What tubes are in your Cary 805c?

In my experience, swapping either the 845's or 300B's can significantly change the sound. The 6SL7's make less of a change.

I have experimented with Shuguang 845's, 845B's, and 845C's. Additionally, I have tried KR 300B XLS, 842VHD, and new production Western Electric 300B's. I have tried various brands of 6SL7's including RCA 5691, Philips 5691, Tung-Sol, Sylvania, GE, and standard RCA.

After all the experimentation, my favorite combination is:

Shuguang 845B
Western Electic 300B
General Electric 6SL7GE with the wire top getter

Hope that helps,
Jeff

I no longer have the 805s but when I did I used NOS Tung Sol 6SL7, Western Electric 300B(current production) and NOS RCA output tubes(very expensive and hard to find) but the sound was excellent. I upgraded speakers and needed more power so I sold the Carys but they were one of the bests amps I have ever owned.

thanks guys, yes, that helps a lot. i actually pulled the trigger on a pair of the new KR balloon 300b that dick olsher proclaimed the best current 300b. we'll see how it goes. for an 845, i'm goin to try out the SuperTNT 845M, and i'm still looking for some good 6SL7s, but have a chrome dome Sylvania for now.

I have tried 845B and supertnt 845M. You won't regret it for the price comparing to NOS. Both excellent but i prefer the M slightly

Hey Dennis. The 805c's are world class amplifiers and I seriously regret selling my pair. I am not familiar with the voice of the current 845's as mine came with the older production chineese 845's that I thought were really competent when compared to the obsenely expensive nos amperex 845's I used for a time. However, that said: I believe the drivers had more of an influence in my rig. The only reservation I had with the amplifier was it's rather soft and bloomy bass response below the 100hz area when used with the original WE 300b.The KR 300bxl tightened things up considerably in that area as well as added a little more extension and air up top. I do love the magical midrange of the WE 300b but the KR was closer to the sound of real instruments in my room at spl's approaching a live event. Haven't heard the new KR globe but I would bet it's a honey of a tube. best of luck on your new endevour.

Let us know how you like the KR's and 845M's. I am especially interested in the 845M's as I have considered a pair of those myself. I liked the 845C's, but they sounded just a tad bright and "hi-fi" to me where the 845B's sound slightly more natural. From what I have read, the 845M's may have solved this issue.

Jeff

hey Jeff, the SuperTNT are phenomenal. totally balanced from bottom to top, open, transparent, smooth, and detailed in such a lovely way. subtle details in the music are revealed. there is no congestion in the lower mids to mids that i heard with the stock chinese 845. the SuperTNT's provided more of an improvement than the KRs did, at half the price. awesome tubes. together with the KRs, these amps are really transformed. they are VERY sensitive to NOS tubes. definitely amps that i've fallen in love with, i'm holding onto these for a while.