CARY AUDIO SLP-05

Pre owned. In good condition, showing some signs of wear. Supplied with external power supply and original packaging.

Fully balanced valve line preamplifier featuring a dual-chassis design that physically separates the power supply from the audio circuitry. The design employs eight 6SN7 vacuum tubes in the amplification section and incorporates a dedicated headphone stage, making it a component intended for high-end audio systems.

The separate power supply helps isolate the audio circuits from interference generated by the power components. Its dedicated chassis houses an R-Core transformer, rectification and filtering circuits, and separate voltage regulators for the two channels. Two Sifam analogue meters also allow monitoring of the voltage and current on the power supply rails. Connection to the main unit is provided through an eight-conductor umbilical cable manufactured by Kimber Kable, featuring OFC copper conductors and Teflon insulation.

The audio section uses 6SN7 tubes in a balanced configuration, with dedicated circuits for signal amplification and buffering. The circuitry is arranged to keep the positive and negative signal phases separate, while additional tubes serve as buffers for the balanced inputs. The final two tubes are dedicated to the headphone amplification stage, which delivers a claimed output approaching 1 watt and supports headphones with impedances ranging from 40 to 300 ohms.

The sound reproduction is characterised by tonal balance and neutrality, maintaining good control across the frequency range without particular emphasis. The valve circuitry contributes to a natural musical presentation, accompanied by lively dynamics that allow even complex musical passages to unfold with ease. The soundstage offers good width and depth, with a convincing placement of instruments and clear separation between different spatial planes. Vocals have a broad, well-defined presence, while the bass range provides good articulation and careful reproduction of subtle nuances.

The circuit configuration and management of the different sections allow the Cary Audio SLP-05 to work with both valve and solid-state power amplifiers, maintaining balanced performance with amplifiers of different characteristics.

The front panel features two balanced XLR inputs and three unbalanced RCA inputs, selectable via a rotary switch. Additional controls include mute, Tape Monitor, an Effects Loop and headphone stage activation. Two independent adjustments allow fine-tuning of the balance between the left and right channels, while the main volume is controlled by a motorised Alps potentiometer, also operated via the supplied remote control.

The construction combines printed circuit boards, terminal-strip connections and neatly arranged internal wiring. Both chassis feature an Anthracite Black Clear Coat finish, using Jaguar automotive paint, while the front panel is made from solid silver-anodised aluminium alloy. The two units can also be stacked, thanks to the recesses on the upper surface of the power supply, designed to accommodate the feet of the main preamplifier unit.

The SLP-05 represents Cary Audio's reference model for line preamplification, combining valve circuitry, a separate power supply, an integrated headphone stage and compatibility with different types of power amplifiers. An Ultimate Upgrade version is also available, featuring specific improvements to the power supply and line-stage circuitry, developed to further enhance the performance of the design.

Technical Specifications:

• Type: Class A balanced valve line preamplifier
• Circuit Design: Fully balanced triode vacuum tube circuitry
• Vacuum Tubes: 8 × 6SN7 for gain, balanced and headphone stages; 1 × 5AR4 for the power supply
• Output Voltage: 2 V rated; 12 V maximum
• Overall Gain: 17 dB RCA; 24 dB XLR
• Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): 0.03%
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: -90 dB below full output
• Input Impedance: 50 kΩ RCA; 100 kΩ XLR
• Output Impedance: 400 Ω
• Frequency Response: 5 Hz – 250 kHz
• Power Transformer: R-Core
• Power Supply Capacitors: 2 × 560 µF / 400 VDC
• Components: 1% metal-film resistors; polystyrene, film and foil capacitors
• Headphone Stage: Dedicated valve amplifier, output approaching 1 W; supported headphone impedance 40–300 Ω
• Inputs: 2 × balanced XLR; 3 × unbalanced RCA
• Controls: Input selector; motorised Alps volume control; independent channel balance adjustments; mute; Tape Monitor; Effects Loop; headphone stage activation
• Remote Control: Included, with volume and mute controls
• Power Requirements: 117 / 234 V AC, 50 / 60 Hz
• Warm-Up Time: 3 minutes
• Break-In Time: 100 hours of operation
• Finish: Silver-anodised aluminium front panel; Jaguar Anthracite Black chassis finish
• Dimensions: Preamplifier 15.9 × 43.2 × 30.5 cm (H × W × D); power supply 11.4 × 43.2 × 30.5 cm (H × W × D); approximately 26.7 cm total height when stacked
• Weight: Preamplifier 7.26 kg; power supply 8.62 kg