Cary SLP30 Tube Preamp

fishbones

Another one of my prized possessions, but I must keep pressing on. For your consideration is an excellent tube preamp. I am the original owner. I have tried to equal or best this thing many times over the years, but every time the Cary comes out on top, grinning smartly at me. Pieces I have put against it...Dared, Acurus, B&K, CJ-SS, Virtue Audio, Suppo and even hung right with a Dodd Tube Pre that was 4x the price for the short few minutes I heard it. I would keep it, but I'm going to a simpler system and selling everything. I comes with all NOS tubes and I believe I also have another set of 12AU7's for tube rolling that I would include. This unit also has the nice feature of a "standby" position on the power selector, so the unit doesn't have to come from a dead-cold start. Only thing that has been replaced besides tube rolling is a new volume pot that I put in last year (exact match as original). It has some small dings around the back/top area (as pictured), but face looks awesome. Only slight wear on a couple letters above power switch - if you look real close. In the rack it looks perfect. The unit runs quiet and sounds beautiful. L/R channels are not equal when barely engaging volume (whisper quiet levels), but I have heard other tube equipment do the same thing, so don't know if this means anything? I am anal about soundstaging and I can tell you it is balanced perfectly under all other listening levels (unless you listen so low you can hear mice breathe) - just giving full disclosure. Comes with powercord, owners manual and NOS tubes mentioned. Don't have original packaging, but will survive a air-drop when I ship it. $425 shipped CONUS, add 3% for Paypal.




This is not the most flattering picture, but I can't find my camera in the last two days to take another. The residue you see on the right side is just after I had used deoxit on some of the switches and hadn't fully wiped it off yet. Not there now.



Yellow caps in picture are stock Kimber Kable Caps.

fishbones

Another photo I found showing the other blemishes...

zingo

Does this have a remote?

fishbones

No it doesn't, sorry.

audiocr381ve

PM Coming your way!

pitdogg2

Man that thing looks awsome!! Such a simple signal path IMO...

Sell it to audio i can't make up my mind dude, He'll sell it in a month and maybe i can get it for less

:cool:

fishbones

PM sent back. Still available at this time.

Shane reminded me of something. I found that this unit did not work well with SDA's. This unit does not have the circuits to correct polarity. They tried to keep the path as pure an as true to the source as possible and I guess getting the polarity correct would enter more electronics in the path of this unit. So, the polarity needs to be reversed at the speaker ends when in use to have the best sound. My experience with the SDA 1C's was that the soundstaging sounded "off" no matter which way I applied polarity with this unit. But the SDA's have been the only one that had any issues with this, due I'm sure to their shared ground.

From the owners manual:

"Special Notice: The SLP-30 output signal is an inverted signal. The emphasis in design was to achieve gain and linearity in the purest fashion. With the current source direct-coupled technique of the Cary SLP30, one minor convenience is the output is inverted. Please be sure to reverse your speaker wires at the speaker."

BTW, people on the fence about this unit, take note. You will not find a better sound anywhere near this price. If you attached a audiophile powercord, took some dedicated time in researching tube rolling in the signal path tubes (rectifier tube is already quite good, from Vintage Tube Services) and maybe updated and upgraded some caps in this baby, this unit would blow you away!

pitdogg2

bummer as SDA's would be what i would of used it on ....Thanks for the disclosure

dorokusai

I've owned 3 Cary pre-amps and used them on SDA with no problems. Phase inversion is very common in high end gear.

fishbones

Well, maybe it was just me? I was changing alot of things around at the same time, room placement reconfigurations, component swapping, yadda yadda. You'd be more of an authority than I, having owned three of them.

dorokusai

Who knows. My SLP-98SE was direct coupled and ran a pair of SDA1C briefly, since Magnepan was my main loudspeaker. If I buy something from them again it would be another 306 SACD but the Professional Edition or whatever they're calling it. Darque Knight owns one and has mentioned nothing but positive love towards it.

fishbones

While I haven't had the experience you've had with equipment, I certainly have heard enough "great pieces" that this one punches well above it's weight class.

dorokusai

Sorry, thought it was actually sold already. The story isn't that interesting and I'm sure you have heard enough gear....never alluded to that fact at all dude relax. My SDA comment was meant to help you and most Cary Audio gear is phase inverting.

Your for sale thread is fine and the pre-amp is nice as well. It's the model prior to the SLP-2002, or the inspiration behind it perhaps and it was also a solid performer. I think the "guts" thread was all because of a Cary piece I owned at the time and was meant to be an ode to Cary Audio.

$425 is a pretty nice price coupled with the fact it uses the second most common tube around, so rolling is only a matter of how deep your wallet is. You can buy all kinds of 12 series tubes on the cheap and roll to your hearts content. A tube rollers dream pre-amplifier.

fishbones

Thanks for editing. I appreciate it.

pitdogg2

glad that is fixed because I didn't think Mark said anything wrong or was pooping on this thread. In fact i think it was just the opposite...If I had the frogskins I'd be PM'ing right now. We all know it a very nice piece of gear
GLWS

dorokusai

It's all good guys....Fishbones and I just sat down and chugged a pitcher of beer. Take that Obama.

fishbones

Yep, in fact I just ordered another pitcher for all of us.

pitdogg2

Dagumit i'm thirsty

TroyD

Phase inversion is pretty common and doesn't affect SDA.

BDT

fishbones

4th of July BONUS!!!


To sweeten the pot and celebrate our independence...

...I will also throw in a NIB Pass & Seymour "Red Rocker" (my own name) hospital grade receptacle w/ heavy duty brass strap!!!

Systems

Would like to mention Troy sent me a 51 pound package last week and it was packed SUPERBLY!
Best I have ever seen!
The amp arrived in pristine condition.
Great Polkie to deal with!


Seems like I have heard this somewhere before:biggrin::

"Red Rocker"

george daniel

Pm jerryj12-- he was talking about your pre,just last night,,don't think it would take too much to nudge him,,I am the enabler.

tonyb

Very nice tubed pre at a very nice price. You won't find this caliber of SQ for 4 benjamins, someone needs to jump on this.

fishbones

pjdami

Nice preamp at a great price. I own a Cary SLP88 preamp which also inverts that I use with SDA CRS+ with no problems. Cary preamps are a good value for the money.

fishbones

...Last Bump before A'gon!

IRLRaceFan

Mark this one down as sold - to a happy buyer:cheesygrin:

This is my first experience with anything (audio) with tubes. I'm really enjoying it and as many here have already said, Troy is great to deal with!

Will post more later, after I get more time with this and can take a break from homework...
I will say that Oppo BDP-93-->Cary SLP30-->Carver M1.5t-->LSi9 is a nice combo!

fishbones

SOLD to IRLRaceFan!

Great Polkie to deal with. 5 star transaction!

Enjoy Shaun!

reeltrouble1

cool beans bones!!!

RT1

inspiredsports

Wow, that was for sale all that time without a sale? I sure wish I'd noticed it back in June/July!

Upstatemax

I thought this was sold long ago... otherwise I would have picked this up!

I was literally telling a friend last weekend how I wish I did not miss out on this pre!