Cary SLP 03

I really enjoy mine and haven't wanted for anything else since. It offers a great sound stage and channel separation. Plenty of inputs including a cinema bypass. I havent changed the stock tubes yet.

Forgot to mention above that the SLP03 received a 2012 Editors Choice award from The Absolute Sound. Check out the March 2012 issue.

Hi all ! Just last week I bought a new SLP-05 to replace my SLP-03 . I never rolled tubes in the 03 as I thought it sounded OK . Well....then the SLP-05 showed up...freeking nuts ! The 05 is much better than the 03 in every way . I even made a comment to my buddy the 03 does not perform like a $3000 preamp . Therefore IMHO I could not recommend spending more than $1000 for this piece . Sometimes its hard to tell what is good and what is bad w/o changing it .

Bradluke0 the SLP 05 should be much better than the SLP 03 in every way. The 05 has been the top of the Cary preamp line for years and retails for more than twice the cost of the 03. The performance of the 05 which retails for $8500 should be incomparable to the 03 which retails for $3100. Not much good said about the 03 on the net however, so it's likely you're right that it's not even worth the sale price.

I would get the 05, but I can't stand not having input select on the remote. If Cary comes out with a new pre with a remote that has input select that can perform like the 05 then I would be in for that.