The Gato is the one as far as I am concerned. It has the transparency and detail I require without any harshness whatsoever. Like you said in your review, it has dynamic capabilities. Not cheap, but can’t get the right traits without putting up the money. Never whine when you find a component that delivers what it promises! This does! Cheers mate!
I got my 150AE earlier this month. Blown away. Also got myself the Gato FM 15 bookshelf speakers. They pair very well. Amazing sound. Such lucidity- amazing. On another note, let's say the amp I got has a connection with you Simon.
It is a great amp. I personally slightly prefer my Hegel but it’s a speaker matching thing and the two are competitive to each other but it’s also slightly less money. You’ve bought with confidence.
Purchaced this amp last year and just purchased the matching cdd-1-cd player ,to me the design is great no more square boxes full of blue leds.EVEN GOT THE WIFES APPROVAL .keeep up the good work you do.thanks
@@ericp8094I own CDD and Amp, and I love it... It's an very good and solid sounding CD Player/DAC. Lot better than the build in DAC in the DIA models. For me, the CDD is all I need. Endgame Player for me and the most important device in my system...
Well, a lot of the time I haven't got a clue what Simon is talking about, but he is the knack of making it all sound so darn interesting. He would make a great teacher: guaranteed to make his students enthusiastic!
I’m sorry if it wasn’t clear. Anything you want me to explain happy too. But thanks so much for the vote of confidence on being interesting. I do try and make it interesting to watch and I’m always trying to make the presentation better because the graphics and videography come easy now, but improving presentation is always something to improve on. 😀
I had a Marantz pm 14 mk2 because I had a wonderful amplifier for 21 years... it was too old then I tried the Audio Fly 3, it was good but the bass was missing and the mids were too weak.. Hegel 190 was good but The Gato 150 is in a different league and is simply awesome. The bass, mid and high everything is much better. I have remained loyal to Dynaudio for 32 years
I am a happy Gato customer and can confirm what Simon said is 100% true. On another note, would you post a follow up video comparing to other amps? Like the Kinki integrated for instance?
Some more information on the website article including how the heating works here - www.13thnote.net/2023/10/15/gato-audios-amp-150-ae/ Subscribe to my patreon to support me and the sustainability of this channel and get more on my picks, selections and what I like best, plus buying advice www.patreon.com/user?u=20783218
great review, as always. the gato 150 really has my attention, and given your review, i am way more interested now. i was wondering if you could comment on how it will pair with the totem arro (i know you have reviewed totem speakers). i am currently driving my 4 ohm, 87db sensitive speakers with a rega elicit mk5.
I truly admire GATO 🐈 AUDIO 🇩🇰 and as ever a down to earth 🌍 review from a Super Kool Simon. I have a wonderful album 💿 to suggest to listen 👂 on this gorgeous amplifier: Wally Badarou “words of a mountain”. It is a magnificent album 💿
Nice review Simon. Stunning looking amp. Love the design. I never heard it but this amp seems to be very interesting. Some say the amp has got too much speed. Maybe that 'PRAT' could not be for everybody. But every interested buyer should trust their own ears. Perhaps the H390 follow up (2024?) will do a better job then.
Thanks very much Ron, I’ve been suggesting to Hegel to make a H390 less dac and digital inputs and streaming as it could get people onto the powerful Hegel amps for less cash. 😀
I have been using separates "Denafrips Athena Preamp + Kinki EX-M7 amp" to drive my PMC Twenty5 26 speakers that are very much transparent, I would love to use an integrated instead that would outperform my combo, would the 150 pair better than my current 250 watt Kinki in your experience with these PMCs, or H390 fits better the PMCs ?, rock, electronic pop mostly
Hey Simon, can you please give 5 cents on this compared to ex-m1? I own that one, and was curious to know if this would be an upgrade, or more of a sidegrade? Thanks!
It’s part of a longer conversation on patreon about your tastes, system synergy and what the Gato might bring, then all contextualised with my thoughts about value for money and as I do further system advice on Patreon, I can’t answer on RUclips. Plus if I want to commercialise this channel I can’t say what I prefer on RUclips. I’ve done this for far too long and it means I don’t get products, I take all the risk and consumers who don’t reward me benefit. They may also have different tastes and opinions to me. No RUclipsrs can give purely customer advice on RUclips as to what all their preferences are. It is going to be competitive to certain requirements as I got across but there are fine margins too. I’m sure you can understand.
Does anyone hear a low hum in their amp-150 and coming out of the speakers? I wonder if this is a ground loop issue? No problem from listening position.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 It sounds to me as the toroid too. The sound from the woofer is the same as the amp. Mind you I have to put my ear to the woofer and case of the amp.
@@CedricRachmad it’s normally dc on the ac with humming toroids, or it could be a ground loop. Using a turntable and not grounded…..get a simple dc blocker if it annoys you or if drowned out by music, why worry.
No ground loop. I guess its the DC. I’ll play around with cables and maybe a dc blocker. Not too worried but if it might affect SQ, why not fix it. Thnx for the tip!
The comparison used here is not really a like for like, due to the AMP 150’s original price of £8000 vs the Hegel price of £5295. As an owner of the amp150 AE if the price had been 10k I would still have paid it. It is that Good. The price now is a real bargain! The Hegel is out of its league here.
I always wondered whether or not Gato audio and Fyne audio share an owner or something of the sorts, since the F1 series of Fyne speakers is almost perfect visual match to the Gato gear, all the way to the available finishes.
It is hard to design hifi to look good and it’s all personal , but I think Gato audio need to be congratulated on being bold enough to come up with a design that is different from the many square hifi boxes.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
The Gato is the one as far as I am concerned. It has the transparency and detail I require without any harshness whatsoever. Like you said in your review, it has dynamic capabilities. Not cheap, but can’t get the right traits without putting up the money. Never whine when you find a component that delivers what it promises! This does! Cheers mate!
It’s defo the reason to buy this and the looks too and well made.
One of the most beautiful HiFi kit on the market
Couldn’t agree more
Been using Gato preamp over 10years and very pleased with it. You’re the very few in the UK to review this stylish product. Well done.
I got my 150AE earlier this month. Blown away. Also got myself the Gato FM 15 bookshelf speakers. They pair very well. Amazing sound. Such lucidity- amazing. On another note, let's say the amp I got has a connection with you Simon.
It is a great amp. I personally slightly prefer my Hegel but it’s a speaker matching thing and the two are competitive to each other but it’s also slightly less money. You’ve bought with confidence.
@@13thnotehifireviews7 just noticed and saw your review of the Buchardt i150 amp. In your opinion how do the Gato AMP 150 and the Buchardt compare?
Purchaced this amp last year and just purchased the matching cdd-1-cd player ,to me the design is great no more square boxes full of blue leds.EVEN GOT THE WIFES APPROVAL .keeep up the good work you do.thanks
Thanks Gary, what speakers do you run with it?
@@13thnotehifireviews7 at the moment wharfdale linton 85th
How do you like the dac in the cd player? Also have the amp150 .. was think about picking up the cd player
@@ericp8094I own CDD and Amp, and I love it... It's an very good and solid sounding CD Player/DAC. Lot better than the build in DAC in the DIA models. For me, the CDD is all I need. Endgame Player for me and the most important device in my system...
🙋♂️THANKS SIMON ,FOR DOING A GREAT JOB 🤩 MAKING THIS VIDEO AND INFORMING US 🧐 AND ENTERTAINING US ALONG THE WAY 🤗💚💚💚
I really enjoyed the review and additional information on your website, really insightful.
Glad it was helpful!
Well, a lot of the time I haven't got a clue what Simon is talking about, but he is the knack of making it all sound so darn interesting. He would make a great teacher: guaranteed to make his students enthusiastic!
I’m sorry if it wasn’t clear. Anything you want me to explain happy too. But thanks so much for the vote of confidence on being interesting. I do try and make it interesting to watch and I’m always trying to make the presentation better because the graphics and videography come easy now, but improving presentation is always something to improve on. 😀
@@13thnotehifireviews7 No, you have nothing to improve on. You are brilliant!
You are my nr1 hifi reviewer,, 🌟
Thank you for your work and time Simon,, 💖🙏💖
Wow thanks so much Irene 😀🎶🔊
@@13thnotehifireviews7 💖
Great review, very useful, thanks a lot, Simon!
Thanks very much
I have the Gato PWR 222 Monoblocks with the AVM PA5.2 Preamplifier driving my KEF Blade 2. It's a good match in my opinion.
I was one click away from buying the original, non AE version. I hesitated because I couldn’t hear or play with ne before buying. It looks fabulous.
Great review! Thanks for sharing.
I own the Gato Amp 150 and Dynaudio Contour 20i, the sound is simply sensational, I'm thrilled.
Cool, what else did you try and pit them against?
I had a Marantz pm 14 mk2 because I had a wonderful amplifier for 21 years... it was too old then I tried the Audio Fly 3, it was good but the bass was missing and the mids were too weak.. Hegel 190 was good but The Gato 150 is in a different league and is simply awesome. The bass, mid and high everything is much better. I have remained loyal to Dynaudio for 32 years
I am a happy Gato customer and can confirm what Simon said is 100% true.
On another note, would you post a follow up video comparing to other amps? Like the Kinki integrated for instance?
A comparison with the Sugden ANV50 would be great 👍
Some more information on the website article including how the heating works here - www.13thnote.net/2023/10/15/gato-audios-amp-150-ae/
Subscribe to my patreon to support me and the sustainability of this channel and get more on my picks, selections and what I like best, plus buying advice www.patreon.com/user?u=20783218
great review, as always. the gato 150 really has my attention, and given your review, i am way more interested now. i was wondering if you could comment on how it will pair with the totem arro (i know you have reviewed totem speakers). i am currently driving my 4 ohm, 87db sensitive speakers with a rega elicit mk5.
I think the resolution will be a good match with totems tonal characteristics 😀🎶
@@13thnotehifireviews7 thanks, much appreciated
Yep! That's the amp!
I truly admire GATO 🐈 AUDIO 🇩🇰 and as ever a down to earth 🌍 review from a Super Kool Simon. I have a wonderful album 💿 to suggest to listen 👂 on this gorgeous amplifier: Wally Badarou “words of a mountain”. It is a magnificent album 💿
Thanks Hamid. Will check that one out and thanks for suggesting 🔉👍🎼😀
Nice review Simon. Stunning looking amp. Love the design. I never heard it but this amp seems to be very interesting. Some say the amp has got too much speed. Maybe that 'PRAT' could not be for everybody. But every interested buyer should trust their own ears. Perhaps the H390 follow up (2024?) will do a better job then.
Thanks very much Ron, I’ve been suggesting to Hegel to make a H390 less dac and digital inputs and streaming as it could get people onto the powerful Hegel amps for less cash. 😀
I have been using separates "Denafrips Athena Preamp + Kinki EX-M7 amp" to drive my PMC Twenty5 26 speakers that are very much transparent, I would love to use an integrated instead that would outperform my combo, would the 150 pair better than my current 250 watt Kinki in your experience with these PMCs, or H390 fits better the PMCs ?, rock, electronic pop mostly
Return policy in the States is to TN so there is not shipping penalty.
I read Emotiva is servicing Gato audio as well. I believe Emotiva is in TN
Wow this was a surprise
Hey Simon, can you please give 5 cents on this compared to ex-m1? I own that one, and was curious to know if this would be an upgrade, or more of a sidegrade? Thanks!
It’s part of a longer conversation on patreon about your tastes, system synergy and what the Gato might bring, then all contextualised with my thoughts about value for money and as I do further system advice on Patreon, I can’t answer on RUclips. Plus if I want to commercialise this channel I can’t say what I prefer on RUclips. I’ve done this for far too long and it means I don’t get products, I take all the risk and consumers who don’t reward me benefit. They may also have different tastes and opinions to me. No RUclipsrs can give purely customer advice on RUclips as to what all their preferences are. It is going to be competitive to certain requirements as I got across but there are fine margins too. I’m sure you can understand.
Beautiful product. I’ve always thought the Hegel to be boring in the looks department. My jams have to look good.
Does anyone hear a low hum in their amp-150 and coming out of the speakers? I wonder if this is a ground loop issue? No problem from listening position.
I didn’t. You do with the h390 Hegel - from the toroid , but that’s normal
@@13thnotehifireviews7 It sounds to me as the toroid too. The sound from the woofer is the same as the amp. Mind you I have to put my ear to the woofer and case of the amp.
@@CedricRachmad it’s normally dc on the ac with humming toroids, or it could be a ground loop. Using a turntable and not grounded…..get a simple dc blocker if it annoys you or if drowned out by music, why worry.
No ground loop. I guess its the DC. I’ll play around with cables and maybe a dc blocker. Not too worried but if it might affect SQ, why not fix it. Thnx for the tip!
No, my 150 AE is dead silent.
The comparison used here is not really a like for like, due to the AMP 150’s original price of £8000 vs the Hegel price of £5295. As an owner of the amp150 AE if the price had been 10k I would still have paid it. It is that Good. The price now is a real bargain! The Hegel is out of its league here.
Looks like a hip flask but I am sure it sounds good!
I always wondered whether or not Gato audio and Fyne audio share an owner or something of the sorts, since the F1 series of Fyne speakers is almost perfect visual match to the Gato gear, all the way to the available finishes.
Don’t know but I know the two owners did come from the hifi industry to form gato themselves
Publish everything you have. Uncensored. As eisenhower ordered everything to be documented.
I’m happy to help people who invest in me but it is not right I take all the risk,
awful design, to a large extent I choose my gear by its looks
It is hard to design hifi to look good and it’s all personal , but I think Gato audio need to be congratulated on being bold enough to come up with a design that is different from the many square hifi boxes.
it is like art - if everybody likes it, it cannot be art.
I chosen the 150 AE because the sound. The good design was a bonus.