I am going to take a different route on this thread. I have a Cary SLP 50B or is it A as it is indicated to be both depending on where you look on the preamp. I got it because I thought the tubes would be a good match for my AR 110. Anyways it does not matter as my point in replying is is that the design Cary uses is sound but the parts quality is a bit lacking. This is probably an accounting cost cutting decision. At first it sounded ok. But I upgraded the volume to a stepped attenuator using an Elma switch and Takman metal film resistors, all other resistors to Takman metal film, the coupling capacitors to Mundorf gold and oil, the power supply capacitors were increased in value and swapped to Ruby Gold, and the first capacitor to a film from Solen. Now the ripple on the power supply is 103 DB up from 82 and with the Vishay carbon resistors gone and the addition of good capacitors it is very fast. The tubes are gold lions which are ok but not enough to make this change. My point is the component is no better then the sum of it's parts. Only reference components use the quality parts I just described.
Theory about Cary amps and their reviewers
Cary is now one of the older tube companies around from the tube boom in the'90s. My experience with them has been very positive. I wonder if some of the criticisms of them - fat, not extended, slow, etc., are in fact relics of the first reviews in magazines which were so used to solid state and still in the "wattage race". I have heard Rockets and V12's in rock and home theater setting pulling duty that would put solid states to shame. I also notice you never really see those sorts of reviews anymore. Other than making the amps compatable with higher gain devices, so that they can have direct inputs from things like CD's with volume controls, have there been any fundamental changes though? I prefer the slightly older versions with the lower gain input myself, but I understand the rationale.