Cary Audio Cad 805 AE tube rolling

Dear all,

I fitted my Cary cad805 with RCA 845, Brimar 6sn7gt and we300b. I did an A-B comparison between the stock 6SN7 and the Brimars and found the Brimars to be brighter sounding. Does anyone else have similar experience with the Brimars.

On the a-b comparison between the RCA 845 and stock 845 with the remaining tubes stock, the result was stunning. The RCA tubes are simply amazing. The sound was lusher, warmer and also "slower" with much more emotion.

Best wishes.

SM

Hi Gang. This is a general question about the Cary 805 AE
tube amps. I am getting ready to switch up from switching up from solid state (Krell fpb 700CX) to something in the tube amp gear, preferrably mono's. Any good/bad advice on the Cary 805 AE. That has come into play as far as my decision in gear. Other choices are VTL and Rouge audio.
Looking for power along with great presence of sound quality. Other gear: Audio Valve Eklipse preamp. T+A Tube output CD player. EE tube phono pre. B&W 802D'S. Any info is helpful. cbr/ [email protected]

Hi Micheler,

Where did you buy the Amperex VT4C ? I used GE VT4C, Sophia Mesh Plate 300 B and Tungsol brown base. The result is very musical and powerful. Thanks.

Hi Micheler, I suggest that you ask Cary. I assume that the switch changes bias accordingly, but one can never be too cautious.

Hi Casouza thanks for the help.
If I change 211 tubes (GE, Amperex, RCA etc etc) it's needed rebiasing amp?
For 300B tubes there is a trimmer for rebiasing, no for 211 or 845 tubes!
Regards, Michele

Michele, thanks for sharing your tube-rolling experience.
If I understand you question correctly, yes, tube amps must be used with a specific output tube to sound their best, however, the switch that Carry provides probably changes a few electrical parameters to make the amp compatible with 211 AND 845.

I tried also rca vt231 (1944) on cary but fivre is superior on linearity and coherence.
I tried also raytheon vt231, marconi-gec b65,kenrad vt231, sylvania vt231 and mulllard ecc32 but for me ecc33 mullard+fivre 6sn7gt black plate are awesome!
The best sounding nos 211 is Amperex brass base (Taylor and RCA are good, GE also).
For 845 tubes I tried United with the glass support on the top, is marvellous! No experience with RCA or GE.
A friend told me that an amplifier is best sounding with 211 tube or with 845 tube...... never with both!
It is true?
Thanks, Michele.

Casouza,

The 805 AE can use both, and actually comes with both. A buddy of mine has a pair and he prefers the 211s to the 845s, I prefer the 845s. It all comes down to taste, which I think is why Cary put in a switch to allow both tubes. Very cool idea IMO...

Michele, you may want to read this thread about the latest 300B:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1240592110

I see that you did not like three slightly bright 6SN7 variants.
You may want to try Sylvania JAN 6SN7WGTA brown base as driver tubes, they sound very smooth and organic.

Fivre tubes were made in Italy under license from RCA, so I believe you will also like early grey glass, black plate 6SN7GT tubes made by RCA in the 40s. These are also available as ex-military stock JAN VT-231

I have no experience with 211 type tubes, but I believe your amp can use 845. The 845 is a more linear tube than 211. Ask Cary. If the switch is doable, you will not regret it.
good luck