Speakers to match a CARY SLI-80

Silverline Sonata II's are available used for $2500. Tremendous tube friendly speaker, it is 2 db more sensitive than the naia and extends 15 hertz lower in the bass- to 25 hertz. The effortless midrange is the highpoint of this speaker, but the bass is tight, controlled, and does not leave you craving a subwoofer.
http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/silverline_sonataii.htm

I don't know if you still have the Naia's but if you do, move them closer to the back wall(15 inches) and I guarantee you will get plenty of bass. I'm talking room shaking bass.

I had an SLI-80 for a couple years that I ran with Merlin TSM-M monitors and a Linn Sizmik sub. The sound was very clean and revealing with plenty of punch on the low end.

Before you go spending a lot of $$$ on new speakers, interconnects, speaker cables etc, consider these two suggestions to get more punch in your low end. Short term solution - replace the 6550 power tubes in the SLI-80 with KT88's. The KT88's are noticeably better in the bass and will give you a bit more slam. Long term solution - invest in a subwoofer. Make sure you get one that has A LOT of flexibility in where it crosses over. I have purchased and then sold more gear than I would like to admit :-) but the one component that is steady in all my rigs is my subwoofer.

Good luck!
Paul

thanks for the responses. Do any of you with the monitors use a sub?... if so ... what do u use?

I will tell you what I have and you can take it as you wish. I have an SLI-80 signature with MIT and Oil filled Caps upgrade. I am using the Sonus Faber Concerto Homes with the matching adjustable stands and the combination is MAGIC! I am using a SONY ES digital source and Audience Cables and it sounds incredible. Anyway, after many years, this makes me happy!

Good Luck!

Chris

Indigosax,
Although I am not familiar with your speakers, I am however a Sli-80 owner. You need to change out your front end tubes. I dont know where you bought it, I use Kevin Deal at Upscale Audio he sells a ton a of Cary and knows how to tube them as good as anyone. Call him he will help, it will be a lot cheaper and easier than new speakers.
Cheers,
Mike

IC's and spkr. cable will only give a minimum improvement at best. Save for a sub or a pair of them. Remember you can put the sub wherever it sounds best to you. Very easy to do. When/if you get a sub, position it at your listening position and walk around the room till you find the spot it suits you. Then kneel down, the sound will change from standing to kneeling. EASY.

After all that, if there is a minor adjustment, one wat or another,is the time for checking out cable.

I obtained satisfying bass using the vintage Cary SLA-70Sig with 42 watts per channel using NOS EL-34's, and the Platinum Audio Solo's. So your Cary SLI-80 should really have no trouble providing deep, pitch accurate, acoustic,and electric bass, with impressive "jump factor" when drums, and percussion get into the act.
These speakers were designed by Phil Jones, himself a bass player, and it showcases the crucial bass range, as can no other low cost monitor, or floorstander. Goes for about $600-700, used on Audiogon, because this manufacturer is no more, although the designer is doing better than ever. Even in this price range, the truly full range sound lets most listeners avoid the nuisance of integrating a sub-woofer.
Be sure to check out the IC's, and Speaker cables of Audiogon member, Gregg Straley, if you want to savor this full range sound, at a matching low price. Speaker cables are $180 for eight foot pair, and IC's are $120 per pair.
You will be able to showcase your full range, three dimensional sound, and smile at the bass, which now matches the quality of the rest of the sound spectrum.