Cary SLI-80HS modifications

Hello all, I too just recently took delivery on a new SLI80-HS. I am blown away. I opted for all the upgrades. With the sale it was hard to resist. I have only had limited listening time at this point, and no doubt I'm weeks away from things really burning in, but wow!. I also opted for the cage, its very well done. 

I sold Cary back in the early 90's and let me say the modern version shows/sings it's constant improvement and evolution. Going by decades old memory here, i find the sound to be less syrupy. It sounds more focused and tighter, no loss on the sweetness of tube highs and mids. SS rectifier to thank for this?

@decooney Thank you for the feedback. I haven’t yet listened in triode mode. I do enjoy female vocals, so I’m looking forward to it. My speakers are Volti Razz, with sensitivity in the low to mid 90’s. (part of the reason i really sought out the SLI-80 is due to hearing the Razz/Cary combo as my first experience, the spell was cast as it turned out..)

You mentioned some tube rolling.. I’ve enjoyed doing so in my old Mac240. I think the SLI-80 has the ability of more tube variety, so I’m keen to roll so to speak.

Any advice on what you’ve found to be nice pairings? Everyone else feel free to suggest as well.

@txp1 I decided to wait about a week. Like @pehare Mine was slightly high when I did check bias, so I backed down slightly. Otherwise right out of the box, no fuss no muss. I was startled at how good it sounds with my Volti’s. When I visited Greg at Volti to pick my Razz up, he had me listen to another pair of Razz with the Cary and it was great. Perhaps because my room is about a quarter the size of his, my set up is even more alive and involving to me. Sweet and effortless.

Next step is to pick @decooney 's brain about some tube rolling.. 🙂

@pehare Thank you! You as well!

@decooney My friend, you must be in my brain somehow. One of the things I've heard Greg say is he likes the way EL34's sound with some of his speakers. Last night I was thinking just that! Seeing what a quartet of EL34's would do with the sound. I will need to check my build sheet on the caps, and see what the stock tubes are and let you know. 

@txp1  Completely agree! That was my only annoyance, those darn stickers...