2. amps-preamps
  3. 162703-141023

Amp recommendations

Looking for some advice. My 25 year old amp has given up the ghost and I haven’t kept up with what’s good out there. Instead of sinking money in my existing amp, I’m thinking of replacing it. The amp that went bad is a Cary Audio CAD 300B (none of the tubes are working, one of the rectifiers flashes when turned on, I checked the tube fuses). The preamp is a Cary Audio SLP-70 (I recently had it checked out and retubed it). The speakers are Chapman T-7. I also have a Creek CD-60 and Project 1.2 turntable. Music Meter inter connects. My budget is around $4000 for a new amp. Is this a reasonable budget? What amp recommendations do you have? I’d prefer to stay with vacuum tube but if there are solid state amps that you’d recommend, please do so. I can provide specs on the components if needed. Thanks for your advice.
z32kerber

Showing 2 responses by jjss49

jjss49's avatar
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jjss49
6,612 posts
 
op

is your amp bad or are the tubes just needing replacement?

3 easy makes a good point... that amp w 4x 300b’s aren’t really suited to drive your speakers without undue strain... prob contributed to early tube burnout

so you shd probably get a more powerful amp, but your old one may well be able to be rehabbed for resale
jjss49's avatar
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jjss49
6,612 posts
 
op

if you are seriously considering new speakers to replace your chapmans, and use the 300b amp to drive i would suggest the following:

spatial audio (some models in the 93-94 db range w >8 ohm impedance - just stay away from their 4 ohm models)

omega line

higher klipsch’s as you have identified, and their brit relatives - tannoys

audio notes, quite expensive, but considered to be absolutely wonderful

it is difficult to do so presently, but i feel that with very high efficiency speakers, proper audition is very important as the sound signatures can be very distinct...
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