Luxman 505uXlI vs Cary SLI-100

+1 three_easy_payments

@unison77
Do what he said.  Or, call Steve or Billy and send it in to Cary.  A good local tech might be better if you have one around your area who does "tube amp upgrades", and you might get a better job.  17 years of good use, time for a nice refresh for your SLI-80.

Lots of nice KT88s to choose from now days, and some good 6SN7 and 12AU7s tubes while your are at it, the 2003 was V1 of that amp as I recall, and some upgrades already mentioned will help. Maybe call and get a quote.  A buddy of mine had the same amp, sold it, and bought the new one with all of the upgrades, he's super happy with it.     

I loved my former SLI-80 Signature several amps ago, tried VCAPS and Jensen PIO caps, better resistors, silver wiring, and eventually went down the path of Mundorf SESG Silver Gold EVO Supreme (non-oil) caps and never looked back. Used them on my last three amp setups.  
If you get stuck, PM me, would be glad to call and bug them for you.  They owe me some updates on classic monos I was pushing on a while back.  

@unison77   

I am wondering what I could do to my Cary SLI-80 acquired in 2003. The only upgrade I made some time ago were Jensen PIO .22uf coupling caps. Before that, we tried VCaps for a year and eventually replaced them with Jensens.  

The factory available upgrades include Mundorf SilverGold Caps, Jensen Caps, Hexfreds, Greyhill Switch, WBT Speaker Binding Posts, Kimber Kable.  I'd suspect the Mundorf caps and hexfreds may be worthwhile. 

You can get the parts from Cary and DIY if you like.

https://carydirect.com/shop-now/diy-parts.html  

@builder3

You have the amps and speakers, the room, presumably the music, but want strangers on the internet to choose the combo that sounds best? This couldn't make any less sense.

could not agree more

hard to think of speakers more different in sound that maggie lrs and klipsch heresy LOL

You have the amps and speakers, the room, presumably the music, but want strangers on the internet to choose the combo that sounds best? This couldn't make any less sense.

I agree with a few others here---Luxman and Klipsch. I have the 505uxii paired with some Tekton Lore References. You can't go wrong with Luxman. Keep us posted.

I am wondering what I could do to my Cary SLI-80 acquired in 2003. The only upgrade I made some time ago were Jensen PIO .22uf coupling caps. Before that, we tried VCaps for a year and eventually replaced them with Jensens.  

@maholl50,
When you acquired the SLI-100 with KT150s, do you have a copy of the build-receipt or recall if any special upgrades were done at original purchase time? i.e. a friend was the designer of that SLI-100, originally. He shared some nice upgrade tips on all of my former Cary amps, with some surprising results.

Having owned and heard several different Cary amps with before/after optional [or local-tech custom] upgrades, it can be a really nice uplift. Worth investigating if you are trying to decide what to keep. 

No to tubes. My pick, Luxman.

Luxman 550 and Heresy

I'd pair the Klipsch Heresy IV's with a Cary SLI-80HS instead of the SLI-100.  I don't think KT150's will match very well but KT-88's in triode mode through the SLI-80HS is sublime with Klipsch.  I run this amp with a pair of Forte III's and the synergy is fantastic.

Luxman/Klipsch would be my choice.

Bill

Given the modest integrateds I'd say the Klipsch is a very strong speaker, another possible integrated is a Rogue.

My concern with the ML with both of these amps is an over softening of the top end due to the speaker impedances ( I assume you mean ESL ML)

just for fun

i would take the cary and a pair proacs or harbeths

you can have the other speakers