Cary Audio Cary Audio SA-500.1 ES Mono's

Toolfan66

Anyone have any experience with these??

https://carydirect.com/shop-now/amplifiers/solid-state/sa-500-1-es-pair.html




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audioluvr

Those look sweet! Up to 45 day in home trial and $2,500 off retail sounds like a win/win! Must... resist...

Toolfan66

OR!!!!

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisa1da4-pass-labs-x250-8-in-excellent-condition-solid-state

audioluvr

Here's a pair at TMR
https://tmraudio.com/components/power-amplifiers/cary-audio-sa-500-1-es-mono-power-amplifier-pair-sa500-1-es/

Toolfan66 wrote: »

OR!!!!

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisa1da4-pass-labs-x250-8-in-excellent-condition-solid-state

Even better yet!

tonyb

Toolfan66 wrote: »

Anyone have any experience with these??

https://carydirect.com/shop-now/amplifiers/solid-state/sa-500-1-es-pair.html




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Tell ya what, if you got the scratch, go for it. Might be the last SS amp you ever buy. You have a need for that much juice though ....and the individual circuits to run those bad boys ? Always loved the way Cary's sound signatures seem to tilt to the analog sounding and for a SS amp, that's not an easy achievement. Yeah, Pass can do it too and a few others but monoblocks....with that kind of power under the hood, man...you just got to try it out.

audioluvr

I like the idea that the X250.8 is A/B design and uses very little power in standby. You rarely see these for sale in the used market and it's only because someone bought a larger Pass amp.

Toolfan66

I am in the mood for a couple new toys, but I what it to be a worthwhile move. I have been putting the funds away for a while now to make a leep forward..

The ones at TMR are the ones I have my eyes on, I also feel they would mate well with an SLP-05

pitdogg2

I don't know Larry sorry to pass up a pass amp.

audioluvr

I agree with Tony. Something that monoblocks bring to the table that even the best stereo amps won't is move the soundstage WAY out. Especially if they are driven off separate circuits (different 120v legs coming into your house).

jdjohn

Why is the Retail price lower than Factory Direct? Is the Factory Direct for a pair?

audioluvr

Ya I thought that was odd how they did that too. Retail is each.

tonyb

I believe the retail price was for each mono. The factory direct price is for a pair.

motorstereo

No experience with Cary but I do know high current monoblocks mated with the 1.2tl's are extra special. Those Cary's specs seem like they fit the bill.

jdjohn

I had the integrated SI-300.2d awhile https://carydirect.com/catalog/product/view/id/165/s/si-300-2d/category/22/ and it was certainly no slouch. It's a powerful amp with lots of great features.

tonyb

Dang, that Cary 300 is a looker. Did she sound as good as she looks ?

Gerres26

Toolfan66 wrote: »

OR!!!!

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisa1da4-pass-labs-x250-8-in-excellent-condition-solid-state

No question, this is where my money would be if I had those funds. Pass just plain gets music right to my ears anyway.

invalid

How does cay get 1000 watts into 4ohms with an 850va power transformer seems kind of small.

jdjohn

She did, Tony. Maybe one notch on the warm side of neutral, and very rich, full, with gobs of clean power. I could barely get those VU meter needles off zero! Frankly, that was one reason I decided to let it go...I couldn't let it truly sing due to proximity to neighbors. It needed to be turned-up in order to really fill-out the spectrum. It went from not quite loud enough to too loud (for my situation) with just a small turn of the dial. Perhaps with less-efficient speakers, it would have balanced itself out.

audioluvr

invalid wrote: »

How does cay get 1000 watts into 4ohms with an 850va power transformer seems kind of small.

I saw that too. must not be continuous. They do have quite a large power supply reserve.