CAT JL2 & Pre SL1 or Atma-Sphere MA-1 & MP-1

IMHO using a neutral amp/pre permits greater flexibity as your taste and/or speakers change. It is less expensive to season to taste with cables. The inherent sonic signature of an amp - if not neutral, is difficult to compensate for. So let's say you like warmth, have a "warm" amp/pre and then buy Sonus Faber - you might have too much of a good thing. With the CATs essential neutrality, I think you could enjoy both Sonus Faber, or Thiel (as two extremes)by matching it with the "right" cabling. I think I just want the amp to makes a bigger version of a smaller signal with minmal alteration to the signal (the amp should amplify, not alter tonality) - then the individual user can take that signal and have it match their taste based on the cable/speaker interface.

Macallan25, as demonstrated by the responses, you clearly have selected two very good equipment manufacturers to consider. Both Ken and Ralph make great gear and the choice between them will depend on the speakers you're matching them to and your sonic priorities. As Brian suggested, actually listening to them yourself will clearly be the best way for you to decide.

Jafox, thanks for your description of what you like about the CAT amplifiers. But I must confess to being puzzled by your experience with the Atma-Sphere preamp. Whatever limitations the MP-3 may have (and experience will vary depending on which of the factory options have been installed, e.g., the upgraded resistor package), being rolled off in the frequency extremes does not match with any of the reports from people I know or that I've read. Also anyone considering the MA-1 amplifier should keep in mind that it also is available with factory options for resistors and power supply that will affect the sound, and add to the cost. (This is in keeping with Atma-Sphere's philosophy of providing cost-effective solutions, but allow for purchasers to choose to further improve the sound with some higher cost options in some of the component parts. The MP-1 and MA-2 both come only fully optioned, with price to match.) Still, thanks for sharing your experience.
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Rushton: I too was very surprised and disappointed in the MP3 I borrowed for a weekend. After reading nothing but the greatest praise of their amps for many many years, I had a lot of excitement to finally get a chance to hear this preamp....and in 3 systems with at least one other preamp to directly compare to each time. Even the BAT salesman was quite disappointed at this as he too had very high expectations of the MP3 but the VK31SE just destroyed it when he put on the Miles Davis "Kind of Blue". And my ARC LS5 III could not compete with the BAT that day either. What a wake-up call for me!

As for the amps, keep in mind that my comments were a direct comparison to the CAT JL-2. Had I heard both in separate systems, I would not have been able to identify (quantify) the unique qualities of each. Both amps were truly exceptional and eclipsed my aged Wolcotts by a huge margin.

The warmth of the MA1s with the Soundlab U1s was immediately noticeable.....and I loved it. But compared to the CAT, the MA1 was a wee bit off neutral. And like I have noted here before, this is a quality that I like so I have nothing negative to comment on this concerning the MA1s. It was simply a noted sonic difference.

The one thing that the CATs get a lot of credit for is in the bass. However, I felt the bass in the MA1s was as extended and authoritative as the CAT. But there was clearly a level difference between the two amps with the U1s. The JL-2 sounded a bit lean in the bass after listening to the MA1s but an adjustment on the U1s would bring this back into balance. I think the U1s' bass were dialed in for the MA1s and thus this difference. But both amps handled the low end incredibly well. Like I said, I was big time impressed.

Unless we do such listening comparisons right then and there, it is tough or darn near impossible to make such absolute statements about A vs. B. But it was there.

Not much has been shared here on the CAT amps but one other member, 90493m, put a lot of effort to describe his feelings on the CAT amp and he too uses many comparative comments on the Atmas as well. I can relate so very much to his comments in the context of that one afternoon listening session I had between these two products.

John

John (Jafox), thanks for your further comments.