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Power Amp To Go With Cary SLP98P Preamp

I just got a Cary SLP98P Preamp and right now I am using a Primaluna Dialogue 5 Power Amp. Thinking about getting a Cary power amp to match the preamp. Right now I am looking at either the solid state 200.2 ES power amp at 200 watts per channel or the Cary CAD 120s mkII tube power amp at 110 watts or 60 watts in triode. Cary has a sale right now and wanted to take advantage. I have Ryan 630 floorstander speakers I am using right now. Also have a pair of Harbeth 3PSRs and Triangle ESW floorstanders I sometimes use. Small room(9 feet by 12 feet)  right now but will be moving to a bigger room later. I am partial to tubes but like the simplicity of the solid state option unless the sound isn't there. Any opinions? Thanks for any help.

128x128dylanfan
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
So I've owned a Cary SLP98P with a CAD 120S MKii.  I actually liked the SLP98P better than the 120S MKii.  I found the amp to be noisy (hum issues) and sonically it didn't dig very deep and I found the bass to be flabby and lack authority.  All negatives associated with the 120S MKii were immediately cured (and then some) when I replaced it with a Pass XA30.8 which would be my suggestion. 

I ended up also selling the SLP98P but only because I felt it's phono stage was lacking.  For about $3500 used I would strongly endorse a Pass XA30.8 over the Cary options.
dylanfan's avatar
dylanfan OP
139 posts
 

Thanks. Kind of feedback I was after.

avanti1960
1,480 posts
 
I heard the 98 at a dealer powering a Parasound a21 and it sounded good- slightly better than the Cary 200.2- but I felt the '98 was the bottleneck, not the amps.   the sound was too thick and sluggish.  
perhaps tube rolling would fix that.  
dylanfan's avatar
dylanfan OP
139 posts
 
Avanti1960 thanks for the feedback. So far my experience with it has been great. I am using the Primaluna Dialog 5 Power amp and I might just be used to that. Not a solid state fan as of yet so the quickness is nothing I am used to. I do like the great mids and air I am hearing right now however.
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