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Cary SLI-80 or SLI-100?

Hi all, which would you recommend? The price is the same. Cary SLI-80 or SLI-100?

I've loved the sound of EL-34s, but reading up on Cary, the KT-150s seem great.  I always liked the 120 watt reserve power of my Music Reference. The SLI-100 has plenty of power according to my reading, but the SLI-80 is only 20wpc less and takes EL-34s and has triode mode (I've never heard that). Insurance will be paying for this to replace my fire loss, and I may or may not have time to demo before the deadline to buy. I'd have to drive 6 hours to Phoenix to do it but it might be possible. Not a choice I like, but there it is.

I guess I want what most audiophiles want:  transparency, air, soundstage, strong clean bass, and a sweet midrange. 

If it helps, some history and why Cary?

My system has consisted of ProAc Response 2.5 speakers ( 8 ohms nominal. Sensitivity: 86dB/W/m),  CJ PV-5, Music Reference 120, Creek CD-43.  

My history with amps over the last 30 years is a Dynaco ST-70, Mac MC-270, Mac MC-240, Mac MC-30s, Marantz 8B, and the Music Reference. Preamps have been a Dynaco PAS and the CJ. Speakers Snell E, ProAc One SC, ProAc 2.5s.

The Macs were lush but unsatisfying in resolution, to me. The 8B was great, but the Music Reference seemed more resolved and replaced the 8B, but when playing it with ProAc Response One SCs or Response 2.5s there was an unfortunate synergy causing an annoying peak in the highs. I receive more than one opinion that the highs peak somewhat on ProAcs and the Music Reference to achieve resolution and together created this peak. I don't know if that's true but it sounds reasonable. 

I don't think I'll ever give up my ProAc 2.5s. So I've thought to replace the Music Reference, and in a Tucson shop (RIP) I listened to Cary on a few occasions and felt it had a wonderful sound. I don't remember the model. So since then I've thought I'd like to pair Cary with my ProAcs. 

Thanks,
Jim


river251
ozzy62's avatar
ozzy62
3,723 posts
 
Well you wanted opinions, here’s mine.

I bought a used SLI-80 Signature a couple of years ago and only kept it about a week. It was just slow and uninvolving, no snap, no life. And this is with horns. I should have known since I had owned an SLP-98 many years ago that had a similar character.

Now maybe the F-1 mod addresses the issues of the stock amp. But that’s the way I heard it. I was directly comparing it to a Line Magnetic 518ia and the LM was much better in every way.

Oz
hilde45's avatar
hilde45
6,031 posts
 
Here's a reply I got from Billy at Cary Audio half a year ago when I asked him about the difference:

"The SLI-80HS is a versatile amp. You can switch from triode mode to UL mode on the fly. A lot of people cannot discern the difference in sound quality between the two. To me, triode does sound better but it is subtle. UL is more powerful. With the SLI-80HS, you have the ability to tube roll. You can use different tube types like the EL34, 6550, KT-88, KT-120, etc. You can also use different brands. A number of people enjoy doing this.

 The SLI-100 is a more powerful amp than the SLI-80HS. It only uses the KT-150 tube.

 Both amps are excellent. Sound quality and performance are outstanding. Just depends on what you want."

decooney
2,565 posts
 
@ozzy62 yes with the stock tubes, stock caps, no upgrades or no hexfreds and stock rectifier tubes on the older generation pre/amps can be less exciting. A buddy who bought my big Cary V12R had the older F1 version Upscale had sponsored years ago on the SLI-80s and 98 preamps. He sold it and bought a new model, and modeled my SLP-98 build and upgrades and raved about it trying that preamp with several different amplifiers, liking it a lot. He compared it to his other $20k CJ preamplifier and liked the upgraded 98 better, commenting selling the CJ pocketing the difference.

Fast-forward to the current upgrades on the Cary amps and preamps with Mundorf EVO Supreme Silver-Gold coupling caps, hexfreds, and move to solid-state rectification, it’s a different and faster sounding amplifier. That rectification upgrade is now incorporated in the new SLI80-HS. Testing with different 6SN7 tubes, TJ, PSVANE can also make a difference, even better than my very best NOS black plates. Running my upgraded SLP-98 now with two mono tube amps with KT150s and all the same amp upgrades, and its pretty damn good for the $.

LMs are cool, neat amps, a buddy with horns seems to like the sound. Thought about trying the LM-845ia version a while back but doing okay with a local amp builder instead. Enjoy the LM!
jjss49's avatar
jjss49
6,926 posts
 
i have been a proac fan for 20+ years owned 8-9 pair over time, still have 4 pair on hand, ranging from tablette 2000s to response 3.5 to d30rs to d15’s

i have always felt relatively modern audio research tube gear does especially well with proacs, using 6550/kt88 and later gen more powerful successors - vt50/100 and reference series especially... just a slight bit of tube warmth, tremendous gain in imaging (a notable proac strength) but ample control and drive in the bass frequencies

el34 amps, other than the brilliant linear tube audio zotl40 (a significant exception to the rule, given its special design) sound a little too soft and do not drive the proacs well enough imo...

i have not heard push pull cary amps... back in the day i had the 805c and 300b models... they were indeed very rolled off and lush sounding, at the expense of impact and transparency (same with the slp98p pre, which i also had)

of course this is all a matter of taste... one person’s dark and lush and smooth is another person’s ’just right’

my 2 cents
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