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What makes The Carver so good?

cplyons

cplyons

AK Member
Despite the fact that I needed another receiver like I need the proverbial hole in my head, I came across a "Carver the Receiver" at a local thrift. It had the "No workee - U fix it" sticker on it, which usually makes me drop the object like a Yorx clock radio, but as I examined the back I noticed the connectors between the amp and preamp sections was missing (and I was bored that day) so I decided to take a chance and spend the 20 bucks.

Sure enough, a short patch cord connecting pre to power and I was flying. The tuner has some problems... intermittant loss of signal. Otherwise this thing works like the day it was made. Cosmetics are perfect.

...But I wouldn't be posting about it were it not for the fact that it sounds just SUPERB. I have pulled my tube preamp out of my system for some work and dropped this baby in for fun. I'm REALLY glad I did. Tons of bass punch where appropriate, but not bloated or soft. It has an immaculate and deep phono section, totally quiet but detailed and rich. The soundstage and imaging are about the best I've heard from any receiver. And the 130 watts per channel have my 4-ohm speakers dancing (figuratively speaking)...

Opening this sucker up to try to apply blind luck to the tuner issue, I notice no huge transformer or much in the way of capacitance. And the mysterious moniker on the front, regarding the "magnetic field" amplifer...? (BTW I was not successful figuring out the tuner problem and doing a bunch of searches makes me think reliability might be an issue with the design, but who cares about the radio when the rest sounds so great?)

Without getting too technical on me (know-nothing that I am), how the hell does this thing sound this good? Anyone else heard this thing and agree with me, or I am on my own wth this one?

Chris L
Austin, Texas
 
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The MXR-130 is a great sounding receiver. You scored, big time. I paid six times that for mine, and got a good deal.

This review should give you some more insight into this fine unit.
 
I have a Carver M-400a magnetic field amp, and I love it! Question not the mysterious way of Bob Carver, for he is wise beyond all reasoning....These bad boys have an amazing reserve punch, for the demanding sections of your favorite musical selection, with no clipping (unless you insanely turn it up to 11!), I'm running a pair of Mach II's of my Carver amp and C9 SHG, and it really makes them come alive, even at higher than recommended volume levels! Sounds so good, this combo with my Philips SC-80 preamp, that I run the controls at flat, which I never do, or use the "Direct" feature on the pre... Very impressed with this little 8" magic box...
 
Urizen - Thanks much for the review! Coming from the typically staid Julian Hirsch it's nothing less than an eargasm. Do you know the date of the review? I couldn't find it.

Now that I understand better what I've got I might look into getting the tuner repaired. When it works it sounds great... then pzzzipt! just static. Digital frequency reads "AM 1.0 Khz" for a few minutes, then the FM will pop back in.

Chris
 
cplyons said:
Urizen - Thanks much for the review! Coming from the typically staid Julian Hirsch it's nothing less than an eargasm. Do you know the date of the review? I couldn't find it.

Now that I understand better what I've got I might look into getting the tuner repaired. When it works it sounds great... then pzzzipt! just static. Digital frequency reads "AM 1.0 Khz" for a few minutes, then the FM will pop back in.

Chris
Click to expand...

IIRC, 1986 or 87. I am not sure. Btw, as far as your tuning section, Merrylander is the local expert on these.

Good luck!
 
I had an original "The Carver Receiver" (no other designation, it was the only receiver Carver made then). I regret having sold it, but it helped me get into separates.
I hope you get the tuner sorted out--it has an excellent tuner section.
For at least three years in the early/mid 80s it was Consumer Reports only recommended receiver, and I think they got that right (though I might have voted for my Yamaha R-2000).
 
I have the Carver 6200, 100 watts x 2 into 8 ohms. Bought it new around 1985 and ran a pair of EPI T/E 280s and later a pair of Spica TC60s with it for close to 20 years. Still have both the Carver and Spicas, albeit in storage. Always liked the sound of that Carver. Very nice find!!
 
The Carver gear is to be my personal grail. As I move around my gear (currently Sansui, Kenwood and Marantz) I plan on adding Yamaha next, then some Carver.

I think the magic stems from a drop of Bob's own blood left in each peice of gear.

Funny, but member Birddog and I were out together today, and chatting with a fella about gear. The Yamaha gear came up as something we all admire. This was shortly followed by the Carver gear, which everyone sang praise of.
 
Urizen said:
The MXR-130 is a great sounding receiver. You scored, big time. I paid six times that for mine, and got a good deal.

This review should give you some more insight into this fine unit.
Click to expand...

Until I got my first Luxman R-117 I thought the Carver Receiver was pretty special. Now it just sits. Not sure what to do with it, but I figure it's nice to have in reserve. In 1983 it was pretty much at the top of the pecking order. Nice find. Glad things worked out.

My only disappointment with the Carver is that production was outsourced to an outfit name Bennyton, or something like that. And, if you take the top off of yours, you'll notice a board near the front right with four large resistors (at least I think that's what they are) and those get HOT, so hot, in fact, that the board underneath is singed on many of the Carvers I have seen. Not exactly encouraging. :no:

-- Chris
 
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Carver is great! My C-16 preamp and TX-11b tuner have been very reliable. I had a wonderful TFM-45 amp that really cranked out the power but was done in by a vicious lightning bolt.
 
As far as the "magnetic field" that refers to the technology of having a collapsing magnetic field, much like a coil in a car ignition, provide the current/voltage supply instead of a large trannie. It's the inexpensive way to design an amp. Soundcraftsmen used the same type of design in the PCR 800 amp.
 
I like my Carver stuff, very clean sound. Anyone know if a "magnetic field amp" is suppose to buzz, because mine does (m-100t).
 
This is straight from my owners manual...

SPECIAL NOTE
A phenomenon called "magneostriction" cause the magnetic field coil inside of the M-400 to emeit a nearly inaudible, soft "motorboating" or "putt-putt" sound at a 60 Hz rate. If this sound is audible more than a few feet from the unit in your installation, the RUBBER SHOCK MOUNTS, tightened snuggly at the factory for transport, may be loosened TWO or Three complete turns. They are located on the bottom of the unit, and may be identified by four rubber washers located under four Philips bolts. Use caution NOT to completely remove the bolts; loosen only two or three turns. The sound caused by magnetostriction diminishes after the amplifier has "warmed up".
As with any powerful amplifier, care should be exercised not to place the unit too close to other high sensitivity electronic instruments in order to avoid unwanted hum pickup. At least three feet is adequate for most installations.

Hope this helps!!!
 
I craved Carver for years and finally got a "The Receiver" around 2000. It powered my main system for years and I thought it sounded great. Last year about this time I picked up a Kenwood KA-9100 for about $100 (works good, looks used) on eBay and decided to give it a try against the Carver. It wasn't even close. The Kenwood blew the Carver (which had been in the shop for a tuneup only a few months before) away. My wife even said it sounded much better. Well, made up my mind to buy a Kenwood Model 600, which I did late last summer, and after getting it brought up to specs, it blew the 9100 away. The 600 is my main amp, and is likely to stay that way for as long as I can keep it going. As for the Carver, it sits on a shelf waiting for me to decide what to do with it. Anyone want to buy a Carver "The Receiver?"
 
Toasted Almond said:
I have yet to hear a Carver magnetic field power amp that did not have a negligible low-level buzz.
Click to expand...

I had a TFM-45 which had a low level buzz. My MXR-130 doesn't have any hum that my old ears can hear. My Sunfire 300 has a very low level hum. Drives me nuts.
 
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I really dig Carver gear but I probably should spend some time at birddog's house listening to his before I take the plunge. I've picked up some odd hearing quirks since my accident- my father lost 90% or more of his hearing, and I can hear a butterfly hiccup in the neighbor's yard.

That hum could possibly drive me nuts...
 
Dropped off an M200t at a tech I was recently referred to today. Hoping for the best. :thmbsp: Recent buy along with a 27t pre.
 
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