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Looking forward to sharing sights, sounds and ideas with like-minded Carver People! Tried re-attaching My C-9 today and am having issues. Just now digging in to it. Wish me luck! HAPPY EAR (Bob in Zanesville)

Hello, Retired 9 years ago after 38 years as a computer tech. Just picked up a MXR-130 receiver that needs some work done to it. Figured this would be the good place to learn about it - currently searching for schematics. Miss the times when stuff was worth trouble shooting and repairing.

It looks like Oppo’s replacement may finally be here - Marnetar. Everything I’ve read about them is positive. The 8000 uses Burr Brown DACs, and the 9000 uses ESS. Plays every disc format known to man, great build quality… https://magnetar-audio.com/elementor-4530/

Greetings fellow Carver Groupies! I am back with you after falling the Carver Forum wagon many moons ago (90s, early 2000s). I was Carvergroupie then also as I remember the 60s (my friends’ older siblings are the ones who don’t 😇). My Gear: Preamp: C-1 Amp 1: Signature Series II 625 wpc 5A output fuses. Amp 2: Signature Series II 625 wpc 6A output fuses. Speakers: Amazing Loudspeakers Platinum Edition (pre-separated inputs for ribbons and woofers) …have to finish later…sorry…

I am a Seattle native, retired military that had a college roommate with Carver Stereo gear. I was always envious and loved how they sounded. I have purchased a M 1.0t amp and will also get a M 0.5t and CT-17 pre-amp tuner. I will be transitioning from older Yamaha gear to Carver. Wish me luck Andy G.

Hello, I am Dennis from Vancouver area, Canada. C-1 vs C-11 vs C-4000 — Looking for guidance I first got into Carver gear around 1988. My original system was two M-1.0t amplifiers, a CT-7 preamp, and Cerwin Vega D-9 speakers. Unfortunately all of that was stolen. Years later I started over. My current system consists of three M-1.0t amplifiers, a CT-17 preamp, Mirage M1 speakers, a Denon CD player, a tape deck, and associated gear. Over the years I have had my share of failures, mostly self-inflicted, but overall the system has worked well. The CT-17 currently has a display light out but still functions. The system has not been used for a few years due to some amplifier issues and a couple of moves, but I am hoping to have everything set up again by the end of this year. Two of my M-1.0t amplifiers are currently at Nelion being refurbished and upgraded. That brings me to my preamp questions. Even though my CT-17 still works, I am interested in finding a C-1 or C-11. I know there are some internal differences, but from what I understand they are basically the same design. Is there enough difference between the C-1 and C-11 to make one clearly better than the other? Second, how do the C-1 and C-11 compare to the C-4000? I like the simplicity of the C-1 and C-11 layout, but the C-4000 seems to be more common on the used market. I would appreciate any feedback on sound quality, usability, and long-term ownership. I have also found a local C-11 for about 250 dollars, although the faceplate and cosmetics are not in great shape compared to my other gear. I would plan to have it refurbished and upgraded anyway. Is it still a good candidate at that price, or should I wait for a better one? Thanks in advance. I am looking forward to getting this system back up and running. Have a great day, Dennis

Hi, I have owned my Carver AV199 amp, since sometime in the early 90s, when I bought it off a friend. I used it as my main system amplifier for all these years. In the last few years, it fell into disuse, because my family is grown up and gone, and I find I am watching and listening to more stuff through my computer. I was using a JVC 8000R, to control the input from my computers and my other players, but it has recently started acting up, so I decided to install the Carver as my main amplifier downstairs. I am looking to enjoy many more years of service from my "old" Carver AV amp, and to reading and learning from the people on this forum.

yes, pre-out and main-in will do it for you or you can use one of your tape loops. And it's common for some restorers to upgrade the RCA jacks - particularly if the old jacks are badly corroded - but in most cases you should be able to clean up and use the original RCA jacks built-in to the main board without too much trouble. If you do a search here you should find some good suggestions for RCA jack cleaning solutions/tools to help with the job. Just use good quality RCA cables and be *gentle* inserting them into the C9. Those RCA jacks are soldered to the main board in the C9 so you don't want to be flexing/twisting them - that's how solder traces get cracked/broken. And there are a couple case styles. I'm working on one right now with no rack ears - it's just a rectangular box. But others have the rack option and the front panel is removable. There were also 'Appearance Panels' that could be attached to some models to help better match other 19-inch components. And regarding positioning, you want to be exactly at a nodal point (or at the point of a triangle, as you described it). Nearfield isn't ideal as you'll have a very small sweet-spot and likely some boundary reflections, but you should still be able to get the SH effect. Download the C9 owner's manual from the 'Manuals and Specsheets' link at the top of any page and in it, you'll find some good info on setting up the listening environment including sound-deadening treatments and various room configurations.

Was just watching a couple review vids last night, not sure why as I'm not in the market myself, have an OPPO BDP-95 I seldom use. The new Fii0 R2R looks interesting..

I just brought home a Carver receiver from the museum that I belong to ( The Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Ct.) and I can’t find a model number on it . It does have a serial number and lots O’ warnings but no model number. I just finished repairing a Technics M275x back to running condition by changing a belt and restoring the other one with a little magic cleaning pots etc now it’s time to tackle the Carver. I know that it uses some proprietary parts but besides missing a few knobs I don’t know a thing about it. Are there service manuals available for Carver receivers ? First I need to find out what model it is and then take it apart and troubleshoot it. Thanks I’m advance Jim

I have had mine since 1982. Right now it is not hooked up, but plan on firing her up real soon. I did take it for repair once in 1996. Crackly sound was coming out. Was repaired and have loved it as I have for 43 years. Many good memories with it. Thank you all for posting. I live in the Vancouver area, IF I need to take it in for repair, any suggestions would be wonderful .

Yep, i've these wonderful audio equipment since 1986.. and works really fine..almost.

GOOD News! Hooked up & Holojammin' Baby!!

My daily dose. The Rippingtons, 20th Anniversary (album)

Jet - Paul McCartney & Wings

My daily dose, and where I want to be right now. The Rippingtons, Life in the Tropics (album)

George Duke - "Its On"

My daily dose. The Rippingtons, Open Road (album)

My daily dose. The Rippingtons, Modern Art (album)

My daily dose. The Rippingtons, 20th Anniversary (album)

These Eyes - The Guess Who (#44 Billboard Top 100 Hits 1969)

Bottom line .... I pushed the PRs and made sure the mids did their dance, threw them in the trunk and drove home. No issues. Will revisit the glue if/when I take them apart for wood veneering. FWIW these are Monitor 11A, which is more-or-less the same as the Monitor 10. Bigger box, different mid, maybe slightly different xover? These lived their last 10 years on the ocean .... I mean you could walk across the street straight into the Mystic CT Harbor. The MDF has absorbed a lot of moisture due to constant humidity. The drivers are in excellent shape. If I decide to keep these, I'm going to get a set of the RD-0194-1 replacements as I did for my brothers SDA2. I hope these can still be had directly from Polk? The existing SL2000 tweeters can be harsh and tiring. Maybe rebuild the crossovers with some quality caps as well. For grins I put one on a stand that I've had forever but never used. I think these stands hold 120 lbs. Dying to use them for something, but this won't be it. Anyway - well worth the $100.

My daily dose. The Rippingtons, Let It Ripp (album)

My daily dose. The Rippingtons, 20th Anniversary (album)

No. There are 2 versions of the C-9. One has a rack mountable face plate, the other is rectangular. The rectangular ones are more common, so if that's what you want, it should not be an issue finding one. As @3M_Audio Glenn has mentioned, the rectangular ones can be fitted with with appearance panels. These panels are somewhat of a unicorn but there is a set on Reverb .... been there for a while .... expensive: https://reverb.com/item/86763175-carver-c-9-tx1-11-appearance-panels-rack-mount-ears-capable?bk=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJqdGkiOiJmNzhlN2QxNC1mMmEyLTQ5MzUtYjQ2Mi1iYzlkNDBhMjI1NGQiLCJpYXQiOjE3Njc4MDU5NzQsInVzZXJfaWQiOiIiLCJzZXNzaW9uX2lkIjoiNTBjZmZiNWMtZTI2Ni00MDg1LWEzYmQtNTY4NzYwZmI4NmIwIiwiY29va2llX2lkIjoiNjNiNTQzZDctM2MyMC00YzkxLWJiZWMtZjA1YWViMTIwMDhiIiwicHJvZHVjdF9pZCI6Ijg2NzYzMTc1Iiwic291cmNlIjoiTk9ORSJ9.-DoBPCo2a2NA7SKvBT8zNxHmPxXUjBbALN83aKfF2eI Note: they don't have rack mount holes ....

Thanks for all the input, Guys! Gonna go with the Marantz CD6007. It has the features that I want, probably sounds better than my 72 year-old ears can hear, matches my Sunfire gear pretty well, and won't take all of my mad money! Bob

My daily dose. The Rippingtons, Life in the Tropics (album)

Myself I'm a OPPO or Marantz person. If I had to replace my current player It sure would be a very hard decision, and I might just get both. The OPPO because it can play SACD's, they are still supported as @Sk1Bum mentioned, and other reasons, and then a new Marantz because it has a warranty and it will easily integrate into my new Marantz AV unit. I also like having the ability to introduce a separate DAC unit. This might give me the ability to upgrade the DAC with a newer unit in the future. Prior to the purchase would be a trip to my local store for an audition of the unit in question. A purchase for me might look like this, OPPO BDP-105D or other similar models or Marantz CD6007 Along with an separate DAC Maybe a Schitt Modi 5 Good luck on your search for a replacement!!

I am very happy with my oppo 103s & 105s. I have a pair of each, and they have outstanding sound quality. That said, I don't spin many discs anymore since I bought the WiiM streamers. The oppo 103 & 105 play CD, SACD, DVD, BluRay and they can stream from a NAS and several built in online sources. The 105s have balanced outputs and both have RCA, SPDIF, coax, and HDMI out. The 103s don't have the balanced outputs, but they have all the others. The 105s have ESS Sabre DACs, and the 103 has a Cirrus Logic DAC. The oppo 203 & 205 are the latest version of the oppos, and they are a step up in quality. They are also a pretty big step up in price. The 103s can be found for about $300 if you're patient or lucky. The 105s can be found for about $500 if you're patient or lucky. The 203s and 205s are about 4x the price of the corresponding 103 or 105. oppo hasn't upgraded the firmware for some time, but all of the players are still supported. oppo's last run of 203s and 205s was in 2018, and they left the business. I hope that helps. https://oppodigital.com/Support.aspx

Sorry Bob, but I haven't bought a CD player in decades! I have an older Marantz model stashed away somewhere. Prior to that I had a 1994 vintage Yamaha carousel player that lost a sound quality shootout to my iPad. I use my 2009 MacBook nowadays when I need to spin a CD, fed into my DAC. Thanks for bringing this topic to the forefront! I gotta get some kind of a better solution, maybe later this year... A quick search led me to this: https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/hi-fi/best-cd-players I have an ARCAM irDAC that has served me well for quite a long time. I would likely put their CD player on my short list. Already having a DAC, the Cambridge CD Transport would also (to me) be worth checking out. The few that I looked into all had external usb drive capabilities. Seems common. Crutchfield has a 60 day return policy. I've dealt with them in the past and have always been happy. Maybe a way to audition a few... You say your NAD is getting worn out - perhaps a good cleaning/lube and some new belts would be a cheap option? Good luck on your quest! Let us know how your jobber unfolds...

My daily dose. The Rippingtons, Brave New World (album), and a much more drivable car.

[I Can't Get No] Satisfaction - Rolling Stones (#3 Billboard Top 100 Hits 1965)

Now this is livin.

Let's start off the New Year with a live video of "The Rippingtons"

My daily dose. The Rippingtons, Sahara (album)

My daily dose, heading of the Jones The Rippingtons, Curves Ahead (album)

Well, I have an MXR-130 and I had to make on my 3D printer parts to put back into the Faceblock. Not a great picture as this system has size limitations. All the pushbuttons on the bottom were made by me. I also make the regular buttons for the controls. I made the buttons and had to re-engineer the parts holding them as they were broke too. The reason why you don’t see them out there is because it takes a lot of time to get them right, and they don’t sell.

My daily dose. The Rippingtons, Let It RIpp (album)

Dido, Life for Rent (album) - I wish I would have bought one of these when it was released in 2003. This is regarded as one of the highest quality vinyl recordings ever, and the price reflects that. https://www.discogs.com/sell/list?master_id=97705&format=Vinyl&ships_from=United+States

Jessy J, Terranova was released on April 4, 2025. "Veteran saxist Jessy J brings her strong tone to her latest release that includes the strong support of David Garfield/key, Brian Bromberg/b, Gorden Campbell/dr, Paul Brown-Shane Theriot/g and various other all stars. Most of the material is her own, and she’s pretty as all get out on “Fresh” while lyrical as she sings along on a sensuous read of “No More Blues”. “Mister Magic” includes a hip solo by the leader and an irresistible bass line from Darryl Bannerman, “Piel Canela” having the leader at her most flavorful. Beauty and brawn." You can read the rest of the review here... She's pretty easy to look at, too.

My NAD CD/DVD player is getting worn out, I/m afraid. Looking for some great sounding replacement options. I would probably go with a transport/DAC unit rather than a separate transport and DAC. Older ears and retirement dollars aid my choices! Thanks for your input! HAPPY EAR (Bob)

I can dig me some Alvin Lee ANYTIME!

My daily dose. The Rippingtons, Topaz (album)

The Doobie Brothers Jesus Is Just Alright with Me

T-Square - I'd give them a good listen after hearing that track and this one,

I ran across a thread on reddit about The Rippingtons where the OP asked for suggestions of bands that are as good as The Rippingtons. The most common suggestions were Spyro Gyra, Crusaders, Yellowjackets and the band, T-Square. T-Square is a Japanese jazz fusion band with a huge catalog, and this is the first album of theirs that I've listened to. I have to say, they are similar to The Rippingtons. Russ Freeman produced 4 of their songs on the album, Natural. Here's a link to their catalog: https://www.discogs.com/artist/1249160-T-Square Here's a link to the reddit discussion T-Square, Brasil

The general consensus here on TCS is that "kits" are very risky..., they can include sub-standard, often no-name parts with dubious quality and tolerances, if they even state them at all, and sometimes wrong, or missing parts..., and you are stuck with them. Lots of eBay "never again" stories on kits for Carver refresh parts here on TCS... Also, by pulling the cover off your C-9, and building your own BOM ( @4krow gives you a head start ), you can achieve the following: Choose the quality of parts you want (Nichicon and Panasonic are preferred, other lesser-known brands may not have the same high level manufacturing tolerances you want when you put this time into refreshing your c-9..., last thing you want to do is introduce problems from substandard parts. Order exactly the parts that your C-9 needs. Experience shows that Carver Corp., had many revisions to the C-9 over the life of production. And also variations in the build on the assembly line..., if you want to put your C-9 back together the way it was originally built on that day it was manufactured, you want to put the exact parts back in - the only way to know what those were is to open it up, and write down the capacitor specs (physical: size (diameter, height, and electronic, uF rating, v rating, temp rating, etc.). Most of us use Mouser.com, or Digikey.com to purchase parts to refresh electronics. I personally like Mouser's menu-based interface to plug in all these parameters, and get back the options that they source and carry..., including the reputable brand names of Nichicon and Panasonic..., (there are other reputable brands - these are just the most common in my head as I type). It would be great if you would memorialize your project in a thread here in the Processor Forum section (this thread is in the "Welcome" section..., so starting your own project thread can get more member's eyeballs on it, to help you as you work through it.) Post your BOM, pictures of your c-9, pictures of your progress, pictures with questions you have as you work through it, and final pictures of your c-9, and your entire system cranking out tunes with your accomplishment added to your audio stack1 Looks like you have a fun project, and I need to get motivated on mine, to get it done. 😉