Amp/Preamp Asylum

RE: Cary SLI-80 integrated amp with vinyl

68.104.214.203

Mick Wolfe

A

In Reply to: RE: Cary SLI-80 integrated amp with vinyl posted by Ozzy on September 04, 2019 at 03:50:58

Had a very similar experience with one of their( Cary) SLA 70 Signature amps years ago. Most boring tube amp I've ever experienced. Both my CJ MV50 and VTL 50/50 destroyed it sonically. And as an added bonus there was only a single bias pot for the 4 output tubes. Plus to access the bias pot you had to remove the bottom plate. Now despite being sonically inferior and a PITA from a user friendly standpoint, it was a good looking amp :)

Follow Ups:

RE: Cary SLI-80 integrated amp with vinyl - petercapo 14:22:18 09/04/19 (5)
SLI-80 has one bias pot per channel.

The other amps you mention likely have solid state B+ rectification. The SLI-80 has tube rectification and is probably better suited to the those who prefer a purer tube design.
- RE: Cary SLI-80 integrated amp with vinyl - Mick Wolfe 18:04:01 09/04/19 (4)
  The SLA 70 Sig. had tube rectification. I even sent it back to Cary to be checked. I was thinking something had to be wrong. Nothing could sound this lifeless without a faulty component as the culprit. It came back a few weeks later with a clean bill of health....nothing wrong. Sold it at a hefty loss just to get it outta the house at that point.
  - Their preamps sound the same........ - Ozzy 05:44:54 09/05/19 (0)
    .....at least the SLP-98 that I owned did. Didn't keep that one long either. But boy was it purdy...........
    
    Oz
    
    Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you.
    - Winston Churchill
  - RE: Cary SLI-80 integrated amp with vinyl - petercapo 18:09:07 09/04/19 (2)
    I should have been more specific. The CJ and VTL amps to which you referred likely had solid state B+ rectification, which I suspect may account for the difference you heard compared to the Cary.
    I've never heard the SLA-70, but I can say that the SLI-80 sounds about as lively as a tube amp with tube rectified B+ gets.
    
    Edits: 09/04/19
    - RE: Cary SLI-80 integrated amp with vinyl - Mick Wolfe 18:37:10 09/04/19 (1)
      Peter....you are correct. Both the CJ and VTL had solid state rectification. That said, tube rectification shouldn't cause a lifeless presentation. I currently have a Latino ST70 with tube rectification and it is superb on all fronts. I still believe that particular Cary amp was fatally flawed in some key area. Transformers maybe?
      - RE: Cary SLI-80 integrated amp with vinyl - petercapo 22:42:57 09/04/19 (0)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Cary SLI-80 integrated amp with vinyl posted by Mick Wolfe on September 04, 2019 at 18:37:10
        
        If it was unusually slow and lifeless, then I suppose it was some sort of limitation of the design. Some people like it that way. I can tolerate it to a point, but not too far.
        
        Edits: 09/06/19

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