, do see a benefit. Everytime you do something to the signal (like add a gain stage) you mess with it. Maybe it's audible, maybe not but I like the idea of "less is more". Like Joe said, just reverse + and - on the speaker cables. If you need to worry about things, rumor is that a great number of recordings are out of phase to begin with.

Remotes: non-issue if done right.

Hi Suteetat,

we've both posted on AVGuide regarding CJ GAT which i also am researching carefully.

I feel pretty sure about going for the GAT...i have been a CJ fan for well over 12 years, and owned 3 pieces in that time...amp and 2 pres...current is ACT2.

Spoke with dealer of Zanden, Wavac, Shindo...and astoundingly relative to these 3 reference pres (which he sells)...he said to go with GAT (and he does NOT sell it!)

That said a lot to me...seems he felt it was the right blend of natural tonality, with detail/extension, and neutrality/linearity of the spectrum.

Meanwhile, what specifically were your impressions of ARC Ref 40 vs Ref 5? i have heard Ref 3, Ref 5...so you observations/comparisons are greatly welcome! (if it helps, i also know CJ ACT, Evo 202, Evo 2 reasonably well.)

thanks!!!