CAT Legend vs WAVAC PR-T1 ?

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'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.

DartZeel preamp is a good balance between tube and ss and comes with both line and phono stage and sounds wonderful IMHO

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.

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.