I listen mainly to vinyl but while I was purchasing a Cary SLI-80 Signature F1, I thought I'd grab a CD player too. I just assumed the CD player would be of the same quality as the amp. But I was wrong. Right out of the box, the player had issues; wouldn't even play. I called Cary, boxed it up, shipped it to them and got a replacement. No questions asked. But I was out the money for shipping. Now, it turns itself off and on. Only it won't come all the way on. And it's holding a CD hostage. I've probably only used it a couple hundred times. Honestly, it's not worth the trouble of shipping it back to Cary. I'll probably pick up an Oppo so I can watch blurays too. FYI, the Cary CD players are made in China; at least mine was. Again, I assumed it was american made like their amps. I don't get spending all that dough on something made in China. Paying for a name I guess. I love the SLI-80 though! And NO problems with it.

soundstage, soundstage, soundstage...upsampling...hdcd...remote volume control

remote is a plasticky and sub-par quality compared to the unit itself.

well i wrote a long review of this player, but somehow it disappeared into the ether. suffice it to say that i didn't realize how much i was missing with my current but aging parasound front end. i've listened to many systems that made me feel that i had good synergy with my system. i've heard krell, audiophysic, martin logan, etc. that all sounded clinical to my ear. there was lots of detail, but it was harsh and fatiguing.
enter the cary. i decided it was time to start searching for an upgrade after hearing some passages become congested on my current set-up. it didn't happen often, but enought that i felt that there were some improvements to be had.
i originally started with a sub-500.00 budget. i figured i could ride the modding wave and improve the sound as budget constraints allowed. the more i researched, the more i began to realize that i'd be better off just biting the bullet and buying something higher in cost. i figured i'd spend more to never have to ride the modding merry-go-round.
i narrowed things down to the arcam fmj23 and the cary 308. i almost pulled the trigger on the fmj23 since the arcam was a bit less expensive used. but correspondence with a fellow agonner who'd owned both led me to the cary.
775.00 may seem chicken feed to those that spend thousands of dollars on their front ends, but for my budget it was sky high!!! but, boy was it worth it.
comparing 44.1 redbook playback to my parasound cdp/dac combo the cary wins. those congested passages are much airier and imaging is much improved when the music starts to get busy with lots going on. the presentation is slightly more forward and lifelike as well.
once the upsampling or hdcd kicks in it's no comparison. the cary throws such a huge soundstage that there are times that it's not only larger than the speakers, but larger than the room!!!
different people gravitate towards different qualities in equipment. some are sticklers for detail. some demand pinpoint imaging. my taste leans toward soundstaging. i'll forgive other flaws for a large as life soundstage. the cary delivers it in spades. but, it does so while also delivering detail, imaging and bass control that is stellar in my system.
it's too bad that cary has stopped production as i feel the 308 is about as good as it gets at this price point. it's also built like a tank and has the remote volume control. if you feel that you're missing some of the live presentation in your cd collection i'd highly recommend the cd308.

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

homegrown audio i/c, mapleshade i/c, parasound, adcom, krell, martin logan, nad, audible illusions, b&k, straightwire, vandersteen, audioquest, rotel, magnepan.

build quality, soundstage, detail, bass, imaging, volume on remote, switch on the fly upsampling and hdcd capability

cuts off the first note of songs when switching tracks. the remote could be more substantial.

amazing. simply amazing. i've been very hesitant to upgrade my aging parasound cdp/dac combo. but, with all of the new chinese wunderkinds i thought i could do it on the cheap. so i started researching. i started out with a budget of 500.00 tops. i thought that if i liked what i heard i could always mod it and have a giant killer. quality control and repairs kept creaping up in review after review. i broadened my search.
then i came across the cary 308 and arcam fmj23. i shifted gears. i saw the reality that i could buy a better unit with only a minimal increase in cost and hopefully never have to ride the modifying merrygoround. i was an hair's breadth from buying a used arcam when i corresponded with an a'gonner who'd had both units. after comparing our listening styles and musical tastes i changed my mind and went with the cary.
it may seem bargain basement for those accustomed to paying thousands of dollars on audio equipment, but almost 800.00 for a used cdp wasn't an easy decision for me. after having it in my system though i realize what a good decision it has been for me.
my old parasound always kept me happy. i found high-end krell, audiophysic, martin logan, etc gear too clinical. lots of detail, but no emotion and very fatiguing. i always went back to my system and found it more engaging. but, i always wondered if i was indeed missing something. every now and again i'd hear passages get congested. not often, but enough to make me wonder.
enter the cary. oh, my the soundstage is not only wider than my speakers, it's wider than my room on occasion!!! i now hear layers of instruments and vocals. there's a separation b/w what's happening that defines their placement and size. it's not just imaging it goes beyond. it's a feeling like it's actually live.
add the hdcd and upsampling features and i'm having the time of my life. i've got a whole new cd collection. when i a/b against the parasound even on redbook it's no comparison. there is no congestion, no fatigue, no sibilance just detail and a huge soundscape.
every audiophile has different tastes. some like detail, some like perfect imaging. i like huge soundstages. i'll put up with some limitations in other areas if a component gives that large as life feeling. perhaps that's why i stuck with my parasound gear for so long. with the cary 308 i find an even larger soundstage with the added bonus of detail and imaging beyond anything that i've ever heard in my system.
it's too bad that cary has stopped manufacturing this unit as i think that it's a great price point for the performance that it provides. wow, if you're looking for a great moderately priced player that's built like a tank then i'd suggest giving the 308 a try.
as i close this review i'm listening to the player and am amazed at the decay detail. i'm hearing the end of songs and trailing notes like i've never heard in my cd collection. good stuff. happy listening.

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

parasound, b&k, vandersteen, pioneer, audible illusions, jolida, adcom, nad, martin logan, totem acoustics, magnepan.

Palpable, musical, 3D, captivating, and human sounding.

Must be left on all the time for the best sound. If you play a HDCD disc you have to turn the upsampling off to play in HDCD, its not automatic.

I'm suprised that I'm the first reviewing this truely high-end CDP. Prior to this unit I owned, in order, the following units. Rotel RCD 975, Linn Karik III, Micromega Stage 3, and Jolida CD-100. The Rotel is good for the $ but veiled in comparison to modern units. It uses an 18 bit dual DAC with too many OP amps in the anologue stage for its own good. It tried to be smooth for its time of release. The Karik and Micromega sound very similar, with the Micromega having a smoother top end and the Karik having stunning build an a better detail. Both are known for their musicality. They use 1bit DAC's which offer great detail retrival and air, but sound dated by the better units today. The Jolida is tubed and very good, but flat sounding and not as staggering as all the hype makes you believe. Ever wonder why so many units come up for sale. It uses the lesser Burr Brown 1716 24bit DAC, like the older Rotel 1070, Exposure 2910, etc. A bit harsh but tubes tame it. In fact it sounds like a newer Rotel on tubes. All the mods in the world will not overcome this DAC. This leads me to the Cary CD308. It uses the awesome Burr Brown 1704u 24bit DAC like the better units today by Linn, etc. But it is what Cary does in the analogue stage that is remarkable. The give it the warm Cary sound without concealing the details. This non-tube version just stomped all over the tubed Jolida in detail and creaminess. It is warm, musical, with a very 3D soundstage. The sounds are revealed at a wider range of volumes and dynamics, unlike the Jolida, which sounded flat-just didn't have the depth that the Cary has. The bass is deeper and round like it sounds live, not too tight an restricted like a lot of detail CDPs. The highs are creamy and extended, like tubes, but with better detail than the Jolida. Bells and cymbals sound musical, not strident and sizzally. And, oh, the midrange! Womens voices sound sensual and mens voices sound authoritative. There is much detail, but it isn't thin like Musical fidelity, or veiled like the Planet 2000. The Cary 308 sounds like the stage is in front of you with the musicians performing live. The key to this is to leave it on all the time. I do this with all my CDP's and they sound substantially better. The Cary also has HDCD processing for the better HDCD-20 bit CD's. It has 24/96 upsampling, selectable on the fly from the remote or front panel. And the real bargain is that it is upgradeable to the full tube output(308T) for the difference in cost between the 2 units. This player is highly recommended.

Similar Products Used:

Current system is: Ofcouse the Cary CD-308 cdp. AES/Cary AE3 DJH tube preamp Linn Klout poweramp Custom speakers using Seas Excell drivers in a MTM configuration. Linn interconnects and Tara Labs cables. B&K TS108 tuner-predesesor to Fanfare FT-1