2. amps-preamps
  3. 150405-94875

Carver, THE standard of excellence IMO

I have read many discussions on these forums and others about many people having difficulty getting hold of or information from the manufacturers or dealers about problems with their gear.  Some wait weeks,months or forever for a response.Yesterday (Sunday) I thought I was having a small problem with my Carver Crimson 350 amps and I did some tests described in the manual to check the KT120 tubes.  I was getting some strange meter readings and couldn't understand why.  So I went to the Carver site and wrote a detailed email at that site, expecting to hear back sometime this week.  At the time I did not know it went straight to the president and co-owner Frank Malilz, but it does. Frank marked it "very important" and forwarded to Bob Carver who at 9:15 pm (my time) sent me a detailed answer that solved my problems.  Are you kidding me!!!! straight to the pres and then to the designer (we all know who is a legend) and back to me within 6 hrs ON A SUNDAY!  To paraphrase a truck commercial....Carver doesn't raise the bar, it sets it.

I know not everyone can afford a set of $9500 monos but I am sure the service would be the same on Carver's new 275s at less than $2800.  I have heard the 275s at Axpona and they are voiced extremely close to the 350s just not as much power.  For most set ups they would be magnificent.  Who else gives the amp AND tubes a TRANSFERABLE 5 yr warranty?  Both the 350 and 275 play for hrs and never get hot.  Handmade in the USA and signed by the legend himself.  If you are looking for a tube amp in this category that plays far far above it's price you owe it to yourself to check out the 275 (or the 350s if you can go that way financially, 10 yr warranty on everything, if you talk to Bob he would probably give you a 50 yr warranty on amp AND tubes, I am not kidding in the least.)  I have no interest in any way with Bob Carver Corp other than a love of it's products and service.  I've posted some here before so you know I'm not a shill. I just wanted to educate some on this forum about my experience, about a great product and outstanding service from the people who make that product.  I believe they really care about audio and their customers.
DrMark  (Doc from MI on some Carver sites)
drkingfish
transco
5 posts
 
Love the new carver crimson gear and would definitely own a pair if I could afford them!  Stuff from the 1970s? Not so much.
bjesien
1,240 posts
 
The company really needs a good website to launch into 2020.  I have a plan for you that will turn marshmallows into millions.
drkingfish OP
79 posts
 
I think you ought to call or email Frank  He is the man who makes those decisions.   and frankly I agree their website could use some work
phaselinearguy
11 posts
 
clearthink1,242 posts
08-12-2019 8:03am
Amplifiers designed, manufactured, and marketed by Bob Carver have started so many fires that probably the company is in a settlement agreements with insurance companies to be responsive to reports of equipment malfunction.


Wrong
arcticdeth's avatar
arcticdeth
1,549 posts
 
Yup, he is a stand up gentleman!

     When I purchased my Sunfire sig 600 quite a many years ago, the amp is a b-stock unit, and sold as used.    Shipped to Flannerys shop (very nice man to speak with, explained to me in terms easily understood.)
he told me (this amp is as new as I have seen Sent in to me)
no black on any parts, caps, ....no electrical wear, or sign of any use at all) whatever that means, (didn’t understand the black, or electrical coloring?? But he did say (the amp is immaculate, and looks unused) so I cracked a big smile :)

   Since it was a b stock unit, the screws that held the big transformer were loose, so the big transformer was also loose, moving up and down, I was afraid to open it, so I emailed Carver corporation, with questions, quite a few of them. I forget the gentleman’s name who helped me, anyway, after a few days of emails, he said he would check with Mr. Carver. Few days went by, I thought, meh, that’s the last I will hear from them, on a way out of date And production Sunfire amp.

    Son of a beach........... couple days later there it was , an email from THE MAN HIMSELF!! 
he went on to explain many things in this email, also he simply stated “what warranty,...open it, make sure it has been unplugged for a good 48 hours just to be safe, look into tightening the screws from the bottom, the grommets were wrecked, so were the screws, the threads were all stripped from probably the up and down movement of the transformer during shipping. 
  Mr. Carver took his time for me, explaining, exactly what I wanted to know. After his email, we drove the amp to a very reputable audio restoration shop, where when I picked it up, it was as new! Tight transformer, new grommets, washers, stainless screws, and some other goodies. 

    Mr. Carver is a stand up guy! 
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