CAD-805RS
Monoblock legend. Two tube topologies. One chassis.
🔗 Manufacturer websiteDescription ⌄
Cary Audio CAD-805RS — 50W Class A SET mono blocks with 845/211 output tubes. 50 watts per channel Pure Class A Single Ended Triode Mono Blocks with dual 6SN7 input stage, 300B driver stage tube, includes both 845 and 211 output tubes. User selector switch for output tube selection.
Technical background
Single-ended Class A monoblock with selectable output tube: 300B (15W) or 211 direct-heated triode (50W). Point-to-point wiring. No feedback. Cary's most versatile SET monoblock. Requires high-efficiency speakers (90dB+ for 300B, 87dB+ for 211).
Design story
Cary Audio's reference tube monoblock — the CAD-805RS lets owners switch between 300B and 211 output tubes, each providing a fundamentally different musical character. Point-to-point wiring, Class A operation throughout. Sold as a pair.
Best for
Single-ended triode devotees; collectors of landmark audio designs; owners of high-sensitivity speakers who want the iconic 845-tube monoblock in its Reference Series form Serious tube collector; SET devotees; owners of high-efficiency reference speakers; cost-no-object systems Reference tube monoblock system; cost-no-object SET listening
Awards & press
⭐ The Absolute Sound – One of the Ten Most Significant Amplifiers of All Time; Stereophile – One of the 100 Greatest Hi-Fi Products of the Past 40 Years "The culmination of all that this retro [single-ended triode] technology has to offer." — John Atkinson, Stereophile
Features ⌄
- 845 output triode — single-ended Class A, 50 W/channel
- 845 + 300B + 6SN7 tube complement — reference topology
- Point-to-point hand-wired; custom output transformers
- User-selectable bias and feedback — adapt to any speaker and preference
- Selectable 300B (15W) or 211 triode (50W) output tubes — two completely different presentations from one amplifier
- True monoblock — one chassis per channel, zero channel crosstalk at any power level