Building 400 wpc Tube Monoblocks....

1…456810

Comments

  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,576
    edited April 2011
    Bob just sold another pair today on ebay
    10,000.00+ dollars I think this is about 2-3k more than the last pair he sold.

    Sorry NJ not meaning to threadjack I couldn't find the other Polk Members thread

    forgive me
    Ivan
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,448
    edited April 2011
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Bob just sold another pair today on ebay
    10,000.00+ dollars I think this is about 2-3k more than the last pair he sold.

    Sorry NJ not meaning to threadjack I couldn't find the other Polk Members thread

    forgive me
    Ivan

    No worries Ivan... I can kill you later.:tongue::wink:

    I should have another update up in teh next day or two. Bob and I will be meeting sometime soon to finish these beasts, but all the cosmetics are done now and he very much likes what he sees. My wife is speachless, and that is the best feeling in the world to me.:cool:
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Polkersince85
    Polkersince85 Posts: 2,883
    edited April 2011
    nooshinjohn wrote: »
    My wife is speachless, and that is the best feeling in the world

    Still giving you the silent treatment over them, eh?
    >
    >
    >This message has been scanned by the NSA and found to be free of harmful intent.<
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,448
    edited April 2011
    LOL!

    No... she is blown away by the way they look. Being around me, she has gotten quite used to BIG things.:eek::biggrin:
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited April 2011
    nooshinjohn wrote: »
    LOL!

    No... she is blown away by the way they look. Being around me, she has gotten quite used to BIG things.:eek::biggrin:

    On a see food diet? :biggrin:
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Hawkeye
    Hawkeye Posts: 1,313
    edited April 2011
    nooshinjohn wrote: »
    LOL!

    No... she is blown away by the way they look. Being around me, she has gotten quite used to BIG things.:eek::biggrin:

    Arrogant bastar?:biggrin::biggrin: Do you drive a BigFoot also? You have to be compensating for a lack in some other area.....................?:biggrin::biggrin:
    2 Channel -
    Martin Logan Spire, 2 JL Audio F112 subs
    McIntosh C1000 Controller with Tube pre amp, 2 MC501 amplifiers, MD1K Transport & DAC, MR-88 Tuner
    WireWorld Eclipse 6.0 speaker wire and jumpers, Eclipse 5^2 Squared Balanced IC's. Silver Eclipse PCs (5)
    Symposium Rollerblocks 2+ (16)Black Diamond Racing Mk 3 pits (8)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,310
    edited April 2011
    Nice job John!!!! They look fantastic!!!!!
    Polk Audio SDA 2.3tl Fully Hot Rodded. 😎

    SVS SB16 X2

    Cary SLP-05/Ultimate Upgrade.
    Cary SA-500.1 ES Amps
    Cary DMS 800PV Network
    OPPO UDP 205/ModWright Modification
    VPI Scout TT / Dynavector 20x2
    Jolida JD9 Fully Modified

    VPI MW-1 Cyclone RCM

    MIT Shotgun 3 cables throughout / Except TT, and PC’s
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • greyford1979
    greyford1979 Posts: 749
    edited April 2011
    Beautiful work man!!!
    I love animals, they're delicious!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,593
    edited April 2011
    Cant wait to see em again on the 22nd :smile:
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,448
    edited April 2011
    more pics will go up tommorow. A big and public thanks to Wardsweb for the awesome aluminum work for the side trim. They look simply amazing!
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Wardsweb
    Wardsweb Posts: 936
    edited April 2011
    nooshinjohn wrote: »
    more pics will go up tommorow. A big and public thanks to Wardsweb for the awesome aluminum work for the side trim. They look simply amazing!

    I'm glad you like them. I decided to go ahead and clear coat them so they would be less susceptible to damage in shipping. The bead blasting can be a very delicate finish before it is protected by some form of spray or anodizing.

    By the way, if for what ever reason they won't work for you: fit, finish, color or just doesn't "click", you don't have to use them. I just wanted to give you an option to consider.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,448
    edited April 2011
    The fit is perfect. My wife is going to make the call on whether or not they stay the way they are or given a brushed finish. One thing is certain, the aluminum is much better than the wood, and I an deeply greatful for the time and effort you put into them for me.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,448
    edited April 2011
    Some fresh pics...
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,448
    edited April 2011
    ....
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Hawkeye
    Hawkeye Posts: 1,313
    edited April 2011
    I think both the wood and aluminum look fabulous! My choice, last to first is wood, aluminum or going over the top, chromed sides. I'm a McIntosh freak, what can I say!:biggrin:

    No matter what she selects, it will be beautiful addition to any room.

    Gordon
    2 Channel -
    Martin Logan Spire, 2 JL Audio F112 subs
    McIntosh C1000 Controller with Tube pre amp, 2 MC501 amplifiers, MD1K Transport & DAC, MR-88 Tuner
    WireWorld Eclipse 6.0 speaker wire and jumpers, Eclipse 5^2 Squared Balanced IC's. Silver Eclipse PCs (5)
    Symposium Rollerblocks 2+ (16)Black Diamond Racing Mk 3 pits (8)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited April 2011
    Hey John, the aluminum was a good move. When are these bad boys gonna make some noise?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited April 2011
    Much better!

    Now get rid of the silly Carver glass thing and you're golden!
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,654
    edited April 2011
    Oh hell yeah, much better.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • kawizx9r
    kawizx9r Posts: 5,150
    edited April 2011
    Beautiful!

    Now this brings a question, why the hell haven't you modified your crossovers on your SDA's?! Unless they are and I've been under a rock lol :tongue:
    Truck setup
    Alpine 9856
    Phoenix Gold RSD65CS

    For Sale
    Polk SR6500
    Polk SR5250
    Polk SR104


    heiney9 wrote: »
    Any clue how to use the internet? Found it in about 10 sec.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • audiocr381ve
    audiocr381ve Posts: 2,588
    edited April 2011
    Looks awesome! That is inspiring work. Take your wife out for giving you that awesome suggestion, really took the amp up to another level aesthetically.

    One thing though... This is me just being nit-picky as a designer, but I don't get the font chosen on the back of the amp. Everything about the amp screams high-end and the font contradicts that entirely, looks play-skool to me. Just a small detail that only I would even notice or care about! Just interested in how that decision came to be.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,593
    edited April 2011
    kawizx9r wrote: »
    Beautiful!

    Now this brings a question, why the hell haven't you modified your crossovers on your SDA's?! Unless they are and I've been under a rock lol :tongue:

    LOL....he's got a set of Gimpod's boards in route and heck they might have already arrived. Also keep in mind he's moving in a little under a month across the country, might not be the best time to open up speakers given that time constraint lol.....

    That and he's kinda been in love with a new set of Maggie's he got lol....
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,593
    edited April 2011
    audiocr381ve wrote: »
    Looks awesome! That is inspiring work. Take your wife out for giving you that awesome suggestion, really took the amp up to another level aesthetically.

    One thing though... This is me just being nit-picky as a designer, but I don't get the font chosen on the back of the amp. Everything about the amp screams high-end and the font contradicts that entirely, looks play-skool to me. Just a small detail that only I would even notice or care about! Just interested in how that decision came to be.

    The font it actually hand painted on by a local pinstriper I believe. Not sure how he came to that decision but I like it myself..
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,654
    edited April 2011
    audiocr381ve wrote: »
    One thing though... This is me just being nit-picky as a designer, but I don't get the font chosen on the back of the amp. Everything about the amp screams high-end and the font contradicts that entirely, looks play-skool to me. Just a small detail that only I would even notice or care about! Just interested in how that decision came to be.

    You're not the only one, believe me.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,448
    edited April 2011
    EndersShadow wrote: »
    The font it actually hand painted on by a local pinstriper I believe. Not sure how he came to that decision but I like it myself..

    Yes, the lettering on the back was done by hand, courtesy of a local and nationally known striper. Initially, these amps were being done just for me. I was going to go all black on them and call it a day. After Bob gave his blessings to put his name on them, the direction the amps have taken has changed a bit, as building something worthy of the name became paramount. The color choice, for example, calls to mind the anthracite finish used on the old Carver gear. I could have changed the rear panel, but chose to leave it as a reminder of the journey this project has taken me on. I agree that something else would have been better, but I think of the back as a tatoo of sorts that will serve as a reminder of the time and effort spent bringing them to life, and also of the people that brought their talents to bear for their creation.

    This project has been an evolution over a far longer period of time than I hoped originally. These are just "prototypes" and if there are ather amps built as a result of the work put into these, future rear panels will be silk-screened in a more modern font.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited April 2011
    Fonts? ReallY? The guy puts all this work into these monoliths and we have to comment about the fonts? lol

    Nice work John. You may have mentioned this above, but the thread has gotten too long...
    How much does each unit weigh? And where did you get the 'skills' to even take up such a project--were you some kind of craftsman? Because I don't have such abilities and never will! There is nothing in my academic training that would qualify me to undertake such a project without spending a year or so at a Technical school--and I have enough Degrees to choke a horse!

    Very nice!

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited April 2011
    God, I think the font looks pretty damn perfect. I mean its no Times New Roman, but it doesn't look like a human hand did it either.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,448
    edited April 2011
    cnh wrote: »
    Fonts? ReallY? The guy puts all this work into these monoliths and we have to comment about the fonts? lol

    Nice work John. You may have mentioned this above, but the thread has gotten too long...
    How much does each unit weigh? And where did you get the 'skills' to even take up such a project--were you some kind of craftsman? Because I don't have such abilities and never will! There is nothing in my academic training that would qualify me to undertake such a project without spending a year or so at a Technical school--and I have enough Degrees to choke a horse!

    Very nice!

    cnh
    Thanks cnh...

    To be honest, my skills are more conceptual in nature, and though the internal work will be my own, I would not be able to complete these without the help and kindness of Mr. Carver himself. All of the paintwork, granite, and metalwork have been done by others to my specifications, and were it not for them, this project would have died a long time ago. Much credit goes to my wife as she has seen what they can be and has pushed me to keep going with them as well. I have no doubt that you could do something similar if not better given your conciderable talent.:cool:

    Projected weight will be somewhere around 85 pounds each.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • gimpod
    gimpod Posts: 1,793
    edited April 2011
    I just love the look of these amps Clean, Understated and if I must say so Elegant. :cool:
    cnh wrote: »
    Fonts? ReallY? The guy puts all this work into these monoliths and we have to comment about the fonts? lol

    Nice work John. You may have mentioned this above, but the thread has gotten too long...
    How much does each unit weigh? And where did you get the 'skills' to even take up such a project--were you some kind of craftsman? Because I don't have such abilities and never will! There is nothing in my academic training that would qualify me to undertake such a project without spending a year or so at a Technical school--and I have enough Degrees to choke a horse!

    Very nice!

    cnh

    cnh Something my mom always told me growing up and something to keep in mind "If you can read you can teach yourself anything ~ Momma gimpod"
    “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” ~ Mark Twain
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Beetlebum
    Beetlebum Posts: 10
    edited May 2011
    very cool project, what speakers do you intend to drive with these ?:cool:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mrbigbluelight
    mrbigbluelight Posts: 9,790
    edited May 2011
    Bump.

    Because I'm tired of just slobbering over the 703 bookshelf pics in the other thread. :redface:
    Sal Palooza
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter