GAT Series 2

[mfoley3]

Today I Spoke with Jack Tozzi of Spearit Sound in Northampton MA (very long time CJ dealer) about the GAT Series 2 (cost is now $24,000). If you own the original, you can have it upgraded to Series 2 for about $4,000. I've done business with Jack for years. He is very knowledgeable, honest and not prone to hyperbole. I trust his judgement and integrity. He was very enthusiastic about the sonic improvements of the Series 2 and said they, in his mind, are worth double that amount. High praise indeed! I should've asked for more specifics about the sonic improvements and plan on doing so next week.

Do any of you have any direct or indirect experience with the Series 2?

Thanks, Mike.

[audio bill]

Mike - I can't remember where but I read another owner who had the upgrade done and was both surprised and thrilled with the magnitude of the improvement. His thoughts seemed along the same lines as your dealer and he very enthusiastically endorsed the upgrade.

[Forte 4A]

Excellent review on the GAT2 in this month's British HI-FI magazine.

[turntable]

Originally Posted by Forte 4A

Excellent review on the GAT2 in this month's British HI-FI magazine.

You mean hi-fi+ magazine?

[audio bill]

Originally Posted by turntable

You mean hi-fi+ magazine?

Looks like that's the one - Hi-Fi+ Issue | Hi-Fi+

[Briz Vegaas]

And now those of us without a lotto win can wait for the trickle down.

ET5 mkII. Maybe as good as the original GAT ( probably because it pretty much is on the inside)

Sounds fair to me:-)

[stereoquest]

The GAT 2 seems to be an evolutionary product with the additional major benefit of NOS tubes as stock which would address a possible issue with current production tubes used in the GAT 1. Yes the PC88 operates on a higher heater voltage but this tube is not as sensitive to heater voltage as the 6922.....in the old days anything within 10% is not abnormal. Why they increased coupling capacitor total value is surprising though.

Anyone who has heard the difference between good NOS and EH knows what to expect as a minimum in the GAT2. The ET5 is nothing like a GAT inside , it would take more than a series revision for it to challenge the original GAT or ACT 2.2 for that matter.

Lets hope in the near futute the price of GAT 1's come down so mere mortals can look to acquire them

[turntable]

Originally Posted by stereoquest

The GAT 2 seems to be an evolutionary product with the additional major benefit of NOS tubes as stock which would address a possible issue with current production tubes used in the GAT 1. Yes the PC88 operates on a higher heater voltage but this tube is not as sensitive to heater voltage as the 6922.....in the old days anything within 10% is not abnormal. Why they increased coupling capacitor total value is surprising though.

Anyone who has heard the difference between good NOS and EH knows what to expect as a minimum in the GAT2. The ET5 is nothing like a GAT inside , it would take more than a series revision for it to challenge the original GAT or ACT 2.2 for that matter.

Lets hope in the near futute the price of GAT 1's come down so mere mortals can look to acquire them

very true. I went through literally 5 or 6 pairs of cj EH tubes in short periods of time as they kept getting noisy. I then tried some Philips Holland / Pope PCC88/7DJ8 and Telefunken PCC88/7DJ8.
IMO, the stk EH tubes still sounded better than these highly rated PCC88's - I guess that is why cj had to re-design the GAT to get the best out of the PC88 as well as some evolutionary upgrades learned over time.

I then bit the bullet and tried the Telefunken E88CC / 6922. Boom - an increase in performance in every parameter. They have also lasted 2 years without any issues - the last 6 months they have literally been on 24/7 as running with my SS amp.

That is the conundrum - My GAT with tele E88CC sounds magnificent. Why spend another AU 7K or so to upgrade? AU importer will never bring a new GAT2 into the country, so impossible to know how much better the GAT2 is over GAT1 with Tele 6922's.

first world problems

[Jerome W]

I have to finally try these TELE tubes in my GAT 1 !

[Jerome W]

Originally Posted by turntable

very true. I went through literally 5 or 6 pairs of cj EH tubes in short periods of time as they kept getting noisy. I then tried some Philips Holland / Pope PCC88/7DJ8 and Telefunken PCC88/7DJ8.
IMO, the stk EH tubes still sounded better than these highly rated PCC88's - I guess that is why cj had to re-design the GAT to get the best out of the PC88 as well as some evolutionary upgrades learned over time.

I then bit the bullet and tried the Telefunken E88CC / 6922. Boom - an increase in performance in every parameter. They have also lasted 2 years without any issues - the last 6 months they have literally been on 24/7 as running with my SS amp.

That is the conundrum - My GAT with tele E88CC sounds magnificent. Why spend another AU 7K or so to upgrade? AU importer will never bring a new GAT2 into the country, so impossible to know how much better the GAT2 is over GAT1 with Tele 6922's.

first world problems

Hello Shane,

I finally got the chance to try a pair of Telefunken E188CC in my GAT and I feel exactly like you. The GAT went from fabulous to stellar with these tubes. The GAT2 may be an improvement but I really do not feel the need to change anything from the sound I have with the original GAT. Thanks a lot fro recommending to me these Telefunken tubes. Actually they came to me in a strange way. I did not ask for them and a friend who came to listen to my speakers brought a pair to me.
Sometimes “Luck “ just knocks at your door and makes you a wonderful gift.