Can't argue with what someone hears, but the Bent TAP-X is certainly not lacking dynamics or body. Could be system matching, but in the right system, the passive approach is certainly a viable alternative to an tube preamp I have owned. |
have owned mk1 to mk3 signature for many years and experienced tube swapping and replacing as a nasty habit.
the later Ultimate behaved much better, but still relied heavy on tube quality and so dependability. I finally found myself spending more time on tube rolling then enyoing music and left the CAT camp.
after many years have inserted the CAT Legend by chance and for quite a period too, but Atma MP1 mk3 just soars. way more transparancy, air, detail on line and phono. the CAT has great midrange meat though. i still did not experience the Legend as much better than the older incarnations just more of the same.
i must confess the MP1 is depending on tube rolling too with EH tubes as the most quiet but less good soundwise. the trick is to find and mix 'n match NOS which are quiet enough and non microphonic. now that is a challenge to say the least..
pls do try out the passive MusicFirst TVC.
'boring lacking dynamics and sterile sounding'? now waay.
a UK based customer sold his PRT-1 in favor of the MF Reference.. it may be very well system dependent, but still.
my two dollars. |
DartZeel preamp is a good balance between tube and ss and comes with both line and phono stage and sounds wonderful IMHO |
I've owned every CAT from the Sig. Mk1 through Ultimate 2 and never had ANY problems with tubes; that includes the wonderful sounding Sig. Mk 2 that used the 12AU7s.
After six CATs over maybe 15 years I decided it was time for a change and went with an Atma-Sphere MP-1 Mk3 w/phono and all upgrades. Glad I did! As much as I loved the CATs, the A-S has taken things to another level.
I've tried several passives, some quite expensive and found all of them to be very boring, lacking dynamics and sterile sounding.
As for solid state, in my experience, they sound two dimensional compared to any decent tube preamp.
Just my two cents. |
I own a CAT SL1 Ultimate MK1, and I just changed tubes for the first time after 10 years of use. Not to shabby tube life with the SL1 Ultimate. BTW, it's a great preamp. The CAT mates extremely well with my new McIntosh MC275 v5 tube amp. |
I won't argue for SS, but after having owned CAT,LAMM,ARC,DODD, and JOULE, I have settled on the BENT TAP passive, it competes with anything out there if you have a good set up for passive. I would not call that SS though. I've not heard the CAT Legend, but I can't imagine anything Ken is putting out can be anything but good; still I would give a tranformer or autoformer passive and audition before concluding I have to pay 5-10x more for a great active preamp. SS? Never heard one I liked, but that's just me. |
"Better yet,buy solid state"
Sure,lets use leaves instead of Charmin |
Better yet, buy solid state. |
Agree with Bombaywalla, "eating through tubes" is a thing of the past with CAT; certaily with the Ulitmates and later. It is important to no let myth affect reality, especially in these difficult economic times. The CAT both sounds great and is easy on its preamp tubes. |
Hi,I have had Cat pre-amps for the last 15 years,currently the outstanding Legend and the last thing to worry about with Cat pre-amps is tubes.Kens design is very easy on the tubes and it shows by the lack of problems with them.His new Legend is the finest I have heard to date bar none,If you want another opinion there is a review on soundstage.com of the Legend.
Robert |
Yjk,
>> I am speaking in a reasonable mood and not in a
>> emotional mood.
OK! Thanks for the feedback. Sorry that you had a bad experience w/ the Sig Mk2 pre. Indeed it did have an issue w/ tube life. The Mk3 is not that way at all - I've had mine since Nov 2001. The tubes live long in this preamp.
The general advice would be to choose a CAT pre that is a Sig Mk3 or later. Later than a Sig Mk3 would be an Ultimate Mk1, Mk2, Renaissance or Legend.
>> but there are so many other great pre-amp that don't
>> have this problem.
sure! However they cost much more than the CAT, no??
There are very few that rival the CAT in the CAT's price range, IMHO. |
Hi Bombaywalla:
That is actually my personal experience, I did own the signature mk 2 pre-amp back few years ago. It drive me crazy to change those tubes every 6 month or so. You can check with Andy at the vintage tube. After those bad experience, you think I still dare to try the mk 3 ? You may be right with the mk 3 but it will take a while for people gone though their bad experience with mk 2. I did said the sonic is good but there are so many other great pre-amp that don't have this problem. I am speaking in a reasonable mood and not in a emotional mood. |
>> 01-29-09: Yjk
>> I don't know about the Wavac, but with CAT, although
>> the sonic is good, my personal experience is you
>> probably going to change tubes every 6 weeks at least.
>> CAT eat tubes like there is no tomorrow.
That's TOTAL bullshit!!
where did you come up with that???? From experience or hear-say??
You bias against CAT is very clear!
The CAT SL1 Signature Mk2 preamp did need tubes changes frequently back in 1996-97 when the input stage used a 12AU7. That issue was resolved in the SL1 Signature Mk3 preamp that followed - the input stage tube is now a 6922 biased differently. So, now for 10+ yrs longevity of tubes in a CAT preamp has NOT been an issue. I say this from personal experience. |
I don't know about the Wavac, but with CAT, although the sonic is good, my personal experience is you probably going to change tubes every 6 weeks at least. CAT eat tubes like there is no tomorrow. |
