2. amps-preamps
  3. 1191613946

Better than a CAT?

I own a CAT JL2. It is the best amp I have ever heard. I would like to know if someone who has owned a CAT, or is very familiar with their sound, has found an amp that they have found to be better in their opinion. I would like to hear from those that have auditioned other highly touted ampfliers and decided to stay with their CAT - the CAT withstood the challenge. I'm really only interested in comparisons to the CAT, not genralized comments like ,"amp xyz is the best amp I ever heard", "you should try amp xyz". I'm interested in comparative comments from those familiar with the CAT through ownership or frequent exposure to it. I personally find the amp tough to beat with its Krell-like bass and SET-like immediacy. Thank you.
pubul57
glai's avatar
glai
446 posts
 
Robert,

Did you try Lamm M1.2 or ML1.1? How do they compare to the CAT?

Thanks
strapper211
119 posts
 
Hi Louis and glai,I have not had the amp in my system but I heard the Lamm and Cat in the same system.The Lamm is much more polite but the cat is more dynamic and with the sig. series has superb micro and macro dynamics and air and very natural timbre.In my opinion there is not much of battle,the cat wins hands down.I am refering to the cat jl3 sigs,but the jl2 sigs are very similar in sound.In my system I tried levinson 33 h,not my taste.Conrad Johnson and Mbl.If I had to pick one it would probably be the MBL.
Robert
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logenn
91 posts
 
Robert,

How much sonic difference is ther between the JL2 and the JL3, other than power and possible seperation due to monoblocks?
pubul57 OP
3,712 posts
 
Given an easy load with reasonable sensitivity, I think the JL3 would be overkill, it certainly would be with the Merlins. My view is that less power is always better if it is enough power to drive your speakers, almost always. I think it takes a lot of design ingenuity to get more power from the same basic circuit not sound worse, and that task is progressively more complex and more expensive.
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logenn
91 posts
 
Pubul57 has a good point, but in some cases the more powerful amps coast along so effortlessly that they sound more relaxed.

I owned VTL 750's and 450's and clearly the 750's were much better.
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