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We had one of these in for repair. We've fixed it and it's ready to go. I hope the owner takes a while (like say, a decade or so) to come get it.
Summary: This is the best sounding preamp I've heard in a high-end system that I'm familiar with.
There are no tone controls. Controls include a stepper attenuator, a balance control (why?), a phono stage, a few inputs and a tape monitor loop. All inputs and outputs are single-ended RCAs.
This preamp is a pain in the ass to carry. It is in two modules connected by a nondetachable umbilical. The thing weighs perhaps 60-70 pounds. The construction quality is through the roof.
It's several generations behind their latest model of the SL1. So these comments apply only to this dated model.
I think anyone who offers their opinion on equipment should state their biases and sensitivities. Dynamics are really important to me. A little harmonic distortion doesn't much bug me. I can't hear absolute phase, but I believe it exists. Imaging and detail are really important to me (I'm a LONG time enthusiastic Quad ESL-57 owner). Noise is a little annoying but not the most important thing to me.
Either the SL-1 has a little dynamic expansion, which I sincerely doubt, or every other preamp I've heard has dynamic compression to varying degrees. The dynamics are simply the best I've heard. It also has less noise than any other tubed preamp I've heard.
I absolutely love this preamp.
Follow Ups:
Thanks! for sharing Lee.
this pre-amp is on y short-list to demo (as soon as I find a dealer/retailer).
That may be harder to do than you think. There must be more, but the only two dealers I know of are The Analog Shop in Victor New York, and Galen Carol Audio in San Antonio.
Great!Sondek.
I have been to Galen's operation previously and am long overdue for another trip.
Definitely call Galen ahead of time to make sure he has one to demo for you before making a special trip. If you ever get to the DFW area you're welcome to drop by an listen to mine.
Thank You!
Over the years, I have had the pleasure of visiting both Audio Concepts and John Fort Audio in Dallas.
Persona-wise John Fort and Galen Carol are very much alike, nice, professional, gentleman.
Agreed. Bought my 1st pair of Vandys and Counterpoint gear from John way back when. John helped introduce me to this high-end addiction I've acquired.
Sondek-
are you a CD or LP guy?
Although I own both, 90% of my listening is to LP's.
Thank You.
I was wondering if this pre-amp favors vinyl over cd/sacd?
No, it doesn't favor vinyl over CD. Admittedly, it has one of the very best, if not the best, phono sections available anywhere, but if the line section were somehow inferior to the phono, the phono wouldn't sound as good as it does. Go read Robert Detusch's review of the Renaissance in Stereophile. He is a self admitted CD guy, and has an entire section of the review dedicated to CD performance where he goes into considerable depth about it. I've found that everything he says about the CAT is absolutely true.
Thank You!
I could not agree more. I've been using a circa 1990 SL1 Sig MkII for the last three years that I picked up used. Loved it so much that I just bought another newer one last week. Bought an SL1 Renaissance, which is the current version. It's 2 years old and got a very good deal on it. I will tell you that the new version is at least an order of magnitude better than my old one, and the old one ranked among the best preamps I'd ever heard. Using it with Acoustat Monitor 4's, which are RUTHLESSLY revealing of everything in the chain ahead of them, and the new CAT is more than up to the task. You'd have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers to get it away from me. It really is a stunning performer. Call your client and tell him you need to do more testing to make sure all is kosher w/it. Enjoy it while you have it.
Have never owned one, but have listened to quite a few.
Back in the day, TAS (or maybe it was S-Phile) had a comparison of the VTL Ultimate, the ARC SP11, and the Cat SL1. Having at one time or another heard each, I pretty much agreed with the overall assessment, and felt pretty darn luck to score a VTL Ultimate at a very attractive price.
Happily live with the VTL, but if I had to pick from the three? I'd love to grab a CAT!
Nothing to worry about if you like it that much just become a CAT dealer, or buy one as an industry accomodation, or buy one used. I don't see what the problem is.
I had a doctor friend a years back who had one of these with Futterman amps and Quads. What a great sound.
Beatnik's stuff http://web.me.com/jnr1/Site/Beatniks_Pictures.html
I'm with you. Dynamics are what makes a system sound (almost) real.
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