Reliability of Cary Audio Products


I'm considering adding a second (all tube) system for my home office. Amongst the integrated amps that are being considered is the Cary SLI 80. A friend, who is also a long term retailer of audio products, suggested that Cary has a poor reliability record. He hasn't sold Cary for a long while, and from what I've read on Audiogon, he may be out of touch with Cary products. Comments from Cary owners would be appreciated.

John
johnrob

Showing 2 responses by pnjupiter

I recently purchased an SLP3 and a pair of Sixpacs from the Cary dealer in Oman. Fuses have blown regularly. The amp has been to the dealer a number of times for repair. Now a capacitor is on the blink, and a replacement has not been received for almost a month. Cary has been polite, but my equipment has sat in the dealer's workshop for most of the time since the purchase. I have asked for the Sixpacs to be replaced, but I have been informed that they have been discontinued. The dealer has given me a Superamp in the interim, but that is not what I paid for. I have not listened to music to my satisfaction since I purchased the Cary products. My personal experience is at odds with most of the comments here. Reliability issues remain.
Tonywinsc, point taken re expectations from expensive equipment. However, as you said, the response of the service department is crucial. My monoblocs have been sitting at the dealer's workshop since the second week of November 2010 because parts have not been received from Cary. It takes 4 days to receive stuff from the US sent to my country by FedEx/DHL. Cary knows I have been having problems with these amps. They could have used the courier services mentioned, rather than cumbersome US mail. Commitment to customer satisfaction, cliched though the phrase might be, distinguishes a reliable company from one that is not.