Davey:
What I have noticed as of now with only 20 hours is its drive performance and refinement. Moving the soundstage back about 3 rows the whole room is now just full with massive 3D weight. The CAT Black Path has a lot of caps so many hours to go. Wow!
The 4 ohm tap and 8 ohm tap on the JL5 CAT amp. have two distinct purposes. On the Gamut RS7i speakers on 4 ohm the speaker exhibits more control but is not as extended or open. Now with this preamp. I prefer the 8 ohm tap for its openness. I have learned that even though your speaker might be a 4 ohm speaker (the Gamut is 4 ohm down to 2.6 ohm at 120 hz) it does not mean the CAT amp. cares. Further reading in the manual Ken Stevens reiterates the 8 ohm tap will likely sound better on electrostats. Now moving to that tap I prefer it also.
I know initially I had trouble giving up remote volume control but the longer run of interconnect fixed that. Now I am afraid I have created a lazy man situation where I am 18 inches from all settings. The only time needed to ever get up is to change a record and then it is 2 feet away. I can change CD's from my listening position.
Now in retirement this is just pure heaven having this type of sound.
I have a good 30 days of break-in for the cables and preamp. yet and I am shocked how it good it is already with more to come.
Gwalt
What I have noticed as of now with only 20 hours is its drive performance and refinement. Moving the soundstage back about 3 rows the whole room is now just full with massive 3D weight. The CAT Black Path has a lot of caps so many hours to go. Wow!
The 4 ohm tap and 8 ohm tap on the JL5 CAT amp. have two distinct purposes. On the Gamut RS7i speakers on 4 ohm the speaker exhibits more control but is not as extended or open. Now with this preamp. I prefer the 8 ohm tap for its openness. I have learned that even though your speaker might be a 4 ohm speaker (the Gamut is 4 ohm down to 2.6 ohm at 120 hz) it does not mean the CAT amp. cares. Further reading in the manual Ken Stevens reiterates the 8 ohm tap will likely sound better on electrostats. Now moving to that tap I prefer it also.
I know initially I had trouble giving up remote volume control but the longer run of interconnect fixed that. Now I am afraid I have created a lazy man situation where I am 18 inches from all settings. The only time needed to ever get up is to change a record and then it is 2 feet away. I can change CD's from my listening position.
Now in retirement this is just pure heaven having this type of sound.
I have a good 30 days of break-in for the cables and preamp. yet and I am shocked how it good it is already with more to come.
Gwalt

