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Carver 275 Crimson tube amp --- any feedback appreciated

I have a Platinum modified McCormack DNA .05 and a Pass Labs First Watt F5 with which I drive my Spatial Audio Hologram M4 Triode Master speakers.  I have sworn off tube amps in the past, but I am intrigued with this new amp from Bob Carver.  Wally Underwood as well as Jimclarkstereo in Illinois are now selling them for about $2500.  I have never doubted Bob Carver's audio engineering genius.  I would be keen to get a 75 wpc tube amp and the price seems very reasonable compared to similarly-powered tube amps.    

I would be interested to hear what you lads think of this new amp.  Thanks for any input you can provide.  
whitestix
ozzy's avatar
ozzy
7,213 posts
 
Well I own the Carver Raven 350 mono blocks. And I used these amps with the new Bob Carver Amazing Line Source speakers. The amps got very hot and the amp meter was swinging very hard to the right, even at lower "rock" levels.
 
When I switched speakers (Focal Sopra 2) the amps now run very cool and the meter hardly moves.

Hard to believe such a mismatch in impedance with 2 current products from the same company.

ozzy
artemus_5's avatar
artemus_5
1,911 posts
 
@ozzy . Back in the 80's I went to audition the Carver Amazing loudspeakers which were heavily promoted. The salon had a carver system w/ a  preamp with holographic imaging. Long story short...it was awful. My son and I were both shocked that a high end stereo store would play something so awful and talk about how good it sounded. Maybe the speakers were good...I don't know. But whenever I think of Carver, I remember the holographic imaging and how bad it sounded. Still I d love to hear the 275 in my system
whitestix OP
689 posts
 
Ozzy,
My cashy pal during my college years got the Phase Linear amp and preamp and pretty much blew us plebes away in the SPL of the system with RTR speakers.  Actually, he still has the amp and preamp 40 years later.

There are rave reviews from the owners of the 350 mono's, but not yet one from an owner of the Crimson 275.  I dashed my order for the Crimson amp and ordered a Don Sachs KT88 amp, which I have heard in my system and it's simply glorious.   

I hope an owner of the Crimson amp catches this thread and informs us his impressions of the amp.  
hpims
129 posts
 

Just get a McIntosh 275.

Check out the response specs.

It has 2, 4 and 8 ohm taps.

Compare the weight of it to other amps.

In tube amps, weight matters! 


And no, I do not work for McIntosh...


magnaryder1
18 posts
 
I own 2 of the 275s. I like them, but I'm a huge fan of Bob's gear. I'm still breaking them in, rolling all kinds of tubes but haven't decided on a combination at this point what with more tubes arriving and all. I can tell you they rock! In September right after I finished the build I was able to run them side-by-side with my EAR Yoshino V20 and they acquitted themselves quite well. I'll try and write a review as time permits.

ray
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