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Suggestions for Cary 805C tubes


Jim Gregory

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I have recently purchased a Cary 805C Monoblock amplifiers with current upgrades. 
I have a bi-amp system using the 805 for HF. 
System is 402 with Radian 760 pb br 8 ohm drivers. 904 LF cabinets. 
l was looking for recommendations for tube selection based on experience. 

6SL7 input tube

300b driver tube

845 output tube
 

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First:

 

The opinions below when coupled with 69 cents will get you a small coffee at MacDonalds (or laughed at in Starbucks).

 

I have purchased and auditioned several 300B tubes with my Cary amps/integrateds: Western Electric, Shuguang, KR Audio, current Cary OEM and Sophias Using my 1999 Western Electrics as the baseline, my thoughts are the KR Audio 300B tubes are just as sonically pleasing as the WE. No veil in the mid or high end and controlled “non-boomy” bass. Both provide a sense the musicians are in the room with you. To me, the best part is no Western Electric premium on KR tube pricing. Next in line are the Cary OEM followed closely by the Shuguang 300B. Since the Cary OEM tubes are now Chinese and physically look the same as my Shuguang, I suspect the Carys are cherry picked and rebranded Shuguang 300Bs. They are pleasant tubes, a bit more forward in the mid-range than the WE or KR. Non- boomy bass as well.Their value is good: the complete re-tube kit from Cary for my integrated amp (all 5 tubes) is $600. Most Shuguang 300Bs are available for less than $400 a matched pair. Finally, the Sophia are inferior in my opinion. They are rebranded from another supplier and did not sound as clean nor have the controlled bottom end of any of the other tubes. When one blew (spectacularly, I might add) after less than 200 hours, I pull them all and threw them away.

 

Currently I am happily running KRs and have no real motivation to swap them. The Cary with KRs is a good match with my La Scalas. As another thought to consider is depending on the amp, at the millennium Cary offered both Western Electrics and KR 300B tubes and now they have a house brand. I considered adding a pair of EMLs, but I’d rather listen to the KRs than roll tubes. I may be alive long enough to see if the KRs last as long as the WEs (20 years!). That may be a consideration, but in the long run assuming no inherent tube manufacturing failure, any 300B tubes based on the WE 300B design should for “ages” without failure. So when figuring a tube cost, spreading over 10 to 20 years, even vintage WE are not that expensive.

 

A final thought: I considered using a 300BXL, but my reading indicated the XLs need a higher voltage to sing and that 300Bs like to run at their specified voltages (300v for the 300B and 450v for the XL I believe), so I dropped that idea. I recall the Cary amps at the millennium offering the XL tubes have different output transformers and two small tube drivers differing from than non-300BXL tubed amps.

 

Have fun and stay healthy.

 

Mike

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 4/1/2020 at 12:36 PM, michaelwardjoines said:

. I recall the Cary amps at the millennium offering the XL tubes have different output transformers and two small tube drivers differing from than non-300BXL tubed amps.

Mike there are a pair of Cary tubes listed on USAudio for sale

“Cary Audio designs KR Enterprises KR300B XLS Pair“

Are these the tubes that require the 450v to sing ?

 

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9 minutes ago, Jim Gregory said:

Mike there are a pair of Cary tubes listed on USAudio for sale

“Cary Audio designs KR Enterprises KR300B XLS Pair“

Are these the tubes that require the 450v to sing ?

 

What you really need for house speakers are S-MWM's to go with your new amps.

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2 hours ago, Dave A said:

What you really need for house speakers are S-MWM's to go with your new amps.

Hello Dave hope you and family are doing well. 
I don’t have room for S-MWM’s but I would really really enjoy cranking up some tunes with them. I will be listening the KP-301ii up for sale in the near future. I love them but haven’t hooked them up in over 1 1/2 years. 

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12 hours ago, Jim Gregory said:

Mike there are a pair of Cary tubes listed on USAudio for sale

“Cary Audio designs KR Enterprises KR300B XLS Pair“

Are these the tubes that require the 450v to sing ?

 

Jim:

 

I believe so.  The 300BXLS will operate just fine in your amp, it just will not offer the increased output the tube is capable of delivering. I discovered something else that may be unique to a set of KR 300BXLS tubes I own: the base is almost the exact size as the Cary chassis cut out and I have to force the tubes down to seat. Conversely I have to exert significant up-force to remove them. I decided to relegate them to tube closet for now. Your results may vary.

 

IMHO, the question to be asked is are they NOS  or used? I don't think Cary has offered KR tubes for about 20 years or so. That said I have a pair of used KR 300B tubes form 2009 I am listening to right now. 

 

By the way, I am using Brimar NOS tubes for my rectifier and input tubes. I came across them from a fellow who once had a Melos pre & amp which was quite high end in its day so I thought I'd give them a shot. I think they work well.

 

For my other Cary, I am using to try new JJ Tesla tubes. I'll let you know how they sound. Chasing reputable NOS tubes can be exhausting... :-)

 

Good luck.

 

Mike

Edited by michaelwardjoines
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12 hours ago, Jim Gregory said:

Hello Dave hope you and family are doing well. 
I don’t have room for S-MWM’s but I would really really enjoy cranking up some tunes with them. I will be listening the KP-301ii up for sale in the near future. I love them but haven’t hooked them up in over 1 1/2 years. 

We are doing well and hope yours is too. Yeah those 301's are great speakers but they don't cut the mustard once you have been ruined by big pro Klipsch.

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On 4/14/2020 at 10:36 AM, michaelwardjoines said:

IMHO, the question to be asked is are they NOS  or used? I don't think Cary has offered KR tubes for about 20 years or so. That said I have a pair of used KR 300B tubes form 2009 I am listening to right now. 

 

By the way, I am using Brimar NOS tubes for my rectifier and input tubes. I came across them from a fellow who once had a Melos pre & amp which was quite high end in its day so I thought I'd give them a shot. I think they work well.

 

For my other Cary, I am using to try new JJ Tesla tubes. I'll let you know how they sound. Chasing reputable NOS tubes can be exhausting... 🙂

Thank You Mike

Again great information. The Cary KR 300B XLS pair for sale are used. I have found a couple pair of NOS $900-$1,100. Do you have any particular site for locating tubes for sale ?

 Thanks again for you help. 
Jim

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USA Audio Mart & the Canuck Audio Mart have been good sites. You'd also be surprised how many times "things" just pop up by doing a Bing search of KR Audio or whatever you are looking for. As  I mentioned earlier, this can be exhausting (or at least time consuming).

 

Good luck.

 

Mike

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