Cary SLP-03 pre-amp: Does it need better tubes than stock to sound its best??/


Need some feedback about the Cary SLP-03 pre-amp  How good is it "new right out of the box"?? 

Does it need  tube rolling to sound its "very best" or considered audiophile grade sound?

I have read one review of the pre-amp claiming  that RCA NOS 5814A tubes, or Mullards  tubes bring it to higher level off performance, or a  mix of two each. 

Supposedly , the pre-amp is.... "extremely tube sensitive"  I am not sure what the significance of that phrase means 

It would be hooked to a BAT VK-200 amp,.... and like the amp, it has both XLR and RCA connectors  

Thank you


  



sunnyjim

Showing 1 response by tomcy6

In answer to your original question, many people, myself included, believe that there are significant sonic differences between tubes and that you can improve or tune the sound of your gear by trying tubes other than the stock tubes that come from the factory. Some people find New Old Stock (NOS) tubes to be too expensive and prefer to buy current production tubes. There are plenty of both available.

"Extreme tube sensitivity" means that the differences between tubes can be easily heard through that particular preamp.

If you don’t want to spend a good amount of time learning about the characteristics of different tubes, it’s best to buy from a knowledgeable, reputable tube dealer who can explain what type of changes to the sound you can expect from different tubes. It would be best to have a handle on the sound of the tubes currently in the preamp  and an idea of what kind of changes you would like to hear before you contact a tube dealer.

If you have any other questions about tubes, just ask.