What are some preferred speakers with Carver M4.0T amp

[Walrus Gumboot 370]

What speakers have you heard which pair well with a Carver CT 7 and a Carver M4.0T amp?

I currently own the Bose 901 series vi's since 1991 and they sound fine but I am curious what brands and specific models the site members like\prefer which fall within a similar price range as the 901's ($1, 000.00)?

 

[AndrewJohn 10,451]

The M4.0t is a pretty versatile amp.  I have one of mine driving the main front pair of semi-vintage Paradigm Model 7se speakers.  But it drives a pair of Amazings, just as nicely (to my ears).  I have another M4.0t driving a pair of EPI M1000 Towers, also nice.  I switch things up all the time.

[Brian_at_HHH 2,691]

I think I remember that the M4.0t is pretty tolerant of less well behaved speaker loads as a rule.  Someone lease correct me if that's not the case.

 

That doesn't absolutely cover the sound, but it does give a better chance at getting he best out of speakers that don't hold to close to 8-ohms all the time (and many don't).

 

@Walrus Gumboot, I'm guessing the curiosity, um er, extended OCCD, cum, maybe new speakers would be god, itch is creeping up on you?  If that's the case, give us an idea of where you would put them (some speakers need to be well away from the wall, others close), what sort of budget yo might consider, and aside from the Beatles, what music and volume you are going to be playing.

 

Those concepts can play into things a lot more - your amp is going to be pretty darn capable of getting everything out o an speakers you throw at it, so better to aim for speakers that are going to be good for how you'll use them.

 

Don't be afraid of the budget it - there are folks here that have speakers costing crazy amounts, and many of us who spend very little.  What's common is we all love great sound and find ways to maximize that within our means. 

 

Best o all, this can be a really fun quest, so enjoy the trip down the rabbit hole!  

[Brian_at_HHH 2,691]

Whoops, forgot one of the most critical factors - does WAF have a role, here?  That can be a TOTAL showstopper for some speakers!  Sorry!

Edited August 26, 2020 by Brian_at_HHH

[Rob 5,977]

My 4.0 is connected to these Cerwin Vega's but not all at once. And I prefer these types. Old school vintage between 50 and 150 doll hairs for the pair.  I also have some Polk Audio's that sound really nice but need to be very close to the wall as @Brian_at_HHH has stated. I also just picked up some RTR's that I am about ready to try as well. But then again I am not a person that likes to spend tons of money on speakers as you can see. 

Edited August 26, 2020 by Rob

[Walrus Gumboot 370]

No WAF role as I have a dedicated "media" room in my home which measures 14' x 16' (tv, stereo, work desk, couch, treadmill, inversion table).

As for my musical taste, I am all over the map from 80's - 90's hard rock to 90's country, southern rock, blues rock.  I really enjoy music which integrates horns, strings etc with guitars and harmonies...think ELO, Beatles. 

As for budget, I could only afford whatever the Bose 901's would sell\trade for.

[BarryG 2,853]

I have used Polk monitor 10s, Polk sda-1bs and Carver ALS hybrids!  

[Will Meyer 2,374]

The M4.0t will drive anything. I have a lot of respect for the 901s, but they need good power (which you have), and the associated EQ (which I assume you have). That being said, if the 901s are original, they might have suffered from degradation of the speaker surround foams. If so, this is an easy fix - check out the Simply Speakers You tube video. 

 

I'm not sure I'd change them; however, if you want to get rid of them and experience something different, the M4.0t amp will surely be up to the task.

 

I drive Magnepans with mine. I love the sound of these speakers, but getting used Maggies can be problemistic. The can suffer from delamination of the wire which can cause tears/failure of the mylar. New Magnepan LRS's are highly rated and are around $700 delivered (but expect a 12 week wait after ordering them).

 

The NHT 2.x series is also highly rated.

 

What's nice is that with an M4.0 you aren't limited by your amp.

The CT-7 is my favorite Carver Preamp/Tuner.

 

You've got a fine system. 

[oldtexasdog 2,456]

I like the sound of B&W 705’s with that amp. About 1000.00 used.

[Brian_at_HHH 2,691]

If you are somehow not familiar with it, US Audio Mart is a great place to check for equipment deals - it's basically a free buy & sell board for anyone to post what they have for sale.  It can also give you an idea of prices for any used audio equipment.

 

https://www.usaudiomart.com/ 

 

And yes, in case you hadn't guessed, I am an enabler.    It's only fair - this group did me in, that way, so I have to share the love.  

[kve777 6,888]

First- What do you want? Lots of great speakers with different attributes. How loud? What kind of music? Do you like lots of bass or is clarity a goal? Have you heard horns? Ribbons? soft domes? The "right" speaker is very personal.

 

[johnrotten 1,092]

Bump

[Daddyjt 9,612]

On 8/26/2020 at 7:10 AM, Walrus Gumboot said:

What speakers have you heard which pair well with a Carver CT 7 and a Carver M4.0T amp?

I currently own the Bose 901 series vi's since 1991 and they sound fine but I am curious what brands and specific models the site members like\prefer which fall within a similar price range as the 901's ($1, 000.00)?

 

As Andrew stated, that amp will drive any <$1000 speaker system with ease. It would even drive Infinity Kappa 9, although not at what I call “room pressurizing” levels. 
 

If you want to hear a set of speakers that do really well at what the 901s don’t do well, try some vintage Polks, or even some vintage Klipsch. The 901s excel at imaging, but suffer a bit in the bass and treble ranges. Polk and Klipsch do both very well, and sub $1,000 options abound. Be warned though, vintage Polks can be a rabbit hole...

[johnrotten 1,092]

I'm just bumpin that picture. Beautiful.

Edited September 21, 2020 by johnrotten