New CAT JL5 KT-120 based 100wpc Stereo amp...
- Thread starter cmalak
- Start date
cmalak
Active member
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2013
- Messages
- 2,307
- Thread Author
- #5
CAT seems to be very low key. Website essentially non-existent. Anyone know how extensive/limited their dealer network is? If I had to guess, it's probably pretty sparse. I only know what I have read from the occasional review but their pieces always seem to be very admired by the reviewing community.
CAT make some of the finest gear in the world . But not many people can get a chance to hear their stuff cause they are not in many stores to hear. I know they are a small company
In the ny area . And from what I've heard they don't want to be bigger . They make amps and pres and put a high premium on them and are plenty busy just the way they are.
I for one would NOT pay over $20k for tube amps without finding some cats to compare to.
Because even 10-12 years ago when I first heard a cat, I would still put it up against any tube amps I've heard since and even any sota amps from today.
cmalak
Active member
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2013
- Messages
- 2,307
- Thread Author
- #8
Steve...every review I have read of a CAT amp (haven't read any reviews of their Preamps) has been stellar. I get that they don't want to be bigger than they are right now as a small operation and they get plenty of business based on their reputation but it would be nice if they just had a functioning website with info on their products and dealer network but I guess if the owner/founder is plenty busy as it is, he's not worried about small stuff like that 
.
.annapolis Raider
Member
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2013
- Messages
- 385
CAT makes great gear. Classic Tube Sound, owned some... back in the day.
Question for the group, not specifically concerning CAT, there seems to be a lot of companies popping up all over the world. New companies, no track record. Selling gear for premium prices. 100k speakers... 50k amps..... etc. Do you all consider that before purchasing from them? In this era of here today gone tomorrow, are these companies going to even be around to service? what's resale going to be like if you have to get rid of it?
Question for the group, not specifically concerning CAT, there seems to be a lot of companies popping up all over the world. New companies, no track record. Selling gear for premium prices. 100k speakers... 50k amps..... etc. Do you all consider that before purchasing from them? In this era of here today gone tomorrow, are these companies going to even be around to service? what's resale going to be like if you have to get rid of it?
annapolis Raider
Member
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2013
- Messages
- 385
Here's just a few examples. I've been turntable shopping so easy for me to start there.
Onedof turntable 100k first and only product,
Techdas turnable 75k, first and only product
Vertere tonearm, 35k, first tonearm prior to that just sold cable
Analog Domain, amps start at 50k go well over 100k, they were the first products from a new company
Absolare, preamp and amp only products, 25 to 50k price range, new company
Trinity Audio, preamp 35k, dac 50k, only products, new company
Literally every audio show, you see coverage of some company that's you've never heard of selling things at prices that even established companies don't try to get?
Onedof turntable 100k first and only product,
Techdas turnable 75k, first and only product
Vertere tonearm, 35k, first tonearm prior to that just sold cable
Analog Domain, amps start at 50k go well over 100k, they were the first products from a new company
Absolare, preamp and amp only products, 25 to 50k price range, new company
Trinity Audio, preamp 35k, dac 50k, only products, new company
Literally every audio show, you see coverage of some company that's you've never heard of selling things at prices that even established companies don't try to get?
Convergent Audio Technology
WHAT BECOMES A CAT LEGEND MOST? Why, a pair of CAT (Convergent Audio Technology) JL3 Signature Mk 2 Pure Triode ($39,990) power amplifiers of course!
Continually improved and refined over 25 years, the CAT SL1 Legend($19,995) and The CAT SL1 Rennaissance ( $9,995)are the finest full function tube preamplifiers made. Period! By putting a low gain transformer in the phono stage and fanatically selecting the best parts available, Ken Stevens has made the current CAT preamps quieter and more dynamic than ever.
As Robert Deutsch observed:
"If I had to use just three words to name the attributes that made the Renaissance (line section) special, they would be transparency, resolution, and dynamics. The difference with the Renaissance ( in comparison to the SL-1 Ultimate) was that the electronically generated noise of its phono stage was simply inaudible. With the input switch in the Phono position and the volume turned up to a normal level but with no record playing, I could flip the Mute switch on and off and was hard put to hear any difference in the amount of noise (very low in both cases).” STEREOPHILE November, 2009
The CONVERGENT SL1 Legend, which has the same circuit design as the SL1 Renaissance, is in Ken Stevens’ words (as quoted in Sound Stage, March 2009) a "cost-no-object implementation ... a whole bunch of little-betters put together.'"
"The Legend's 46-position shunt volume controls are more costly than those used for the standard SL1," and its "Black Gate graphite-particle caps ... cost ten to twenty times more and are no longer in production." Circuit boards are made of Teflon. "The Legend has the same tubes in its line and phono stages: a matched pair of 6922s, a single 6922, and a matched pair of 12AX7s. The Legend's optional phono stage uses a special low-gain step-up transformer in conjunction with an initial moving-magnet stage to deliver 58dB of gain."
Is it twice as good as the Rennaissance? My advice –Don’t listen to it unless you are willing to pay the price. It will ruin you for any other preamp!
"The CAT SL1 Signature is the finest preamplifier available today. It offers a sensationally satisfying glimpse of the live musical event. In particular, its timbral realism, tonal neutrality, dynamic capability, low noise floor, and soundstaging splendor define the state of the art for modern tube designs … the Signature is as close to live music as I’ve heard. I’m in love. I wonder if I should send the roses to Mr Stevens, or put them on top of the CAT?” STEREOPHILE December, 1992.
Change "Signature" to "Legend" or "Renaissance" and these words are as true today as they were 18 years ago.
The JL3 is CAT’s statement power amplifier, the culmination of sixteen years of amplifier research. Following their philosophy of design, the JL3 is not designed to sound like a tube amplifier or a solid state amplifier or any sort of cross between them. This amplifier has been designed to allow the sound of music to flow through, uncolored and unencumbered by the sound of any electronic technology.
With its massive 50 lb output transformer and pure Class A tube triode configuration, the JL3 drives any transducers with ease, out finessing the best SET amps on high efficiency loudspeakers and bringing a level of musicality and authority to Magico Model 5s and Q5s and other Super Speakers that is unsurpassed by any other amp!
A close second to the JL3, the JL2 stereo triode power amp ( $19,995) brings true superamp performance down to the affordable level. Using the same circuit design as the world famous JL1 monoblock superamp on a stereo platform yields a huge cost savings with minimal performance compromise.
The JL3 even uses the advanced transformer winding technology in the $50,000 “JL1 Limited Edition”, coupled with some added advances unique to itself – like Teflon circuit boards!
Compare the JL2 with exotic low powered single ended tube amps which cost up to 10 times the price. The JL2 has a MORE vibrant, direct and pure sound than even the best of them – and the JL2 extends this realism down to the deepest bass and up to the highest treble. Combine this with 100 Watts of “drive anything” triode power which out-muscles 300 Watt pentode push-pull amps and transparency that is truly state of the art, and YES – we are talking about a true superamp. One which you can afford!
Drive either amp with a CAT SL1 Legend or SL1 Renaissance preamp and the result is a sonic tableau of unprecedented accuracy and beauty – as close to live as we have ever heard!
WHAT BECOMES A CAT LEGEND MOST? Why, a pair of CAT (Convergent Audio Technology) JL3 Signature Mk 2 Pure Triode ($39,990) power amplifiers of course!
Continually improved and refined over 25 years, the CAT SL1 Legend($19,995) and The CAT SL1 Rennaissance ( $9,995)are the finest full function tube preamplifiers made. Period! By putting a low gain transformer in the phono stage and fanatically selecting the best parts available, Ken Stevens has made the current CAT preamps quieter and more dynamic than ever.
As Robert Deutsch observed:
"If I had to use just three words to name the attributes that made the Renaissance (line section) special, they would be transparency, resolution, and dynamics. The difference with the Renaissance ( in comparison to the SL-1 Ultimate) was that the electronically generated noise of its phono stage was simply inaudible. With the input switch in the Phono position and the volume turned up to a normal level but with no record playing, I could flip the Mute switch on and off and was hard put to hear any difference in the amount of noise (very low in both cases).” STEREOPHILE November, 2009
The CONVERGENT SL1 Legend, which has the same circuit design as the SL1 Renaissance, is in Ken Stevens’ words (as quoted in Sound Stage, March 2009) a "cost-no-object implementation ... a whole bunch of little-betters put together.'"
"The Legend's 46-position shunt volume controls are more costly than those used for the standard SL1," and its "Black Gate graphite-particle caps ... cost ten to twenty times more and are no longer in production." Circuit boards are made of Teflon. "The Legend has the same tubes in its line and phono stages: a matched pair of 6922s, a single 6922, and a matched pair of 12AX7s. The Legend's optional phono stage uses a special low-gain step-up transformer in conjunction with an initial moving-magnet stage to deliver 58dB of gain."
Is it twice as good as the Rennaissance? My advice –Don’t listen to it unless you are willing to pay the price. It will ruin you for any other preamp!
"The CAT SL1 Signature is the finest preamplifier available today. It offers a sensationally satisfying glimpse of the live musical event. In particular, its timbral realism, tonal neutrality, dynamic capability, low noise floor, and soundstaging splendor define the state of the art for modern tube designs … the Signature is as close to live music as I’ve heard. I’m in love. I wonder if I should send the roses to Mr Stevens, or put them on top of the CAT?” STEREOPHILE December, 1992.
Change "Signature" to "Legend" or "Renaissance" and these words are as true today as they were 18 years ago.
The JL3 is CAT’s statement power amplifier, the culmination of sixteen years of amplifier research. Following their philosophy of design, the JL3 is not designed to sound like a tube amplifier or a solid state amplifier or any sort of cross between them. This amplifier has been designed to allow the sound of music to flow through, uncolored and unencumbered by the sound of any electronic technology.
With its massive 50 lb output transformer and pure Class A tube triode configuration, the JL3 drives any transducers with ease, out finessing the best SET amps on high efficiency loudspeakers and bringing a level of musicality and authority to Magico Model 5s and Q5s and other Super Speakers that is unsurpassed by any other amp!
A close second to the JL3, the JL2 stereo triode power amp ( $19,995) brings true superamp performance down to the affordable level. Using the same circuit design as the world famous JL1 monoblock superamp on a stereo platform yields a huge cost savings with minimal performance compromise.
The JL3 even uses the advanced transformer winding technology in the $50,000 “JL1 Limited Edition”, coupled with some added advances unique to itself – like Teflon circuit boards!
Compare the JL2 with exotic low powered single ended tube amps which cost up to 10 times the price. The JL2 has a MORE vibrant, direct and pure sound than even the best of them – and the JL2 extends this realism down to the deepest bass and up to the highest treble. Combine this with 100 Watts of “drive anything” triode power which out-muscles 300 Watt pentode push-pull amps and transparency that is truly state of the art, and YES – we are talking about a true superamp. One which you can afford!
Drive either amp with a CAT SL1 Legend or SL1 Renaissance preamp and the result is a sonic tableau of unprecedented accuracy and beauty – as close to live as we have ever heard!
wow, except for two, I never heard of them, I see your point.
microstrip
New member
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2013
- Messages
- 134
IMHO you should look at whom is behind the company. If you look at the companies you refer you will see that they are not from newcomers - they have some of the best known people in this industry, that have been creating great products for more than a decade. And some are not so new, they are European and are just coming to CES to expand their distribution worldaudio.
annapolis Raider
Member
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2013
- Messages
- 385
As a former Genesis owner, I can tell you Arnie Nudell was an industry icon too. Didn't mean he could run a company. As a customer, you are taking a huge financial gamble on any of these products. Buying them from a "New Venture" compounds it. I'm quite sure some of these companies will succeed in the long run. But what happens to the customers that buy from the ones that don't.
Thedubemaster
New member
Not sure if this would apply to CAT. Firstly they aren't new and they are busier than they can handle without advertising or web presence . I know Ken Stevens personally and the word eccentric and genius come to mind. Not only does he have an analytical ear he hears music and personally oversees every step of the products manufacture but listens to every piece before it leaves the shop. I have many amps at home and favorite is still the Cat JL2 Signature and the CAT Legend SL-1 preamp with all Blackgate caps. Nothing compares. Too bad there are so few places to audition them.