The Dude Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Has any one had any problems with Carver preamps, I was looking at a couple of different models some with tuners some with out. Models were C-1 Holoygraphy, CT-6, CT-24, CT-7. I was also looking at Harman/Kardon Citation 21, and a Adcom GTP-400. Just seeing if any one thinks any of these are junk or and are great. Will be pairing it with a Kenwood basic M2A power amp and my Heresies. Thanks Duder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Favog Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I've got a C-1 in storage that I bring out when I'm digitizing vinyl albums. Picked it up from flea-Bay for under $150 about 8-years ago in nice shape. I bought it because the loading for the phono cartrige is adjustable on the back and it can do MC ctgs. too. But given that, one thing I did to do was to replace a series of resistors. Not that it needed them but it was to slow down the slope of the volume control. To me it was way too fast. It was easy enough to do because this unit's main PC board was accessable from both top and bottom without removing it from the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdog Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 The citation 21 sounds great. By far the best of the ones you list. All of what you list is getting pretty old and may have issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCBlueTJ Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I have a Carver C-1 that I have been using for about 10 years. I bought it for about $150 on Ebay. One of the amplifier outputs has gone bad in one channel, but it has two and the other one still works fine. It has MC and MM phono stages, which is nice. It also has lots of features like the Sonic Holography circuits, dual tone controls (R and L channels), tape loops etc. I don't ever use any of these features. As far as the sound quality goes, it sounds fine to me, but its the only preamp I've ever owned. I plan on replacing it with a tube preamp to match my tube power amp in the near future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I bought a CT-6 brand new in the early 80's. It's never ever hickuped and sounds as good today as the day I bought it. It's currently paired with some H3's in a bedroom system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djk Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 A Carver C1 can be improved by replacing the stone-age opamps (4136) with modern ones, and installing power supply regulators (believe-it-or-not the supply is not regulated). I would also freshen up the electrolytics and install bypass caps too. I did this on a new unit circa 1985 (the 4136 was stone-age even back then), and it sounded cleaner and quieter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmvette Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 I've got one and it sounds great. Also, never a hicup with mine. I like the separate L/R tone controls. I use it with Heresy 1's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pocket.change Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 A Carver pre sitting on my bedstead for late night headphone listening. It's dead quietness keeps it from being moved for something else and I've reviewed a few pre's but nothing better for this purpose. It's nice that you can plug anything into it too and it has never given me any trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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