CAT SL MKIII vs ARC SP 11 or 10

I had an SP 11mk2 and a VT100mk2. I replaced the SP11 with a CAT Ultimate. The CAT has a few quirks, the power supply hard wired to the control unit and a volume control lacking in flexibility, but it's sound was a step up. The bass is fuller and tighter. The soundstage is bigger and more percise. The SP 11 is a fine unit and I don't mean to suggest it isn't a good choice. However, it is more colored than the CAT Ultimate. In some systems the SP 11 may be a better fit, but the CAT is more tranparent to the source.

These comments are interesting. Years ago some felt the SP 10 was more musically involving than the SP 11, as the SP 11 moved toward more accuracy. Especially in the phono stage, the SP 11 wasn't as bloomy or euphoric. Some of the comments here now are the CAT Ultimate falls flat musically because it isn't as musical as an SP 10. I spent years with an SP 11 and now I've had the CAT Ultimate for a few years. With the CAT it's easier to hear the difference from one recording to the next because it colors the sound less. It exposes more information, good and bad, than the older ARC units rather than wrapping the sound in a euphoric coloration.

Speaking from years of experience Jld1965 should go one of two ways. If the phono stage is all he's going to use he should go with the SP 10 if he's looking for the "golden glow" sound. If the line stage is of material significance, go with the CAT Ultimate or MK 3. The SP11 doesn't have as good a line stage as the CAT and if a euphoric phono stage is what he wants why stop halfway?