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Let my Carver journey begin!


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Great journey Phil. ...and very cool speakers with beautiful craftsmanship on those stands--WOW.

 

You will fit right in here my friend. So glad you found us.

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After lurking for a bit before joining and reading a lot of your posts I am honored to be welcomed so warmly by you all. I have so many questions, but I'll try and find the appropriate forums to see if they've already been answered. Can't wait for my C1 to arrive and see what shape it's in.

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A brief recount of my audio journey. After many years of focusing on the other aspects of life: job/family/remodeling a house etc. I took a look at the Yamaha receiver, CD player, and a Bose 2.1 speaker system that a bought in the early 90's for an astronomical amount of money for a poor college student like I was at the time. I decided, on a whim, to upgrade. I bought the Yamaha DSP-A3090 off ebay for a song. I was blown away by how good it sounded compared to my old receiver. Thus the journey to improve (on a budget) began. I bought the SMSL DAC as part of my quest to experience great sound. I bought some Elac Uni Fi B5's. Wow! how that was an eye opener to hear a full range speaker compared to the Bose speakers that I had been sold on as college student. Even though I thought the Yamaha at 80WPC were adequate to drive the power hungry Elac's, I thought I should try to improve. I decided on the Carver A-400x. I eventually scored one on Ebay and I turned the Yamaha into a preamp and I was impressed with the Carver. So I started researching preamps and decided on the C1. I won one on Ebay and am waiting for its arrival. I can't wait to hear it. Now my decision is whether to try and do the BillD mod myself or send it out to a seasoned tech. As for the music I listen to: since I started this upgrade journey I got hooked on Steely Dan and quickly bought their entire catalog and thoroughly tortured my wife by playing it incessantly. I also like Garbage, Fleetwood Mac, Cat Stevens, James Taylor. Currently I'm thoroughly enjoying Kaleo A_B and Hozier that I downloaded from HDTracks.
 
 
 

It feels great to be welcomed by all of you.
 
 
 
Phil, nice equipment you've aquired so far.
You may want to search for the Carversite disc that was put together a couple years ago, by DaddyJT ~ Mark.
It has a good selection of very well recorded music.
I its available somewhere on the site for download. (if you don't already have it) 
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You may want to search for the Carversite disc that was put together a couple years ago, by DaddyJT ~ Mark.
It has a good selection of very well recorded music.
I its available somewhere on the site for download. (if you don't already have it) 
 
ZIP file available here.
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Yes Phil, we all feel the pain of the site dropping out, we will be moving to an updated site when funds and time permit.

Welcome to the site!! :--D

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I'm listening to it now. Is there any information about the artists or song names? It just says Track 1, Track 2 etc.
Here's a scan of the track list: 
20170509103806628.jpg 
 
 
And these are Marks notes for each track:


The 2014 Carversite Reference Disc project has been a total blast to put together! I want to thank all the members that suggested tracks for this project. In my opinion, what makes this disc set special is two fold: First, it's a collection of what all of YOU personally use for your own reference tracks, not just what one person thinks up as an arbitrary "best tracks" list. Second, you all gave a brief narrative of what you listen for in these tracks, and I think that information has a lot of value.


I would like to extend a special thank you to Rodney (weitrhino) for giving me a Lightscribe disc drive, which enabled me to etch the discs for a professional look, and speed up production considerably. Thank you sir!


Here is the final track list and accompanying notes for you to refer to while listening:


The Road To Hell, by Chris Rea. Submitted by B-Man

The bass line is low, clean and well balanced with the rest of the disc; his voice has a bit of a rasp that sounds "right" on a good setup; dynamic range in general is very good. Definitely a reference song for me when auditioning a system.


Ride Across The River, by Dire Straits. Submitted by B-Man

Great example of a dynamic recording. Great for revealing system noise or high frequency issues / harshness. Good bass moments as well.


Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow / Nanook Rubs It Off, by Frank Zappa. Submitted by SteveFord

You'll know within 30 seconds if the amp/preamp/speakers, whatever is really good or bites. You've got the swirling snow sounds and then Frank's voice with Tina Turner and the Ikettes doing the background vocals. Is the bass too light or too heavy, are the vocals up front or recessed, does Frank sound life sized or like a dwarf, does his guitar sound like a razor blade or is it dull sounding, how are the dynamics, etc. Those are the tracks that I use.


Flight Of The Cosmic Hippo, by Bela Fleck. Submitted by Fill35U

For the low notes of the bass guitar, contrast of the piano, the dynamic range.


Too Rich For My Blood, by Patricia Barber. Submitted by Toy Maker

No notes have been submitted for this track. If you Have a write-up of what you listen for, post it as a comment, and I’ll insert it here!


When You Say Nothing At All, by Allison Krauss. Submitted by Daddyjt

The real magic in this track is right in the first minute or so. The opening guitar should sound very crisp and smooth. It should not sound at all muddy or dull. When she starts singing, you should hear every detail, right down to the intake of breath. In the second sentence she sings, "…. You can light up the dark,

 

listen for the "k" in dark. It should be a very subtle "kiss" of a sound, but very well defined. On some systems, it ranges from inaudible, to a muddy, incoherent sound. When the drums kick in, and she really opens up with her voice, your system should be able to handle the dynamic increase in volume without making you want to turn it down. It should be a powerful, slightly scary moment, as the overall system output jumps significantly. On MANY systems, this moment will come across as shrill, and very unpleasant. The bass should also be solid and deep, but not boomy. This is my number one track for judging equipment – Enjoy!


Brother Where You Bound, by Supertramp. Submitted by Gene C

The clarity in Ricks singing at the beginning before the drums hit. The system has to knock me out of my chair with that song.


Private Investigations, by Dire Straits. Submitted by Doh-R

Quiet details, highly defined passages, good dynamic range.


Are You Receiving Me, by Golden Earring. Submitted by BluesMan57

Great imaging and separation. Give it a listen you will be surprised.........


Battlestar Galactica Theme, by Erich Kunzel & The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. Submitted by Daddyjt

This track plays

 

BIG, right from the opening drum hits. This will push your system to the lowest depths it can reach. What makes it useful, and somewhat unique, is the fact that while the bass is at maximum excursion, there is A LOT of other information being reproduced – from strong horns, to subtle flutes and triangle strikes. You should hear it ALL – a veritable buffet of sound. If your system is lacking power or dynamic output, the bass will rob all the power, and leave everything else flat. The last 20 seconds are a real test for ANY system!


Your Latest Trick, by Dire Straits. Submitted by Daddyjt

Outstanding trumpet intro, with a seamless transition to saxophone in the intro. Listen for the trumpet fade-out note, right before the sax and drum kit start. It should keep a clear tone, and not become "nasal" as it fades out. There are crystal clear cymbals, to the point that you should be able to distinguish the different types of cymbals being utilized. When the singing starts, you should actually hear the guy playing the sax walk away from the mic, and fade into the back of the stage – it should actually fall back away from you in your soundstage, and not just diminish in volume. The bass should be incredibly tight, and you should actually hear the bass drum skin being struck. This is one of the most well recorded tracks I have ever come across.


Symphony #3, by Henryk Gorecki. Submitted by dcl

Female soprano & orchestra in a moving performance–you will forget the gear & room when the sound is spot on or otherwise be up fidgeting.


On The Road Again, by Katie Melua. Submitted by PDR

All her material is very well recorded.....the "Dramatico" label.


Norwegian Wood, by Patricia Barber Submitted by ?

This one came to me in a PM that I deleted – Please post a comment with your notes on the track, and I will insert them!


The Forecast Calls For Pain, by Robert Cray. Submitted by B-Man

Good recording; clean bass line; good imaging capabilities.


Ouverture, by Robin Vassy. Submitted by Weitrhino

French/Iranian jazz. Vassy creates many of his own instruments so the sounds in this track fall outside the ordinary. I listen particularly to the hard plectrum sound from the plucked steel strings and the beautiful decay of the fading vibration sometimes with multiple strings in harmony. Additional instruments appear and disappear sometimes panning and sometimes precisely imaged in three dimensions. As the piece progresses the full band kicks in. The bass is deep and resonant but with a softer touch that evokes fingers in contrast to the hard plectrum sound of the other string instrument. This is an album that sounds particularly good on ribbons. The whole album is amazing and has the advantage of presenting something fresh.

http://robinvassy.bandca...m/album/bon-voyage


Dirty, by Johnny Winter. Submitted by Blues Pwr

Originally released on vinyl in 1974, the song "Dirty" was a bonus track on the remastered CD released in 2008 from the original LP master tapes, which creates a crisp and clean recording. This song is just Johnny on acoustic slide guitar and vocals and a flute player(Jeremy Steig an American Jazz Flutist). Often criticized for his lack of vocal prowess, this song is perfect for his south Texas twang/growl. The flute playing is incredible, at times light and airy and the next second dirty and raspy. It contrasts sharply with the dark lyrics and Johnny’s acoustic slide guitar work. The flute playing will test the upper ranges of your system and reveal any weakness's it may have. Should be a real test for ribbon and super tweeters. This is unlike any other Johnny Winter song out there, which is probably why it was added as a bonus track, because it wouldn't fit on any other release. Well worth a listen, if you’re curious what real blues are supposed to sound like.


Hush, Hush, Hush, by Paula Cole & Peter Gabriel. Submitted by Daddyjt

This is a great track for Sibilance (The correct reproduction of the "

 

s" sound). Paula’s voice is almost a female falsetto, and can come across as very grating in poor speaker/amp combinations. A great deal of the information on this track sits right in the cross-over region on 2 way speakers. As such, it will test the anomalies created by your cross-over design. Peter’s voice carries a soft, yet grainy feel, and should seem to anchor the entire track. All-in-all, a great duo, and a nice listen.


Son Of A Preacher Man, by Dusty Springfield. Submitted by kve777

For sibilance checking- Dusty Springfield's "Son of a Preacher Man" as found on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack. I use various tracks on that CD for testing, but this is my go to track for speakers. I've passed on many deals just because this song sounded crappy.


Powaqqatsi, by Philip Glass. Submitted by dcl

A mid-piece crescendo merges vocal chorus & orchestra over the deep ostinato (hey, its Philip Glass). So, massed basses, percussion over which the chorus could be shrill at volume.


Walking On Sacred Ground, by Janis Ian. Submitted by Daddyjt

This track is great for testing mid-bass response. When done right, it is warm and inviting with a solid low end kick. The vocals should float above all the other instruments, and especially the bass line. Her voice should have a delicate, yet powerful sound. When done poorly, the bass is very muddy and ill-defined, and the lower notes lack any kind of kick – the whole thing turns into a dull mess that is rather unpleasant to listen to. This track also has the nasty ability to showcase rattles within your system and room.


The Children’s Crusade, by Sting. Submitted by Daddyjt

This track exhibits great texture – from Sting’s raspy voice, to the seemingly off-key piano. Good crescendos before the chorus take a lot of power to keep the different sounds separate, and not allow them to collapse into a jumbled mess. Listen for separation throughout, and solid transients.


Frequency Sweeps, Low to High.


Great for detecting and isolation rattles and resonances. Be careful at the higher frequencies, as prolonged sign waves can damage tweeters!


Again, I’d like to thank everyone here for their help and input – I think this first go is a success, and I’m very proud of the results! Thinking maybe we do this again next year, but I’ll let all of you be the judge of whether or not we do it again…

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Guess I'm unoriginal. I guess I can call myself "another Phil Dent"
 
Dent reminds me, first and foremost, of Arthur Dent from Douglas Adams's HitchHiker's Guide.  

 
 
Whenever one of my buddies has a pregnant wife I tell him when his kid is born the big 'dent' in it's head was me.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
.
Sometimes they don't appreciate that. 

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off topic, but can someone direct me to a help section. I'm getting 3 emails every time the site updates.
 
That's been an issue on and off for several years now. That, and the system crashes, should be resolved when the new software is implemented. 
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Liking those Elacs.  I heard the Elac speaker line at Axpona, for the first time last month.  I have 2 or 3 vintage Elac turntables..., but never experienced their current focus on speakers 'till that Axpona encounter.  Very nice!
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  • 3 months later...
The Carver Journey Continues!
 
20170905203506189.jpgAfter much research on this site I decided that one day I would upgrade my A400x to an M500t Mkii.  I thought that this would be a purchase way off in the future, but it came about that DaddyJT had one that he was willing to sell.  It was a price I could not pass up.  Now, just after a few months after my first Carver purchase, I've cobbled together a Carver system that sounds better than I could have ever imagined:  C1 Preamp (BillD mod by DaddyJT) M500t mkii (also by Daddy JT) and Elac uni-fi b5 speakers.  Source is typically hi res or redbook files through an SMSL M8 DAC.
I'm loving the sound of the new amp and I absolutely love the big analog meters illuminated with the blue LEDs.
 
Loving the music that OCCD and the Carver community has provided Big Grin
PhilDent 
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