2. amps-preamps
  3. 191843-139027

Cary SLP98L upgrades--yea or nay?

I like this venerable (and recently discontinued?) pre-amp and don't have any plans to swap it out any time soon. As I plan to keep it, I'm curious whether folks think that the Cary upgrade is worth it, and I'd appreciate any advice from those who have done it. (I know the F1 mods were popular.) Specifically:

-- They offer Mundorf MCap SUPREME EVO SilverGold Capacitors. Two versions, one with oil (+$20). I've read mostly good things about these. Do I want them--and do I want oil? 

--Hexfred rectifiers. I've read a couple mixed things about these. Are they an improvement?

--Kimber Kable ($150/input; I'd only do one input). Okay--I like Kimber Kable ... but will I hear any difference?

I'm sure there are other/better preamps out there, but I like this little guy and I'm not looking for recommendations or esoteric mods. If these upgrades are ... really upgrades, it's a modest investment and I'd be interested in hearing the difference. I'm also interested in trying out some different tubes, but I'll save that question for another day...

Thanks!

northman
decooney
2,033 posts
 

@northman - decooney, thank you. I've read some of your posts on tube rolling with the SLP 98 and they're a great help!

FYI fwiw.  My SLI-80 integrated amplifier and SLP-98L line stage had similar internal upgrades.  I've found Tube Rolling after making these prerequisite hardware upgrades is faster and more beneficial to the discovery and listening process. Sure I tried tube rolling beforehand, yet realizing the differences between tubes were much greater after the internal hardware upgrades were made first.  

 

 

northman OP
251 posts
 

A quick thank you to @decooney, @harpo75, and @dogearedaudio. I appreciate the wisdom. It helps me to think through things. I'm going to do the upgrade *and* tube rolling. Or vice versa....

dogearedaudio's avatar
dogearedaudio
145 posts
 

@nlitworld 

I'm using the True Copper Max.  Yes, the leads are a PITA. ;-)  I had to reduce the number of strands at the ends to fit them on a PCB.

@northman 

I don't know what tubes you're currently using, but I'll put in a plug for the Sylvania 6SN7WGT, the version with square plates directly facing each other, not the angled plates.  They aren't cheap but they should lend the Cary a bit more speed and mid-range clarity.  I haven't found a current 6SN7 I like, and the premium Russian ones, like the Tung-Sol, are almost as much as NOS. ;-)

russ69's avatar
russ69
3,516 posts
 

There was a question about Cary doing an F1 upgrade. I'm pretty sure they did it originally so I'd say, yes they can.

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