I'm reminded of turntables 20 years ago, when quartz-lock mechanisms were all the rage—to regulate but not really stabilize the speed. The quartz-lock mechanism would continually adjust the speed of the motor so that the speed was always changing, microsecond by microsecond. This was likely one reason why an AR, a Linn, or a Rega, all without…
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Still, my experience with the Cary 805C has made me, like Martin, suspicious of any negative feedback. Like phase-splitting, negative feedback may have harmful and not-so-subtle effects on the timing of the music and the harmonic presentation.
Sam Tellig wrote again about the CAD-805 in January 2002 (Vol.24 No.1):
When Dennis Had, of Cary Audio Design, heard that I was listening to the JMlab Micro Utopia speakers, he offered to send me a pair of Cary CAD-805C tube amplifiers.
"Should be a great combination. Besides, I'd like to visit and listen to the Micro Utopia. And you've got one of the only pairs in North America at the moment."
"I've already reviewed the 805s," I told him.
"You haven't heard the latest version."
The Cary CAD-805C has become a classic. First introduced in 1991 as the Cary…
Sidebar 1: Measurements
Because the Cary CAD-805, like any tube amplifier, has multiple output taps (further complicated in the case of the 805 by the presence of a choice of feedback settings), I chose to perform a cross-section of diagnostic tests. Most of the measurements were made with 5dB of feedback—the setting chosen by Dick Olsher for most of his listening evaluations—with selected additional measurements presented at 0dB and 10dB of feedback. In the case of the latter two, the 8 ohm tap was used with an 8 ohm load. Also, only a few select measurements were made into a 16 ohm…
Sidebar 2: Specifications
Description: Single-ended monoblock amplifier using a directly heated triode output stage. Power output: 25W (14dBW) class-A1, 50W (17dBW) class-A2 into 4, 8, and 16 ohms.
Dimensions: 12?" W by 10" H by 24" D. Weight: 60 lbs.
Serial numbers of samples tested: 929968 & 69 (1994); not noted (1998, 2001).
Price: $7495/pair (1994); $8995/pair (2001).
Approximate number of dealers: 65.
Manufacturer: Cary Audio Design, 111A Woodwinds Industrial Court, Cary, NC 27511. Tel: (919) 481-4494. Fax: (919) 460-3828. Web: www.caryaudio.com.
Sam Tellig wrote again about the CAD-805 in August 2003 (Vol.26 No.8):
"If either of these amplifiers is RIGHT...the other must be WRONG."
Editor John Atkinson wrote that cover line for our January 1994 issue (Vol.17 No.1). Two amps shared the cover. Each was reviewed inside.
Dick Olsher, aka Toob Man, did the honors for the Cary CAD-805, while Thomas J. Norton considered the solid-state Krell KSA-300S. TJN performed test-bench measurements on both amps.
The face-off was fascinating: Subjective vs objective. Tube vs solid-state. Retro vs modern. Monoblock vs two-…
Last January, the Stereophile website conducted a poll asking readers what they thought was their audio system's weakest link . The results indicated that 24% thought that their room was the most problematic component. What this says is that, though often accused of being obsessed with hardware, we audiophiles are aware of what a potent effect the speaker-room setup has.
Sure, it's easy (except for cost) to try different components or interconnects, even speakers—but room arrangements immediately invoke the Spouse Acceptance Factor and other domestic concerns. How often have you…
Easy as PARC
The PARC is a three-band, two-channel parametric equalizer whose front panel clearly reveals what it is and what it does. Above each control is an indicator LED or a numeric readout of its status. Beginning on the left, the first button, Display, toggles the display of the numeric readouts without affecting any other functions; you don't need that bright, bold display when you've finally set the device to your liking. Next are Save and Memory, which permit you to store and recall settings in any of three nonvolatile memories.
The PARC is a three-band, two-channel parametric equalizer whose front panel clearly reveals what it is and what it does. Above each control is an indicator LED or a numeric readout of its status. Beginning on the left, the first button, Display, toggles the display of the numeric readouts without affecting any other functions; you don't need that bright, bold display when you've finally set the device to your liking. Next are Save and Memory, which permit you to store and recall settings in any of three nonvolatile memories.
The Channel button selects whether the left…
From these measurements, Richard Bird suggested the following corrections:
Channel Frequency (Hz) Q Attenuation (dB) L1 32.71.9 10.0 L2 1341.1 5.0 L3 3505 1.4 R1 35.31.4 4.0 R2 84.53.0 3.0 R3 2114.4 3.8
These were transferred to the PARC and the measurements repeated. The results (figs.2 and 4), revealing a reduction in irregularity and overall lowering of bass levels compared with the midrange. If the frequency scale were logarithmic, the overall smoothing would be more visually apparent. Note that the measured acoustical attenuations are all less than the calculated…
A second way to appreciate the PARC EQ was to listen to music of great size and complexity, such as Mahler's Symphony 6 (Michael Tilson Thomas, San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Symphony 0001). I realized that, although there was no sapping of the orchestra's power and energy, there was a greatly enhanced facility to hear more of what was going on within the orchestra. PRaT (Pace, Rhythm and Timing) fans will appreciate what PARC does to delineate the pulse and meter of the music. I was motivated by this to dissect the effects of the various corrections, and again found that the audible…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Parametric Adaptive Room Compensation (PARC) 2-channel, 3-band parametric equalizer. Center frequencies: 16-350Hz. Q: 1-10. Attenuation: 0-18dB. Three nonvolatile memory stores. Power consumption: 50W. Voltages: 100, 120, 220, 240 (selectable).
Dimensions: 17" W by 4" H by 12.5" D. Weight: 20 lbs.
Serial number of unit reviewed: 103.0102.
Price: $2800. Approximate number of dealers: 10.
Manufacturer: Rives Audio, The ATI Group, Suite A-1, 8301 Patuxent Range Road, Jessup, MD 20794. Tel: (800) 959-6553. Fax: (707) 276-3983. Web: www.…