AndrewJohn

Hey Lee, When I encounter this..., (not on pandora, but in other parallel examples of licensing restrictions on content I am seeking) ..., I log on using my VPN, and pretend I live in Germany, or Sweden, or? Often, in cases like these, but not always, the content available varies by differences and nuances in licensing laws from country to country. In other words, Tidal originated in Sweden/Norway, where thinking about digital rights is slightly different. Access Tidal via VPN can sometimes present different content. Another interesting possibility..., is to look into P2P sharing using Emule. Way more than I can share on that..., and I'm not an expert, and there is some religion around how it's used, and abused..., but the Emule project has evolved in the last 20 years (based on the Edonkey original incarnation)... But finding esoteric, hard to find, or can't get it on Tidal/Qobuz tracks is often found from a P2P access. If you find the artist and track, and in the format that you are looking for, adding it to your hard disk drive for your own personal index of music becomes possible. If you are not familiar with Emule..., best to read up on it in Wikipedia, then go from there, if it is interesting to you (or another reader of this post). eMule - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMule . ...again, I'm not an expert on either of these - just some minor experience to satisfy my curiosity, from time to time.

Welcome @mikehd glad you found us.

Do you use the Laptop's DAC? or do you run it out a USB port, through an external DAC, then to your preamp? What I have read is that cost-cutting makes the laptop makers put a fairly low-end DAC in laptops and PCs. but if you are playing the music out the USB port to an external DAC, that greatly enhances the sound from a PC - and, really only uses the laptop as a digital storage and server component - not really in the audio chain. That's not to say there aren't some laptops and PCs with great DACs..., only repeating what I have read. And of course, if it sounds good to you, then that's all that matters!! 😉

And, timely..., Our buddy Paul has been posting on the same/similar topic(s), the past two weeks...,

And, don't forget all the other variables in the reproduction chain to produce through our amps and speakers..., those recorded sounds... Everyone's actual "experience" is likely different, with all these variables from beginning to end..., (at least how I see it...)

Welcome @Fred0928. glad you found us. There is an enormous Brain Trust here in the archives that go back over a decade, or more. Thanks for noting you already found value! When you can post pictures (takes 5 or 6 posts to enable picture posting), we LOVE pictures...

Keep posting, after about 5 or 6 posts, you'll move up in status. The site uses this approach to eliminate LOTS of drop-in spammers..., it prevents lots of really crummy non-Carver, non-Audio, non-Member "junk" from filling up the site's content - and hard disks. Since we're self-supporting (volunteer members of the site give $$ to keep the licenses for the forum software, the server licenses, and the hard disk space..., etc.) ... this keeps content and costs in check and separates the spammers form folks that really want to be here! Thanks for your patience, and really wanting to be here! And, again, welcome to the site!! 😉

Welcome to the site, @DWieand. if you can post a picture or two - that might be helpful. However, most things of that era are unobtanium..., and unfortunately, the route to repair will be to repair those traces. I'm not a tech..., but dangerous to know that the likelihood of swapping harvested parts from a donor is a crap-shoot. If Les says he has never seen that before - it's got to be rare. Les has seen a lot of those 130's. Just thinking ahead and strategizing with absolutely no real skill on my part, I'm going to say you need to rebuild what you have, fix the damage, to make the unit you had all these years work again. Alternatively, lots of people throw their hands up, and just get a new-old unit on ebay, without the damage, and restore that as a replacement. Good luck, post pictures..., and welcome to the site!

Welcome @johnhoef - glad you found us.

Welcome Garry @dognort. Glad you found us. You'll fit right in !! Looking forward to your contribution to the braintrust here.

Hey, BTW, @Thangleby, where in Houston area do you live? I used to live in Katy, worked in Houston proper.

OK, @Thangleby, Here's a few answers for you. In terms of the issues you are having with the gear you acquired, it's hard to assess your ability to repair on your own..., and folks here are cautious, mostly because we don't want to see the Carver gear get damaged, and also mostly because Carver gear is unique (amps) and it does take some expertise to work on. NOTE: I am NOT a tech, but I am also not afraid to take the top off my amps and preamps, and other Carver gear, to look for obvious issues. So, here's my suggestion, really my opinion - and it's worth nothing - so take it as input, not as direction, as you make your own decisions. (And it sounds like you are the same point in life as many of us here - and that gives you wisdom, the kind that knows how hard and far to go, with caution and safety, ... and "sacrificial speakers!! LoL). First, there are a LOT of threads here on the forum, over a decade's worth, read through them. Allow those threads to build your own knowledge base and comfort level of diving in. CAUTION CAUTION..., BE WARNED - there are things in a Carver Amp that can really hurt/KILL you - like capacitors that have not discharged. DO NOT POKE AROUND WITH A SCREWDRIVER..., most of us use a plastic/wood chopstick or something made of wood or otherwise non-conductive material. CAUTION CAUTION..., BE WARNED - unplug the unit..., Seriously, I put these cautions in because I don't know you or your skill level..., and I'm NOT A TECH, and Don't want you to damage your gear any further..., I suspect your wisdom is beyond this - BUT someone else may read this later. Second, take the cover off, (take care here - those screws are notorious for cross-threading, and leaving metal filings behind that can become a problem in the future - threads here on that as well). With the cover off, look for the following: Cracked solder joints (use magnification - if you have it, or take pictures of suspect areas with your phone, and zoom in to see if there are cracked joints. Burned components that have fried due to damage or heat or? General house-cleaning (blow dirt and dust out with a can of compressed air) Focus on those RCAs in the preamp where they connect to the PCB (what you described sounds like a loose connection) Focus on the RCA's and Speaker Terminals in the amp where they connect to the PCB Take pictures of anything you think looks out of place, or not right. Start a NEW thread and post the pictures you suspect as cause for concern in the right forum (go to Amps, for the Amp, and go to PreAmps, for the Preamp, and use the "start new topic" button. Share the pictures and ask for specific advice. Of course, do use the SEARCH function to look for relative threads, as noted. Be patient, sometimes it takes a day or two for a reply. CAUTION CAUTION..., CAUTION AGAIN - IF you go further, you need to be aware of large capacitors that hold a charge and can shock and kill you - AND damage other components in your amp/preamp - if you are not careful. You may already know this - I'm putting it here since someone else may read this thread in the future... BTW, No One here will scold you for "doing it wrong..." We're all pretty cool about things..., and the moderators (I am not a moderator) may move your thread to another forum area, if its misplaced. No One here gets offended about much..., we're all pretty cool - even about those things that divide us - we have a common bond around Carver Gear. People DO get upset about things like "SAFETY" and hence my two CAUTION items #2 and #3. OK, that's the initial thoughts/opinion..., I can come up with. Others may have more. Relative to the first of your two questions - you can self-assess your own soldering skills, and if it's a cracked solder joint on the RCA connection to the PCB is the issue, this is not a horribly difficult task - but one can screw it up. You'll have to make that assessment of your ability to reflow the solder joint on your own. Relative to Streaming, there are a lot of solutions. I stream using a ROON Core and 3 Roon Endpoints in my house where I have Carver systems playing Roon is a great solution to get the same high-definition music from Tidal and Qobuz streaming in synch around the house - but it's pricey. I also have a Bluetooth receiver in my office to stream audio directly from my phone, when I don't need the high-fidelity FLAC etc. experience that ROON gives. In my office, it is a BluDento streaming/DAC unit, that does the job. (There are threads on streaming on this site - use SEARCH - on the BlueDento and other streaming devices. BluDento was suggested to me by a member here.) Sorry if I sound overly CAUTIOUS..., I just want to be sure to cover things - and others may also pipe in with more detail and cautionary thoughts. Several of us have IT, software, technology or otherwise similar backgrounds to yours, with big and small corporations. You are going to enjoy it here and enjoy your Carver Gear, ... And you likely will be afflicted with OCCD (obsessive Carver collecting Disorder)..., which means more amps, more fun and tuning with your "kit"..., and the "journey" that we all are on with Bob Carver's audio legacy. WELCOME !!! It's excellent you found this site, and forum, and you will find a bunch of cool guys from all over the US, Canada, and the world that love Carver and want to see everyone who joins the forum enjoy the experience of great sounding audio that Bob Carver is known for delivering. And now it's My turn to apologize for the long-winded post! 😉 LoL. Merry Christmas Eve to all!

Welcome to the forum, @Thangleby. Glad you found us. Great story!

Oh yeah, you are going to fit right in!!! LoL. Welcome, @Kaiuss. Glad you found us! When you build your C-1, start a thread, and document/share your experience! 😉 Many will pipe-right up with unsolicited advice LoL! Again, Welcome!

Welcome @mgrisoli, Glad you found us!

Welcome @Dutch9600, glad you found us. You'll love that set-up with the C-1 at the helm.

Welcome @Cjcarey39, glad you found us. Great story - proves that it's a journey, not a destination! 😉

That's a very old unit..., and it could be a lot of things. I'm not a tech, but this is what I have done to keep my DTL 200 MkII alive. Belts, replace them. You did this. Be sure to clean off any residue, grease or "goo" left behind from old belts melting or deteriorating on the pulleys. While in there replacing belts, be sure to clean off the old yellow sticky grease on the moving parts of the transport (CD drive) and relubricate with a nice white lithium grease (that's what I use, others may prefer another. If the transport slides and the laser slides are not moving well, it's possible that you get a disk (read) error. Also, while in there, find some "lens cleaning tissue paper" (no, don't use a q-tip, it might scratch) and VERY GENTLY clean the laser lens. These typically are the "mechanical" reasons for a disk (read) error. There may be electronic reasons - that are above my skill level. There are some that swear by re-capping the entire system board(s) that sound improves, but I don't know if that will improve the disk error issue. Finally, one more thing that can be a solution..., is to buy a parts machine on ebay, and swap out the transport (disk drive). Yours may well have just reached its end of life. A donor parts unit may have less hours. It's a gamble, but I've resurrected more than one Carver CD player that way. Hope that helps. And, if not, post a picture of the error, and your transport (of the unit with the cover off..., that might help someone else here on the forum, provide additional guidance for you.

Watched "The Speed Cubers" on Netflix, last night. 40-minute documentary, mostly following the life of two guys, an Australian world record holder named Feliks Zemdegs, and USA record holder Max Park. (The world record holders for a variety of different events for solving Rubik's cubes are many..., and there's a few dozen players around the world who keep on breaking each other's records with new times at international events held year-round.) This story is about the incredible relationship between Feliks and Max that grew through the admiration Max (younger) had for Feliks (older), and the humility of Feliks as Max with his unique skills and challenges came up and took his records. 40 minutes of feel good, and realization that there's something else that can hold us together in this world in spite of all the hate and divisiveness. YMMV, but no one can dispute the incredible speed and skill these "Speed Cubers" have.

@Simplyg3 Welcome to the site!! Glad you found us. That is an awesome story !!

Welcome Michael @K6BUK. Glad you found us. There are a few members here located in Northern California. Paul @PMAT is located in Santa Rosa. I lived in Novato for nearly 20 years working at Autodesk, there in San Rafael (now in Northern IL - I know, I should have my head examined for leaving). Great story - and we love good prose! But we love "Pictures" even better!! , please consider sharing photos of your gear, and other experiences. So glad you found us - you have a lot in common on many fronts with many guys here.

welcome @Mathieu. I don't know the answer to the tech questions, but to get more attention for your query, I suggest you create a new thread with the title for the question you have - in the Amplifier section. There's so much here on this site, that no one person reads every thread/topic. There's also a thread on "Ask Bob Carver" where @Ar9Jim (who works for Bob) can take your questions directly to Bob himself - that is if someone here doesn't already know the answer. Be sure to post your "introduction" in the welcome shop thread, too - most follow that. LINK: The Welcome Shop (Please read first) - TheCarversite! Also see the Please Read introduction thread to see more on how to best post, and best use tools on the site to find answers - our site admins really do a great job here to try to share and provide answers to a lot of things - including best use of the site.

Yes, I've seen that handle. I'll have to reach out. I have a DD Dual 721 that would be awesome to have back in service. thank you, @Duncan McAllister

..yea, maybe..., but we're a "Good Cult!" 😉

Welcome, Tom @twiedmann so glad you found us. That is a fabulous set of hobbies. Looking forward to your posts. Share some pictures of your rig/gear, when you can. We love pictures.