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Amp recommendations
Looking for some advice. My 25 year old amp has given up the ghost and I haven’t kept up with what’s good out there. Instead of sinking money in my existing amp, I’m thinking of replacing it. The amp that went bad is a Cary Audio CAD 300B (none of the tubes are working, one of the rectifiers flashes when turned on, I checked the tube fuses). The preamp is a Cary Audio SLP-70 (I recently had it checked out and retubed it). The speakers are Chapman T-7. I also have a Creek CD-60 and Project 1.2 turntable. Music Meter inter connects. My budget is around $4000 for a new amp. Is this a reasonable budget? What amp recommendations do you have? I’d prefer to stay with vacuum tube but if there are solid state amps that you’d recommend, please do so. I can provide specs on the components if needed. Thanks for your advice.
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- 51 posts total
OP , I’m not clear on your situation. How long have you had this amp/speaker pairing and what do you think of the sound? It seems that will provide guidance moving forward. How did you end up with this combination? A, more amplifier power for the Chapman speakers. B, Keep the 300b amplifier and get better suited speakers. Push pull tube or solid state amplifiers are going offer a different sonic perspective/presentation from the Cary 300b PSET. So it’s a question of what type of sound are you seeking? Charles |
Given the amplifier gave you 25 years on those speakers says something to your listening preference. You enjoyed the combination. I would repair 300B or sell the core to someone interested in reviving it. If you are considering a different amp, the CAD-120s Mk II appears to be a good choice. https://carydirect.com/cad-120s-mkii.html I just purchased a Parasound A21, used, to drive my power hungry AR303. The A21 would definitely drive your T-7 speakers but may sound harsh compared to a mid size tube amp. Your speakers are also in a different class from what I have. |
@charles1dad I’ve had this amp/speaker combo for 23 years. I’ve always loved the sound. Before the 300B amp, I had a pair of Cary 40 watt mono blocks with these speakers. The 300B was a big step up sound wise. The pairing was suggested by The Audio Connection in Seattle. By the way, the Cary 300B amp is not an SET amp. It’s a push-pull rated at 25 watts. |
- 51 posts total