In response to the above post, I did not find the Cary to be slow or boomy. It was dead accurate in its tonal balance and very good dynamics. My speakers are the Daedalus Audio DA-1 and it requires more power than the Rocket 88 could provide. Hence I am now using a Hypex based digital amp. I miss tubes and will be on a look out for the older Cary push pull amps.
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.