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 1 response by kennyc

kennyc
1,246 posts
 
@z32kerber
Because you stated "I’ve always loved the sound", the following list starts with the highest priority:
1) Get your Cary Audio CAD 300B working again.  Finding a sound you love is the holy grail of audiophiles.  As amplifiers age, the sound quality gradually diminishes as the parts wear out.  You may not have noticed as this is a very gradual process.  Refurbishing/upgrading parts (tubes, capacitors, resistors) should at least bring the sonics back to the original level.
2) Get the designer's (Dennis Had?) opinion on what to do along with suggested other amps
3) Contact Cary Audio to get opinion on what to do along with suggested other amps

If you change your amps and/or speakers you will get a different sound, likely an upgrade but no guarantees that you'll like the change.  
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