Convergent Audio Technology SL1 Renaissance, Legend, & JL5 Black Path Editions*

The new Renaissance Black Path Audio preamp is $19,995. I am having my preamp upgraded to the new specs. Takes 14 hours for the tech (Lee) to do the upgrade, after that Ken and Lee test and measure the preamp. It's being worked on as we speak.

 

I think he has a new upgrade for your preamp. Some new wiring and some black path caps I think.

 

Apparently not. I had a conversation with Ken recently, he believes that the older models don’t make sense to add the new caps to. Told me that it wouldn’t make sense as it would be too high a price..
And so I might as well just buy a new model.
Appreciated his candor. However, the new pricing is pretty crazy imho.

 

I got an email from CAT recently, and I can't find it now. I'm not good with the computer.
Anyway, I saw older model preamps with available upgrades. I know that CAT has up graded it's wiring to black path wire. This new upgrade just came up recently. When did you talk to Ken?

 

The situation Ken is in, is what the entire tube preamp/amp industry is in.

There are no readily available sources for 56-60 year old tubes. And the quality can be all over the charts.

It makes no sense to manufacture a product that is voiced to sound good with a single type of NOS tube(s).

Then the customer puts in a tube of modern day manufacture, that may be tighter, have deeper bass and more HF extension, while the NOS tubes concentrated more on midrange, and he screams and hold his ears.

Just joking, but you see what I mean.

O'Brian, from Rogue audio builds modern day tube amplifiers, that can deal with both HF extension and deep tight bass. He usually uses JJ's for his small signal tubes and Electro Harmonic power tubes (TungSol for the KT-120's). I would be given to imagine that decision had to do with several factors.

They would have to sound good, be reliable and not jack up the price of the amplifier, so that I would not be competitive with other manufacturer's of similar equipment.

Today's amplifier's seem to be more linear and the tubes of today seem more linear, so it is a good match.

An tube amp is to be designed with modern day, readily available tubes in mind. It does not make much sense, not to do so.

 

Yeah, this is basically what I was told by Ken. However, keep in mind he still uses NOS Ei 12ax7s in his new preamps. I remember, years ago, Ken bought a pallet full of the Ei tubes and he still has stock today. I have used these for replacement, www.thetubestore.com - Preferred Series 7025 Audio Tubes , with success.

 

If ya got 'um. use 'um.

 

So, after two years with the new preamp...are you still loving it?

 

You replaced the preamp instead of the cartridge? You must have REALLY loved that cart...

 

As the French would say: LE YIKES!!!

 

Yes, still loving it. It is at the shop right now for upgrades. I will post some pics here when I see it again, next week

 

I can understand that completely. I had to save up for a year and sell everything but my kids, but I ended up with my Audio Note M6 Phono Balanced pre-amp. Better than anything else that I have owned by a mile and better than any system that I have heard in a store - for my tastes.

The cost of the parts in top end preamps can be staggering.

 

Ken e.mailed me about a week ago. Lengthy e.mail with his rationale as to why it wasn't really economically feasible to upgrade my model. I thought what he said made sense.

 

Parts, yes, and My CAT preamp is being hand wired. It took three full days for Lee, who has been with CAT for years and years, to wire my preamp. Not to mention testing. I will post some pics when I get it next week.

 

Ok, here are before and after pics of my CAT Renaissance. The new version, I have, is the only Renaissance BPX in existence. I was told there are a couple of other Renaissance owners looking to get this upgrade. Ken Stevens may offer this unit for retail at a later time. As of now there is only the Renaissance BPA version.

I sent my unit in to upgraded to the BPA version of the Renaissance. Ken Stevens called me a week later and asked if I would be interested in doing the BPX version which includes all new Black Path caps and wire. Essentially, this unit will out perform the non-BPX Legend. I guess some Renaissance owner suggested that Ken offer the BPX as an upgrade and Ken said why not. I had to think about it because it cost more money, but I had the unit at the factory, and I knew I would eventually opt to have the unit upgraded to BPX. So I bit the bullet and gave them the go ahead.

I have only listened to the unit for a few hours. I would imagine all new caps would need some break-in time. Still, after about an hour things started to settle in nicely. The BPX has a more relaxed presentation, more of that midrange magic and more refinement than my BPE.

Before:



After:

 

Tullman, have you considered-- or are you-- going to be rolling in NOS tubes into your CAT? I would think that if you are using the stock tubes from Ken, that a further significant improvement can be had by doing this. Probably a good idea to listen for a while to the stock unit from Ken...and once you are familiar with the sound and the Caps have broken in ( BTW, how long does that process typically take with the new Caps....hopefully not 600 + Hrs like the new ARC gear, Ugh!) something to contemplate.

 

I have tried some different tubes over the years. Some NOS Telefunken 12ax7's, Psvane 12ax7's, NOS Jan Phillips 6922's. Gold Lion 6922's, Preferred Series 12ax7's, NOS Ei 12ax7's, EH 6922's.

The NOS Telefunken sounded great, but lasted a year or so and were expensive. Psvane's lasted a year or so, as did the Gold Lions. The Jan Phillips low noise tubes worked well in the phono stage and were very durable. The preamp is designed around the Ei 12ax7's and sound great. Durability is so-so. Some go for years while other fizzle after several months. Preferred Series 12ax7'awere very good and lasted for years.

Right now, the preamp sounds AMAZING with supplied tubes. CAT thoroughly tests the tubes for function and sound. I just spent $$$$ for the upgrade with new tubes. I would like to try the 6922's Steve recommended earlier in this thread. Maybe a couple in the phono stage.

Ken Stevens told me CAP break-in would take 15 hours to get to the point of sounding like a world class preamp. He said it should sound even better at around 50 hours. I noticed a big improvement after using the preamp for an hour. Of course, phono stage can only be broken by playing records. The line stage by playing other source components. So, this is a two step process.

It's funny you mentioned ARC recommending 600 hours. Ken mentioned the same thing about ARC and didn't approve of that sort of break-in time.

 

I have about 20 hours on the line stage right now. All I can say is WOW! This preamp completely disappears. It's just me and the recording. I can play at higher volumes with less ear fatigue than anything I have heard. The soundstage is deep and wide. Timbre is accurate and the bass is tighter than before. Highly resolving and nice smooth sound. This preamp is amazing and I almost feel embarrassed owning something like this.

I have about 10 hours on the phono stage and my thoughts are the same as above. This thing makes my Hyperion cart sing.

 

Appreciate if you could update your views on the CAT Renaissance BPX after a few months’ use. I understand CAT has discontinued the BPA and has only the BPX now and I have ordered the Renaissance BPX to replace my 4 year old Renaissance.

 

Well...my BPX is running beautifully it just keeps getting better. Absolutely lovely on phono and line stage. What are you running the Renaissance with?

Ken told me in July that he wanted to keep the costs down and just offer the Renaissance as the BPA version. I guess he changed his mind once the BPX "CAT" was out of the bag.
Do you mind telling me how much the BPX is going for? My BPX was a combination of trade-in and a few different upgrades, so it's hard to tell what a full blown version is going for.

 

I'm located in the Far East and prices are usually higher here (with freight charges and import duty). I think the list price in the US would be about USD27k now! I have used CAT preamps for more than 20 years and this BPX will be my third. I have also ordered the latest CAT JL-5 Black Path Limited Edition power amp which they have upgraded to all Black Path and Black Gate caps, wires and Teflon PCB (from polyimide). Always wanted to try CAT power amp after hearing the CAT JL-3 Statement monoblock amps. My current setup is

Bryston BDP-2/BDA-3
CAT Renaissance preamp
Bryston 7B Cubed monoblock power amps
PMC fact.12 speakers on Townshend podiums
Tellurium Q Black Diamond cable loom except for Tellurium Q Silver Diamond BNC digital cable. Just bought these few months ago and I must say they are really impressive.

Actually I'm already very happy with this system but the lure of the latest CAT preamp and the tube power amp is hard to resist....

Looking forward to trying out them out.

 

Forgot to mention I have a 30 year old Linn LP12 turntable with Akito tonearm and Lingo 3 upgrades.

 

Tullman, did you end up getting these? Current price for platinums is $399.00 x 6 = $2394.00. Yowsa!
Telefunken E88CC / 6922

 

Hell no.

 

Tullman, I would be extremely surprised if you couldn’t get a really nice step up in SQ if you were to roll in some NOS tubes into your BPX. While caps are certainly important, I think tubes are equally as important, if not more so. Therefore, what you hear with great caps shouldn’t be limited by what your stock tubes are doing. I know if I owned a BPX, that is what I would be doing....and I’d be willing to bet it would take the CAT to a whole new level.