Warm and Detailed S.S. Amp?

Grant - Yes, I have been very impressed with the Panache over the past year. It is a difficult amp to fault. I've replaced it for now with an Odyssey dual mono. It does some things better, but then there are also some qualities it is missing. The Panache has a midrange purity that is hard to beat. Nothing I've had over the years did a piano like the Panache did. What the Panache lacked, in my experience, was low end muscle and it was also not the last word in resolving detail, both of which I've found the Odyssey does better. Ultimately I wish I could have both, of course. Currently I've been running the Odyssey with the Cary SLP-50a as well as direct through a Benchmark DAC1 I'm borrowing. The latter combination I do not like at all...in fact I really haven't found much to like about the Benchmark DAC at all. The highs really grate on me, and it has a very amplified sound to it, rather than a natural presence. These characteristics have shown themselves in several configurations I've tried it with. Just one opinion though...obviously some folks like it a whole lot, I'm just not one of them, or haven't heard it with the right system. Going direct through the SS system, it sounds on the flat side and I do not find it engaging in any way. As I stated before, it can be quite harsh in the upper mid and highs. Going to the tubed Cary Pre, the Odyssey is wonderful...dynamic, engaging, with a commanding hold on my Silverline SR17's. I would certainly call it a warm sounding amp with the tube pre pushing it. I've yet to try an SS pre, but I will at some point soon. Alas, it does not do Piano like the Panache did. Overall, the strengths it does have were enough for me to make the change, and experiment a bit more with SS and some added power (though it is only 80watts more it does seem to play out as a greater difference for some reason). I'd say the Odyssey is a more overall balanced amp, where the Panache's primary strength was in it's midrange purity. I do miss that. Though I still find with most of the music I favor (acoustic, vocals, small ensemble stuff) the SET system is what I prefer to listen on, I still would not kick the SS out of bed for eating crackers. I do miss my horns, but they're just too large for our modest house. The SET system currently is played through Galante Rhapsody speakers, which do very well indeed with the smaller space. Not as lightening fast and dynamic as horns, but then again, what is?

Marco

Marco, Can you tell me more about the Cary SLP. I recently acquired the 'matching' SLM50BmkII's and was wondering if the '50' would be additive warmth wise (not a good thing for me), more neutral, or just plain synergetic. Have you used it with anything other than the Panache? E-mail me if you don't want to clutter up this thread. Thanks.......

Newbee - I did not use the Cary with the Panache, but with the Odyssey dual mono. The Panache is an integrated amp (actually, technically it's not quite that since the pre, I believe, is a passive stage - look to their site or one of the many reviews online for a technical description. The Cary SLP-50 A-version is reportedly one of Dennis Had's personal favorites. I can tell you that synergistically I have found nothing better to use with my 300B SET amps, and I've tried a few. One did surpass it recently, but I have not listened to it at length to be sure...it was an FET based SS preamp that was designed and built by an audio engineer friend of a friend. I hope to give it a more lengthy audition at some point. I have tried most of George Wright's preamps, as well as having owned a prototype Modwright when Dan was at that stage with the SWL 9. Also an ARC LS-2B modded by GNS. The latter two came off as a bit cold and analytical sounding. To be fair they each worked very well in other systems. Also Dan has changed the SWL 9 significantly since the prototype (which I did like very much with Quicksilver Mini Mites). I'd like to try one of his production versions. The prototype worked extremely well in a Push/Pull tube system. Also, I've owned a Cary SLP-50B which uses 6922's instead of 6CG7's - didn't like that at all - highs were too hard and the upper registers in general seemed exaggerated compared to what I was used to (and preferred). I had the 50A and 50B at the same time and tried several very nice NOS 6922's in the 50B. I didn't like it as much as the 50A. It never lost the edge on the upper register. Can't recall the others, but there were a few. I can't say I've tried it all by any means, but I do keep coming back the SLP50A for what seems like a great balance of 'warmth' and detail. It definitely has a classic tube, glowing round the edges kind of performance. I am not under the illusion that it a world-class performer, but it does enough right that I've kept it as longer than any other component I currently have. It's really the only preamp I've tried with the Odyssey so far, and it works very well there as well, but I look forward to trying other options. A friend of mine might be bringing over his SLM70's (modded to switch between Triode and UL), and if he does I'll be trying them out with the Cary and will let you know. I like those amps very much in his system. I've heard them with Quad 988's and Harbeths...their sound somehow reminds me of the character of the SLP50A preamp. I've heard them with a Audible Illusions pre, and with a CAT pre. I never had the chance to compare and listening sessions were too far apart to tell the difference, but I enjoyed both combinations. My friend much prefers the CAT - He is Agon member Peter_s if you want to write to him - I bought my Odyssey from him as well, and he's the one with the FET preamp I liked so much with my SET amps. I don't really know how much his SLM70's share in common with your 50's though. On another note, one nice aspect about the 50A's is that NOS tubes are relatively inexpensive and easy to find. The current production tubes I recently tried out from EH are awful in that preamp. I like RCA cleartops and JAN Sylvanias in there. EH robbed detail and dynamics from the NOS choices. But, if I had to wager a guess, I'd bet the SLP50A would impart warmth to your SLM's so may not be the direction you want to pursue. On the other hand, they are usually very reasonably price and extremely easy to sell, so buying one to try out is no big risk. If you were nearby you could certainly give mine a whirl.

When I'm searching for input on a component I always appreciate that someone has posted it so the search engine picks it up. I don't consider marginally off-topic information to be "clutter" so I'll post this here, and ping you separately. As always, YMMV.

Marco