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Everything posted by AndrewJohn
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Welcome, and pictures are always good..., Unlike the "rules" of some Carver-named Facebook Groups, we are pretty flexible - but as noted above by previous responders, location and ask price is helpful - and you might get some offers. Location (city or zip code) helps people calculate add'l cost for shipping if they are not co-located, or could get you a local buyer that might want to come over and check out your equipment. People here won't be shy about helping you align price with actual value. There's a forum topic just for listing selling and buying..., check it out in the home-page index, see an image of that part of the index, below..., you get to it on the home page, and scrolling down to the section called "Trading Post." FWIW, Karma is where people can also give gear away..., Read a few posts there, and you'll get the idea. I circled "Novice" because you're new here, and the thoughts above about building trust by participating in TheCarverSite help you get out of that secion - to the Members gear (FS/WTB) section. ESCROW is a good site to check out - and, alternatively, some folks will list their gear on eBay, and just include a link here in the For Sale forum topics. Again, Welcome to TheCarverSite!
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New Carver Enthusiast Intro
AndrewJohn replied to aaron1anderson's topic in The Welcome Shop (Please read first)
@aaron1anderson, welcome to the site. Just a bit more info on tuners..., as you make your choice. What Sk1bum offers is a great option. The TX-11a is more desirable over the TX-11 - they are more different internally, than just "one has AM, the other does not." The TX-11a has AM, and FM, and is considerably better electronics. Both the TX-11 and TX-11a have silver faceplates. If you want a black faceplate - the TX-11b is one step above the TX-11a (it was considered top of the line over the TX-11a, AND it had a black faceplate to match the black faceplate amps of the same era). Alternatively, the final production Carver tuner was the TX-12. It has a black faceplate, and looks different with an analog signal strength meter (over the LED strength meters in the TX-11 and TX-11a. AND, for my liking, the TX-12 has a remote control. Very late in production from Carver Corp came the TX-8 and TX-8r, significantly miniaturized and in the "slim-line" format chassis. The only difference between these two is that the TX-8r has a remote control, the other does not. The manuals with pictures of these models are in theCarverSite manuals library in the menu at the top to get more specifics as you choose a tuner. I have had every one of these tuners, and have settled on the TX-11b for my liking in my black faceplate stack, and a tx-11a for my silver-faced stack of gear. I would like to pick up a TX-12 again, I regret selling that one. ;-/ Again, welcome to TheCarverSite. -
Home made sonic hologram setup
AndrewJohn replied to oldenit's topic in The Welcome Shop (Please read first)
There are a few hard-to-use research tools on the internet..., one is to go to the WayBack machine, which has every past internet page ever..., I have not looked there... Another is to query one or more of the other groups and forums that focus on Carver gear - or stereo / audiophile stuff in general..., a la Audio Karma, Phoenix, et. al. I have another packrat friend..., I may reach out to if he's still around. -
Newbie looking for advice in shopping for Carver
AndrewJohn replied to genxer's topic in The Welcome Shop (Please read first)
Welcome to the site, @genxer, lots of info here. The one thing I would add, is that once you get engaged in this hobby, and in Carver audio fandom, you will find that selecting something, is not a decision to land at a final destination..., it is instead, just another stop along the way, call it "a journey..." and one day, you'll wake up with multiple amps..., or find that you have gone through flipped, and migrated to different amps along your Carver Journey... Don't fret or fear that - it's an exciting experience! 😉 -
Thank you, Kurt. That's good information... More for me, is that this area is a waste-land for listings of the gear that I am looking for - in my own unscientific observation - but then, when you see a listing in, say Phoenix for NHTs..., that "feeling" is exacerbated.
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Home made sonic hologram setup
AndrewJohn replied to oldenit's topic in The Welcome Shop (Please read first)
Bob Carver's patent for Sonic Holography is here: US4218585A - Dimensional sound producing apparatus and method - Google Patents It is surprisingly revealing..., and every time I read it, I learn some minutia or detail. Check it out. The figures (2 of 4, really describe the circuit design - I think). Another reference is the topic of "Ambiphonics." That field is: "a method in the public domain that employs digital signal processing (DSP) and two loudspeakers directly in front of the listener in order to improve reproduction of stereophonic and 5.1 surround sound for music, movies, and games in home theaters, gaming PCs, workstations, or studio monitoring applications." Wikipedia has a good article, here: Ambiophonics - Wikipedia The first "roots and research" reference is to Bob Carver and Sonic Holography. And, the license of Sonic Holography from Bob Carver for use in Polk speaker design "marketed in 1982 by Polk Audio as "true stereo" in its SDA-SRS, SDA1 and SDA2 series speakers." This one is another good read! -
Distance..., I'll unlikely never get over that way. Probability says that eventually, a pair should come up closer to me in the stomping grounds I frequent (IL, MI, IN, WI, IA, MN).
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Sounds like I need to keep focused on getting a pair of 3.3 NHT's. It's been about 3 years since the last pair came available (that I saw) in the WI, MN, IA, IL, IN, MI corridor. Thanks, Mark, I really value your thoughts and experience in this area.
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@Sk1Bum, Dick, what is the difference(s) between Kappa 9's and RS IIIb speakers? I've been looking for the Kappa 9's for a long while, and may be giving up. But wonder if I'm searching for the wrong model? I know a few members here in the past swear by the Kappa's. Any thoughts there from anyone?
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Would that be this pair of ESL? (I jeard these at AXPONA a couple years ago, in a dealer showcase.) Sounded great, but had a certain sense of fragility about them to my eyes. No cats, no dust, no crazy cleaning lady..., kind of fragility. I assume, like Sonus Faber, they come with custom fitted cloth dust covers..., or I'd want something like that.
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Home made sonic hologram setup
AndrewJohn replied to oldenit's topic in The Welcome Shop (Please read first)
Maybe the H-9AV is Bob's version of, or combination of the Dynaco, with his two-channel Sonic Holography... ? I have two of these, one works, the other produces gawd-awful feedback..., need to look into that. There is one two-channel input, with four processed outputs to hook up to a front and a rear pair of speakers via the Carver (of course) amp of your choice. The controls on the front allow you to "engage the SH", apply focal zoom, or the precognition matrix (found in 4000t preamps, IIRC). with an adjustable precognition level when that option is engaged. Hmmm, I've been doing it all wrong..., I (without reading the manual) have always thought this was for two front, and two rear speaker configuration..., But, reading the manual for the first time..., it's really for 4 or 5 speakers, placed as pseudo 4 or 5-channel surround placement, with proper amplifiers for the combined channels for front center, and for rear center (or rear split, driving two speakers with the same output). I learn something new every day - now I have to try this setup, and see how it works. the remainder of the manual is just plain-old 2 channel SH information (same as all other manuals of the period) describing the front left and right speaker placement, toe-in, and so on... I got some fun to go have ..., ah yes, another project! -
Home made sonic hologram setup
AndrewJohn replied to oldenit's topic in The Welcome Shop (Please read first)
You should be able to see it - it is just a thread, available to anyone who joins and becomes a member. We've relaxed nearly all of the requirements to participate in this forum - any spamming, and us Mods and Admins just jump on it and delete it. So, you're a member, you should see the link to the other thread. Not sure why..., are you looking at the site on an iPhone? or small screen? Wonky-ness may be due to that - but on a PC or laptop, I know it's visible (I go over to my wife's pc, who's NOT a member, and see it there). -
Home made sonic hologram setup
AndrewJohn replied to oldenit's topic in The Welcome Shop (Please read first)
welcome @oldenit, glad you found us. I recall many MANY years ago (15-20?, stumbling across that document/article published by Bob Carver on DIY sonic holography - on the early internet before it was so good at retaining everything... But, alas, I never saved it, and can't find it now..., either. When you built yours, from Bob's instructions, did you keep it? If so, can you post a picture of it? However, one of our members has built their own SH circuit - and there's a thread on his work that he sold here: -
Welcome. Another place I would look for help..., is YouTube. There are a dozen or more videos on "Sunfire Subwoofer Repair"..., one guy has made several, and is a member here (albeit has not stopped in in a long time). That guy is "Supreme Innovation" (his name on YouTube. The videos might help, but also, sending a creator of one of those might get a response - schematics unlikely, but experience, perhaps. Best of luck as you search.
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General Discussion - CarverFest 2026
AndrewJohn replied to sea's topic in CarverFest's Carverfest 2026
I'm good with anything you choose. Once chosen, I may or may not purchase one. Like you, I have no interest in going into the t-shirt business - been there, done that. Taking orders, dealing with complaints, (there always are unsatisfied). And the stock minimums. I'll send you a PM with more data I have from experience on this. -
General Discussion - CarverFest 2026
AndrewJohn replied to sea's topic in CarverFest's Carverfest 2026
On the other side of the spectrum..., for me, I'm pretty subtle. Polo shirt with a very subtle breast-located single text word or two identifying the event and date. I love it when people have to "ask" me about the story behind something subtle. 😉 I can wear that anywhere - church, golf, out to dinner, ... I've kind of outgrown (literally and in my head) the big flashy rock concert t-shirts. But that's just me. But I might also not be alone. @Kurt, don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings - that artwork is awesome! I'd love a frameable poster of one. Your ChatGPT skills are way beyond average! -
While thinking about Westerns..., I stumbled on Kevin Costner's "Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1" I had watched it one time before, when it came out. My first take was that it was long, disjointed, and sometimes hard to follow..., this second time through the movie, much more of the movie made sense. It was streaming on HBO-Max. Bottom line I have renewed respect for the film, and now a strong interest in seeing the second chapter - alas, still not released. If you watched it and didn't like it - watch it again, the details begin to pop, and more to the saga of life back then come forth and build a relationship with the viewer sending them back in time to a place where life was cheap, moral integrity was challenged constantly in a time of conflict among and between so many people and cultures in the West at the time, and truthfully, people were uneducated compared to what we are all blessed with in terms of education and knowledge from the last 100 years. Like if you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. In the old west the proverbial "hammer" was the "gun." Solutions were executed fast, and often by whoever was fastest - not necessarily who was right. Obviously, Horizon is way more complex and deeper than that - but it gave me an interesting lens to view the movie for the second time and gain much more from it. Clearly, the last 15 minutes is a montage of scenes yet to come in chapter 2 and 3..., I'd like to see those, but not sure when they will come. Is it "Yellowstone." Nope, and, well, it's not trying to be - it is vastly different. If you watched it once, and dismissed it, try it again with a different mindset..., YMMV.
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Every once in a while, I need to watch a formulaic - predictable, "Western" . A few days ago, I watched Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Keith David and Russel Crowe in "The Quick and the Dead." I've seen it many times. It usually makes me want to watch "Unforgiven" a movie I think is the other best Gene Hackman western movie, also starring Clint Eastwood, Richard Harris, and Morgan Freeman. I didn't find that last night to watch..., but I stumbled upon this one. "The Last Outlaw" an understandable story about a band of 7 disillusioned Confederates - including one black gang member - assembled as a regiment - but unable to move forward after the civil war - so they became outlaws, robbing Union banks thinking they were still fighting the war. That's the high-level premise. It has several deeper themes underlying the story including leadership, challenging a leader, manipulation of do-gooders, and escaping justice while realizing the error of ways as time moved on. It is not a remake of the 1919 or 1936 films of the same names. It stars Mickey Roarke, Steve Buscemi and Dermot Mulroney who are in the gang of Confederates - and ultimately fight over what's left of the regiment post Civil War in the West. It's a quick hour and a half long, and I think it was originally made for TV back in 1993 - but like all Westerns, nothing in the scenes dates the movie other than the appearing age of the actors. One can get into it quick and easy in a single sitting or 2 or 3 beers or an old fashioned or two. It was streaming on Amazon Prime. The trailer below looks crummy - the movie was better..., trailer is typical "narrated TV trailer."
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Having been in the oil E&P business at the senior executive level (I started out on a land drill rig in southeast Missouri right out of college)..., I see (and like) that Sheridan has taken liberties to capitalize on people's predisposed perceptions of the O&G industry. It's much bigger and more complex than Landman can fit into a series - it just is. Still, it's a great fictional watch and I love Billy Bob Thornton's portrayal. He reminds me of the lawyer we had at TexasGulf 47 years ago who was our Landman. Agreed, sucks to have to wait nine months for the next season. I also was hoping that they would do a second "Goliath" with Billy Bob, I would be first in line! Seems there could be more to that story's characters.
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Carver receiver with identity crisis
AndrewJohn replied to jamesbutenas's topic in The Welcome Shop (Please read first)
Sounds like you have an MXR-130 or MXR-150 - very similar - and hard to identify by anything on the faceplate or the back plate. One good way is to post a picture here (just cut and paste) in your thread post. That way, we can give you a better idea. Love the Museum in CT. I've picked up a few things from there that didn't fit their focus on radios..., 😉 -
Trading TFM 75 for PT2400.
AndrewJohn replied to Reel Bond's topic in The Welcome Shop (Please read first)
I'm in the midwest..., and the $5000 sale was on eBay (and USAudioMart, I think..., about a year ago. Another one out of St. Louis about 18 months ago, went for close to $5000. It's not about the sites one uses to search for gear..., it's primarily about the amp's condition combined with location, demand, and a buyer's willingness to pay. I think even here on TCS (I won't call him out) one of our members listed their TFM-75, restored by Greg at Nelion, for $5000 in close to mint condition. It is the high end, for sure. I'd love a TFM-75. It's the one amp that I would like to own, but have never found the right opportunity to buy when I had the free cash..., so I watch pretty intently - and wait..., and my willingness to pay is not at the high-end. -
Welcome, @Nova Scotia Mike. Love that handle! Glad you found us. Post a picture of your gear sometime when you get a chance. (just cut and paste).
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Trading TFM 75 for PT2400.
AndrewJohn replied to Reel Bond's topic in The Welcome Shop (Please read first)
Welcome to the site, @Reel Bond. Glad you found us. I will say it..., "DO NOT TRADE!" that is a bad deal. PT-2400 amps are pro amps, while it has similar performance characteristics as a TFM-75, unless it was fully restored including a re-finished faceplate, it's going to show years of hard knocks being on the road with a band..., Some "like" the look of a PT-2400, but for me, the TFM-75 is far more sexy-looking in my stack in my listening room..., never mind the WAF (wife acceptance factor). If you are itching to lose one of the TFM-75's to know what true loss and grief feel like, send one to me 😉 ..., you will regret it. The TFM-75 amps sell on the low-end for $2000 (and that's a RARE FIND). Typically, they are going for $3000 - $5000 as I look back at my resale notes. The PT-2400 with its utilitarian look and function as a pro-band-amp, rarely go for more than $1500, in mint restored condition, maybe $2000. Beat up and not-working condition, only a few hundred bucks. Post a picture of your TFM-75 amps..., we'd love to see what you have! -
New here, just found it
AndrewJohn replied to robpar's topic in The Welcome Shop (Please read first)
Welcome, @robpar, glad you found us. Looking forward to hearing about your success on your unit.
