Cary VT-500 Phono Preamp
 

I'm considering some changes to my system. Does anyone have experience with the new VT-500 Phono Preamp yet? Any comparisons to the older PH 302? I haven't been able to find any reviews yet.

Thanks in advance.

Here is a link to a review on Positive-feedback:

https://positive-feedback.com/review...-preamplifier/

The VT-500 will have to great to beat the PH-302, which is my favorite tube phono preamp. Good to see that it stays with the SUTs for MC input, which was a strong-point of the PH-302. Also good to see that it switches from my favorite small signal tube, the 6922, to my second favorite, the 6SN7/6SL7.

Thanks! Looks like it's definitely worth auditioning if I decide to move away from my Audio Research setup.

So, with Cary's recent sale (30% off!), I went ahead and ordered a VT-500 direct from them. With a 30 day return policy, I also order a reverse RIAA filter so I could just stream from Tidal for the recommended 100 hour break in period, rather than playing vinyl to get it to a reasonable evaluation point to compare it to my Audio Research Ref Phono 2SE.

I had a friend over whose judgment I trust, and we spent a couple of hours playing records we both knew well. I have a test record with a 1000 Hz test tone so I could level set the two phono stages (the ARC has a 74dB gain for MC cartridges, while the Cary has 65 dB gain).

(The rest of my system, as in my signature, consists of a Cary CAD300SEI integrated amp - with all the upgrades from Cary and NOS tubes to replace the stock input tubes - an AMG Giro turntable with the AMG tonearm, a Benz Micro Gullwing SLR cartridge, Wilson Audio Sasha 2 speakers, and all Transparent Audio Gen5 Ultra speaker and interconnects. My room is pretty lively, with hardwood floors and no real treatments beyond soft furniture, window treatments and rugs).

At first, I felt that the only significant difference between was that there was more bass from the ARC. But after more listening back and forth, both my friend and I agreed that in comparison the bass from the VT-500 was more controlled and was actually overemphasized in the ARC. We also both felt as we listened more that the Cary was more revealing and detailed, without sounding artificial at all (that is to say, not clinical sounding as some "detailed" systems can to me).

Long story short - I'm keeping the VT-500!

30% is a great deal for sure, thanks for your nice review Brett. Enjoy it for many years to come !

Nice! :thumbsup: If it is better than their PH-302 series then it is truly a good one. I've tried to get away from tubes but am slowing migrating back (sort of like I'm trying the digital stuff but keep going back to vinyl) but will likely put another Cary phono-pre back into the system over the next year, or so. The built-in SUTs are such a great feature.

I pulled the trigger on VT-500. It is a huge improvement over Manley Chinook that has been serving in my system for over 3 years. The highs are no longer too bright and the lows are tighter and clearer. On the second movement of Borodin's symphony No.2, I can clearly feel the quality of drum roll, while with Chinook, that passenger sounds just a little muddy.

VT-500 reminds me the beauty of Cary 300sei and I simply love it! I now pair it with a VdH condor cartridge and I think the combo can give me many years of music enjoyment.

That being said, I still think Chinook is hard to beat at its price. I preferred it over Ear-834p. I also ordered a PS audio stellar phono stage a while back. But after A-B comparison for over a week, I kept Chinook and returned PS stellar. Now it's time to let Chinook go.

Congrats. :thumbsup:
Can't imagine that it is anything but sublime. Certainly enjoyed my Cary PH-302, which uses the same tubeset and SUTs for MC.

The design between vt-500 and ph-302 is pretty similar. The PC board in vt-500 is even exactly the same as that in ph-302:D The major differences I can see are 1. VT-500 puts the power supply (probably an upgraded power) into a separate chassis. 2. SUT in VT-500 is LL9226, while SUT in PH-302 is LL9206. 3. VT-500 allows different choices of input impedances for MC mode.