GAT maybe great, but the Cj ART was SOTA in its time.
Have you heard the later CJ GAT/GAT 2 or the latest CJ ART88 preamp?My first favorite was the original McIntosh C22. It was incredible compared to its contemporaries. Have owned other McIntosh preamps, but the original C22 was special for its day.
The CJ PV5 blew me away compared to anything else at the time. I loved it. It led to my buying many CJ preamps, including PV8, PV11, and experimenting with CJ’s Teflon caps, all to good effect.
The Krell KSP-7B was also a favorite. It matched well with my Krell KSA amps. Those were great systems.
The CJ ET7s2 was a later revelation. It rekindled my love affair with CJ.
My current ARC REF 6SE is the one I like best at the present. If tubes continue to be available, it may be my last. I’ve owned four other ARC preamps over the years, and they’ve all been a joy.
I’ve heard many great preamps from many manufacturers. I can’t really talk about preamps without connecting them to amps and speakers. If there’s synergy, it’s surprising how good things can sound.
I have read great great things about Thomas Mayer's work. What is it about his work that you find makes it your favorite? Did you try some of his amps as well? I note this higher powered ones (that would match your Wavac's power) are very expensive, but curious if you liked them as well. Thanks for any insights.My All Time Favorite Preamp is Thomas Mayer 10Y pre.Much better than Soulution 721 in my system which I owned for few years.I currently use it with Wavac Ta-805m and Accuphase A-250 mono amps.
I had this stack and one that looks just like it
I have nothing negative to say about CJ or their designs, except that they are no longer my favorite.Have you heard the later CJ GAT/GAT 2 or the latest CJ ART88 preamp?
ART88 Triode Preamplifier - conrad-johnson
The ART88 Triode Preamplifier has been designed to serve as an industry reference standard for line-stage preamplifier performance.conradjohnson.com