It has been a couple of years but the SLi-80 seemed to be a little more extended and clearer with a touch more detail . This comparing was done on a couple of different VS speakers which I find a little too warm for my taste .
I ended up with the Cayin and a pair of De Capo i's , purchased at the same time . I got a good deal on the Cayin which is why I bought it . Had I known how difficult the Cayin was to bias I would have opted for the Cary .
Myself and a few others could hear the difference but , for me , it was not enough to warrant the large difference in price . I have refered to the 88T as the poormans SLi-80 .
Good luck .