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Mac C220 vs. Cary Audio SLP 98P

I am thinking of selling my Mac C220 to purchase a Cary Audio SLP 98P. I have read and heard nothing but good things about the Cary and what a difference the addition of it has made in some systems. I must stay in the $4000.00 range and wonder if anyone has had the opportunity to hear these wonderful tube preamps, side by side? I have nothing bad to say about my Mac, I am just another obsessive compulsive hi-fi wacko and an looking for a change after about 4 years. Any observations will be welcome.
Jerry
birdmanpa
birdmanpa OP
27 posts
 
Thank you Mac and thats exactly what I am looking for. I am coupled with a Mac Mc275 and love Mac also, but you have substantiated what I have heard about the Cary. My reluctance was with the Cary not having any tone control, like the 220'w bass and treble controls, but I can learn to live with that also, if he sound of the Cary is what i have heard it is.
stereomaniac
75 posts
 
This is of interest to me as well. I have a C220 and just bought a Rocket 88R F1. The C220 has a lot of bang for the buck, but I am so impressed with the Cary that I'm seriously considering one of their preamps. I wonder how the phone stages would compare?
birdmanpa OP
27 posts
 
I can tell you Stereomaniac that i have read very good reviews about the Cary's phono stage, so long as the cartridge is high output M/C or M/M. I am hoping this is so. My next question, if you can answer this Macdad, can I use the Cary to bi-amp? I use my Mac275 to power my Janzens esl tweeters and a Adcom GFA-555 to power my JBL LE15A woofers. I know it has two amplifier outputs, will these work together to bi-amp. This may be a very basic question, but I am not very sophisticated from the electronics end of hi-fi.
rwwear
2,846 posts
 
If it has two outputs you can bi-amp with it. If it didn't you could use Y cables.
birdmanpa OP
27 posts
 
It has two outputs, so I guess I am good.
thanks again
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