Cary 805 AE Feedback Request

Rchan,

Just revisited the thread and saw you posed a question (I think) to me. Sorry for the delay in responding, but it's tough to answer. The 300Bs and 805s typically saw duty with different speakers, so there was little head to head. The best combo I ever acheived with either of the Cary amps was 300B w/Merlin VSM SE. Acoording to Bobby P., this early iteration of the VSM was paricularly SET friendly.

The 805s were usually paired w/Verity Parsifal Encores. A very nice combo with different strengths/weaknesses than the 300B/VSM. My guess is that the gist of your question produces the following speculation:

No. I think you'd say the 805 never produced the "SET" effect with any speaker the way the 300B did w/the Merlins.

Marty

I used to own these amps and I can tell you that they definitely sound better after an hour or so than they do when they are first turned on. By this time the output transformers are nice and hot. The biggest changes happen in the first 10 minutes but the amp continues to get better and better up to 60 minutes.

Cary have a startup sequence that you should follow if you want to preserve the life of your tubes. Turn the amp on, but into standby mode. This turns on the heaters in the tubes. After a couple of minutes, flick the amps off standby.

I had no issues with my amp. It was absolutely reliable.

Comparing to Welborne Labs DRD 300B, 805 AE's have most of the 300B magic but much more versatile. 805 AE's have all the attributes of SET, both strength and weakness, despite bigger output wattage. DRD 300B does vocal (especially female) and solo string instruments somewhat better, 805 AE does orchestral music better, and 805 AE is a clear winner in solo piano with much better dynamic and lower-end extension.

I use both amps to drive ProAc R2.5. Although 8W output from DRD 300B doesn't seem to be enough for R2.5 at 86db, they recreate very realistic sound of orchestral pieces (like Mahler symphonies) in my small 11x18 living room. 805 AE will give you more flexibility to deal with many more speakers and bigger room. However, don't expect earth shaking bass from organ or percussion instruments. In fact, you don't get that in the concert hall either.

Thank you so much for your insights.

May I ask if the 805 AE's have some of that 300B magic that you had with your Cary CAD 300B monoblocks?

I'd love to get a pair of CAD 300B but unfortunately 15 watts won't be enough to drive my Sonus Faber GH so that is why I am looking at the CAD 805's.

I own these amps. Due to a change in speakers, I haven't run them for some time. But, IIRC, the character of the sound MIGHT change a (little) bit over the first 20 minutes or so, but nothing really dramatic. You can listen happily after 2 minutes.

As to reliability. Only one isssue. Cary loves those elegant thin toggle switches and uses them for the Bal/SE choice on the rear of the (very heavy) chassis. There is a natural tendency to lift the amp from the front, but doing so can (and, in my case, did) snap off one of these switches. Other than that - dead reliable.

I've also owned Cary 300B monos for about a decade and never had a problem there, either. Or with my Cary 303 CD player, for that matter. Generally reliable and well made stuff - IME.

Good Luck

Marty

need to be turned on for 2 hours before they can listen

Do you really believe a manufacturer would make a product that required a two hour warm up?Comments like these are from audio snobs who obsess with things like this.Sure,most tube amps need a bit of time to warm up,but two hours,give me a break.Just my opinion,I'm sure others will disagree and that's perfectly fine with me.