Digital Drive: REVIEW: Cary Audio Design CD-308 CD Player/Recorder by AbeCollins

Model:	CD-308
Category:	CD Player/Recorder
Suggested Retail Price:	$1500
Description:	Cary's New Entry Model CD Player
Manufacturer URL:	Cary Audio Design
Model Picture:	View

Review by AbeCollins on July 26, 2002 at 23:52:50
IP Address: 12.252.90.255

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for the CD-308

I borrowed the CD-308 from a friend to compare it side-by-side with my flagship Cary 306/200 which I've had in my system for a year.
The 308 is a nice compact unit that's relatively heavy for it's size. The build quality is very good and its easy on the eyes and it sounds like a Cary... very similar to the $5000 306/200 but not quite. Someone blasted me for saying that the CD-308 is 95% the 306/200 at 1/3 the price and I suppose tagging a percentage on it is not the best way to describe it but you do get a very nice sounding CD player for your money.
The 308 has a nice midrange and by that I don't mean lush or overly warm. It has a rich natural presentation that I can listen to for hours w/o fatigue. It's not cold or analytical like some gear. The bass is tight, strong, and detailed, not congested - you can easily pick out the individual lower octave instruments if your downstream components resolve sufficiently - Not muddy or boomy. The CD-308 sounds a little more detailed at the higher frequencies than my Cary 306/200 or perhaps it's just a tiny bit on the bright side but not bad. The 308 produces a large soundstage with excellent dynamics and clarity. It's slightly more forward than the 306/200 but this isn't necessarily a bad thing.
So how does it compare to the 306/200? The 306/200 is a bit smoother with more air especially with the 192KHz upsampling enabled. I also noticed that individual instruments (acoustic guitar for example) seem to have a deeper richness and more audible decay. It's subtle and hard for me to describe. The instruments are also a little better focused across the soundstage vs. the CD-308. Don't get me wrong, these are very subtle differences and I'm comparing a $1500 entry model against the $5000 flagship.
I should mention that I also own the long time audiophile favorite Sony XA7es CDP. This player is a few years old and typically goes for about $1000 on the secondary market. If you don't believe there has been significant advances in digital technology over the years for playing back standard "redbook" CD's, think again. The little Cary 308 easily surpassed the Sony XA7es across the board sonically.
I love the little Cary 308! It sounds like, well it sounds like a Cary and at $1500 msrp I think Cary is well positioned to introduce a larger audience to their magic.

Product Weakness: Average plastic remote gets the job done but not much more. A little tiny bit bright but might be due to break in or just my personal bias.
Product Strengths: Smooth and natural presentation in the midrange. Some call it sweet, I call it natural, not cold or sterile. Very dynamic, solid & tight bass w/o congestion. Moderately large soundstage and good imaging. HDCD decoding, 96KHz upsampling, RCA digital out, remote volume control, crisp front panel display. Nice Cary sound for relatively small investment. Solid build. Outstanding value.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	BAT VK200 solid-state pwr amp
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	BAT VK-30se vacuum tube preamp
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Cary 308 - Cary 306/200 - Sony XA7es
Speakers:	Tannoy D500 (6 ohm nom. ~91dB sens.)
Cables/Interconnects:	Analysis Plus Oval 9 bi-wire. Analysis Plus Copper Oval
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Various Jazz, Rock, Acoustic Guitar, Female Vocals
Room Size (LxWxH):	20 x 15 x 12
Room Comments/Treatments:	Asymetrical room. Heavy rug. Large Pillows
Time Period/Length of Audition:	2 Weeks
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	PS Audio P300 - PS Audio UO
Type of Audition/Review:	Home Audition

Product Weakness:	Average plastic remote gets the job done but not much more. A little tiny bit bright but might be due to break in or just my personal bias.
Product Strengths:	Smooth and natural presentation in the midrange. Some call it sweet, I call it natural, not cold or sterile. Very dynamic, solid & tight bass w/o congestion. Moderately large soundstage and good imaging. HDCD decoding, 96KHz upsampling, RCA digital out, remote volume control, crisp front panel display. Nice Cary sound for relatively small investment. Solid build. Outstanding value.