I owned the 308T and I thought it was a definite overachiever for the price. Oddly enough, I also used mine with the Airsine. Anyway, I upgraded to a Resolution Audio Opus 21, with GNSC mods. Where the strengths of the Cary were the bass slam and dynamics, I also felt it could be a bit edgy in the trebles or at higher volumes. Muddiness was never an issue for me. The Opus presents music in a different way. It's much more natural sounding top to bottom, but perhaps lacks some of the bass slam of the Cary. For my listening tastes; however, the Opus wins hands down. On the other hand, if you like the fundamental sound of the Cary, I would suggest looking at the 306 SACD, which is highly regarded in the $5k price range and I'm confident would be a clear step up from the 308T.
Upgrading the Cary 308T CD player
I decided to audition a CD player within $5000 which is clearly superior than my Cary 308T CD player, and borrowed a new Blue Note (named Blacknote CDP-300) player. The initial impression was very good - a very clear midrange, good dynamics, etc. I even tried to open the lid in order to replace the stock 6922 tubes with vintage tubes, but could not find proper tools for removing the lid.
Yesterday I noticed that the Blacknote player has a strange way of representing baroque and jazz music - the highs are muffled and it lacks articulation and consistency, as if the music is covered with a veil. Back to the Cary - the sound became rounder with crisper highs and firmer bass, though the midrange was muddier (the powercord was VH Audio AirSine). It is very strange, and I am going to investinate it futher.
What player within the $5000 range could you suggest as an upgrade for Cary 308T?
I will appreciate all opinions and comments.
Yesterday I noticed that the Blacknote player has a strange way of representing baroque and jazz music - the highs are muffled and it lacks articulation and consistency, as if the music is covered with a veil. Back to the Cary - the sound became rounder with crisper highs and firmer bass, though the midrange was muddier (the powercord was VH Audio AirSine). It is very strange, and I am going to investinate it futher.
What player within the $5000 range could you suggest as an upgrade for Cary 308T?
I will appreciate all opinions and comments.
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