An update about the GAT

[Jerome W]

Hello folks,

Last year I bought the Conrad Jonhson GAT from Joe, aka joeinid.
This is an update after one year with this preamplifier.

I am still completely amazed and moved and full of joy and blessed and and and.. ...by the sound of the GAT in my system.
The GAT shines with various and very different power amplifiers. I used it with the Nagra MSA, the McIntosh MC225 and MC2100, the Shindo Corton Charlemagne Q, and the Diafan 300B monoblocks ( SET monoblocks hand made by a french craftsman ).

The transparency and the dynamics are just out of this world, including very high end preamps. The sound has a unique natural and lifelike nature. Like the Shindo Giscours, ALL my recordings are a total bliss to listen to. Including the poor recordings. So one could think that the GAT colors the sound with beautiful tones and textures and it is not neutral. Imho it does not.
This unit is able to extract from the recording the essence of the artistic performance and connects you deeply to it. The level of quality of the recording is absolutely spottable. You can hear the "defects" of the poor recordings. But it does not interfere with the emotions of the music. Magical.
I think that very few units can achieve this.
Talking about neutrality of the bandwidth, the GAT sounds like a straight wire from deep bass to high treble. Not only in SPL but in texture, presence, emphasis.
Compared to the Shindo Giscours, the GAT is more dynamic and lifelike. And it has a slighty smaller stereo image. It also looses a few degrees of ultimate refinement and richness of the timbres. The Giscours is more "classy", but also clearly more colored.
This is noticeable only in a direct comparison. And I am talking here of very very light nuances. Overall, the GAT is a better preamplifier to my ears than the Shindo Giscours. Even when used with the Shindo CCQs monoblocks and Shindo cables.
As a result and since I do not need 2 high end preamps in my system, I sold the Shindo Giscours after 5 years of delightful sound in my system.
I have absolutely no interest in upgrading my GAT to the GAT II level. "If it is not broken, do not fix it". I am so deeply in love with its sound that I do not want to move from it, even by a tiny millimeter.

I would like to express publicly my deepest gratitude to my friend Joe, aka joeinid, who sold me his GAT. Not only he made me a very friendly price, but he accepted to ship it to France, which was not an easy task for such a big unit. And the GAT arrived like new. Really.
Joe, you are fabulous and I am so happy that you could be so "nuts" about this hobby. A GAT would never ever be on the used market without crazy folks like you !
You made a big mistake my dear friend. I love you and at the very same time, I feel sorry for what you did. Well, I guess you still can buy a GAT II.

[Jerome W]

[joeinid]

Hi Jerome,

I am so happy for you. At least it went to a great home. It is a special piece and I am glad you are enjoying it so much!

[XV-1]

Hi Jerome. Great to hear you are still loving the GAT.

GAT rules. One the the best preamps, if not the best that you can buy.

[bonzo]

Is anyone using CJ with a set amp?

[Jerome W]

Hi Jerome. Great to hear you are still loving the GAT.

GAT rules. One the the best preamps, if not the best that you can buy.

Hello Shane,
Yes. I could not agree more.

[Mike]

I'm glad you guys are so happy. CJ makes wonderful gear and Bill and Lou are terrific guys. I bet that GAT 2 is magical. Would love to hear the 300 amps too!

I remember when Joe had his CJ gear, he literally didn't sleep. I think he had to sell it or suffer from insomnia forever!


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[joeinid]

That is very true. Sniff, sniff.

I'm glad you guys are so happy. CJ makes wonderful gear and Bill and Lou are terrific guys. I bet that GAT 2 is magical. Would love to hear the 300 amps too!

I remember when Joe had his CJ gear, he literally didn't sleep. I think he had to sell it or suffer from insomnia forever!


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[cmalak]

Bill and Lou sold CJ to their long-time Senior Engineer

[XV-1]

Bill and Lou sold CJ to their long-time Senior Engineer

Lou and Bill are still both active in cj. This was to ensure cj lives long after they may be gone

[Rayooo]

I could not agree more with Jerome's comments. I've owned the GAT now for several years and would never ever consider replacing it!

[Jerome W]

I could not agree more with Jerome's comments. I've owned the GAT now for several years and would never ever consider replacing it!

Yes I know what you mean. I had several
excellent preamps during the last few years. I thought always that the Shindo Giscours will stay for ever in my house and that nothing could sound better. Until the GAT came and killed the King. Slowly but surely. So never say never but I seriously doubt that I could meet one day a preamp able to kill the GAT at least in my budget.
Seems that Kondo makes the best preamps in the world but I won't invest anymore 50 or 60k in a single unit. And I am not sure at all that the differences would really be so worthy with the GAT in terms of musical pleasure.

[4music]

Jerome, thinking about a GAT II to pair with my Nagra Classic. What was your experience of GAT pairing with your MSA? I tried the Nagra Classic Pre but sound a little dark to me.
thanks
Tim

[Jerome W]

Jerome, thinking about a GAT II to pair with my Nagra Classic. What was your experience of GAT pairing with your MSA? I tried the Nagra Classic Pre but sound a little dark to me.
thanks
Tim

Hello Tim,
That is exactly the combo I am using now : GAT + MSA.
I get a sound absolutely satisfying to my ears. With both dynamics, headroom, frequency extension and naturalness.
The sound is absolutely not dark. The synergy between the GAT and the MSA is superb.
Falls very short of the Shindo CCQs with the GAT.



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[sharkmouth]

Hello Tim,
That is exactly the combo I am using now : GAT + MSA.
I get a sound absolutely satisfying to my ears. With both dynamics, headroom, frequency extension and naturalness.
The sound is absolutely not dark. The synergy between the GAT and the MSA is superb.
Falls very short of the Shindo CCQs with the GAT.



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In a good way or a bad way Jerome? Good to see you here by the way.

[Jerome W]

In a good way or a bad way Jerome? Good to see you here by the way.

Hello ! Thanks.
In terms of naturalness the MSA and the CCQs play in the same league.
While the MSA is more neutral and balanced, it does not have the fleshy timbres of the CCQs. Moreover, the CCQs have more impacts and deepness in the bass. They also throw a huge stereo image in all dimensions.
But listening pleasure is very close and I could live with the MSA and no other amp.
Still, the CCQs are by far the very best amplifiers I ever heard. I put them on sale to simplify my set up but I just cannot sell them !


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[sharkmouth]

For life, easy! For audiophile, mais simplement

[Pani]

Jerome, what speakers are those ?

[Jerome W]

Jerome, what speakers are those ?

Hello Pani,

They are "replicas" or an "inspired" of the Shindo Petite Latour. 2 ways. Port at the bottom.
They use Altec 414-Z and Altec 807 with a W32A Altec / WE Aluminium cast horn.
The craftsman who made them to me just made an inspired version of the Latour. Using an Altec 416-8B but a TAD 2001 compression with a P Audio horn. I have to
listen to them :



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[Balazs]

Jerome, what other speakers did you use and liked well both with the CCQ and the MSA?
Maybe some Harbeth or Auditorium 23 speaker?
thanks, Balazs

[joeinid]

Welcome Balazs, thank you for joining.

[Jerome W]

Jerome, what other speakers did you use and liked well both with the CCQ and the MSA?
Maybe some Harbeth or Auditorium 23 speaker?
thanks, Balazs

Hello,

The MSA was very good with the Harbeth 40.1 speakers.
The CCQs gave too much bass with them.
The CCQs were very good with the Wilson WP8 and the Rega RS10.
I do not use the CCQs often now.


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