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The mighty CAT preamp

I am wandering if anyone else has heard the new CAT Renaissance that IMHO gets deservedly great reviews in the Nov '09 Stereophile review by Robert Deutsch.

My own CAT Sig with rolled in NOS tubes is IMHO still here to stay. Which makes me wander, has anyone gone and replaced a CAT with something else ( either tube or ss) that they believe is a BIG step up? If so, what preamp is it and what are the other pieces in your system?
128x128daveyf
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daveyf OP
1,174 posts
 
All jokes aside, I still would like to get some opinions from other 'Gon'ers
who have moved away from the CAT and also from those who have heard the Renaissance.
jwm
908 posts
 
I moved from the CAT Ultimate to VTL 7.5 and now I'm using the Audio Research Ref 2 Mark 2. To me the CAT was foward and bright or you could say thin.
markwatkiss
476 posts
 
Not to hi jack the thread,a VTL 7.5 to a REF 2 MK 2,isn't that 2 steps ahead and 3 back?
jwm
908 posts
 
Are you kidding. In my system the AR Ref 2 mark 2 killed the CAT and the VTL 7.5. How is that 3 step backwards.
markwatkiss
476 posts
 
My question was of an honest nature and should not be misconstrued as anything but that.Lets try again.I am of the understanding that the VTL 7.5 is on par with the REF 3,and that some actually prefer the former over the latter.As you have a REF 2,I was trying to comprehend how a REF 2 could out perform the VTL.
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