Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier


So, I just had to pop the hood on the Carver Crimson 275 tube amplifier. I was so curious as to how this little guy weighs so little and sounds so lovely.

  • The layout is simple and clean looking. Unlike the larger monoblocks (that cost $10k), this model uses a PCB.
  • The DC restorer circuit is nicely off to one side and out of the way. It doesn’t look all that complicated but I’m no electrical engineer. Why don’t more designers use this feature? It allows the power tubes to idle around 9.75w. Amazingly efficient.
  • The amp has very good planned out ventilation and spacing. No parts are on top of each other.
  • Most of the parts quality is good. There’s a host of Dale resistors, what look like Takmans, nice RCA jacks, heavy teflon hookup wire, and so on.
  • Some of the parts quality is questionable. There’s some cheap Suntan (Hong Kong mfr.) film caps coupled to the power tubes and some no name caps linked to the gain signal tubes. I was not happy to see those, but I very much understand building stuff to a price point.
Overall, this is a very tidy build and construction by the Wyred4Sound plant in California is A grade. I’m wondering a few things.

Does the sound quality of this amp bear a relationship to the fact that there’s not too much going on in the unit? There are very few caps--from what this humble hobbyist can tell--in the signal chain. And, none of these caps are even what many would consider decent quality--i.e. they aren’t WIMA level, just generic. This amplifier beat out a PrimaLuna Dialogue HP (in my room/to my ears...much love for what PrimaLuna does). When I explored the innards of the PrimaLuna, it was cramped, busy and had so much going on--a way more complicated design.

Is it possible that Bob Carver, who many regard as a wily electronics expert, is able to truly tweak the sound by adding a resistor here or there, etc.? Surely all designers are doing this, but is he just really adroit at this? I wonder this because while some parts quality is very good to excellent, I was shocked to see the Suntan caps. They might be cheaper than some of the Dale resistors in the unit. I should note that Carver reportedly designed this amp and others similar with Tim de Paravicini--no slouch indeed!

I have described the sound of this amp as delicious. It’s that musical and good. But, as our esteemed member jjss [ @jjss ] pointed out in his review, he wondered if the sound quality could be improved further still. He detected a tiny amount of sheen here and there [I cannot recall his exact words.] even though he loved it like I do.

I may extract the two .22uF caps that look to be dealing with signal related to the 12at7 gain tubes and do a quick listening test.
128x128jbhiller

What a massive steaming pile of non-committal dodging. I sincerely hope every 275 is returned for a full refund… then they can remarket them as the “Brown -120 watt amp” that’s only missing 120 of its advertised watts. 

@funky54

What a massive steaming pile of non-committal dodging. I sincerely hope every 275 is returned for a full refund… then they can remarket them as the “Brown -120 watt amp” that’s only missing 120 of its advertised watts.

so what’s it to you? all 15 posts to your credit... below is the sum total of ALL your contributions to this forum

so do you own the amp? do you feel better now -- stopping by, leaving your turd here? are you lookin’ out for all the rest of us, with your righteous indignation?

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funky54

Responses from funky54

Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
What a massive steaming pile of non-committal dodging. I sincerely hope every 275 is returned for a full refund… then they can remarket them as the “Brown -120 watt amp” that’s only missing 120 of its advertised watts.
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
@ozzy62 thanks man, you’re a gentle sweetheart of a guy. Maybe there are some puppies you can kill or someone’s grandma you can push down some stairs?
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
@jbhiller That’s a great offer. I live in Florida so not feasible. As mentioned I came super close to buying this amp. My speakers are 86db 3 ohm and in a 30 by ..60ish room with 13 ft ceilings. It would have been a disaster. I came from two Carve...
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
I’m bothered by the view point that we should just gloss over the big covers over little 15w trannies or it making less than 25% of what its advertised to make because a few can still enjoy it with super efficient speakers in little rooms. So thei...
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
Oh you mean 4.5x more power… but in two channels with bass frequencies? Yeah, I’m sure the next one will do all that.
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
A couple of other forums that are discussing this subject have noticed this thread. Jbhiller’s shared experience about his transformer is now out there to add to this. It’s funny how all the threads go in a circle about “We’ll,…. It sounds goo...
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
Nobody so far thats independent of Carver affiliation, is getting even 60 watts per channel. Yes they should have used a bigger power supply and maybe gotten a realistic 20 wpc. That would have been possibly a decent marketable product. But hey, i...
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
@jbhiller from reading your posts in this thread I have a strong impression that you look for the good in others and are peaceable, and reasonable. I admire that. Don’t change.
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
Actually I found four production trucks being made in 2022 making 1000hp. I knew they were out there but I didn’t know the were rare and limited runs.
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
@thecarpathian edited for your peace of mind. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a34412909/2022-gmc-hummer-ev-revealed/ https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a14418167/diesel-suburban-engine-swap-conversion/
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
@jbhiller those are nice respectful words… but it’s not a two-way street. One man buys a top of the line loaded diesel powered $75,000 pick up truck because he really likes the looks of it and just needs to cruise to work and back and around town....
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
I’m very sorry @jbhiller. I feel for you. You were promised with published specs by a assumed reliable builder with a famed reputation. I believed in him too. You mentioned “The Big Room”.. I came very very close to buying two to vertically bi-amp...
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
My guess is it’s the same parts. Don’t care if he provided a cushion in slipping in the they were 35 wpc examples or not. I bet they are exactly the same parts. Same weight still..They had Mr. Carver there approving every step, they used the same ...
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
So our answer is.. “here’s referrals that say it sounds great” and “we measured 75 to 90..” That isn’t proof. Stats should be provable. If I’m a huge heel, if I just don’t get it, ok. I’m not the brightest bulb, but I’d like to be shown how 75 wat...
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
We’ll let’s talk about what I would hear. The manufacturer of my speakers says 100 watts are to be seen as an absolute minimum and it’s highly recommended to be ran on 200 Watts. It’s easy to hear noticeable differences going from 100 and then 200...
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
We’ll let’s talk about what I would hear. The manufacturer of my speakers says 100 watts are to be seen as an absolute minimum and it’s highly recommended to be ran on 200 Watts. It’s easy to hear noticeable differences going from 100 and then 200... 
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
Kinda silly.. doesn’t take an engineer to look up the transformer part number and see it’s only rated for 15 watts. . Doesn’t take an engineer to measure output at only 15 to 17 watts per channel.. pick on science nerds all you want.    Why does ... 
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
The 275 is under scrutiny on at least four other audio forums as we speak. Interestingly on one, the negative comments are largely removed. I’m happy here we can have a warranted inquiry without censorship. I’m not sure why the forum mods are prot... 
Peeking inside a Carver Crimson 275 Tube Amplifier
@fmalitz Frank thank you for this response.. however I’d like for you to respond to why the 275 does not even come close to its specs? Why does an amp spec’d for 75 watts per channel only put out 17 wpc? Why are the transformer covers very large f... 

@jjss49 I’m pretty angry about it. I’ve owned Carver made gear in the past. I’m angry because I really admired his designs. I “believed” in him. I defended him in conversations about his career and products. It bothers me because I’ve looked him in the eye and heard his tales. I’m not rich, I make sacrifices to own the gear I do have. I try to study, read reviews and know what I’m buying. I “almost” bought the 275 and was intending to still buy one possibly two, in the near future. I sat on a little kitty of money and was watching like a Hawk to buy used when this crap hit the fan. I’m angry. I feel foolish and lied to because I trusted what he said and what is advertised as their specs. I expect legitimate professional companies to be honest about measurements… even if they put their best foot forward and measure from the best possible perspective.. you still expect it to be in the range of what they advertise. This was blatant lies. The soul motivation is greed and at the cost of your client/customer. I have every right to be angry. Every right to say it.

 

I’ve owned:

Phase Linear 400

Carver Cube

Two Carver C-500’s verticly bi-amped.

You don’t like my opinion. You’ve gone to great length to copy every word… cool I’m glad my posts were informative

To comment on my limited posts.. I’ve checked Audiogon at least monthly for over ten years. I’ve bought items I’ve read about from this forum. I’ve learned a great deal reading all of your posts. I just was never moved to contribute anything until this thread. This truly deeply disgusts me. It eats at my passion for this hobby. I contribute and am far more involved in other forums. Not because I dislike Audiogon… but frankly, because much of the gear and reviews are at a price point I rarely can be involved in. I’m a lower tear in gear. Products like Rogue, Jolida, Roksan, Bryston, Spacial Audio, Alon, Monitor Audio.. I don’t often play in the Krell, Wilson, McIntosh world. Being “around” the industry I have had the opportunity to listen to and compare many high end brands.. but not to own them. So dislike me if you wish, we’d probably like each other if we met face to face and started to talk about how much we each love music and audio.

 

I wont post anymore, no point in it.