2. amps-preamps
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Cary 120s

I am looking at a few different used tube amps to "move up the food chain" from my dynaco st70.

I am interested in possibly a Cary rocket 88, but I am seeing several Cary 120s amps for very reasonable prices here on the 'gon.

For a nice amp with this kind of power there seems to be a large number of these offered constantly here.

Are people having issues with the 120s amps or am I just seeing a lot of people with "upgradeitus"?

Maybe I should also consider a used bat vk55 or vk60 instead.

Have any Cary 120s users had any problems with your amp?

Thanks Dave
dav65mus
vlentudia
9 posts
 
For what it's worth: I bought one of the used 120S models here on Audiogon. I have not had much chance to experiment with the sound (I'm between preamps) but I have used it enough (with a loaner preamp) to speak to the heat issue. As tube amps go, mine does not seem to get inordinately hot at all. This amp is much less hot, for example, than the Six-Pac monoblocs I once owned. Of course it does get somewhat hot, as one would expect an 8-tube KT88 amp to do. But not unexpectedly so.

I'll report more on this thread
jdec
123 posts
 
"I'll report more on this thread."

Looking forward to your comments. Thanks.
mjcmt's avatar
mjcmt
479 posts
 
Cary Audio's "Audio Electronic Super Amp MkII" is cut from the same cloth as the s120 and is a big step up from the St70 at half the cost of the s120. And it is smokin' good, and will let you roll EL34, KT-66,7,88,90s, 6550 and others w/o any internal mods. Cary will go on and on about it whenever I call them to discuss something.
ajackson1
156 posts
 
Dav65mus, for what it is worth, I sold my Cary 120s and bought a Canary 160. I paid almost double the price for the Canary. The Cary IMO sounds way better than the Canary.
jdec
123 posts
 
Ajackson1, then are you getting the Cary back in place of the Canary?
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