Looking for opinion, Cary 303/300, thinking about

wound up getting the cary couldn't be happer the tube output is a bit soft but that is tubes and it does make voices more natural. Glad I can choose between the two.

I went to a delear to audition 3 cd players: The Musical Fidelity A5, Ayre CX7e and the Cary 303/300. I was listenining thru the Vandersteen5A and Cary momo block amps. We first started with the MF and it was very close compared to the tubed output of the Cary. The Cary seemed to be fuller with a bit more meat on the bone. So now we wanted to compare the Cary with the Ayre (the player that I really was looking to buy). Alas the Ayre quit working almost immediately.I then recalled that Sue Kroft went thru three Ayres before she finished her review. The dealer told me that one of his customers had to send his Ayre he had sold a few weeks ago for repair. The dealers Ayre preamp (or amp, I cannot recall) were also back for repairs. I also met Dennis Had the president of Cary and after a brief discussion bought the Cary. Two days in my system the Cary quit. Dennis was extremley helpful and shipped me a replacement the next day. Great guy.Now for the sound of the Cary. First and foremost, switching from the tubed output to the solid state increases the output which always leads to some perception of greater highs.In this case it appears that the player does, compared to the tube output,accentuate the highs and makes it feel that there is more detail.Also the lead vocalist moves a little forward in the sound stage The tube output deepens the stage with a mellow sound. I prefer the solid state output, which makes me wonder why I paid more for the tube output, My system has a SAS Audio 10A (great tube pre amp), Quick Silver V4 Mono Blocks, Quad 988 speakers. A very revealing system. I am going to keep the Cary for the time being, although I am not sure.

Can any 303/300 owners give some input on how the unit sounds direct to amp vs. through a pre? I currently own a 303/200 that I prefer running through an ARC LS-16 MkII, but wouldn't be opposed to going direct if it sounds great. Also, have you done any tube rolling, and if so, what did you find?

I have the feeling you guys who allude to analog have grown accustomed to a particular form of distortion. Using a needle to track waves in vinyl seems archaic. Distortions induced by digital signal processing would seem to pale in comparison. If a microphone is used during recording, the acoutical signal is transduced to an electrical stream. I'm surprised you guys don't object to that intervention, and insist on a cutting lathe driven directly by acoustics. Then you could talk about how open and airy that sounds compared to recordings in which an electrical signal was used. You could sit around with your ear glued to acoustic trumpets -- maybe even two platters and trumpets for stereo -- and exclaim at the purity of sound. So open, so airy, so warm.

db

Dont hold back Don, tell us how you really feel! =)