UPDATE
2010: This unit was sold in 2002 but I'm leaving these
pages as a Cary SLP-70 reference. It's 2010 and I
still use my modified
SLP-70 to anchor my main sytem which consists of Linn
LP12/VPI HP19MkIII, Original Rega Planet, SLP-70 Modified,
Welborne Labs 2A3 Moondog Monoblocks, and Klipsch Cornwalls
w/Alnico Horns. Feel free to mail from address below.
I am the original owner of this preamp having purchased
it from Advanced Audio in Cary, NC, right down the road
from the Cary Audio Design factory. This preamp is
very musical and natural sounding with good extension and
a very detailed and tuneful midrange. The treble is airy
and not rolled off in any fashion. The bottom end has good
extension and exhibits nice pacing and rhythm. Yet the magic
is the midrange, where a good tube product can reveal the
soul and nuance of the music, something that can be lost
via their solid state brethren. I have found that tube preamps
that are based on the 6SL7 and 6SN7 to be very relaxed sounding,
drawing the listener into the music instead of depositing
the music at the listener's feet. See Review
comments below.
 Tube
rolling with this unit provides different sonic snapshots
of the performance as well. I ended up sticking with NOS
RCA 5692 and 5691 for their musical qualities. The Sylvania
6SN7WGT also did a fine job in the Cathode Follower. I will
also say this, I got GREAT tube life from my NOS RCA 5692
as they lasted close to 10 years!
I actually have another Cary Audio SLP-70 that has been
highly modified that I now use for phono only duties. These
units really do have nice phono stages as do most tube amps
of this vintage. Unlike the Conrad Johnson tube preamps,
the Cary SLP-70 does not seem overly warm or sweet. It provides
a clear, clean, and open presentation and never does anything
to get in the way of the music. It reveals the details of
the music, but not at the expense of blunting the transients.
 The
preamp is in very good condition as seen from the pictures,
all of which should be clicked for full 1200 pixel width,
high resolution, versions. In the picture at left, notice
the extremely clean, symmetrical layout of the SLP-70 as
well as the attention to wiring detail with the input jacks.
Also, the Phono input wire (center ) is shielded to further
reduce hum and interference.
This is a fine tube preamp and was one of the mainstays
in establishing Cary Audio's reputation. It was the preamp
used in the introduction of the famous Cary Audio 300se
Monoblock Single-Ended Triode amp, the amp that brought
the SET revolution to public awareness.
DESCRIPTION
This Cary Audio is a full featured, all triode, Class A
tube preamp with a phono stage. It employs a cathode follower
to minimize impedance conflicts. The SLP-70 tube compliment
consists of a pair of 12AX7 in the phono stage, a pair of
6SL7 in the line stage, followed by a pair of 6SN7 in the
cathode follower. Total tube count in the SLP-70 is 6 tubes.
The unit employs silver contact switches and has a total
of five inputs as well as a tape monitor loop with switch.
There is a high quality Noble volume pot along with a balance
control.
The Cary SLP-70 is made to be left on all the time as it
has a separate power and standby switch to keep the B+ off
the filaments but the circuitry all warmed up and ready
for full quality playback.
The SLP-70 has all Tiffany, OFC, gold plated, input jacks.
The circuit board is a double sided, plated through PC board
with all 1% metal film resistors and Polystyrene and Polypropylene
capacitors. There are no damaging electrolytics in the signal
path.
It also employs six gold plated DPDT 12 volt DC relays.
These relays serve two functions: The first is a method
to select the five inputs being fed into the preamp, and
the second is to provide a purely resistive load source
to the input when a particular source is not in use. That
Tape Monitor loop also functions with DC relay control.
This system eliminates any bleed through or cross talk so
common in other preamplifiers on the market.
 The
layout on the board is also extremely clean and very symmetrical;
indeed, this is such a clean unit, it ought to be extremely
easy to service, yet in the years I have had this SLP-70,
I have never had to take it to the shop.
Here is a fine view of the rear panel and layout of the
unit. As stated, all jacks are of top quality. There are
provisions for phono, video, CD, tuner, and two tape decks,
or sources of your choosing. There is also the tape outs
(with Tape Loop) and the main outputs for connection to
the amplifier.
The power supply is in a separate chassis so as to not interfere
with the audio circuitry inducing hum; this is especially
important for vinyl playback. The Supply employs a regulated
DC filament and is high voltage. The actual transformer
is separated (up to six feet) with the cord you see at right.
Once again, this is extremely important to the quality of
the noise floor, especially when the phono is in use. The
phono stage is powered by the Triode 12AX7 (or their substitutes)
and applies enough gain for MM and High Output Moving Coil
cartridges.
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CARY SLP-70 REVIEW QUOTES
"From the first hour that I plugged it in, it let me get right to the heart and soul of the music...The Cary presented music on a very dimensional and transparent soundstage with absolutely no veiling or opaqueness. What I kept coming back to with the Cary was its ability to reproduce vocal and acoustic instrumental timbres with a spot on accuracy I've rarely heard. Although any music I played through the Cary sounded great, this preamp's real strength lies in the uncanny naturalness it gives to acoustic instruments. "
"Next to the midrange, the Cary's bass performance added immensely to my enjoyment of acoustic music; it was full, generous, and very natural, with good pitch definition."
"In summary, the Cary SLP-70 enabled me to enjoy more of my records and CDs than any other component I've used recently. I spent less time analyzing how this preamp reproduced music, and more time just listening deeply into my recordings...and loving every moment."
Bob Bottman
Bound for Sound
"This is the best all tube preamp known to me under $2000...it sounds so bloody natural and real that the tones of the music seem to take on a life of their own - very vibrant, intimate, and up front. This preamp has a very good phono section, easily as accurate as the Melos 111 or MFA Magus C. And I have to wonder what Cary knows that the others don't about building an accurate and good sounding line section...In this respect, the Cary excels and has to be considered a full featured preamp"
"The Cary has a special quality in the midrange that that I can only describe as mimicking life"
Martin G. De Wulf
Bound for Sound
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|
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SPECIFICATIONS
|
| . |
. |
| CIRCUIT
TYPE: |
Class A
- All Triode - Zero Feedback |
| TUBE
COMPLEMENT: |
2-12AX7
Phono | 2-6SL7 Line Stage | 2-6SN7 Cathode Follower |
| GAIN:
|
1.30 millivolt
input=1 volt output - 53dB Gain |
| INPUT
IMPEDANCE: |
47,000 Ohms |
| OUTPUT
IMPEDANCE: |
800 ohms |
| SIGNATURE
TO NOISE RATIO: |
-88 dB |
| INPUT
AND OUTPUT JACKS: |
Gold Plated
Tiffany OFC with Teflon |
| RESISTORS:
|
1% Metal
Film |
| CAPACITORS:
|
Polystyrene
and Polypropylene |
| POWER
SUPPLY: |
Dual Regulated
12volts DC/Regulated 160 volts DC |
| DUTY
CYCLE: |
200% duty
Cycle - Continuous duty all modes 24 hours a day |
| WARM-UP
TIME: |
3
Minutes |
| DIMENSIONS:
|
4" x 16.5"
x 11.5" |
| WEIGHT:
|
21 lb. |
| FINISH:
|
Black Anodized
Aluminum |
| YEAR
BUILT: |
1993 |
|
MANUAL: |
Copy Included |
| PRICE
NEW: |
$1350 |
| CONTACT:
|
Kelly
Holsten |
| LINKS:
|
Original Cary SLP-70 Manual
- Brochure - Modified SLP-70 |
The Cary SLP-70 external Power
Supply
- click above
for closeup of power supply interior -
|
|
|
