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Cary Audio SLI-80HS vs Primaluna Dialogue HP or Evo Integrated Amps

Greetings all...  I ready to move into the tube integrated two channel world.  I've never owned tubes before but I've always been enamored with Mac stuff and recently heard the Rogue Audio and was hooked.  I have done a lot of research and have narrowed my choices down to these two amps.  I live in Va Beach, VA and don't have access to them for an audition so I'm buying 'blind'.  I've read many reviews and watched many videos (Kevin Deal is quite the salesman!) but was hoping to get more input here. I doubt I'll find many that have compared the two directly but I thought I'd try.  Does anyone have any input here?  And, I'm slightly concerned about having to bias the Cary.  Is this something that I should be concerned about / is it difficult / time consuming?  Thanks for any input.  I appreciate it! 
tripppsta
parsons's avatar
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parsons
149 posts
 
Primaluna Dialogue HP is great, but IMHO if you don't run KT150s in it (expensive) you are not hearing it at it's best.  I made the mistake of going KT120 before KT150 and should have just gone KT150 from the start.  Phenomenal headphone amp is a total bonus.
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three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
@parsons That’s really interesting about the KT150s. I can definitely see how KT150s would be more thunderous, powerful, and overall more dynamic but I think you’d give up some midrange magic of the EL34s. I’m surprised you saw that big a difference moving from KT120 to KT150. Obviously a desirable sonic profile is such an individual preference. I almost think that someone who craves the power, bass, and dynamics of KT150 tubes is actually someone who may benefit more from a SS amp paired with a tube pre. That’s what I use is my main system - but with pure Class A SS power.
tripppsta OP
5 posts
 
Thanks for all the input everyone.  It’s very helpful!  I live in Va Beach and will likely make the trek to Raleigh NC (3.5 hours drive) to hear the Cary amp.  I’m also thinking of pairing it with the Klipsch Forte IIIs which they also have for my audition. I won’t likely do a lot of tube rolling... at least to start. So the amp needs to sound great out of the gate... and I listen to a wide range of music. Please keep me posted three easy payments. 
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parsons
149 posts
 
Don't get me wrong, the amp sounds awesome with EL34s.  But in my opinion a very different/more relaxed sound than the KT family, and yeah, the KT150s did all the things KT120s did but better with no downside I could find.  And the KT120s were a step up from KT88s.  I struggled to love the EL34 sound in spite of a ton of fans...it's merely a preference thing as you say.  KT150s still sound like great tubes, but are a little more SS neutral perhaps.  I want to love some solid state amps but I haven't, and still own a couple good ones (SimAudio Moon, but sold my First Watt after trying to love it for a couple years in a couple systems).  I haven't heard the other two amps in question and I know Cary is a great amp manufacturer from my reading.
tripppsta OP
5 posts
 
I’m looking for that ‘tube sound’ so reaching for kt150s to bring more SS slam is really not my desire at the moment as I’m ready to get a less clinical sound and more ‘tone’.  I’m hopeful the kt88s are a nice balance between the el34s and kt150s
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