2. speakers
  3. 1304563188

What speakers to match my new cary 805 AE

I just acquired my dream amplifiers, the cary 805 ae. I was not planning to make this purchase but an incredible opportunity presented its self and I had to jump on it. Oh little did I know what a can of worms I have opened for myself. I have just let my wilson W/P 3/2 go so that I might get into a speaker that might be a better matched to that SET sound. The Wilson's by no means sounded bad but you could tell that the amps were struggling to drive the puppies just above moderate listening levels. I have done quite a bit of reading looking for a good match, where that has left me is, CRAZY..Any suggestions or experience would be greatly appreciated.
128x128ebagrivet
martykl
3,578 posts
 
I own a pair and they are much less restrictive in speaker matching than most SETs, probably due to their pretty robust power output. I've even successfully used them with the Verity Parsifal/Encore, a modestly difficult load that will devour many SETs alive. So, don't be shy in experimenting - there's a LOT of good choices out there.

Marty

PS, they do sound different with 211s vs 845s, notwithstanding the identical specs of those tubes - so be sure to experiment.
amfibius
282 posts
 
Here are a few suggestions:

- Avantgarde Uno or Duo. I have heard the 805AE's driving the Duo's and they are a magnificent combination. The downside - you may not like the larger than life sound, and your room may not suit the Avantgardes.

- Tannoy Prestige Series. These have a far more believable sound than the Avantgardes - more realistic in scale, soundstage not so far forward. But some models have a thick sounding lower midrange / upper midbass that makes it sound "romantic". I like the sound, but may not suit all tastes.

- Wilson Sasha. I was surprised to hear Edgar Kramer's system (of 6moons) - he was using a 35W SET to drive his Wilson Sasha's. It turned my impression of Wilson upside down. Contrary to all expectation, the 35W SET's adequately powered the Sasha's and gave them a sweet, smooth midrange. Imaging is far better than the other two speakers mentioned above.

- Zingali horns. More inexpensive than the Avantgardes and do not sound as big (a good or bad thing depending on your POV). More suited to a small room than the AVG's IMO.

- ProAc D38/D80 or Response 3/4. I used to have a combo of D38/805AE before I upgraded to my current setup. The combination is sweet and dynamic but somewhat lacking in bass.

Good luck with your selection.

Keith
martykl
3,578 posts
 
I'll second the Zingalis (S3, in my case) as a good match.... but there is a serious caveat. Mine have foam surrounds, both of which deteriorated (actually, disintegrated is more accurate) over a 5 year period. They look beautiful, sound great, and pair well w/805s, but you can expect this problem to occur in any speaker that uses foam surrounds.

In addition to the Zingali and the Verity P/E, the Merlin VSM MMe is a fine (if very different sounding) mate for the Cary 805s.

Marty
More to discover