A silly question

[EddieTheTrooper]

Actually a two questions. First. TBH when I bought Cat I didn't like it. Everything changed after some time. Now I like it. I explained this to myself that default presets were crappy and that after some time and learning I made(or download) better ones. But recently I found some discussions on the internet with some people claiming that this amp sounds better after some time of using. Now I wonder. Is it possible? If yes, how it is possible?

Second. I wonder what do you like the most in this amp? I've heard that most people like clean tones. Actually I still don't like then that much. The best clean tone I made for me is actually on chime amp type. Don't like aristocrat and archetype that much. When I compare it to clean on my Spark Neo, the Spark wins. Cleans are beautiful there. Also I don't like high gain settings. Actually I don't like high gain amp type at all. It's the worst IMO. But that's where most people agree. It is not for extreme sounds. But in my opinion where the amp shines the most are low and mid gains settings. It's amazing considering the price. 
So what are your pros and cons of this amp. What do you like the most and less after all those months or years with this amp?

[rd2rk]

Question 1 - When I bought my Cat I spent over a month comparing it side by side with a Katana Artist and my Helix with my PC212+. I knew that I liked it when I bought it and had already gone through the same process/experience as you. Still, I liked it even better after a while using it. That MAY be a result of speaker break-in, or it may just be a continuation of the learning process plus acclimatization of my ears to its sound. Psychoacoustics is a real thing.

 

Question 2 - TBH, I bought the amp as an amplified speaker for my Helix that would be more portable than my PC212+ and could serve as a standalone backup to my Helix or simple grab'n'go for jams. Also, there's some days that the PC212+ just doesn't sound right. Psychoacoustics again.

 

That said, over time I've come to appreciate that I can plug in, twist some knobs and find the exact sound that I didn't know I was looking for that day.

Simple, old-school fun with amp and guitar, but 12 amps in one!

My needs are pretty simple when it comes to effects, having grown up in the days of amps with built-in reverb tanks and tremolo (vibrato?) being all the effects we had.

While I love being able to get wild and crazy with my Helix, sometimes simple is better. Play more, twiddle less.

 

I don't play in a cover/tribute band. I've never been about trying to sound exactly like anyone other than myself.

It's fun when I stumble upon the sound of some song that I really like, but I don't spend much time looking for it. In 5 minutes I'm bored and I've found some other sound I like and I'm off on that.

 

Finally, there's an old saying - "Jack of all trades, master of none".

If you want to sound like EVH you get a 5153, not a Fender Twin. Conversely, if you play surf music you don't get an Engl Fireball.

The Catalyst is none of those, but it'll quickly get the essence of any genre, and that's all that matters to me.

If I need more, I plug my Helix/HXS into the return. Tweaker Heaven!