Help for a Lo-Fi guy
I have 2 Cary CAD-300-SEI integrated amps I am trying to help a friend of mine get some info on. Her husband passed away, and left these along with some other tube amps . I have done some research online and discovered that these are 15watt tube amps that are best used with efficient speakers , or possibly as headphone amps. I am trying to determine , desirability, possible used price etc. My experience in the audio world is very limited. I am using old Yamaha separates (M85 amp,C80 pre amp) that I`ve had for decades, so any help would be greatly appreciated.....Thx
Amps are sweeties, try to keep them, Use one and keep the other for backup. I use to know Dennis Hadd. He's a good guy. I still have and use his Rocket 88. You need to determine listeing style. If you like it loud and have a big room, then you need 90db plus speakers. If you like it soft and have a small room, then you don't need much power. And have those tubes checked, especially the big 300s, some last and some don't, thats the way tubes are.
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If these are 30 years old, then 50% NPP or less provided they are in fully operating condition and there is documented recent service for cleaning and recapping. The age of the tubes should be established. If they are old, then a significant discount should be expected. Good 300Bs are pricey, and this is a high-quality amp that should be using comparable-quality tubes. If there is cosmetic damage, discount further accordingly (I find any chassis rust particularly suspicious and would not consider purchasing a unit with rusting, mainly because I would suspect other damage from wet or humidity.) |
I own a CAD 300SEI. Purchased new 4 years ago for $5K+ with all the options. You could contact Billy Wright CEO at Cary and provide the serial numbers. He will tell you the age and what options are included billy@caryaudio.com which should allow you to put a price on the units. I love this little unit. I run it with Western Electric 300Bs into Klipsch Belles, Zu Dirty Weekends and Sennheiser headphones. It’s a keeper!
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I was a Cary dealer years ago and this is a nice unit, however you need efficient speakers for best results. I think a fair price for these is in the $1500.00 - $1700.00 range and maybe have them checked out by a tech to see if everything is ok. They might also benefit from a capacitor upgrade. BTW: Your Yamaha M85 has sold for $600.00 - $880.00 shipped and the C80 sold for $200.00 - $500.00 shipped. |
Those eBay asks are too high for used gear. The Polish ad is over new price, for a used unit. Forget the HiFi shark. Cary is selling new 300B SEIs direct for $3895.00, so estimate a fair used price accordingly. You didn’t say how old the units are or whether all of the original materials are still with the units, remotes, etc. Any units that have been serviced, it is beneficial to have the service record, just as you would want with a car. At this price, buyers will want to listen to them, or have a firm right to return for refund. If you are offering the owner to buy them as-is, and you know they are working correctly, I might suggest 60-65% new MSRP assuming the cosmetics are excellent, the tubes are not too old and all the accessories are included, and less if there is less than that. |
