Cary SLI 80 owners ... how do you have it tubed ?

Tungsol roundplate 6SN7, Tungsol blackplate 6550 and RCA 5U4G rectifiers

Svetlana Winged C KT88s, Mullard CV378 rectifiers, National Union grey glass 6SN7s, Amperex Bugle Boy 6DJ8s. This complement gives me a warm yet resolving enough sound for the variety of classical music I listen to--choral, opera, symphonic.

I often change the 6SN7 pre-driver tubes to affect the sound:
1) Tung-Sol roundplates for more dynamics and treble extension;
2) RCA VTI-231 black glass for more relaxed and open sound (in my system), which is better for piano music;
3) Brimar CV1988 for a very lush sound.

I've changed the power tubes in the past:

1) RFT EL-34s for a more spacious sound with better imaging, though much lower power;
2) Tung-Sol 6550s black plate, no hole from the 50s for wonderfully sweet upper mids and extended, clear trebles. Fabulous for opera sopranos but not that widely applicable to a variet of music in my system.
3) Sovtek 6550s came with the amp, but I never found music I liked to play with them.

SOVTEK 6922, SOVTEK 5U4,EH KT88, CHINA (not sure exactly) 6SN7GT.

My speakers are the Sonus Faber Concerto Home.

EH KT-88, RCA 5U4G, Pearl Cryo'd 6NS7GT (VT-231), Amperex Gold Pin 6922 (NOS).

EH KT-88, RCA 5U4GB, Pope 6NS7GT Philips Holland (my last Syl. chrome domes were defective), Telefunken 6DJ8 (waiting in the wings are Amperex 7308 (like yours) RCA 5U4 & RCA 6SN7.

btw, Larry I bet the Thiels really sound better with tubes. I used to own 2.4's w/Pass X250 & couldn't listen to most of my CD collection, brutally revealing to say the least. I am pleasantly suprised to hear the SLI-80 will drive the 2.3's.