You need to ask for Marc in their tech area. He is the manager. He is really helpful too!
Cary Audio SLI 80 - Owners Unite!
- Thread starter ardilla
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You need to ask for Marc in their tech area. He is the manager. He is really helpful too!
fellic
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Thank you very much, Marc just emailed me, he was very helpful!
toschek
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Hey all, haven't checked in for a while -- hope everyone is still enjoying their SLI-80!
My KT120s are still going strong a little over a year in, i'm pretty happy with synergy overall - Pro-Ject RM 1.3 is killing it! Here's a pic from just a moment ago.
My KT120s are still going strong a little over a year in, i'm pretty happy with synergy overall - Pro-Ject RM 1.3 is killing it! Here's a pic from just a moment ago.
toschek
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Oh and I am looking for a better phono stage, just can't decide right now between the Clearaudio Nano Phono v2 or the iFi Micro iPhono.
Phono cartridge is next on the list after that, unless I can confirm that the JICO SAS works with the Sumiko Pearl cartridge - then I may just upgrade the stylus for now. Otherwise I am looking for suggestions on cartridges -- the dealer I work with usually is trying mightily to persuade me to pick up a Sumiko Blue Point EVO III but I'm not sold yet on it, mainly because I haven't heard one and/or read too many glowing reviews.
Phono cartridge is next on the list after that, unless I can confirm that the JICO SAS works with the Sumiko Pearl cartridge - then I may just upgrade the stylus for now. Otherwise I am looking for suggestions on cartridges -- the dealer I work with usually is trying mightily to persuade me to pick up a Sumiko Blue Point EVO III but I'm not sold yet on it, mainly because I haven't heard one and/or read too many glowing reviews.
Here is my current rig....
I love the Dynavector 10X5 on the Scout. I am running the Cambridge Audio Azur 651P MM/MC Phono pre and I am fine with things atm....
I love the Dynavector 10X5 on the Scout. I am running the Cambridge Audio Azur 651P MM/MC Phono pre and I am fine with things atm....
toschek
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How does the Dynavector deal with rock music? I've been really digging Tame Impala/Kurt Vile/War on Drugs kind of stuff lately. Also enjoying the Rhino 180g repressings of the first four Sabbath records & the new thing by Mark McGuire is fantastic.
I'd been sucking it up to get a Ortofon 2M Black or trying the Blue Point EVO III because the soundstage isn't the best on the Sumiko Pearl - not awful but I know the Cary can do better. Hoping really that changing the pre-amp is going to help with some of the sound stage issues I'm having (again not awful but they are easily found a/bing flac copies of the same albums through my Bifrost vs. the vinyl versions of the same). I'm still getting a more enjoyable presentation from vinyl -- as they say, you can't have it all.
I'd been sucking it up to get a Ortofon 2M Black or trying the Blue Point EVO III because the soundstage isn't the best on the Sumiko Pearl - not awful but I know the Cary can do better. Hoping really that changing the pre-amp is going to help with some of the sound stage issues I'm having (again not awful but they are easily found a/bing flac copies of the same albums through my Bifrost vs. the vinyl versions of the same). I'm still getting a more enjoyable presentation from vinyl -- as they say, you can't have it all.
The Dyna is a great all rounder. It can sail through Judas Priest then shift to Cassandra Wilson or Alan Parsons no problem. I think it is one of the great cartridge values out there.
I am partial to MC so I have not looked at the Black. It is highly regarded but I have never heard it. I have reached a nice balance point for the system and have been very pleased with it for some time now. Kin of amazing really, considering this hobby...
I am partial to MC so I have not looked at the Black. It is highly regarded but I have never heard it. I have reached a nice balance point for the system and have been very pleased with it for some time now. Kin of amazing really, considering this hobby...
toschek
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Well I've gone and done it and I've listed my SLI-80 in the trade section - I'm not selling it, but if there's anyone out there with a Leben CS-300SX or Luxman
SQ-38u who would like to straight up trade send me a PM. I'm not interested in selling it, but would trade for either of those amps - not going to link to my listing (and hope I'm not violating any rules by even talking about it) but suffice to say this baby has been outfitted with a killer set of ultra rare NOS tubes with incredible synergy - Brimar CV2492 pre-amp tubes, Ken-Rad VT231 (black glass) phase inverter/pre-driver tubes, Tung-Sol KT120 drivers and Phillips 5R4GYS rectifiers. Trades only, not interested in selling.
SQ-38u who would like to straight up trade send me a PM. I'm not interested in selling it, but would trade for either of those amps - not going to link to my listing (and hope I'm not violating any rules by even talking about it) but suffice to say this baby has been outfitted with a killer set of ultra rare NOS tubes with incredible synergy - Brimar CV2492 pre-amp tubes, Ken-Rad VT231 (black glass) phase inverter/pre-driver tubes, Tung-Sol KT120 drivers and Phillips 5R4GYS rectifiers. Trades only, not interested in selling.
Not sure the Leben can handle your Paradigm's as well as the Cary.....
toschek
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Thanks for the advice. Now let's see if there are any takers.
Forget it, I'm keeping the Cary - for a 1 or 2% performance improvement it's just not worth sacrificing the SLI-80 when my money and time would be better spent on finding a better set of speakers. On the topic of speakers (or "Speaking of speakers" - can't resist a terrible pun): can any other Cary owners recommend a high-sensitivity, full range (down to at least 35Hz) pair of floor standers? Budget is somewhere from $300 - $1200, used/new doesn't matter - as long as they can get down to 35Hz (but if they can get down to 20Hz, even better).
You can find a used pair of Vandersteen 2Ce Sig II's if you hunt for around $1200-$1500.....
http://vandersteen.com/2cesigii_specifications.pdf
http://vandersteen.com/2cesigii_specifications.pdf
toschek
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I'm going to hold off on speakers for now, sticking with my current ones until I get used to my new stylus. I upgraded the cartridge on my TT yesterday from the pre-installed Sumiko Pearl (good cartridge really.) I thought it was just a little too laid back for me and had odd interactions with the rest of my equipment. It would probably do really well with a system that was more forward or bright than mine, and if I had a system like that to try it with I'd have liked to hear the difference.
Anyway, after a lot of reading I went for the Ortofon 2M Blue, and I'm really happy with my choice. Installing it was a pretty easy affair, the head shell area on the RPM 1.3 has a little overhang but I couldn't physically move the cartridge any further up and still align it properly, so it is what it is and I'll live with it. Like the reviews say it's a little stiff at first - definitely a good idea to break it in for 10 hours or so before you start gaining an appreciation for the depths it can plumb and how nimble it can really be. I've heard it described as analytical by some (and not in a positive sense) - I'd guess they'd been listening on a solid state amp or something "bright", but with the SLI-80/V90-LPS combo on the RPM 1.3 it feels natural, deep and the staging is superlative. I'm running Imogen Heap's latest on my HD800s now and the sense of space is immense - cavernous on some tracks. The other day, I was playing a little bit of FKA Twigs LP1 on it and man can this thing dig deep and stay on track too.
So to sum it up, this cartridge gets along well with the Cary SLI-80 very well in my opinion, and if you're on a budget it's worth checking out.
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TL;DR - here's a picture of a Ortofon 2M Blue. It is mounted on a Pro-Ject RPM 1.3 which is connected to a Musical Fidelity V90-LPS which is turn connected to a Cary SLI-80. It's a good match for the SLI-80 and the rest of the equipment in the chain. I would recommend it highly if you want a really good MM cartridge for under $200. The stuff you read on the internet about the break-in period is true, but most of the complaining about how it sounds fresh out of the box are both hyperbolic and silly. I would still give it 10-20 hours before it starts showing you how good it really is, but hang in there because the end result is worth it.
Anyway, after a lot of reading I went for the Ortofon 2M Blue, and I'm really happy with my choice. Installing it was a pretty easy affair, the head shell area on the RPM 1.3 has a little overhang but I couldn't physically move the cartridge any further up and still align it properly, so it is what it is and I'll live with it. Like the reviews say it's a little stiff at first - definitely a good idea to break it in for 10 hours or so before you start gaining an appreciation for the depths it can plumb and how nimble it can really be. I've heard it described as analytical by some (and not in a positive sense) - I'd guess they'd been listening on a solid state amp or something "bright", but with the SLI-80/V90-LPS combo on the RPM 1.3 it feels natural, deep and the staging is superlative. I'm running Imogen Heap's latest on my HD800s now and the sense of space is immense - cavernous on some tracks. The other day, I was playing a little bit of FKA Twigs LP1 on it and man can this thing dig deep and stay on track too.
So to sum it up, this cartridge gets along well with the Cary SLI-80 very well in my opinion, and if you're on a budget it's worth checking out.
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TL;DR - here's a picture of a Ortofon 2M Blue. It is mounted on a Pro-Ject RPM 1.3 which is connected to a Musical Fidelity V90-LPS which is turn connected to a Cary SLI-80. It's a good match for the SLI-80 and the rest of the equipment in the chain. I would recommend it highly if you want a really good MM cartridge for under $200. The stuff you read on the internet about the break-in period is true, but most of the complaining about how it sounds fresh out of the box are both hyperbolic and silly. I would still give it 10-20 hours before it starts showing you how good it really is, but hang in there because the end result is worth it.
Nice! Ortofon makes great cartridges. I am very pleased with my Dynavector 10X5 on my VPI Scout 1.1. I have been a big Dynavector fan for years and it hits my sweet spot. I am glad you have found a good addition to your system!
toschek
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Those Vandersteen's look great, but my better half is adamant about no floorstanders - unless they're less than 30" tall with a 1sq foot footprint or less. So it's bookshelf/sub all the way. Any recommendations on a good quality 2.1 system? I haven't been able to find any floorstanders less than 35" - 36" tall (was looking at the Zu Omen Dirty Weekend or Paradigm Monitor 9 series (the model 7s). She thought both were too big.
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