jmcipale

TFF - Elemental

@Charlie The MoFi version of Benson's LP is outstanding! My fave of his has got to be White Rabbit.

Damn Bob, That Phillips looks nice!

Eumir Deodato...

@Kurt - Discogs is simply bloated. Kevin Lewandoski (who i used to work with at Intel) had a great idea, initially, but then he made the tool a 'once size fits all' tool. Can find a recording, ok, create the entry yourself - but DON'T insert Bonnie Rait under 'Folk' music! Don't create multiple releases because YOUR copy doesnt match that of another entry that utilizes THE EXACT SAME INFO other than the genre or order of performers. There is a lot of chaff that goes with discogs: Too many genres for one recording. Infighting among submitters/moderators with no guidance on how to avoid hiccups. Sellers who are shady, buyers who want the world for nothing (yes, I know, it is no different than eBay). All-in-all what started out as method to curate ones collection has become a black hole of useless information. Even the Forums have become polluted with politics, in-fighting, and other facets that you find on facebook. I keep discogs around for one reason: Insurance purposes. If something were to happen to my collection (fire, storm damage, burglary), then I have an idea as to replacement value. But I WILL NOT buy or sell from the site.

If my memory serves, you can look at PartsExpress for a comparable part. I don't know/cant recall if that is a National Semiconductor, Motorola or Hitachi part. Worst case, ask chatgpt or geminiAI for a compstible replacement part.

Like a little kid with a new toy, I am streaming Jazz24 via my WiiM.

@AndrewJohn I cant say I have ever seen/considered such an add-on. I am still trying to wrap my 2 brain cells around integrating a new transport into my existing 3200! 😝🤣

Been there, tried that... the working units ALL GO for $400+. Organ donor units tend to have the same issue (unable to read/skipping CD). Besides, I am semi-retired and I need a hobby. 😁

@AndrewJohn I did a little more digging on this (more than I care to admit) and what is coming up continually is the DLBA1 is essentially degrading. laser diodes, like other diodes/semiconductor devices age out and weaken. The DLBA1 is 'ancient' technology and is no longer being made (we all know that, sadly). Even 'organ donors' are not reliable (too often, the symptoms of the donor are the same as I have described). This leaves me with one of a handful of choices: Keep the Carver as a museum piece. Play ONLY new CDs or play it occasionally (and live with the bouncing laser). Take a completely radical direction and 'restore' the unit with a new transport/laser/DAC and tie that into the existing Carver electronics (think replacing a ford 289 V8 with a chevy small block 350 V8). Damn you, Bob Carver! Why did you make me care for the sound of this unit so much!? 🤣

You hit on a thought i have had as well. These don't just 'fail'. Is a transistor drifting from age? Is power-regulation wavering? Etc, etc, ad nauseum.

@AndrewJohn - been there. Done that. One time the transport was FUBAR, the other laser was just as fried. I can't even find an NAD 5340 (which used the same laser). All of the TL-3200/3220 I see on fleabay have the same issue: Wont read a disc. I stop there. It would be nice if someone would get the rights to build new lasers, but then again, how many devices used the DLBA-1, and how many NEED a new laser? Would it be a worthwhile investment (from a manufacturing perspective)?

*sigh* The definition of insanity is doing the same over and over, and hoping for different results. This popped up on ebay (I am still searching for my 'White Whale' of a DLBA1): Part of me says 'Go for it!' but part of me is wary. It's only $53 (free shipping from China). It looks nearly identical to the KSS-152A that I tried (with no success). Maybe I should just bu the NAD 5340 that is being auctioned for $99.00. I can even drive to Bend, OR to retrieve it.

A recent pickup for $5...

Carver TL-3200 RIP DoP - July 14, 1992 DoD - March 7, 2026 Well, she had a long run, but my Carver finally succumbed to the ravages of time. I returned from coffee and went to play a known good CD that doesn't skip. Loaded the CD, pressed 'Play' and the display read "- -". Tried multiple CDs, powered cycled the unit with the same result. I can make no other conclusion that the laser pickup finally just died. As of now, I have invested over $600 into a unit that, unless someone magically begins to remake laser heads, is destined for the recycle heap. Before anyone suggests looking at other lasers from brands that use the same pickup laser, the only other model that reliably uses the DLBA-1 laser is an NAD 5340. The sad thing is, there is a scarce supply of those units as well. The units are either priced very high ($400+ for a nearly 40 yo unit) or they are in the same condition as the Carver (wont read discs). The laser pickup does not have a match/direct swap that can work. There WAS a page that was referenced in here that referred to the Sony KSS model laser but, well, THAT was just plain erroneous. So, it is with a heavy heart that I surrender this unit to the dustbin of history, never letting go of the wonderful time I had listening to her.