Shindo Auriges vs. Cary SLP98

Slaw3, I auditioned the Shindo Monbrisson and found it just to be OK in the context of my system. When I shared this in a review here on the GON regarding different preamps that I had auditioned the person who imports the Shindo gear got all bent out of shape that I was not a fan and came up with all kind of excuses why the Monbrisson would not sound great in my system. My present preamp is the Audio Valve Eklispe which is a great tube based linestage for a lot less money then the Shindo. So, my opinion is be cautious if you can't audition the Auriges before buying it, unless you get it so inexpensively that if you don't like it, you can get your money back out when you sell it.

I am an owner of an Aurieges and like all things, it is system dependent. They probably sound best with tube amps (though I'm pairing mine with Nuforce Class D's). If you buy it for anything less then $2k you should be able to recoup your money on resale, assuming it's in excellent condition

Never heard the Shindo, but I have the same Cary as you, and it's the best preamp I have ever owned.

I have had both units in my system and currently on a Monbrison. the Cary has a more romantic sound (even the F1) than the Shindo's. The Aurieges and the Monbrison excel at providing the tonality and musical flow. I believe the Shindo's are the better product to my ears, but the ultimate decision is yours in that your may like the flavor of the Cary better.
The only reservation I would have with the Shindo is that you should not use and interconnect from it to the amp more than 3 meters, the sound will seriously degrade.
Finally, I found Jonathan Halpern the importer of Shindo to be honest and ethical -- a true gentlemen.