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Integrated Shootout: Rogue Tempest/Cary Sli80 sig

The Cary is stock re: all tubes except power tubes, the 6922 tubes are Sovtek, the 5u4g tubes are Sovtek as well, the 6sn7 tubes are Chinese, and the power tubes are Svet 6550 and Electro Harmonix 6550EH.
The Rogue has the Sovtek 12ax7 and JAN Phillips 12au7(tube upgrade from Rogue) and the same power tubes (Svet 6550, EH 6550EH).

Ok. The Cary is a bit more refined. Alot, actually. But the Cary with stock tubes, is brighter (I can't believe I think it sounds bright, but it does).
The Rogue had soundstage DEPTH out the yin-yang, while the Cary is more 2-D (I don't like this at all).
As far as Soundstage width , the Cary is wider, but with the depth lacking so, it seems more "fake" than the Rogue.
The Rogue, because of it's depth and acceptable width, sounds more like music in real space, but with a more "tubey" sound (it sounds colored, but the coloring makes it sound real), while the Cary's tone is purer and the pace more lively, but because of the brightness and flat soundstage, it seems to suffer by comparison. Both throw an image very, very well.

I am going to be tweaking around with some 6sn7 and 6922 tubes for the Cary, in an effort to get the brightness out (I know this can be fixed) and most importantly, the soundstage depth up to snuff. I just wanted to post my results so far. The Tempest, with the upgraded preamp tubes from Rogue (I think a $100 option) gets the nod vs the totally stock Sli80.

This is going to get good.... stay tuned.
Opinions are appreciated...
gthirteen
chelillingworth
309 posts
 
I have owned a stock and Magnum Rogue. I haven't bothered to bring that or any other Cary home as their sound from what I have heard at a variety of dealers and systems does not interest me at all. The reason you find the Rogue to sound like real music in a real space is because it is very neutral and detailed, something that you cannot say about many Cary products.

That said I would not spend the extra money on the Magnum upgrade if you are only going to feed it with the rather mediocre Planet CD player ( the most over rate dcd player of all time). You might find your money more well spent upgrading the source which in my opinion is a much larger issue than tube swapping etc...

You will be amazed at how well even the stock Tempest will pass along the added musicality and resolution of a real digital front end.

If you end up with the Cary Then I wouldn't imagine the Cd player would matter much. Ouch ! am I going to make some enemies with Cary fans but man you can keep that stuff ;^)
gthirteen OP
358 posts
 
Chelillingsworth, you don't like Rega and you don't like Cary- that's fine by me, and you might be right(I'm assuming that you'v tried them in your system, and that they were the only variable being changed) but in my house, you might find yourself eating some crow along with those statements...Until you have tried a piece of gear in your home, you just don't know.

The "I own this, it is the best" attitude is not one that I respect or perpetuate. I stand by my above statements regarding what sounds better to me and why.

As previously mentioned, I'm doing this as an educational experience, and I invited anyone with any useful info to contribute. If you think what you have to say is useful, then by all means, contribute...

david99's avatar
david99
1,467 posts
 
BASHING MY REGA PLANET!!?? WAR!! :<()
chelillingworth
309 posts
 
There we go !! I knew I would instigate some sort of riot here. But really, even my old discman could make a bag of potatos out of that "Hey Look Ma ! I'm on the cover of Stereophile" Hunk of Bunk.
david99's avatar
david99
1,467 posts
 
Chill Worth! :~) the Planet is a fine player and a ball to use.Get one for yourself and see!(hear)
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