The Cary Audio 300 SEI Review. Thirty Years of Magic.
By Steve Huff
I admit, I have been on a tube preamp, DAC and amp kick for the last few months or so. Within HiFi there are tube everything these days from amps to preamps to dacs and phono stages. We even have tube buffers like this one from ModWright that adds the tube sound to your system if you have an all solid state kind of vibe.
The 300SEI decked out with a full suite of PSVANE 300B and 6SN7 SUMMIT tubes. The best tubes they make and this setup truly improved the sound of the amp in many ways.
Tubes are desirable by many audio lovers because tube amps of old, or the classic designs, always brought warmth, groove and big bass. They were less about the analytical details and more about the “feels”. Most modern amps these days that use tubes try to go for a more modern “faster” sound but there are still some out there that bring that old school tube flavor but albeit… with a little modern flair. That’s what I enjoy in a tube amp…music with emotion, blood, sweat and tears. If it is lean and bright, yuck, not for me.
Lately I have been treated to some mighty fine HiFi with tubes this year. The Nagra HD Preamp was something to experience. The Nagra Tube DAC and HD DAC X were as well. Also the Galion P75 Tube Preamp which surprised me by being much better than I imagined it could be for the cost. The Fezz Equinox Tube DAC is in my system now and it’s one heck of a DAC far surpassing its price point and I mean FAR. Recently a Fezz Titania tube amp arrived for review, it’s awesome and will be reviewing it soon. The Heaven 11 Billie MK3 also in the house for review, which is a hybrid tube and SS design. I have been listening to a lot of tube designs over the last year or so and this sound and groove has infected my brain to where I just want to listen to tubes right now.
The 300B RESERVE series from RayTubes.com ups the warmth some and adds a glow, beauty and presence not heard with the stock tubes.
300B
Ever since getting in that Oilily 300B Tube integrated amp from Amazon that set me back $1100 I have been listening to it non stop. I am a sucker for a truly great 300B tube sound and the Oilily brought it. If you missed that review, you can see it here.
I have been enjoying the Oilily 300B amp so much that while on Amazon searching for other tube amps to check out one day, and possibly review, I saw the legendary Cary Audio 300 SEI offered and it was shipped and sold by Amazon, brand new. It was also “Prime” eligible. The Cary 300 SEI is an all tube and all analog USA made Single Ended Triode amp. The sweetest sounding kind of tube amp you can buy in my opinion. I love S.E.T. amps and always have as they just bring a gorgeous fluid sound filled with emotion.
These tube amps sound a lot sweeter and more dimensional than any of the SS amps I have had through these doors (though less explosive, dynamic and transparent) and the 300SEI is one of the coolest 300B amps ever made IMO. Looking for a fleshed out midrange that brings blood, sweat and tears to your room with super realism and body? A good 300B will do that for you while also delivering an immersive soundstage with 3D imaging and warmth.
I wanted to buy this amp as well to compare a USA made 300B to a Chinese made 300B but before I talk about what I did with that 300 SEI on Amazon in 2025, let me back up 4 years to 2021.
Back in 2021 I saw a Cary SEI 300 on Amazon and it was priced at $3800, which at the time was $1500 or so less than Cary was selling them for on their own website. I ordered it as that 300 SEI has been a dream amp of mine for DECADES and at that time in 2021 I had the funds to do it. I wanted this amp back in the early 2000’s but couldn’t afford it back then, so I never did buy one, until 2021.
Before I talk about the 2021 experience (and it wasn’t good) with the 300SEI let me back up again to the late 90’s and how Cary Audio was my 1st HiFi “Love”.
Back in 1998 I was big into my audio system, just as I am today. I had some Sonus Faber Guarneri speakers (1st gen) that I bought used online from Italy. Around this same time I fell in love with Cary audio mainly for their old school looks that went with their full on tube amp designs. Back then I wanted something special for my speakers in both sound and looks so I bought a pair of Cary 805C mono amps with their gorgeous SLP98 preamp to match with them. I could have afforded the 300SEI back then but I had a larger room and it just wouldn’t have powered the Guarneri I had at the time. I was hoping that the 805C would do the trick, and they did, very nicely.
The 300SEI uses 3 6SN7 tubes in addition to the 300B tubes. There are zero digital bits inside of the 300SEI. These are the stock Chinese made 6SN7 tubes. I upgraded to PSVANE 6SN7 SUMMIT tubes for a nice upgrade.
The years flowed and flown by and by the mid 2000’s I had tried other Cary products such as the V12R EL34 amp, The Rocket 88R which used KT88 tubes and the SLI80 which was their hottest integrated amp at the time. I also had their 306/300 CD Player and just had a thing for Cary Audio back then. I snagged a set of the Dennis Had “Six Pacs’ as well which were EL34 mono amps, like a mini V12 but split into two black boxes. Loved those amps to death. I also owned the beautiful SLP-98 Preamp…twice! Love that pre.
As the years moved on I eventually moved on myself from tubes to solid state when I had to re-tube an 845 amp with an $800+ re-tube bill. I was also wanting a cool running amp at the time as my room would get so hot when running a class A tube amp. I also wanted to try out some big power designs for a change to see what I may have been missing. Back then Cary was run by Dennis Had who designed all of the tube designs they sold. Dennis has long ago retired from Cary.
Dennis Had retired from Cary Audio quote a while ago and today Cary Audio still sells all of these designs when it comes to their tube offerings. The 300SEI was released for the first time in 1994, or around 31 years ago. It’s still in production today and this is awesome to see. The SEI may stand for “Single Ended Integrated” as this is a single ended triode amp, one the best you can buy for that touch of sweetness and warmth in audio. Cary states that this amp puts out 15 WPC. It uses two 300B tubes and three 6SN7 tubes. Easy to find tubes so nothing rare or exotic here.
I threw in some 300B Reserve Tubes from RayTubes.com and they upped the SQ nicely
No Merry Go Round Here
Most HiFi companies these days release “V2, V3, V4” of amps, preamps or dacs or whatever every couple of years to keep the income flowing with the promise of “it’s even better than the last one” claims. Over at Cary, these tube designs are timeless and it says a lot that they have never tried to release another version of this amp in over 31 years. It’s still as gorgeous today as it was back then.
They offer some upgrades on the 300SEI with capacitors and the like, but me, I prefer the tried and true stock version as that is how it was designed by Dennis Had back in 1994. I feel the upgrades alter the sound of the 300SEI and makes it lose some of its charm. I did get to hear one with all of the added upgrades quite a few years ago and thought it was a more dynamic sound almost reaching into a solid state like presentation. Again, I love the stock sound as to me, this is what this amp is all about so I was not interested in the upgrades personally.
Now lets get BACK TO 2021 with my 1st Cary 300 SEI Purchased on Amazon
I bought that 300SEI in 2021 for $3800 plus shipping and tax with the intent to finally buy my dream amp. Amazon shipped it to me, was brand new in the sealed double box and I was happy to finally get this amp in my system. I was excited to get it set up and hooked up. Sadly, when I did take it out to admire its beauty (this is a gorgeous amp) and set it up I saw the input select knob was sort of broken. I could get it to switch but it was loose and sloppy. I installed tubes and plugged it in to see what this 300SEI was all about and I had some Fleetwood Deville speakers ready to roll with the 300B tubes. When I powered it up I heard the transformers buzzing like mad, as in LOUD, direct from the amp (not speakers). Arg I hate that and I hate noisy amps.
I tried listening to it but even with the music at mid level the buzz was heard at my seat. This was 100% not acceptable to me for a $3800 price tag. I did not review it back then in 2023 but instead sent it back to Amazon for a refund. I never saw this amp on Amazon again, and I checked and checked…
Then in 2025 I saw ANOTHER 300SEI on Amazon!
After my Oilily 300B review I told myself I would love to find another Cary 300SEI and give it one more chance, and even compare it to the much less expensive Oilily. Maybe I got a lemon last time in 2021? It happens for sure. In any case it wasn’t but a week later that I saw another Cary 300SEI on Amazon, via prime, shipped and sold by Amazon, here in 2025.
This time the price was $3600 but I didn’t have the funds. I told myself “well, if I ever see it here for say…$2800 I will buy it” and lo and behold the next day it was reduced to $2400 and I bought it instantly.
Yea that price is a steal of a deal for this USA made legendary amp, at least that is what I thought as it’s $1500 less than it is on the companies own website, while on sale.
As I waited for the delivery I hoped it would not have the transformer buzz of the last one and all would be well. When it arrived I noticed the main outer box was opened and resealed so I instantly thought they sent me that old one from 4 years ago that I sent back, just repackaged! When I bought the 300SEI this time it said it was “NEW” so I was not happy about the box being opened. I filmed the unboxing in case there were any surprises. When I got to the inner box, that one was fully sealed and factory fresh so I was happy about that, so no surprises (besides the remote which I will touch on soon). It all looked brand new, with wrapping and all of the Cary packaging tricks still intact. Maybe they repaired the old one? Could be, I have no idea. I just wanted it to work as it should.
THE FIRST LISTEN
I had been listening to the Oilily 300B amp for weeks with my Icon 12 speakers from O Audio (review HERE). Before that and even as early as a few days ago I was listening to the $25k Devialet Astra, which is the most stunning solid state integrated amp I have ever used or tested. The Astra is faster, leaner and delivers ultimate imaging performance and yes, it sounds solid state. The Oilily is warmer, richer, more luxurious yet still very detailed and open. Smooth, very 3D and with a huge midrange and a mid bass hump of sorts. Bass is big on the Oilily. It’s thunderous on the Astra.
Devialet Astra Integrated Amp
As I removed the Oilily 300B Chinese amp I replaced it with the USA made Cary 300SEI. Tubes were installed and I powered it up. After a few moments I listened for any buzzing and it was not there. I mean, if I went to the amp and stood above it I could hear a slight hum from the transformers (The Oilily is SILENT after 30 seconds) but this is not heard at all in my seat, even with music off. Phew. I wish it were 100% silent but it is what it is.
So all is good an/or “acceptable” and this is quite a normal thing for some older tube amp designs. They usually have some sort of sound from the transformers but as long as that doesn’t present a buzz or hiss from the speakers I am ok with it. I just can’t stand loud buzzing transformers and I have heard this more than I like over the last 5 years.
I love a quiet amp and this 300SEI was almost dead silent but not as silent as the cheaper Chinese made amp.
The Cary is a pure classic. Here it sits next to the Oilily amp.
When I started listening to my Tidal and Apple Music playlist I instantly heard the difference between the 300SEI and the Oilily.
Now, let’s remember that the Chinese made amp puts out 8 watts per channel. The Cary states that the 300 SEI puts out 15 watts, so almost double. I believe this as the Cary has a greater sense of power and heft behind it, but just a teeny bit. This could also be an illusion as the gain on the Cary seems higher than the Oilily.
The 300 SEI delivers what I would call the ultimate “Cary Sound”. It’s a bit dense, beautifully warm but at the same time has tremendous organic detail retrieval and a huge 3D soundstage. Drums sound awesome on Cary gear, big and alive. The sound just makes me move with dance music while making me emotional at times with the way vocals are done. BTW, this amp with my Icon 12 speakers had me and Debby dancing to some EDM and it was loud, powerful and really sounded like we were in a club. This amp has big bass and a powerful sound for being a 300B amp. It can play the right speakers as loud or soft as you like.
The midrange is butter and for these ears, all out magic. As good as it gets in the midrange for me with the 300SEI. Bass is also crazy good, and very similar to the bass of the Oilily so I would call them even here. Yea, the sound of this Cary is super sweet and also very refined. With some music it is almost as if there is a very small reverb tank inside of the amp. I remember this effect when I had the 805C back in the 1990s. It’s something to behold with female vocals as we get to hear everything including those trails that linger in space. The Oilily also does this BTW.
I was listening to a song called “Nothing” from Nobody’s Wolf Child and had goosebumps when the vocals came in. Surreal, floaty and ever so present in my room. Listening to this track with both amps, the Cary and Oilily I hear the Cary as a touch more dynamic and punchy and with more treble energy, but it’s slight. The Oilily is a bit more transparent. These amps sound very similar and those without a trained ear may not even hear the differences.
I cued up all kinds of music with the 300SEI and no matter what I pulled up from bluegrass to jazz to 70’s rock to all out thrash metal the music was freaking awesome, it sounded just so good with a density and solidity to the sound. The speakers here help a ton of course as you will need something that has synergy with the amp and the Icon 12’s were proving to be pure gold with the Cary and the Oilily but the Cary was a touch warmer, fuller bodied and refined. The Oilily was lighter in the mids by a baby hair and a little more sparkly in the treble in direct comparison, if not a bit more transparent and open. I preferred the sound of the Cary with some music and the Oilily with other music. At the end of the day, both are so damn good in sound quality. There are cons to the Oilily though, and I will speak on those further down.
THE REMOTE of the 300SEI IS AWFUL
Worst Remote Ever. This amp shipped with a crazy big 50 button+ AVR style remote that doesn’t work at all with this 300SEI. I do not know if this was a mistake but man, this remote sucks. It looks like it belongs with a Denon AVR HT box. I mean, all we need with the 300SEI is a two button remote. Volume up or down. The remote they shipped with my 300SEI (again, that I bought with my own money) doesn’t work at all with this amp and so I put it back in the box and will use it without a remote. Seems like they put the wrong remote in the box maybe? Not a huge deal to me but at the same time, I feel the remote should at least work with the amp.
TUBE ROLLING and other SPECS
The Cary 300SEI has three single ended inputs vs the Oilily single input and this right here could be a make or break for some looking for a fantastic 300B integrated, so the Cary wins here. The 300SEI also has a very well regarded headphone amp that sounded so beautiful with my Verum headphones from Ukraine. This is a stellar head amp and if you like that plumpness, big solid bass and a creamy midrange this amp will deliver the goods for you in the headfi department. The head amp of the Cary sounded better to me than the one in the Oilily. So another win for Cary here.
As for tubes, this Cary amp uses two 300B tubes and three 6SN7, which ironically are my two fave tube types of all time. When a 6SN7 is used in a preamp the sound is always to my liking as they also bring a density and realism along with a glow that is hard to describe. Get some really good 6SN7 tubes and you can be in heaven with this amp. As is, the stock tubes are fantastic.
A set of RayTubes.com 300B RESERVE tubes. These are incredible.
SWAPPING 300B tubes. Better than stock?
The stock tubes are basic Russian or Chinese 300B tubes but nothing fancy here. They will get the job done and they sound really good but when I swapped in a set of 300B Reserve tubes from RayTubes.com HOLY WOW the sound improved by quite a but in these ways:
- More depth in the soundstage
- Better, bigger and even tighter bass..a bit of a smoother sound.
- The midrange becomes super 3D and voices are eerily real and smooth
- The soundstage height was now a smidge taller
- There was a “richness” to the sound I didn’t hear before
- Zero glare or edge, smooth sailing sound
These tubes from RayTubes are truly magical. You can see them here at RayTubes.com
I then loaded in some of the newest flagship 300B tubes from PSVANE, the SUMMIT Series. Now the sound changed again and here is what I noticed…these are superb 300B tubes!
- A bit more dynamic
- slightly more treble energy
- Midrange was cleaner, clearer with tighter imaging
- Bass was not as full in the mids..slightly more open sound.
- More “presence” all around
- Details were more noticeable in the soundstage
So both of these fantastic 300 B options are a very nice improvement over stock but which you prefer will depend on your tastes.
How about the Western Electric 300B, the Holy Grail?
I also had a set of Western Electric tubes here and these are usually known as the worlds best 300B. When I inserted these into the amp the is what I heard:
- A lighter more airy sound up top vs the others
- Less bass in the mids, so a lighter midrange that was more transparent
- Lighter lower bass that made the entire presentation sound more 3D and floaty.
- Spatial and ambient recordings were magic with a huge stage of the holographic type.
- Metal and Rock didn’t sound as big or thunderous as with the other two sets (RayTubes and PSVANE)
So yea, swapping the 300B tubes will change the sound of the Cary 300SEI. For many who use tube gear this is part of the fun of the hobby. Tube rolling is fun to do and I could imagine starting a tube collection as well. In any case, when I did this test with the Oilily I heard less of a difference between tubes, though there was a difference. It just wasn’t as noticeable as the Cary for some reason. I will say though that the Oilily sounds crazy good with the stock tubes anyway but it can get better, again, with some better quality tubes.
The EverSolo T8 Streaming Transport is an Excellent Streamer. I now love using it with Apple Music and Tidal. I switched from Spotify to Apple recently.
HAND WIRED is Better?
The Cary 300SEI is 100% hand “point to point” wired. No circuit boards and this is how they used to do it. Back then this was a big selling point for the Cary and was used in marketing for it (and still is today). When companies started going to all circuit boards they claimed it sounded better but to me, this is not true, at least in my experience. Circuit boards are easier and cheaper to do than hand wiring and IMO companies do this to save $$, not to improve the sound. The Cary 300SEI is just like if you bought it 30 years ago and this, to me, is what makes it special.
You have surely heard the term “They don’t make them like they used to” right? Well, at Cary they still make these old Dennis Had designs just like HE used to over 30 years ago. That’s pretty freaking cool.
THE 300B SOUND
Of all of the 300B amps I have heard in life, the Cary 300SEI brings what I would call a “True 300B” sound. You can get amps that sound more modern, transparent and crispy but for me, they don’t have the heart and soul of the Cary (or the Oilily). When I listen to this amp, the 300 SEI, it sounds like an instrument and looks like a work of art. It was created after all by one of the best tube amp makers in the USA back in the 90’s.
The 300B sound almost always bring an all out magical midrange. Voices that are large, present and 3D. Music should be well detailed and separated and clean, but with a solidity and bass that ties it all together. All out though, it is the midrange that is pure magic with 300B with treble that is clean, clear but never heard or bright. Female vocals are spooky good.
Some 300B amps are light on the bass for some reason, but the Cary is not one of them. One of the strong points of the 300SEI is the bass, and it’s big, juicy and plentiful. It’s not the fastest or tightest bass I have heard but it sounds plump, not sloppy. I love it as it makes my speakers come alive d0wn below. I like flesh on the sound and the Cary has plenty of that.
The Cary 300SEI is the definition of superb 300B sound.
I once had a $10k 300B amp in that belonged to a buddy and he thought it sounded lean in his system. He wanted me to try it in my system. When I did hook it up here it didn’t sound like a 300B amp to me, but sounded too clean, too light and a teeny bit sterile. I didn’t care for it at all. It’s not what you pay, but rather which amp brings the sound YOU LOVE the most. I prefer the sound of the Cary and Oilily over that $10k 300B integrated I heard a while back. Crazy, but it shouldn’t be. A more expensive amps sound may not be better to you than one that cost 10X less. Beauty and sound are in the eyes and ears of the beholder.
BIAS
The Cary is an all analog SET amp. This means it is Class A as well. It runs warm but not hot. When you set it up you have to Bias the tubes. Cary ships the 300SEI with a cable you can hook up to your multimeter to do this. You plug it into the amp and set bias to around 160. I tested mine and it was at 160 after 20 minutes of warm up so was done at the factory. When installing new tubes you must do this as well, after some time running the amp. Has to be warmed up. It takes just a minute to do but Cary used to ship their amps with the cable and a basic meter. I feel they should go back to this as some may not have a meter at home to do this with. I bought this meter from Amazon to bias my 300SEI. I used to have one but lost it so this one was cheap and works great. The Oilily does auto bias, or at least I believe it does as there is no bias port or way that I see to bias tubes. Nothing in the manual about it at all but most amps today are auto bias.
Cary 300SEI VS THE Oilily
Cary sells the stock 300SEI on their website HERE for $3800 and some change. They show the retail at $6495 but I have never seen them sell at that price. It’s always shown at $3897 or so. While I paid $2400 that was a one time deal as I think Amazon may have had my old one repaired and it’s sat on their site for years, maybe. I just so happened to look for a few days as they lowered the price, I feel I got lucky as there is a 15 year old one on eBay as I write this for $3800 USED.
So anyone who is going to buy a new 300SEI you will be doing so from Cary as there are no Cary dealers anymore, only direct sales. This means you will pay $3800 plus ship and tax for a brand new 300SEI. Is it worth it when the Oilily is $1099 on Amazon?
Well, this once again depends on your wants, desires, budget and ultimate goal. There are pros and cons to the Oilily.
The Oilily is a true bonfire bargain at $1099 but is made in China. If it goes bad, it may be hard to find warranty repair. That’s the only con of this amp that I have found as its sounds gorgeous and looks very nice as well. I do not know how reliable it will be as it’s a new company and new product from China but mine has been issue free for 2-3 months now. The Cary has been around for three decades. The Oilily is just as vintage looking as the Cary really but the Cary weighs double of what the Oilily does and I have to say, the Cary does look nicer in the flesh. They both sound like a 300B tube amp but the Cary brings just a teeny bit more beef, warmth, body and has a larger sound but a slightly smaller soundstage than the Oilily. It just fills my space with ease and sounds magical with my Icon 12 speakers that are 92-94DB efficient.
The Oilily has a gentler sound, not as impactful or large as the Cary but it also seems to dig out more micro details that are filled within the soundstage with more treble sparkle. The Oilily also does heavy music well with my Icon 12 speakers. With that Olily I have noticed things in some music that I never did before. It’s a bit more airy but less dense in the midrange vs the Cary. With all of that said, the Oilily has its own kind of magical sound with my Icon 12 and I really adore both of these amps. The Cary is an American Classic and there is a reason it’s been around for 30 years and is being made today just as it has been made for all of these decades.
The 300SEI has a high “pride of ownership” factor going on
CONCLUSION
I have read a ton about the 300SEI over the last 30 years. Some have said it sounds bloated and colored. Some say there is no way it puts out 15 watts. Some love this amp and say it’s the best one they have ever owned or heard in life. Others love the headphone section and still say it’s one of the best in the business for this use. There are still 20+ year old 300SEI’s out there being used today and it comes with a warranty from Cary right here in the USA when you buy new.
I do not hear bloat at all here with the 300SEI and LOVE the way this amp does midrange and bass. It’s something to behold but this is tubes and a 300SEI is not going to sound like a Devialet Astra either. The $20k+ Astra will be faster, more powerful, more dynamic and slightly leaner…more “wow” factor. The Astra sounds like the best class D I have heard but the Cary may be the best Class A I have heard. Take your pick as both sound vastly different.
The Cary will sound a little romantic at times but can also sound big, bold and ballsy with heavy music. It sounds so real with old Jazz vocal classics such as Nat King Cole or Billy Holiday and with ambient stuff, the room becomes a 3D cockpit for immersion.
This sound of the 300SEI is not all about transparency but more about a richness to the sound with very good imaging and a realness with female vocals that can haunt at times. Instruments sound big and real with density . You can sit for hours as there can be no fatigue with this amp. It’s like an old school tube sound with a modern flair, as in more detail and more refinement than the old 60’s and 70’s tube amps..but not too much more.
Also, this amp can be “tuned’ to your preferences just by changing tubes out. Want more treble energy and pop, throw in some PSVANE Summit Series tubes. Want more richness, clarity and depth with warmth? Go for those RayTubes 300B Reserve tubes. Just want an airy sound with less bass impact? Western Electric has you covered. Just want an all around beautiful 300B vibe? Stick with the stock tubes for a while and see how it goes.
This amp has some special sound qualities. Just looking at it makes me feel good and knowing it’s a 30 year old design makes it even better. It’s a classic yet one you can still buy and own. The Cary is just the real deal.
The Fezz Equinox Tube DAC is SO GOOD! No way I will find better unless I spend $10k+
I wish more people talked about Cary as they are a company that is rich in history, legacy and they have created some of the coolest tube amps of our time. They all have a timeless appeal and look like works of art. The 300SEI is probably my fave Cary product and after that it would have to be the gorgeous and awesome sounding SLP05 preamp. Then maybe the 805C amps and the SLP-98 pre. Great stuff that gets overlooked today by so many and some of the coolest looking products we can buy, even today. Timeless designs that have been around for decades, still going strong.
This is a dream amp for some of you out there but is it worth the $3800 price Cary is selling it for today, on sale? For me, that would be a YES as I have heard some SS amps that cost 4X as much yet had less soul and magic, but then again had more of other things a 300B amp lacks (power).
If you have speakers that can be driven by 10-15 watts of power (89-107DB) and your room isn’t cavernous in size, the Cary 300SEI could be the magic you have been seeking. It’s also a USA made amp and many these days seem to be looking for just that, at least here in the USA ; )
With my Icon 12’s it is just stunning. With my Duet 15’s, again…amazing and soulful. It can even power my Buchardt E50’s nicely in my 13X18 space but not to crazy high volumes as these speakers love power. Those will be powered by the Devialet Astra or Galion stack when in. Even so, the 300SEI brings more power than you would think. I remember back in the day when Dennis Had released this amp. He talked of voicing it with B&W 801’s and said he was in disbelief as how it was powering those power hungry speakers. I wouldn’t personally pair this with power hungry speakers as your volume will be limited but to hear this amp at its best I would say try speakers in the 90-98db range.
Heck, even when I have a 300WPC amp here I normally am in the 1-5 watts of power range on any given amp on any given day. Proof that I do not “need” big power in this room. The Cary has plenty of volume on tap with my Icon 12’s no matter how loud I want to listen.
Switchable from 4 to 8 ohm on the fly
One more thing…low volume listening? One of the best I have heard in this area are 300B amps and almost any good 300B or SET amp will do this very well. It’s a pro of SET amps for me as we get to hear all of the flesh, sweat and blood within a recording even at low low volumes. The sound doesn’t get thin at ow volumes. It stays big rich and with big bass. The Cary does this.
The Cary 300 SEI is a legendary amp at this point in time just due to the fact that it has been available for 31 years now, in its original form. Pair it with the right speakers and you will have a lifetime amp that will move you each time you listen. In fact, this may now be my preferred amp for my Icon 12 speakers. It’s stunning in all ways..looks, simplicity and sound. Sure, the Oilily 300B at $1099 is also a stunner but keep in mind that warranty repair will be tougher as the company is based in China vs Cary, who are right here in the USA. Also, the fit and finish of the Cary is nicer and the ever so slight hum that comes from the transformers cannot be heard at my listening seat, even with music off. It’s an amp that touches and pulls at the heartstrings and as good as it is out of the box in stock form, it can get even better with some upgraded tubes.
It’s a classic and has been available in its original design and form for 30+ years. That says it all right there.
YOU CAN BUY OR SEE MORE INFO ON THE CARY 300 SEI HERE at the Cary Website.
The system as tested:
- Cary 30o SEI
- Oilily 300B Amp
- Eversolo T8 Streaming Transport
- Fezz Equinox Tube DAC
- Icon 12 Speakers
- Nordost Valhalla Speaker Cables
- These CHEAP interconnects that I LOVE
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