I own the SLP-88 and it's overall a very good preamp. It's certainly not bright, at least with the stock tubes I use. It has a very full-sounding midrange and reasonable bass. Not the fastest, most detailed preamp, it sits somewhere in the middle in the spectrum of fast/detailed to syrupy/rich.
For jazz and female vocals this preamp is certainly above average. It also works well with chamber music and male vocalists. Guitars, cellos and pianos are particularly well reproduced. It's probably not the best choice for heavy metal, though not terrible, either.
It comes with a very attractive chassis with multiple inputs and 2 separate outputs (useful if you have a sub). And Cary is known for great service, a definite plus.
Good luck in your choice,
Michael
