Bob Carver C-500 worth restoring and/or upgrading??

I'm in northern NJ if you decide you want someone to take a look at it

I agree with everyone else, Deltronics is the place to fix it back to spec. The only downside is there is a 9 to 12 week turnaround time so be prepared to wait.

OK...I connected with Tim at Bristol Electronics in Ho Ho Kus., NJ..as mentioned above. After my amp testing the Schiit Freya arrived and as it turns out.....my amp works just fine and sounds GREAT! So Tim was correct about the capacitors! 40 years old and kicking badass! 😬
So...I am an extremely happy guy with a fantastic, powerful combo with the Freya and The Carver together. I plan to install/solder-in a new power cord on The Carver, as the original is spindly and about done. Also, the amp has no on/off switch as it was designed to be plugged into a switched outlet on the Carver preamp, (as many amp/preamp combos were of that era). So I plan on installing a radio controlled outlet for it and The Freya (as the on/off switch on The Freya is on the rear of the unit? The remote also does not have any on/off control. That is super inconvenient if your gear is in a cabinet like mine is. DUH!).
I have a Marantz SCAD/Streamer 30n shipping 2moro morning for my set-up, so I am pretty excited!!! 👍🏼

Always a good idea to have it checked out, but if you brought it up on a variac you would probably be fine.
The C-500 is basically the same as a Phase Linear 400 Series Two amp.  If it was properly stored it might not need anything done to it.

N

OK..this is interesting...the tech I talked to here in N.J., who has been spot-on with his info and help (no charge!)  had an interesting "take" on the variac thing. I digress...Marty, Bob Carver's business partner, told me during my hour-long conversation with him that bringing up the amp to 120v with a variac over a 2-3 day period was a good idea... but...After investigating this whole situation and learning more (and from my own small personal experience with this amp)...I have to say that I would dismiss a lot of what Marty has to say. Marty likes to talk and be the expert..(I am not the only one with that opinion),Nice guy...but... ..Actually I would like to know what Bob himself has to say on the topic. Truly.
Anyway...when I mentioned the variac treatment to my guy here he said: …"Yes...that could be a useful procedure in some situations, but your particular amp, and the particular capacitors in vintage Carvers in general do not respond well to that and in fact, that my C-500s capacitors may respond negatively to that procedure. I have to say, Tim, my guy here seemed very knowledgeable, confident and just laid back in his assessments. He instilled confidence.
Bottom line...I just fired the amp up, no variac...the capacitors seem fine and oh does this baby have some nice punch and depth over my Marantz SR6015 in stereo mode! My Carver could be benefiting from the Schiit Freya + ...but when I play an SACD thru the Marantz 30N and the Freya.."to me" it sounds fantastic. I would really like to compare it to a "modern" solid state stereo amplifier and see how it compares, especially in the base region.
Thanks for your feedback...but I threw caution to the wind! 😎 It’s all good.