I have the ones you mention from the CES shows, serial numbers 1 & 2. They are very impressive indeed. I am driving them with a V-12R using a SLP-98P, CD-308T and a Scoutmaster table. All that stuff is heating my home here in Maine with all the tubes going!
The V-12R drives the livin' hell out of them. They are very dynamic and the bass is astounding. (I spent 16 years listening to SL-600 Celestions, so little suprise there!) I like very nuch what they do with female vocals and acoustical music. The imaging is not up to SL-600's, but close. Soundstage is wide and deep. I listen to some rock and even metal, which they do a great job with also. I have been thinking of getting rid of them however, as they are quite large for my room. And they are a bright red cherry. But that will be difficult because they sound so good. Dennis said that these particular ones had a higher impedance especially for tube amps. He also made no grills for them! The production ones were to be more solid-state friendly because he anticipated home theater use. I have a seperate room for the home theater. Talking to him always makes you happy you bought Cary.
Find a place to hear them, you will not be sorry.