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RichP714

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Posts posted by RichP714

    Just about stole some speakers this weekend. A great reason to finally join!

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    I would bet that those forte II sound great with a Carver M-4.0t. I have been looking to getting a 4.0t sometime. I love the 1.5ts that I have. And i know that the M-4.0t is supposed to sound like the silver sevens.

    If you like the M-1.5(t) with high sensitivity klipsch, I'd put dollars to donuts that you'd love the M-1.0t.

    Back when I worked for Carver (I have two pair of Cornwall II stacked) I auditioned the M-1.5t, M-1.0t and M-4.0t. To my ears, the 1.5 was too harsh, the 4.0 too syrupy, the M-1.0t 'just right'

    Carver Amps on Klipschs

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    Not all Carver amps should be discussed in the same breath. Different companies and probably different degrees of involvement over the years.

    That said ....

    I ran a Carver TFM-15 on K-Horns and Cornwalls. They sounded okay and without any obvious deficiencies. That amplifier is quite affordable.

    I listened extensively to a Carver M1.0 on K-Horns once. The sound was superb! I am not sure if this is also true of the other models in that series. These can also be had at an affordable price.

    Personally, I would be wary about upgrades on the M series. As I understand things, there were some idiosycrasies about the power supply. Working on them may require a fairly deep understanding of Carver's design. Just my opinion....

    Yes, the M-1.0t mates VERY well with klipsch; much lower noise floor than the M-4.0t and M-1.5t. The M-500t is also a personal favorite.

    I worked for Carver repair back in the day, and 'cut my teeth' on the mag field design. I'm now a retired EE, and this began as a project for my own gear. Full part6s list and design philosophy is at http://carvermk2.com and http://thecarversite.com I'll help anybody that wants to do the mod (it's fairly straightforward) and will do mods, but am currently booked until mid-June.

    Souped-up Carver Amps

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    How do the TFM-6CBs compare against the bigger brothers? I have a chance at a pair which I would run bridged, 1 per side on my Scalas.

    I don't have any experience with the TFM-6, or any TFM under the TFM-35, but the TFM-6 is NOT a magnetic field amp (triac controlled mag coil) it is a more traditional transformer design. The only TFM's that are mag coil are the 42/45/55 and 75.

    Bridging in general is not very well thought of, although it would be easier on the amp with those LaScala's (they're an easy load). The trouble is, when bridged, one channel is inverted, and you hook one speaker up to BOTH hot terminals. Now, instead of (for example) a 50 V swing, there's a 100V swing, which implies more power, BUT, to deliver twice the voltage, the amp has to be able to supply twice the current (not many can).

    Delivering twice the current into an 8 ohm load is roughly analogous to having to drive a 4 ohm load (which is the wrong-headed idea that the amp 'sees' half the load comes from). If you bridge and try to drive a 4 ohm load, the amp has to be capable of driving a 2 ohm load, continuously.

    This is the problem, then. You're now asking the amp to deliver twice the current to hold up the rail voltage, which it has a hard time doing, so the rail sags, and cone motion control suffers; IMO the sound is a bit 'loose'.

    Souped-up Carver Amps

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    I'm back from vacation, and sent an email out to all who expressed interest in having their unit's mk II upgraded.

    If everybody (10) on my list goes ahead with it, I'll be booked up until the 1st week of April, so if you get an email, let me know as soon as you can if you:
    1. Are staying on the list
    2. Want to be bumped down on the list
    3. Are no longer interested

    Thanks, and Happy new Year!

    Souped-up Carver Amps

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    I have a Carver M-500t; for those not familiar with it...

    250W/ch @8ohms

    350W/ch @ 4 ohms

    500W mono bridged (diagram for how to do that screened on the back panel)

    Two very large watt meters on the front face that may be callibrated inside with a plastic screwdriver and a known source (but the lights for them went out years a go)

    Magnetic Field power supply

    I could probably find the rack handles if I looked around for them

    Of the few sand amps I have heard, this one is the nicest sounding, very strong and quiet.

    I've been going the other way for years (SET), so if someone is looking for a big old Carver to play with, let me know.

    If you need lamps I have a few left over from the LED mod I do on these, let me know

    Souped-up Carver Amps

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    I still kick myself for tossing my dead M1.0t and two M1.5ts about 6 years ago. I have since learned that the likely issue was the power supply caps, and now I read this thread and kick myself TWICE.

    I guess I need to add one of these modded 1.0ts to my list of desired gear.

    When the caps start to go bad the sound getws very grainy and lacking punch. A flat dead unit is likely to have been another problem, but not devastatingly hard to fix (if the tech is familiar with the Carver triac controlled power supply and class G switching topology. It's too bad you ditched them....

    Cornwall II with Bob Crites Titanium diaphragms

    in Technical/Restorations

    Posted

    I just wanted to post a thanks to Bob Crites.

    I'm a long time owner of two pair of Cornwall II. I was a bit leery of the titanium diaphram upgrade, having heard about their tendency to be glaring and harsh, but I had blown a tweeter and needed at least the phenolics.

    I decided to give the titanium tweeter a try, and the result takes the already excellent sound to a new level.

    Extremely smooth, better extension, NO harshness.

    Bob is a fantastic guy to work with (I guess I'm preaching to the choir here) and even kept his cool when I asked him a couple of questions that were already addressed on his website. (I should have RTFM before I asked, but he was very helpful and patient).

    Thanks again Bob,
    Rich

    Souped-up Carver Amps

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    I saw that rabbit, but I just joined and wanted to make a post to see if my sig was working ;) I should have joined long ago, since I've owned Klipsch since mid 80's and just upgraded my Cornwall II tweeters with the Bob Crites titanium diaphragms. (long-time lurker I guess)

    Souped-up Carver Amps

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    Hello all. I'm a new member here, but have been over at carveraudio.com for quite awhile. I'm still working on getting my system listed (Carver, Klipsch, misc.) and due to a recent move it's still a bit in pieces.

    I've been researching and experimenting, and came up with a stable, reliable upgrade to the M-500, M-500t and M-1.0t Carver amplifiers.

    If anyone's interested, check out http://carvermk2.com for more info.

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