System Pics 2020

I’m going to listen to my NDX2 tonight without the XPS-DR. See if I can last the whole evening :thinking:

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Small dedicated room 10x11 with 13’ vault ceiling.

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Lamm ll2 and Lamm M 2.2 electronics?

What are the mono blocks in front?

The gear is:

CAT SL1 5000 series modded, NOS Siemens 12au7’s, NOS '63 GE 12AX7 long plates; Jadis JA30Mk2 with KT150’s, Esoteric DV60, SF Guarneri Homage ( last pair imported into the US), Grand Prix Monaco stands, Jeff Rowland modded 8Ti with choke power supply ( alternate ss amp), Nordost Tyr and Frey, Two Rel T5i’s, Black Cat Silverstar pc’s and ic’s, Zen Wave pc, Oyaide outlets. Real Trap and Shakti Hallograph’s. The Linn LP12 with Radikal D and Tramp 2, Cirkus, Majik, custom WTA ‘Black’ arm with VDH internal cabling, Lyra Kleos.

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Wow! What a system!
And have you said what guitar is hiding in the case?

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I should have enlarged more to see better…
Very impressive system!
I heard once CAT SL Renaissance pre with CAT monos, and it sounded great.
If money, I would buy the CAT Sl1 Legend with phono. A wonderful preamp.

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I have S/L interconnect on my SN2/NDX2/XPS DR/HiCAP and it is transformational, as good as a black box upgrade. I got one second hand when looking for a hi-line otherwise I would have ruled it out - glad I didn’t. I recently added S/L cables, expensive, but again, great excellent results.

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I’d keep tripping over things every time I’d play an LP. Looks impressive though, bet it sounds good. :+1:

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Mike , I may be wrong. It’s my experience from dealer, what I heard. I didn’t heard box upgrade, but it’s me.

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Certainly what I’ve heard them capable of in a system equivalent to mine I was also equally impressed, what I’ve yet to do is evaluate them in my room using my speakers but I’d expect them to be a keeper.

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I’d have to agree with Mike the SL speaker cables along with the Fraim made a huge difference to my setup. I was very surprised.

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One way to look at this is, where are you ending with your box count? Once you are there with boxes, S/L, support of the gear, Powerlines and good Ethernet for streaming will all get more out of your set up. But I’d suggest S/L interconnect before amplification upgrades once in the classics range, following source first principles.

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What do you mean by SL upgrade before amplification upgrade Mike?

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In the case is a '99 American Standard Solid Ash Tele. Very sweet guitar.

Easy to get to the LP12, down the left side. BUT, yes, there is a lot of gear in this small room. Luckily it is a dedicated room, so only person tripping is me.

The new CAT SL1 Legend Black Path Extreme is an incredible preamp. For anyone looking to hear what the SOTA sounds like, I highly recommend a listen. Price wise, well its certainly up there!

It’s 20 k , I know. But with a superb phono inside. Better for me than the 552, at 25k, and without a phono. (Prices in euros).
Maybe one day.

I’m suggesting it’s better to work from the source upwards when upgrading a system. So, say, for streaming with a NDX2, add the XPS DR first and then the S/L interconnect before upgrading the integrated or pre/power amplification.

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It could be discussed. But don’t want to contradict you. So will say: why not.

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Actually, I heard that Ken Stevens ( CAT) has raised his pricing, so that the new Legend BPX w.Phono is now $40K or about 38K euro’s! The Renaissance BPX is about the price you posted!
Still the new Legend is possibly the best preamp on the market, certainly tube based.