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Cary SLP98 Tube Question

I picked up a Cary slp98 a month or so ago.. Its my first experience with tubes, and overall I'm quite pleased with how it sounds.

It does seem to have a tendency toward sibilance though. If its present in a recording to any degree, the 98 really lets you know about it. In all the reviews etc that I've read on the slp98, I dont recall anyone mentioning this.

I had hoped that this would improve with use, but it does not seem to be the case. Its got well over a hundred hours on it now with no real change.

I'm wondering if this sibilance might be related to the stock China 6sn7 tubes. Before I invest in a set of nos tubes, I'd like to get comments from others with more tube knowledge than myself. Would replacing the tubes likely make an improvement in this area?

I'd appreciate any comments from slp98 owners past or present.

Regards,
Greg
slowdive_1

Showing 1 response by aball

aball
2,016 posts
 
I had an SLP98 and I agree with you it can have that tendancy. You must have good speakers - many of them will mask sibilance. A friend of mine also had a Cary SLI80 and ended up having to get rid of it due to sibilance and a general projection of the upper mids that annoyed him (the two effects are linked in our opinion). He tried MANY tubes but it just never quite went away.

Also, I don't consider brightness to be the same as sibilance. Brightness is curable in many cases but sibiliance can be stubborn. Brightness is a higher frequency issue than sibilance is.

Arthur
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