Cary 805, deHavilland or Atma-Sphere? Anyone cares

Tvad asks the right question.

I currently own the Cary 300B sig monos and the 805s. I've previously owned the little Atma-Sphere stereo amp (s300?). The sig monos and little Atma MUST be paired with appropriate speakers (a relatively small percentage of all those out there) or they just won't work. The Cary 805 is much more flexible. I suspect the higher output OTLs are probably more flexible as well, but have no personal experience with them.

Further, the small OTL and 300B amps sound quite different even when paired with one suitable speaker versus another suitable speaker. In short, they are much more sensitive to the load they face and behave differently as that load changes. Some combos will sound great, others awful. Unfortunately, looking at impedance and sensitivity specs is not a great predictor of happy marriages.

IMHO, you shouldn't buy a 300B amp or a low output OTL until you've heard it with the partnered speaker. While that advice is generally good for any amp/speaker set-up. IMHO it is particularly critical for these quirky amp designs.

Good Luck

Marty

Dear Martykl,
I also have the Cary 300SE, 15 watts and they drive the Maggie fine; but not to the point of full, not even half bass.
I would like to have your advice on the Cary 805 since I am thinking VERY SERIOUSLY of buying and trying them with the Maggie, the wife, I believe. Bring it a better mistress, I believe it will help.
How about the latest 05 preamp,is it any good?
Please advice
Robert

The Magnaplaner 3.6 is not particularly hard to drive, but it is not efficient enough to really work with any amplifier that is limited to say 30 watts or less. The Speltz autoformer is a good combination with larger tube amplifiers and the Maggies. We have a number of customers that use the 3.6 with our M-60s or MA-1s and the Speltz ZEROs. This combination turns up an awful lot- I used to think that it was a local thing since all of these products are made in Minnesota, but its not. They just work really well together!

Robert,

I've never tried the 805 w/Maggies, so I can't help you there. Similarly, I've never used the Cary pre-amps, so I'm 0 for 2. You may want to call Audio Connection in northern New Jersey as he sells both brands and can probably give good advice.

I will say that the 805s work like a champ with my Verity Parsifal Encore. The little Cary and little Atma S-30 cannot drive this speaker. I've used all 3 of these amps with the Merlin VSM and both Cary amps sounded great (particularly the 300b), the S-30 less great. At that time, I also owned the deCapo monitors, and while all the amps sounded great, the S-30 was IMHO much the best of the bunch. That's what I mean by difficulty in predicting a happy marriage. Please take that info FWIW.

Good Luck,

Marty