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Cary Audio SLP-05 First Impression

Hi,  I just received my Cary Audio SLP-5 tube preamp this weekend.  It’s only been less than 48 hours and I can’t wait to share my experience with my fellow A’goners. If I have to summarize my initial impression of this unit in one word, it would be:  WOW!!!

I don’t consider myself a true audiophile, so I don’t really have a strong audiophile vocabulary to describe the sound quality, but a few clichés come to mind:

  • sounds like the musicians are right there in my room
  • holographic 3D sound
  • dead quiet
  • sweet & non-fatiguing top end
  • deep bass

Couple of things I hope will continue to improve is a tiny bit more punchiness in the mid bass, and smoothing out some occasional graininess at the top end.

My strongest impression so far is the overall imaging of the sound, and the sense that I’m listening to live music.  Last night I had my system casually playing in the background when I was doing stuff around my apartment, and Eva Cassidy’s Live at Blues Alley album came on.   I was suddenly drawn to the music, and for the first time ever, I finally understand what the description ’sounds like the musicians are right there in my room’ means.   It was surreal.   It brought a big smile to my face.  It was simply beautiful.   Need I say more?

This is the first line level tube preamp I’ve ever owned.  I do own the Herron VTPH-2A tube phono preamp.   Now I know what all that fuss and craze of tube pre/power amps are about.   I guess you simply have to experience it to appreciate it.   I still feel my Parasound JC2 and JC5 combo sounds great, and I am not planning to get rid of them anytime soon.   It’s just that the Cary SLP-05 completely opens up a new music dimension that I’ve never experienced before, and so far it’s been very pleasant.

I will consider doing the ‘Ultimate Upgrade’ offered by Cary at $1600 at some point.   Please feel free to share your experience If you are a SLP-05 owner and have done this upgrade.

I have purchased so many components in the last couple of years based on suggestions and comments that I received, and stuff I read in this forum.  So thanks to those who continue to contribute and share their experiences to fellow members. 

Finally, a big shout-out to @ghdprentice for your suggestion of tube preamps and brought up the Cary brand name in one of my other discussions.  This preamp is certainly a keeper.

PS:  there are a couple of changes Cary had made to the latest production of SLP-05.  It now comes with a universal remote control.  The same one that they sell for $190 on their website, instead of a basic 3 buttons remote that I read from some older reviews.   Also they no longer recommend stacking the control unit on top of the power unit, and therefore those indentations on the top of the power unit are gone.  It is simply a flat surface now.   Actually to my surprise, the power unit runs much hotter than the control unit.  I always thought the control unit would run hotter because that is where the vacuum tubes sit.

PPS: My unit was shipped with the blue power LED missing.  After contacting Cary Audio support, they told me it was most likely dislodged due to rough handling by Fedex.  So the unit is now going back and i would have to wait for a replacement.   That sucks, but kudos to the customer support folks at both Cary Audio and Music Direct for their great service!

Thanks for reading.

128x128xcool
xcool's avatar
xcool OP
273 posts
 

Hey @jdub39, congrats on your Musical Fidelity preamp. I’m glad that you like the sound. That’s always the most important thing, no matter what other people think.

I’ve never listened to the Musical Fidelity, but the preamp sure looks good. I’m a sucker for good looks. Everything I own has to pass that ’good look’ test. 😀

I’m still deciding what to do about my Cary preamp, but I’m leaning towards sending it to Cary for warranty repair. I do love the sound, otherwise I would have just returned it and get the refund. Also, both MusicDirect and Cary Audio are great companies to work with. I have no interest in screwing them over.

BTW. the latest email exchange I have with Cary about possible root cause is that I did not insert my tubes properly and it might have cause some issue with the circuitry. I’m not an electrical engineer (but I’m a software engineer 😉), but I guess it sounds probable to me. I wonder why I was able to run it for a good 3 weeks without any issue, and it literally just stopped working overnight. For those who are knowledgeable with tube amp circuitry, please feel free to chime in. Would like to hear your opinions.

jdub39
498 posts
 

@xcool Glad to hear your sticking it out with the Cary as it could also be the reason for the sound change? That alone would have me curious to hear it working as should, as nothing is perfect and good support goes miles and miles on anything we purchase and sounds like your in good hands. Thanks on the MF, I scored major WAF points between the M8 preamp and Marantz 30n sacd I got to go along with the upgrades both in silver and as the wife helped me unpacked them  and when removing the beauty bag she  was stunned at the looks and understood the $$$ spent for the first time!

Yeah it does have to look good for me as well or it's a no go!

immatthewj
2,506 posts
 

@xcool I respect you for not wanting to screw over either MD or Cary Audio, but returning a product that you paid a lot of $ for, and one that is not operating at all or operating as advertised, is not what I would define as screwing someone.

As far as the tubes not being completely pushed into their respective sockets . . . I can see how that might degrade the signal path, but I am not getting how it would cause damage that would cause the unit to completely cease to function . . . but as I typed earlier, I am not an electrician. (Maybe that caused some fluctuations in the current between the socket & the pins of the tubes that caused a cap or a resistor or a diode to fail?)  Good luck with this whatever you decide to do. The SLP05 certainly is a good looking unit, and so far, I am finding mine a unit that sounds delicious.

kennesawjet
203 posts
 

how do you compare the cary pre to the herron you said you have.....

xcool's avatar
xcool OP
273 posts
 

@immatthewj,  I understand your rationale on returning the unit that is not working the way it should.  I feel bad because MD had already replaced my unit once.  They actually were going to repair my first unit, but I asked for a replacement, and they were happy to accommodate me on that.  Since this is the 2nd unit, and a custom order, they are less flexible on that.  But it's nice that they offered me the option of returning for a refund on a custom order.   You are making me change my mind now 😀

This thing with the tubes not seated properly can cause failure seems bizarre to me. If this is indeed the root cause, I would argue that it is a design flaw.   As you mentioned in your previous post, the fact the tube sockets are sunken in below the surface can be problematic.  You can't see whether your tube is properly inserted.   You can only go by feel.  Being a newbie with tubes,  I tried to be extra careful of not using too much force, worrying that I might break the tube.   I think Cary should have better documentation on how to insert the tubes.

Let's see how it goes.   Hopefully it's a minor issue.

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