Audio Related Topics

That's my ears' favorite combination, too, Jim, assuming a competent recording and music that I enjoy. 👍

Welcome to the site.

Welcome to the site.

Welcome to the Carver Site!

Happy Birthday

Speaking of these differences, I just brought my TT up from the system downstairs after listening to some Willie Nelson that is in a TGP 3 and PXm900 amp set up with JBL speakers. The upstairs setup consists of the CT7 and the Black Magic 25 tube and Walsh 4 speakers. That right there was enough to change the outcome in a large way.

@bluebrit Very impressive. I've sent a PM pretty much begging you for more. 😃 Thanks for these two. I'll get them posted to the library sometime today.

In my experience, scratches tend to negatively impact vinyl records far more than they do CDs. Further, the CD surface is repairable…

We have a Thursday Night Audio Group, called "Vinyl Night" here in my neighborhood. Two of our members own EVERY high end vinyl recording..., not just the MOFI ones, but a whole host of "newly remastered..." stuff. Bottom line, it sure sounds good to me, on $25,000++ systems they have when we meet on their week at their house. For me, that's a hobby - buying every MoFi, and other new quality vinyl release as it comes out - that I can't afford. I have several hundred maybe a couple thousand, albums on vinyl, but they are all the usual record store stuff, and some that I bought, back in my college days 40 years+ ago. My friends buy two of everything and put one on ice, to sell later when the price goes up... - too rich for me. So, to answer the question, no, my old, tired, used vinyl collection does not sound better. Their stuff? Hmmm, that's some darn good vinyl..., but for me, it's Roon, and digital. That produces great sound on my system, for me. And, it's within my budget.

@3M_Audio Please start a repair thread on that unit in the appropriate Source topic. I have one, and it is in need of something, too. Hopefully, I'll be able to follow along with your work, and figure mine out! 😉

WOW! thank you, @Blueprintt these are awesome!

Happy Birthday, @BrianD Make it a good one, celebrate like Evlis! 😉

Here are two manuals which are missing from the manual library. One is for the HTR880 and one for the AV505. These are not scans but from the original files used for printing. Enjoy Av505.pdf Htr880.pdf

Interesting conversation! Nearly exclusively, I stream via Tidal when I want to sit down to listen. My vinyl playback rig needs some tweaking yet to get it dialed in. Now, some of you toss in the Carver 390t and 490t into the mix as the favored playback medium. Damn! Currently, I have NO CD playback gear, save for a near 30 year old Yamaha carousel that lost a shootout between it and my iPad. I have an old dresser full of CDs…. And I’ve been so good about controlling my OCCD. I feel a relapse coming on strong! 😳

@3M_Audio My CD player is a 390t. @ChrisTFM35 purchased the BB's to replace the existing tubes. Thanks to my son for this, as it made an instant difference in the sound quality. I think you will enjoy it once you get it fixed.

Was that one of the units that sold on Ebay?

YES, definitely YES. I am old enough to remember when music was recorded in STEREO. RECORDS were recorded in stereo, mostly. That means you had some of the instruments and singers coming from one speaker, and the other music was coming from the other speaker. It was a great blend, and if you had your room setup right, it was magic. Granted, CD's are cleaner, until they get scratched, but I just love taking out the record, remembering what I was doing back then, and who I was with. Nostalgic. Never give up my records. Of course if we get talking Reel to Reel, all bets are off.

It's a subjective topic as to what sounds best, so there is no right or wrong answer, like many topics of the hobby, people will argue and both are correct. Objectively, measurement wise, the higher tech will always win. Same story with transistors and vacuum tubes.. The transistors measure much better but do they sound better? That's the subjective part and there is no wrong answer. . Objectively all you need are CD's and some low cost op amp based electronics to make good numbers as the best performance you can get. Subjectively the difference are night and day. But then again, numbers don't lie. Do they? Personally, I like the detail of good digital mixed with the analog of tube gear. Some like vinyl mixed with solid state for some of the same reasons, I've noticed.

Happy birthday, Sir!

Just picked up a 390t for repair. I'll be interested to listen to it.

I'm not going to get into this war. Digital clips the frequency and vinyl doesn't. Digital cleaner signal.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN!!

Happy Birthday Brian. I hope you have a great day.

Agreed - recording quality and mastering are KEY. Case in point - a couple weeks ago I bought an SACD of Bon Jovi’s greatest hits. I was dubious going in, but I figured what the hell - it’s worth a shot. WRONG - it’s so “brick walled” that’s its virtually un-listenable.