Carver receiver who has them? Are they good?

[Lordfoo]

HI guys,

Is anyone now using a carver receiver? any comment?
I'm interested in information on the "Carver, The Receiver" the 120 wpc. carver receiver.

FOO

[m_shoe_maker]

Not a receiver, but I once had a Carver power amp. I was not happy with it.

[Lordfoo]

hi mshoemaker...

Can you recall what year your power amp was released? I've read somewhere that the quality of Carver units went down when Carver left the company in the mid 80's.

I seem to get conflicting reviews of carver audio equipment. It may be due to the claimed loss of quality after carver left the company.

[sandawa]

Robert Carver himself, I think, was controversial with inconsistent outputs. While many consider Phase Linear amps good, others find them the first of the "sunugin" thin-sounding series. Legend goes that Carver was too engrossed in replicating tube sound in his SS amps resulting in unstable current, same observation as Sansui's AU-X1 (design was refined in AU-X11)

Carver's power amps claimed very high power rating due to his "unique" amp design but often disappoints the buyer after a few weeks of use. I've heard his Sonic Holography preamp in Dau in mid '80s, priced as much as 5 times compared with Jap preamps, and I was so impressed with it but never had the money to buy one. His Silver Seven still has a high re-sale value among collectors in the US.

after selling Phase Linear to the Japs, he founded his Carver brand in late '70s. then, he sold Carver to Phoenix Gold and put up his own firm Sunfire. while i admire Carver as an audio maverick, i never bit into buying any of his overpriced gear.

[m_shoe_maker]

I got my Carver power amp during the mid 80s. It had 4 times the RMS power rating as compared to my dad's 70s Harman Kardon Receiver, but always clipped earlier, and made my speakers sound thin.

I borrowed another Carver model of the same era, and same story.

Not my cup of tea, but for those who love power amps sounding thin, always shuts down with the slightest transients, then this is the amp for you. ;D

[Lordfoo]

Actually, I was eyeing a 120 wpc "Carver, The Receiver" for acquisition. I've seen some happy user comments at the AK, but also some negative comments... I haven't gone out of my way to audition the units since the info i have been able to gather about the unit is unclear so far. I couldn't drop the matter altogether though because of some superlative comments i've unearthed.

[sandawa]

i assume you're referring to the 1986 "The Receiver" (there are several versions of that model). i don't know if you have access to the Orion Bluebook but the records there showed Carver's "The Receiver" was originally retailed at $800, current average auction price is $155 and wholesale price (audio traders' buying price) is $90. if you could haggle down to the lower figure, maybe you won't regret it (that's equivalent to just a night's stay at Marco Polo Davao, he-he-he!)