Cary 303T pro vs 306 pro SACD palyer

[ksporry]

I was looking at these players, and I am wondering which one would be more pleasing? the 303T ha s atube/transistor switch function that the 306 doesn't have. I'm wondering what the benefit would be for utilising tube technology in an SACD player.

[Mooly]

The only way to answer that is for you to listen!

"Tube technology" probably just adds a little even harmonic distortion which is considered pleasing to the ear. With anything like this it's how the system as a whole comes together. You could use a FET follower for pennies and get the same subjective result.

Swapping opamps for something like the OPA604/2604 can often achieve similar results in players that use say 5532's or even LM4562's etc. It can add a "little something" but it's a very personal thing.

If you have a clinical sounding amp, then it may sound great, if you already have something less accurate but far more musically pleasing then it may all be too much.

So you need to try them

Also (speaking as a repair tech) I would not like hot valves in an environment that has optics... the heat must cause a lot of air circulation and go a long way toward contaminating the internal optics of the pickup over time.