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Cary Cinema 11 Quirks?

This is a question to anyone who owns or has owned the Cary Cinema 11 pre/pro -- I'm talking about the older non-HDMI unit, not the newer 11A. I'm looking for primarily an analog multichannel preamp for the Oppo blu-ray analog out, but I wouldn't mind having extra sets of digital inputs. #1 priority, besides sound quality of course, is good operation free of quirks. I had the Cary Cinema 6 and was constantly annoyed by popping noises when switching sources.

So the question is: What do you guys think of the Cinema 11? Are there any annoyances, quirks, bugs?

I'm trying to decide between this, or the Audio Refinement, I'll probably go up to the Classe SSP-300 if I can get a good price.

(Why not HDMI? In my opinion, receivers often squash the soundstage depth and height, and all the 'audiophile' HDMI units have problems so far -- Cary 11A, NAD T175, lots of "issues"...)
rakuennow
pjonall
8 posts
 
I have had two Cinema 11's over the past 4 years - sold first silver only to get a black one. Sound and performance was identical, and very very good. Thoroughly satisfied with functions, features, and most of all sound quality. Only quirk I have ever seen (heard) and this is with both processors I have owned, is on rare occasions the volume will just start climbing until it maxes out. Very disconcerting when it happens, but it is rare enough that it is tolerable to me. I have never had any popping, cracking, or any other noises/issues with either of the Cinema 11s I have owned. Highly recommended, especially at their used price of @ $1000 if you do not require HDMI, but still want a full-featured processor with excellent sound quality...
ladycharnet's avatar
ladycharnet
59 posts
 
I think the volume going up, which could ruin your amplifier, and blow out speakers, is enough to avoid this! Such things should never occur with high-end gear!

This is one reason I stick with my Krell HTS 7.1. If you do not need HDMI and can manage with one set of multi-channel analogue inputs, this one has the sound quality of a good pre-amp, not the very best, but a very good one.
allanxxxoooxxx_18
4 posts
 
Don't send your cinema 6 to Cary audio to fix coz they just can't fix digital component period.i did send twice my cinema 6 spend $600 still unsolved?

pjonall
8 posts
 
I have since swapped out to a Cinema 11a a few years ago and it is a better and particularly more stable processor compared to the original. It has run the volume up maybe 5 times in 3 years. Yes, still not acceptable behavior for high-end gear, but I would no longer recommend the original Cinema 11 for its many quirks and bugs. 11a is better. 

However, setting your Max Volume to a "regular loud" level that you normally wouldn't surpass anyway will prevent the volume from reaching the very top of the range should the rare occasion of volume runaway occur.
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