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Cary Cinema 11a: What has better 2ch than this?

post #1 of 9
1/27/13 at 6:13am
Thread Starter 
Hello Audio Experts!

Is there an HT pre/pro which has better 2 channel music SQ than the Cary Cinema 11A at a price near what these are going for used (~$2-2.5k)? I care very little about the HT performance, I'm sure this & it's competitors will be satisfactory.
I now have a Cary Cinema 6, and am happy with the HT stuff, but want better music sound if possible(which, admittedly, is very good).

TIA! Murf
Edited by vanguardtm - 1/27/13 at 8:08am
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post #2 of 9
1/27/13 at 8:22am
Thread Starter 
OK, I'll start...

I've come up with a few pre/pros for your critiques, which might be in this price range, pls add others you see fit:

Halcro SSP 200
Classe SSP 600
Krell S-1000
Krell Home theater standard 7.1
ADA Cinema Rhapsody Mach 3
Bryston SP 1.7(?)
EAD TheaterMaster 8800Pro(?)

I don't want to get too old of a machine, but good sound is good sound, so...don't be shy, pls!

Murf
Edited by vanguardtm - 1/27/13 at 8:41am
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post #3 of 9
1/28/13 at 6:44am
Thread Starter 
JEESH Folks!

Won't someone even yell at me for not giving enough info or something?
Forgive me for being pushy & bumping this, but not too many Cary Cinema 11a unit come up for sale, so...any opinions would be appreciated.

TIA! Murf
Edited by vanguardtm - 1/28/13 at 6:59am
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post #4 of 9
1/28/13 at 10:00am
Why buy a pre/pro if you want hi-end stereo? I have Cary Audio's SLP-98 tube pre, which is incredible and will easily beat the Cary Cinema 12 pre/pro in two channel. My current "reference" is the SLP-05. Now, that's some big league line stage right there.

I'd be afraid to use any but the most recent Cinema 12 with the hardware/firmware updates. Hopefully, Cary will have a rock solid pre/pro by 2015 or so when I'm ready to upgrade. If you are looking for very good, but not elite pre-amplification, within the context of a pre/pro, then I'd look for a Cinema 12. Of course, that's beyond your stated price range. The SLP-98 would work some incredible magic though if you separate home theater from music.
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post #5 of 9
1/28/13 at 10:13am
Thread Starter 
Hi JH,
Thanks for the reply.
My system is not separated for HT & music, and either I don't understand what is needed for proper bypassing, or I have read too many threads saying don't go that way.
Please convince me otherwise! (My current pre/pro is a Cary Cinema 6)

Murf
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post #6 of 9
1/28/13 at 11:29am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jh901 View Post

Why buy a pre/pro if you want hi-end stereo? I have Cary Audio's SLP-98 tube pre, which is incredible and will easily beat the Cary Cinema 12 pre/pro in two channel. My current "reference" is the SLP-05. Now, that's some big league line stage right there.

I would love to go this way if I thought it would work for me & my equipment. The Cary line is quite extensive, but the slp-05 is too expensive. I see SLP-03, SLP-98p, SLP-308, C-306(ss) being in my price range. But the SLP-98 is old, from '97!
If I decide to go with a separate music pre, I would have to compare the Carys to AVA (I have an AVA Fetvalve amp), and maybe Belles?

Tom
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post #7 of 9
1/28/13 at 3:33pm
Thread Starter 
Hmmm, the SLP-03 isn't getting great reviews. Too bad because it has an HT bypass.
So anyway, I think I'll bone up on wiring a music only pre into my HT system, on whether I need an HT bypass or not, and then maybe start another thread looking for that elusive kick-azz music pre (nobody was posting to this thread except me anyway frown.gif...).

Thanks, Murf
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post #8 of 9
1/29/13 at 2:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by vanguardtm View Post

Hmmm, the SLP-03 isn't getting great reviews. Too bad because it has an HT bypass.
So anyway, I think I'll bone up on wiring a music only pre into my HT system, on whether I need an HT bypass or not, and then maybe start another thread looking for that elusive kick-azz music pre (nobody was posting to this thread except me anyway frown.gif...).

Thanks, Murf

Hi Murf ;may have had more luck in the cary 11a/12 threads but not very popular in any case rolleyes.gif Another brand new; value pre with h/t bypass to look at is the w4s

http://www.wyred4sound.com/webapps/p/74030/117839/803982

This diagram is a good aid ;the h/t bypass after the pre pro is self explanatory and needless to say a lot better outlay than a new pre pro for your music preference smile.gif

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?81193-Help-explain-what-HT-Bypass-is-for-2-channel-preamps&p=1043571&viewfull=1#post1043571
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post #9 of 9
1/29/13 at 5:41am
Thread Starter 
Hi Colin,
Thanks for the reply.
Great minds think alike; I have a W4S dac1 w/ dac2 cap upgrade!

My favorite at this moment might be the AVA Transcendence T8+ pre, which has an HT bypass. Seems the owners love the thing. It has some nice awards too...and would go well with my AVA 400R amp.
"The Transcendence Eight+ received The Absolute Sound's Editor's Choice Award for 2008. This great preamp has also received The Absolute Sound's Editors Choice awards for 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012. Now, it is even better yet!"

Murf
Edited by vanguardtm - 1/29/13 at 6:06am
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