Jump to content

longtime Carver owner, new member

caardvark
 Share

Recommended Posts

caardvark

caardvark 44

Posted
Posted

Hi all,

 

I've been a Carver enthusiast since as long as I can remember being fascinated by audio equipment, going back to the parents' system at a friend's house.  I couldn't get enough of those round dials embedded in stealthy black faceplates...  When I started putting my system together years later, moving on from basic A/V receivers, a Carver piece from that era (I don't recall the model) became my first real amp, even if I had learned by that point that it represented the lesser quality of the non-Bob period at Carver.  That soon gave way to a stack of M-1.0t's, which I've stuck with for a couple decades now.

 

I found my way here while researching the infamous Mk II mod, and while awaiting a reply from Nelion Audio -- I've since been told they're quite difficult to get a hold of -- had the opportunity to buy a couple of amps already modded.

 

An introductory thread probably isn't the time and place to ask the question, but my next task is finding an "affordable" set of front and center speakers that can handle those gobs of power (460W RMS @ 8 ohms).  I currently run NHT SuperTwo tower fronts and dual SuperOne centers, which are 175W and 150W RMS, respectively.  I can feel them straining at the upper range of comfortable listening levels.  I nearly bought some Linn AV5140's last week, but the seller decided at the last minute to not sell.  Back to square one.

 

p.s.  The Follow Topic button ... I assume the default left position is No, and sliding it to the right is Yes?  It sort of lights up to the left, but not enough to be sure that's what it's representing.

  • Thank You 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites
wrf

wrf 3,857

Posted
Posted

Welcome to the site.  There is an overwhelming amount of information sprinkled around.  

 

Anytime you start a tread, as you did, you automatically follow it.  That way you get notified when anybody replies.  

 

Be persistent with Nelion.  Greg, @Nahash5150 checks in regularly.  Also check out his Sound Room.  

  • Thank You 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
caardvark

caardvark 44

Posted
  • Author
Posted
32 minutes ago, wrf said:

Anytime you start a tread, as you did, you automatically follow it.  That way you get notified when anybody replies.  

 

Be persistent with Nelion.  Greg, @Nahash5150 checks in regularly.  Also check out his Sound Room.  

 

Color me confused then.  Does the Follow Topic slider at the bottom of the new post box have no effect when starting a thread?

 

I noticed when navigating the forum to find the Intro section (I hadn't scrolled down the home page far enough initially to find the forum sections, and was only finding relevant stuff via Google searches ... they're really buried down there) that Nelion is an admin here and posts regularly, so in hindsight that would have been a better way to try communicating.  Two emails over a couple weeks went unanswered, which isn't comforting for getting fairly expensive work done with an 8-wk turnaround, so it's probably just as well that it's a non-issue now.

  • Thank You 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sk1Bum

Sk1Bum 9,928

Posted
Posted

Hello caardvark, and welcome to thecarversite.com. We're glad you're hear. ;) There is a lot of information here, much technical know how, and a pretty good bunch of folks that are happy to help. 


Once you get to Novice status, please consider uploading some pics of your gear in the Members Systems area. We all like pics of all kinds of audio gear.

 

4 hours ago, caardvark said:

my next task is finding an "affordable" set of front and center speakers that can handle those gobs of power

 

What is your price range? Affordable for one may not be affordable for someone else. :D 

 

You mentioned NHT Super Twos and Super Ones. NHT 2.9s and NHT 2.5i's are popular here. I have a set of NHT 3.3s that are amazing. Cerwin Vega's are popular with the folks seeking volume, and there are some electrostatic folks here too. The Polk SDA's are popular here too. 


In the meantime, kick your shoes off, turn up the music, and welcome aboard.

 

giphy.gif

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
caardvark

caardvark 44

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 hour ago, Sk1Bum said:

Once you get to Novice status, please consider uploading some pics of your gear in the Members Systems area. We all like pics of all kinds of audio gear.

 

What is your price range? Affordable for one may not be affordable for someone else. :D 

 

You mentioned NHT Super Twos and Super Ones. NHT 2.9s and NHT 2.5i's are popular here. I have a set of NHT 3.3s that are amazing. Cerwin Vega's are popular with the folks seeking volume, and there are some electrostatic folks here too. The Polk SDA's are popular here too.

 

What's the Novice threshold?  I thought I read 5 likes, but it still shows me as Inbound.

 

I'm not quite sure what my price range is, after blowing a big chunk on new old amps, which is why I put affordable in quotes.  :)  Once I sell off the old M-1.0t's, I'll likely be more comfortable in that respect.

 

With used stuff, prices are all over the map, so I figure I'm best off looking for something I'll be happy with, then seeing what examples I can find of it.  I haven't auditioned the newer NHT stuff.  I looked at the Classic Four a few weeks back, as its RMS rating goes up to 250W.  But, it's slightly lower sensitivity than my SuperTwo's and 4x the original cost.  That math and reviews indicating their newer stuff tends to be brighter (I hate shrill highs with a passion...electric guitars are my nemesis...so please, no one recommend Klipsch!), made me not read up on them too much.  I liked meaty Cerwin Vega's back in the day, and like Polk for car audio, but my impression has been that both would be a step backward for overall sound quality.  Maybe I need to revisit my prejudices there?

  • Thank You 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
caardvark

caardvark 44

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

I've been reading up on Polk's recent offerings, and they do indeed handle a lot of power, with several models being in the 300-500W range.  E.g., RTI A7 & A9.  Seems they get there mostly by throwing more drivers in a cabinet, which draws some negative reviews regarding clarity ... and makes me really question their high sensitivity figures, as it seems like the resulting cabinets would be undersized, thus killing efficiency.  (So weird that A9 reviews all say they require a ton of power, yet they're very efficient.  Is it possible for both to be true?)  I would definitely have to find somewhere to audition several models before committing, as a lot of people say the RTI's tend toward the bright side.

 

The Legend line would be worth looking into, if there were any examples nearby.

 

I'm confused by the SDA line being recommended, as it seems to not play nice with switching power supply amps?

 

Edit:  Forgot to mention, one thing I keep running across in Polk reviews is, "they sound good for the price..."  That lessens in frequency with the higher end lines, such as the RTI's, but is still disconcerting for a brand often described as bright and forward.

Edited by caardvark
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...