Notanaudiofile 35 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Just came in a couple days ago, have been reading some threads on Carver repair and upgrades. I got into Carver last year with the first piece being a C-1 to control two QSC GX5s wired to 4 Cerwin Vega DX-9s that I restored last year with new spiders and surrounds, keeping cones and VCs original. That system was fairly potent, but just not the sound I was after, too generic, no sound stage, just raw punch, no soul. Next stage was a Carver M1.5t to play my Paradigm Eclipse Monitors, or Athena AS-F2s with. This was sweet, getting close to what I was after, but still didn't help with the big boys, So the DX-9s got turned on about twice a month only when it was time for serious jams at concert levels on the QSC amps. The 1.5t hooked to a pair of the CVs was ok, it had better sound than the GX5, but still not what they wanted, so it stayed hooked up to the Paradigms mostly. For some reason, I won't mix two different amps on the C-1 since I am playing 4 identical speakers. I want to keep two of the same amps hooked to it. After a time I found a passel of Carver PM amps for sale, two PM2.0ts, and one PM1.5A. I picked them up, and traded one of the GX5s off in the process. FF to now. I have the m1.5t, and the PM1.5A sitting in my bedroom waiting for another pre amp for them, while the two PM2.0ts are hooked up to the C-1 in my den with the DX-9s. I'm also running a TX-2 tuner in this system that I have a great fondness for, along with a Yamaha EQ, Yamaha CD player, Technics linear tracking tt, and a CV DB-10 bass excavator that has some magic inside that makes my system get nation wide, and it makes me grin a lot. None of these Carver components are perfect, they're old. But they are solid and are in 8 out of 10 condition. This set up has gotten me close to as satisfied as I will be until I slowly go through each component recapping and upgrading to the latest stage of mods and restoration that I read about here. The sound is fantastic, there is magic happening here that consistently blows minds. Bill Withers, or Floyd never sounded this good. 7 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis47 849 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 (edited) Welcome Notanaudiofile! Thanks for sharing your audio journey with us. Oh, by the way, we love equipment photos. May want to read up on the BillD mod for your C-1... Edited January 18, 2019 by Dennis47 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie 16,429 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notanaudiofile 35 Posted January 18, 2019 Author Share Posted January 18, 2019 3 minutes ago, Dennis47 said: Welcome Notanaudiofile! Thanks for sharing your audio journey with us. Oh, bye the way, we love equipment photos. May want to read up on the BillD mod for your C-1... Thanks for the welcome , Dennis. Yessir, I've read quite a bit on the BillD mod. I needed another pre while the C-1 gets done. I just picked up a C-5, and an SAE 3000 pre yesterday to use while I do that. I've seen a few other mods for the C-1 that look promising too. Funds just got spent on the two other pre amps though. The C-5 is missing the on/off button, but the switch still works fine. I need to round up a button for it. If anyone has some ideas on that please let me know. Maybe even a remote for it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Raven 455 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Welcome! Best of luck on your continuing audio journey! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryG 2,846 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Welcome to site ! You should find lots of info on carver on these threads! Many helpful techs here as well! Look around, kick off your shoes, grab your favorite beverage, turn up the volume! Have fun! As said before we love photos! barryG 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesMan57 1,288 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Welcome aboard Sir. Glad to have you........ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtexasdog 2,362 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Welcome! Sounds like you have come to the right place. Enjoy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingman 662 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Welcome to the community! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenith4me 1,378 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Welcome to the land of OCCD! Carter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnaryder 756 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Welcome aboard, Harry Williams(hewlew1) will be happy there's another Cerwin Vega guy around. Harry loves him some Cerwins ray 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmike46 396 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Welcome to the site, stick around and enjoy the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notanaudiofile 35 Posted January 18, 2019 Author Share Posted January 18, 2019 Can anyone suggest someone that might can help me piece together a power button for a C-5 pre-amp, and possibly find an original remote? I've run across several folks with missing power buttons on the C-5, was thinking of milling one out of black Delrin, gotta get in there to figure out the spring situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodH 4,820 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 I believe the spring is part of the switch unit, the button is pressed on to the switch shaft - barely. This is one i sold a couple years ago: I'll look to see if I have more info on the remote. If you go with a Logitech universal, they have the codes for this unit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrummerJuice 1,278 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Welcome to the site! Nice collection already! The sound that you are searching for, have you heard somewhere (like a friends system) or you'll just know it when you hear it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnspy007 1,475 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Welcome to the site notanaudiofile , Good luck on your upgrades and restorations plenty of info and talented members here, always willing to help 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notanaudiofile 35 Posted January 19, 2019 Author Share Posted January 19, 2019 1 hour ago, DrummerJuice said: Welcome to the site! Nice collection already! The sound that you are searching for, have you heard somewhere (like a friends system) or you'll just know it when you hear it? Thanks for the welcome mat, DJ. Yessir, the sound I'm looking for is a combination of what I used to listen to with my first pair of Vegas in '83 and what I get with the SX-1250 playing the Paradigms, or Athena AS-F2s in my second system, but with much more authority. The 4 DX-9s in the 20x22 vaulted ceiling den have been impressive lately with this C-1/2.0t/CV system. I also have two B&K ST series amps that I swap into the C-1/CV system on a regular basis. They have beastly bottom end, and nearly unlimited headroom. The mids and highs with the B&Ks are way more laid back than with the 2.0ts. It's hard to take them out of the system once I get the EQ settings dialed in and listen to them for a week or so. What is good about the towers in my other system is they rarely get any tone adjustment at all, they play with no equalization, and play well. My biggest problem I'm running into these days is speakers. I have too many to choose from, swapping in and out of the second system(SX-1250). I just picked up a pair of Advent Heritage towers that look absolutely amazing. I've heard great things about them, so that will be another test session coming up to mix it all up again. No rest of the wicked... I mean weary, or whatever I mean, fack. ? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrummerJuice 1,278 Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 Sounds like you've got at lot of fun ahead! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Community Admin AndrewJohn 8,030 Posted January 19, 2019 Community Admin Share Posted January 19, 2019 That C-5 remote is a special deal. Carver Corp put a lot of extra features in that specific remote, to integrate it across a number of Carver Corp units. Read pages 13 and 14 of the C-5 manual - too much to explain here in the thread. The manual doesn't call out the model of that remote - but I have one, and it is an "RH-5" . BE AWARE..., there is a Carver Remote Model "RH-05" which is NOT the right one..., that controls the carousel CD player the MV-5. Set up a search on ebay, to notify you when one comes along. They are not very common - and when they do come up, the seller rarely knows that it is for a C-5..., and lists it by the remote model on the back. See picture below Good Luck! Link to MANUAL on the forum HERE. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryG 2,846 Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 (edited) What Linear Tracking Technics TT do you have! I have a SL-7 with a Technics 310MC Cartridge. I had the 310MC retapped through member Kev777 who sent it off for me! It’s a great sounding table! Barry Edited January 19, 2019 by BarryG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Community Admin AndrewJohn 8,030 Posted January 19, 2019 Community Admin Share Posted January 19, 2019 And..., Welcome ! …, Welcome to the OCCD Jungle... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notanaudiofile 35 Posted January 19, 2019 Author Share Posted January 19, 2019 4 hours ago, AndrewJohn said: That C-5 remote is a special deal. Carver Corp put a lot of extra features in that specific remote, to integrate it across a number of Carver Corp units. Read pages 13 and 14 of the C-5 manual - too much to explain here in the thread. The manual doesn't call out the model of that remote - but I have one, and it is an "RH-5" . BE AWARE..., there is a Carver Remote Model "RH-05" which is NOT the right one..., that controls the carousel CD player the MV-5. Set up a search on ebay, to notify you when one comes along. They are not very common - and when they do come up, the seller rarely knows that it is for a C-5..., and lists it by the remote model on the back. See picture below Good Luck! Link to MANUAL on the forum HERE. That's nice, thanks for the heads up Andrew John. I did find the list of remotes from a post here, this site has some great info, and good folks. How do you like your C-5? How does it compare to the C-1? 6 hours ago, BarryG said: What Linear Tracking Technics TT do you have! I have a SL-7 with a Technics 310MC Cartridge. I had the 310MC retapped through member Kev777 who sent it off for me! It’s a great sounding table! Barry Hey Barry, how's it going? I bought an SL-J2 back when they came out, and have never looked back. The best TT for the $ in my opinion. Sounds fantastic to me, I just hope I don't get all my other gear to the point that I will be spending $2k on a TT to keep up with it. My favorite cartridges so far is the Ortofon TM14. I've tried several brands and price levels on this TT and always go back to the Ortofon. I went through two Ortofon TM10s back in the beginning when the TT never stopped spinning. Also a few bottles of stylus cleaner on the Discwasher brush. Now I don't get a chance to really enjoy those evenings like I want to, that cartridge may last forever. lol ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Community Admin AndrewJohn 8,030 Posted January 20, 2019 Community Admin Share Posted January 20, 2019 7 hours ago, Notanaudiofile said: That's nice, thanks for the heads up Andrew John. I did find the list of remotes from a post here, this site has some great info, and good folks. How do you like your C-5? How does it compare to the C-1? I don't have the C-5. I just happen to have a remote for almost every Carver unit that had one. ;-/ A twisted form of OCCD, I guess. Had it handy, thought I'd share the picture to help you out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notanaudiofile 35 Posted January 20, 2019 Author Share Posted January 20, 2019 20 minutes ago, AndrewJohn said: I don't have the C-5. I just happen to have a remote for almost every Carver unit that had one. ;-/ A twisted form of OCCD, I guess. Had it handy, thought I'd share the picture to help you out. Uhhhmm. ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodH 4,820 Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 OCCD is a very odd disease..... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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