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Amp/Preamp Asylum Looking for a new Amp or Preamp? If you're after tubes, post over here. |
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In Reply to: RE: Consider that tube power goes farther posted by AbeCollins on May 10, 2016 at 17:56:56:
Hi Abe,
Similar but different. The Plinius 9200 is a fine SS amp that doesn't sound so SS that a tube guy would dislike it. It is always at it's best when left "on" all the time, not in the "standby" mode. I learned that from old Harry Pearson articles about Plinius gear, tried it, and it's very true. It would still need about an hour at volume levels to sound it's best and really sing.
Warm-Up: The Cary is much better than the Plinius in the first hour and improves considerably after about 45 minutes but not as much as the 9200 did.
Audiophile stuff: The Plinius bested the Cary in dynamics and detail although I'm sure the Cary can reach closer in those areas with the right tubes -- it is very responsive to tube rolling. The Plinius produced a nice wide soundstage, 'maybe' even a little better than the Cary, but the Cary destroys it in soundstage depth. Imaging winner goes to the Cary.
Tonal accuracy: I'm not a musician so in my opinion, my opinion doesn't really count in this area. They both seem fine with the Cary obviously dependent on the tubes used.
I listen mostly to jazz these days so the Cary in triode mode really does it for me. It's even fairly good in triode when I listen to Hendrix or The Heavy, but I need to use ultralinear mode (80 wpc) to really get the leading edges and dynamics of (especially) electric guitars to sound right.
I don't listen to classical except for an occasional spin of The Planets, which is fine in ultralinear mode.
I sure wish I could have tried the AES SixPacs with a Cary SLP-05. It's a bummer that Cary no longer makes the SixPacs! I need to try the SLI-80 with EL34 tubes.
There's just something about tubes, they just sound right, although the 9200 never sounded "not right".
Terry
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- RE: Consider that tube power goes farther - Terry P 13:38:18 05/11/16 (0)
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