Gato Audio

Mate

Mate

New member
Joined
Jan 3, 2015
Messages
163
Location
Croatia
Anyone familiar with these beauties? http://www.gato-audio.com/ http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/gato3/1.html
They look awesome to me, but way too expensive for me. Until today, when I got an offer to buy an ex-demo unit for good price. But that integrated amp is class D and I'm not familiar with class D, I hear most audiophiles say it's no match for class A or well constructed class AB.
 
I love the look and style.

1.png
 
Mate said:
Anyone familiar with these beauties? http://www.gato-audio.com/ http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/gato3/1.html
They look awesome to me, but way too expensive for me. Until today, when I got an offer to buy an ex-demo unit for good price. But that integrated amp is class D and I'm not familiar with class D, I hear most audiophiles say it's no match for class A or well constructed class AB.
Click to expand...

Mate.......I did a complete review of the Gato Audio DIA-400 Class D integrated amplifier in October of 2013. It is a spectacular integrated amplifier and a powerful brute. There are many ingenious control features that go well beyond it's cool looking demeanor. My review component arrived brand new and I put just over 100 hours on it before I began to do critical listening and write my review. That review is posted on AA.

I was heartily impressed with the Gato Audio DIA-400. In comparison to a reference level McIntosh system (C1000C/P, MC2301's, Esoteric K-03, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario) the DIA-400 managed to stand its ground quite well. In addition, the Burr-Brown PCM 1794 DAC is well integrated into the amp and sounds excellent.

The last paragraph of my review is below:

There is a lot to like about the Gato Audio DIA-400 integrated amplifier. If you have a chance to audition it, don’t pass up the opportunity. Be ready for an attitude adjustment. This rock solid integrated amp is a genuine high-end audio component that delivers impressive, super clean, full spectrum sound. With an MSRP of $6000.00, this newest offering from Gato Audio might easily be considered a dragon slayer. This sweet integrated amplifier with DAC reminds me of the old adage good things come in small packages. When referring to the Gato Audio DIA-400 this is certainly true.


10478655156_675998a0e5_b.jpg
 
Wow... Dan... thanks. A link to your review, please, because I don't know what's "AA".
Srajan also reviewed DIA-400 and DIA-250 and JOB 225; I'm interested in last two. Srajan favored JOB to GATO:
On raw resolution—detail extraction, recreation of recorded space, distinct separation of overlaid masses, treble illumination—Gato's DIA-400 played far second fiddle to equivalent and lower-priced top-class A/B competitors like Goldmund's Job 225 or Crayon's CFA-1.2. Where the DIA-400 retaliated fiercely was on features and/or raw power.
 
Read everything, very good review!

I'm pleased that you used the Sonus faber Amati Anniversario. I have much cheaper and smaller Toy Towers, but they share the same tweeter with Amati, so at least some degree of sound should be similar between yours and mine speakers.

http://www.sonusfaber.com/ContentsFiles\data_sheet_Toy_tower.pdf ---> Power handling for Toy Towers: 35W – 200W, without clipping - will they be ok with 2x 250W of DIA-250?

DIA-400, which you beautifully reviewed, is beyond my reach, so I'm thinking about ex-demo DIA-250, and even that might be too expensive to me, $1000 more than a brand new JOB INT or JOB 225.
Remarkably, Srajan compared DIA-400, DIA-250 and JOB 225! If I understood him correctly, which I believe I did, he likes JOB the best out of these three, but puts DIA-250 in second place, before the more expensive and more powerful DIA-400!?!

The perfectly identical-looking DIA-250—in fact there's nothing to give away which one is which except for weight—was the more open, transparent and fleet-footed. It had my immediate vote. In the context of speakers groomed for speed, exactitude and heightened transparency plus an easy impedance, the smaller amp was the more adroit stay-the-course choice. The DIA-400's greater warmth altered the sonic course. That could be just the ticket to flesh out lean transient-led big power-sucking boxes. The very civilized super-spacious strapping Albedos however devolved into something closer to Kenneth Brannagh's Wallander. The DIA-250 did remain marginally softer, rounder and weightier than the Crayon or Job but this offset now was more on the order of same-brand copper versus silver cables. The Italian two-way still was recognizably itself. Whilst it came alive at slightly higher levels than with the traditional topology amps, the DIA-250 sounded terrific on the Aptica. This felt predestined for a popular drawer in the audiophile belief system. Routinely a less powerful amp implementing equivalent tech is faster on the uptake and more transparent than its more muscle-bound sibling. Whilst all that remains relative to the load you mean to drive, the 250/500wpc into 8/4Ω with 0.006Ω output impedance of the DIA-250 would seem ample for most needs. If it were my wallet, I'd know exactly which model I'd buy whilst putting €1000 towards more music.
 
Mate.......Glad you enjoyed the Gato Audio DIA-400 review. I was impressed with it's sound and performance. In fact, I continued to think about the DIA-400 long after I shipped it back to the U.S. distributor. It does a lot of things right in an attractive and compact package.

As for Srajan Ebaen's review, and I have read many of his reviews, I thought it was good although he gets wordy with all of his analogies and metaphors. Some may find it interesting and amusing but for me his writing style adds too many unnecessary side trips that become a chore to wade through trying to get at the heart of the information. It was interesting to read the comparisons between the DIA-250 and the DIA-400. Naturally, as is true for my review also, it boils down to individual opinions and should not carry any influential weight until you have had the opportunity to audition these components yourself, preferably in your own sound system. Beyond that you are simply making a leap of faith.

There are so many fabulous audio components to choose from today. It is nearly impossible to make a bad choice in nearly all price ranges. Every audio component has a personality but much like a time honored recipe for a great dish where spices can influence the flavor in one direction or another, ultimately the end results remain fabulous.
 
Thanks for those comforting words :) I know that whatever I buy it will be so much better than anything I had before. But the problem is that I am not able to audition anything which interests me. I had chance to listen Gryphon, Mimetism, GamuT, Accuphase, Naim, Accustic Arts, Electrocompaniet - all of them financially well beyond my reach. Of amplifiers which I can afford - I can't audition a single one, so it is a question of faith. I narrowed it down to JOB, and now to Gato Audio too only because there's an ex-demo unit for cheaper price. I hope to get absolutely the most for my money, because I don't think I'll be able to buy another amp for a long time.

I pretty much like Srajan's style :)
 
Hi Mate
I got one of those, except its the new Gato Audio DIA-250S.
I tried several amps before i bought the DIA-250S, including Arcam A39, Naim Pre/Power, Hegel 160 and Devialet 120, but none of those could compete with the DIA-250. (Yes, i compared those to the old DIA-250)
The Devialet was probably just as good, but lacked power and was much more expensive.

The 250S is absolutely deadquiet. Its very neutral, perhaps a tad warm. It has a very good dac, (better than the Sabre ESS90018 DAC i had before. (Burson Audio Conductor)).
Its very detailed and has a big soundstage with lots of air around instruments.
It looks gorgeous, it has a very nice remote, and i simply love the amp. It works perfect with my Raidho X-1's
I don't think you can find a better integrated amp with dac at this price.

Bo
 
Hi Mate
I got one of those, except its the new Gato Audio DIA-250S.
I tried several amps before i bought the DIA-250S, including Arcam A39, Naim Pre/Power, Hegel 160 and Devialet 120, but none of those could compete with the DIA-250. (Yes, i compared those to the old DIA-250)
The Devialet was probably just as good, but lacked power and was much more expensive.

The 250S is absolutely deadquiet. Its very neutral, perhaps a tad warm. It has a very good dac, (better than the Sabre ESS90018 DAC i had before. (Burson Audio Conductor)).
Its very detailed and has a big soundstage with lots of air around instruments.
It looks gorgeous, it has a very nice remote, and i simply love the amp. It works perfect with my Raidho X-1's
I don't think you can find a better integrated amp with dac at this price.

Bo
 
Forgive me for writing here what I wrote in the JOB INTegrated thread too, but I need all the help I can get, and fast :)

I only left two options. I gave up on 225, and it's either class A-B JOB INT or class D Gato Audio DIA-250. There is only one person on the planet who heard both amps. Srajan Ebaen. And he gave me his opinion today, although in a shortest possible way, and I don't intend bothering him any more.

The Gato sounds a lot warmer and thicker. I far prefer the INT - but that's my taste, with my speakers and my room.

Now, the funny thing is, try searching around the web for definition of warm and thick sound. You'll find many different opinions. So what exactly Mr. Srajan thinks when he says warmer and thicker? And would I feel the same while listening with MY ears to MY music coming from MY speakers in MY room? And for my music, is warmer and thicker amplifier better or worse option? Perhaps some of you would be willing to share your thoughts about this?

I'll write you what I listen to most of the time.
But first - the room is 19 square meters, speakers are Sonus faber Toy Towers. I listen only to CDs, I have 1000 discs with all types of music, mostly older music, not much modern production gets to my ears. I like my bass strong and well defined, but not overwhelming, not "spilling" everywhere; I like mids clear not muddy; most importantly, I can't stand screeching sound in high frequencies.
I listen:
Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Queen, Saxon, Rainbow, Nightwish, Therion, Motorhead, Grace Jones, Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, Boney M., ABBA, Kraftwerk, Yello, Blondie, Beastie Boys, KC & The Sunshine Band, Duran Duran, Prince, Johnny Cash, Simon & Garfunkel, Basil Poledouris, John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Bob James - to name some of the more important artists I have in my collection.
Based on my tastes, can you conclude - is "a lot warmer and thicker" sound RIGHT or WRONG for me? What warmer and thicker sound means to you?
THANK YOU.
 
I'm not sure what he means with thick sound. I don't think it sounds thick...or thin. It sounds very detailed, open and transparent.
I don't know the Job Int, but it seems a lot of people in here love Job's a lot, so i don't think you can go wrong with either.

Bo
 
I have finally decided. Yesterday I ordered Gato Audio DIA-250. Today it should be sent from Denmark. It's more expensive than JOB INTegrated, and probably somewhat less great sounding, but still I expect it to be a top-class high-end. I choosed Gato mainly because of functionality, it has much more input/output options than JOB. I would have problems with JOB and because of that - extra expenses and less choices when choosing head-amp or whatever (JOB has no outputs and a poor choice of inputs). I love the look of the JOB INT, but Gato look is on another level. I have also decided which headphone amplifier to buy - Audeze Deckard. And the rest of this year I have to find the right cables: power cords for DIA-250 and Deckard; RCA interconnect from amp to head-amp; interconnect from Blu-ray player to amp (probably coaxial); interconnect from CD player to amp (probably analog balanced); speaker cables.
 
Congratualtions Mate
Its a pure gem. Great looks, sounds superb, a lot of functionality. You are gonna love that amp, like i do mine.
I have purchased the cheapest powercords from Shunyata. The Venom 3. It lowered the noisefloor, and made the backgrund blacker - i think is the correct audiophile term :)

Bo
 
Mate.......Congratulations on purchasing the Gato Audio DIA-250. I agree with Bo, you will love this integrated amplifier. It is very well built, has many very useful features, and sounds excellent. Looking forward to your review once you have it broken in. Did you order the walnut cover?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top