Bob Carver VTA20So

[Jim]

O.K. So I am exploring tube amps a little more now and know I will need to spend more than what I initially was going to allocate for this. Does anyone know about this amp? And if so, what do they sell for/price range in the aftermarket?They are asking $1500.00. It's only a 1 input amp, so if I'm going to do something it limits me on what I can do and doesn't have a phono input. I am most likely a month or two from being able to purchase one due to the holidays and all, but if I have a start point of $500.00 and a cap of $1200.00, what else is there out there that is worthwhile and would have more than 1 input for it?Or am I going to pretty much going to only be able to afford a 1 input amp for this range? I am extremely ignorant to tube amps and components as I have always only had 1 receiver setups with an attached cd player or turntable, so I am thinking I may have to go separates with a pre-amp and then this amp,or would it also work with just the amp and the component. I'm most likely going to do a 2 channel set up in my family room  where I already have a 9.2 set up. So I will most likely use the 2nd set up to hook up a turntable and cd player,and if it makes sense my old cassette player. I don't know if it will be worth it though with the cassette player. I will most likely wind up getting a set of speakers to listen 2 channel only,or 2.1 and leave the 9.2 set up for TV/Movie viewing. Any and all info is greatly appreciated,and if anyone has an amp they are thinking of getting rid of in the range I am in, I'm open to discussion. Most likely for what I will need 11-20 watts per channel will be enough power. I am sold on tubes for sound quality after listening to this one.I could not believe the difference in sound quality.

[Ski Bum]

Worthy of interest, as well as a bit of friendly haggling.  

 

Pros: Carver amps carry a price premium just for the name on them, which would work against you going in but help going out; the one you're considering is among the least pretentious and more practical offerings, a better chance at what I would consider a reasonable value proposition if the price is right; I'll bet it would sound dreamy paired with your Klipsch speakers, as Bob Carver seems to know a thing or two about amplifiers.  

 

Cons: It's a dedicated power amp, so if you want the features of an integrated you'll have to use a pre-amp or look elsewhere.  You'll have options with that budget.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Ski Bum

[Jim]

I'm interested in it, but also want to look for other options on whether or not to go pre-amp. But people I have spoken to say pre-amps/amps are much better than an AVR. The amp was hooked up to KEF speakers and a cd player when I listened to it. I think at this point and how early on things are in my search, I'd have this as a last resort if nothing else was available to me. I also need to learn a little more about things as I am now questioning what I've bought and want to go in a seemingly different direction on  my music listening vs HT/TV watching. I think it's time to do a dedicated 2 channel, or even a 2 channel A/B speaker set up. So much for me telling the Mrs. once I get these speakers and receiver I'm done. There was also a Prima Luna DIALOGUE 5 for $1150.0 which they told me was a hybrid tube/ss amp but that didn't have the same sound as the Carver.

[tube fanatic]

Jim, don't be concerned about having a single input as you can use an external switchbox to select sources, and an external phono preamp if desired.  Here's one possibility:

http://www.nilesaudio.com/product.php?prodID=AXP-1&recordID=Source%20Switching%20Systems&categoryID=Switching%20Systems&catcdID=10&prdcdID=FG00002

As Ski Bum said, you pay a premium for having a Carver amp which may not yield better sound than something costing much less.  Do a search for Yaqin and Cayin amps which are made in China, but have a decent reputation for reliability and sound, and are much less expensive.  As far as using a separate pre/power amp instead of an integrated unit, you have to be careful about matching and synergy.  You don't want to couple a preamp with very high gain to an amp which only requires a couple of hundred millivolts for full output without risking getting blown out of the room by barely touching the volume control.  Remember also that each electronic device in the signal chain increases the possibility of residual noise issues.  Definitely a case of less being more imho.  

It's too bad that you like to listen at ear shattering levels as you stated in one of your previous posts.  Your RF-25s would make an incredible near-field system which, if coupled with a low power SET as one possibility, could give you a level of musical involvement not possible with any other arrangement (I use RF-15s in such a system and rarely need more than 1/4 wpc to achieve levels which make me want to run out of the room!).  Remember too that tube amp circuit configuration can have a marked effect on sound with SETs, SEPs, push-pull pentode, push-pull triode, etc. all having a very different "flavor."

Drop me a PM any time if you want to discuss all of this stuff in more detail than would be fair to post on the forum.  Good luck with your quest!

Maynard

Edited December 5, 2014 by tube fanatic

[Tilnot]

I'm interested in it, but also want to look for other options on whether or not to go pre-amp. But people I have spoken to say pre-amps/amps are much better than an AVR. The amp was hooked up to KEF speakers and a cd player when I listened to it. I think at this point and how early on things are in my search, I'd have this as a last resort if nothing else was available to me. I also need to learn a little more about things as I am now questioning what I've bought and want to go in a seemingly different direction on  my music listening vs HT/TV watching. I think it's time to do a dedicated 2 channel, or even a 2 channel A/B speaker set up. So much for me telling the Mrs. once I get these speakers and receiver I'm done. There was also a Prima Luna DIALOGUE 5 for $1150.0 which they told me was a hybrid tube/ss amp but that didn't have the same sound as the Carver.

I recently purchased a Primaluna Dialogue premium integrated amp from Kevin Deal at Upscale Audio. Give a call he is very nice and helpful. FYI I'm running Tung Sol ST 120 Tubes and they sound great. Good luck on your search.

[MORE KLIPSCH PLEASE]

Hey Jim. All I can say is I love all my Carver amps. I have no Carver tube amps, but I too have been looking at them.I have been a Bob Carver fan for years. It seems that Bob is always making something new.

Have you been on the Carver forum site for more info? Good luck, keep us posted with what you ended up with.

Take care Mark :-)

[Jim]

No Mark,

 

I haven't been on the site, will check it out now, Thanks!

 

.

I recently purchased a Primaluna Dialogue premium integrated amp from Kevin Deal at Upscale Audio

Do you know where they are located? Thanks for the info!

 

I am exploring a few options,I may do a near field set up which I'm leaning more towards, but am open to other suggestions. I am so new to this whole thing even with using an amp as I always had a single AVR and connected my components and never used external amps. I can say I was blown away at the sound field and overall warmth of everything listening to the tube amp and when they switched to SS heard the difference immediately. I brought 6 of my own cd's from techno, rock, heavy metal, swing, and Chris Isaak and everyone of them sounded like a new cd to me with how the sooundfield was expanded.

[jjptkd]

I've owned a couple of these amps and was really impressed with them, they had no problem powering my Chorus II's with authority. When I reviewed the amp on the Carver forum I described the sound of the little 20 watter as somewhere in between the Sunfire 300 and the famed Lightstar amp-- very warm and natural sounding like the Sunfire but at the same time very detailed like the Lightstar. For low to mid volume this amp is awesome, its just not going to bring the house down. The VTA20 also has a volume knob so you can plug a selector box (as suggested above) or a CD player directly into it so no need for a preamp. $1500 seems a little on the high side to me, I've seen a few at around the $1k-$1200 range.