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

My 80's vintage Mesa Boogie 4X12 cabs are baltic birch ply wood and are an inch thick. Sound great.

 

I will be getting the Legend upgrade in May. I am not getting a completely new unit. Teflon Legend board, which also has a lot of the legendary Black Gate electrolytic caps, and the black path caps. New top and bottom covers and face plate. New set of the best tubes. It will have all of the same parts as a Legend. I'm saving a lot of money by doing the upgrade this way rather than selling my preamp and buying a new Legend.


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Cable 'AB's can be quite enlightening. I recently put several cables to the test, with the winners easily being discernible. Ken's 'asking' price for his cables seems a little optimistic, but knowing his typical clientele, i suspect he may sell a few sets. Problem is that there are some truly great cables on the market ( if you know the market) that will be very significant competition for any cable at pricing that is a fraction of what Ken is hoping to get for his cables. I suspect that as with all gear purchases, there will be folks who are "in the know" who will buy cables at a fraction of the price that can stand one on one with Ken's latest...and other folk who will happy with their CAT cable purchase.

 

Since Ken is supposedly now going into the cable business, anyone know if he is planning on selling a power cord? That would be of interest and make a lot of sense for his 'other company' ( ie CAT electronics). His standard recommendation for a pc in the past was always an Essence pc, not bad...but....

 

CAT seems to favour the upgrading path as far as pricing is concerned. The cost of upgrading a very old SL1 Signature to Legend BPX is about USD17k (with the 46 step volume switch and NOS valves) which is way below the new price of the Legend BPX. So I think you're making the right move.

 

Yeah, I'm making the right move. Ken didn't offer this upgrade when I had my SL1. I think this big upgrade push started in 2020. Ken probably wants to keep the shop busy. He isn't doing upgrades right now because the shop is too busy. I have to wait until May. Still, I hate shipping my preamp it's expensive (insurance) and risky (UPS). CAT will get the work done probably in a week and half. CAT is good about setting up an appointment and getting the job done on time.

 

If you are not seeking out new customers and only relying on your existing customers doing upgrade work, then i would have to question the long term viability of this approach?

 

I posted that CAT was busy building new units and that I would have to wait a few months before I could send my unit in. CAT would not take my unit in for upgrades at this time. This hardly seems like they are not getting new orders. I look at it as an upgrade service to existing customers, not some last ditch effort to stay in business.

 

I think the reason that they are 'so busy' is fairly simple...one person working at the shop, LOL. Dont get me wrong, i hope they are getting tons of new orders and are so busy that they dont know where to turn...but with Bob Hamme at the helm..

 

Well, I finally sent my Renaissance over to CAT, today. I had to wait because it took a long time for Ken to get the Teflon boards in shop. I'm hoping to get my preamp back in a couple of weeks. Lee (the tech who wires everything by hand) is going on vacation at the end of August. I sure as heck don't want to wait into September. I guess it takes Lee a good week to wire everything.

 

Ken is a good guy. He is pragmatic and a no frills guy at heart. Ken is not the kind of person that would take advantage of others for money. He just isn't. Bob Hamme who is not at the Helm and comes off as the guy who would screw is own mother for an extra buck. I never met Bob, I never talked to Bob. I only deal with Ken.

 

I hope you are right, but I think Bob Hamme may be at the helm...these days.

 

Congrats! My friend sent his SL1 Signature in to be upgraded to Legend BPX in May and he's still waiting for the unit to be upgraded! Ken just advised that they are waiting for the Teflon boards. Hopefully it'll be done soon.

 

Brings up an interesting question..how many older units are out there still performing like new on a day to day basis ( It seems the preamps are very reliable, probably more so than the amps). Plus, I wonder how many folk are actually taking advantage of CAT's upgrade program...on a worldwide basis? Unfortunately, I don't see too many CAT lovers on this forum, at least by the number of different posters on this thread...

 

I'm still here with my Ultimate which is performing flawlessly. The only issue is a burnt out power supply light which I believe is a common problem. I'm happy with the sound, so I can't justify the expense of an upgrade.

 

Kind of late for my answer. They did get boards in at the end of July. Did your friend get his unit back yet? I know someone from Korea was ahead of me in the queue, was that your friend? I'm still waiting for my preamp. Fingers crossed. Lee, sent me a picture and it's got most of the parts installed. I think it takes over forty hours for Lee to build the Legend.
I was afraid there would be a back log jam because of the board supply issue. It seems that CAT has plenty of work this summer.

 

I believe tube preamps in general are more reliable than tube power amps. A fried power tube can wreak havoc on resistors.

 

Yeah, CAT is a boutique and small operation. The Legend is all hand wired by Lee, meticulously. It takes many hours to build. I know Ken is involved with measuring every aspect of the Legend including tubes, before it leaves the shop. CAT likes to burn their preamps in over the weekend and then measure some more, including listening. It really is a painstaking process.

I'm going through major withdrawal symptoms. I can't play any vinyl until I get the Legend back. I have a nice system on the back porch (all seasons porch). A nice time of the year to listen, but it is a common room that my wife and I share. I like listening with my wife in that room, but NOT exclusively. I like my listen levels between 75db and 80db. My wife likes listening between 90db and a 100db.

 

Yeah the power supply light is finicky for whatever reason. At times it works and then it doesn't work. I don't mind it being off, it looks like a big red square. CAT will send out replacement bulbs free of charge. The button on the front pops off for easy access. I just don't bother.

 

Why is this funny?? CAT has been in business for three decades, hardly deserves a LOL, Besides Lee does not build the power amps, according to Ken. We all have the same expert building our preamps. Hand crafted products are rarefied air, and are the creme de la creme for building anything.

 

PM about this..

 

This is correct. But i think in CAT's case, even more so. The preamps are extremely durable and seem to be 'bullet proof'. ( or, as JA stated on Stereophile..Bomb proof)
The issue I have with a lot of the tube amps that have been through my system (including CAT's) is basically the same...too much heat. Heat is the enemy of electronics, IME. Plus, in the hotter climates, I think it is even more detrimental.

 

Your post just reminded me of another problem I encountered. The vibration damping sheet on the top plate dropped off because heat softened the glue. My solution was to clean off the glue and set the sheet on top of the plate. I didn't want to risk it happening again.

 

You can always send the cover to CAT and have them glue it back on. Or at least ask about the type of glue they recommend.

 

I’m still waiting for my Legend. Ken needs to get the tests completed. Lee told me they had an order of 2 Legends and 2 sets of JL7 mono blocks finishing up ahead of me. Ken does all of testing on all of those units. Plus they thoroughly test all of the tubes going into their amps and preamps. Waiting is brutal. No playing records. Ahhhhh!