4.0 refreshed by Roland at High tech has returned.
ohskigod
Posts: 6,505
As you might remember, the right channel on my Carver 4.0 started to get fuzzy shortly after Polkfest and decided to send it to Rolland at High Tech Audio for repair
Just got it back. I had it refreshed, along with adding bypass caps. the repairs and shipping both way was a little north of 400
some commented how it might not be worth it and I understood the argument. for me, it was an amp that i loved, and knew I wanted to keep. I figured an amp rebuilt for 400 was better than buying one new for alot more than that and still might not like it as much.
just hooked it up to the AR9's, and man did I miss this amp. Seems to be a more noticeable improvement over my Hafler 500's than I remember before. keeping it simple, they sound brilliant. Bass is tighter and more refined. More detailed without being bright at all (still maintaining it's overall warm tubish quality). You can hear the timbre of instruments better, vocalists sound like they are literally breathing right in front of you.
400 well spent in my eyes. I'm dying with this amp in my possession, plain and simple.
Just got it back. I had it refreshed, along with adding bypass caps. the repairs and shipping both way was a little north of 400
some commented how it might not be worth it and I understood the argument. for me, it was an amp that i loved, and knew I wanted to keep. I figured an amp rebuilt for 400 was better than buying one new for alot more than that and still might not like it as much.
just hooked it up to the AR9's, and man did I miss this amp. Seems to be a more noticeable improvement over my Hafler 500's than I remember before. keeping it simple, they sound brilliant. Bass is tighter and more refined. More detailed without being bright at all (still maintaining it's overall warm tubish quality). You can hear the timbre of instruments better, vocalists sound like they are literally breathing right in front of you.
400 well spent in my eyes. I'm dying with this amp in my possession, plain and simple.
Living Room 2 Channel -
Wiim Ultra. Jolida CD player. Fiio k11 R2R DAC, XTZ as300 Edge amp. Focal Cobalt 826 towers,
Upstairs 2 Channel Rig -
Classe Audio 5 Preamp, DIY1200as2 Icepower Amp x 2, Wiim pro streamer and Topping E70 Velvet DAC, California Audio Labs DX1 CD player, Polk LSi15's with MM840 woofer upgrade.
Studio Rig - Scarlett 18i20(Gen3) DAW, Schitt Saga 2 preamp, Topping a90 headphone amp, Mac Mini, Audiophonics Hypex NC252m amp, Polk r200's
Wiim Ultra. Jolida CD player. Fiio k11 R2R DAC, XTZ as300 Edge amp. Focal Cobalt 826 towers,
Upstairs 2 Channel Rig -
Classe Audio 5 Preamp, DIY1200as2 Icepower Amp x 2, Wiim pro streamer and Topping E70 Velvet DAC, California Audio Labs DX1 CD player, Polk LSi15's with MM840 woofer upgrade.
Studio Rig - Scarlett 18i20(Gen3) DAW, Schitt Saga 2 preamp, Topping a90 headphone amp, Mac Mini, Audiophonics Hypex NC252m amp, Polk r200's
Post edited by ohskigod on
Comments
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http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=109304&highlight=carver+rolland
here is the original threadLiving Room 2 Channel -
Wiim Ultra. Jolida CD player. Fiio k11 R2R DAC, XTZ as300 Edge amp. Focal Cobalt 826 towers,
Upstairs 2 Channel Rig -
Classe Audio 5 Preamp, DIY1200as2 Icepower Amp x 2, Wiim pro streamer and Topping E70 Velvet DAC, California Audio Labs DX1 CD player, Polk LSi15's with MM840 woofer upgrade.
Studio Rig - Scarlett 18i20(Gen3) DAW, Schitt Saga 2 preamp, Topping a90 headphone amp, Mac Mini, Audiophonics Hypex NC252m amp, Polk r200's -
Cool Lou, enjoy that POS!
I believe it's great that the gear has a bonafide, Carver associated, high quality joint to send it to, even if the prices are a bit high.CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint. -
yeah, I'm not gonna argue it's pricey....this might not be for everyone and I understand that completely. You have really gotta love the Carver amps as much as I do for it to be worth it
for me though? I'll pay extra to now it was done right and will last a long time.Living Room 2 Channel -
Wiim Ultra. Jolida CD player. Fiio k11 R2R DAC, XTZ as300 Edge amp. Focal Cobalt 826 towers,
Upstairs 2 Channel Rig -
Classe Audio 5 Preamp, DIY1200as2 Icepower Amp x 2, Wiim pro streamer and Topping E70 Velvet DAC, California Audio Labs DX1 CD player, Polk LSi15's with MM840 woofer upgrade.
Studio Rig - Scarlett 18i20(Gen3) DAW, Schitt Saga 2 preamp, Topping a90 headphone amp, Mac Mini, Audiophonics Hypex NC252m amp, Polk r200's -
yeah, I'm not gonna argue it's pricey....this might not be for everyone and I understand that completely. You have really gotta love the Carver amps as much as I do for it to be worth it
for me though? I'll pay extra to now it was done right and will last a long time.
True and it will, no doubt. Not everyone has an amplifier guy and there's a lot of knowledge in that shop about a single brand. I can respect that. This is the same shop as Rita right?CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint. -
no, Rita's is a different outfit, but has her fans as well. She did a good number of Anthony's Carver 9t's, and he has no issues at all. Roland was pricier, but he changes everything (all the caps wether they need it or not) from jump street. Our resident Vampire was in Roland's camp as well so he won the battle.
so really, there are 2 pretty knowledgeable shops for the Carver, which is sweet.Living Room 2 Channel -
Wiim Ultra. Jolida CD player. Fiio k11 R2R DAC, XTZ as300 Edge amp. Focal Cobalt 826 towers,
Upstairs 2 Channel Rig -
Classe Audio 5 Preamp, DIY1200as2 Icepower Amp x 2, Wiim pro streamer and Topping E70 Velvet DAC, California Audio Labs DX1 CD player, Polk LSi15's with MM840 woofer upgrade.
Studio Rig - Scarlett 18i20(Gen3) DAW, Schitt Saga 2 preamp, Topping a90 headphone amp, Mac Mini, Audiophonics Hypex NC252m amp, Polk r200's -
Sounds good Lou, enjoy!! People have a tendency to get too hung up on price. If it's something that's important to you then price is a moot point. Sounds like that good 'ole Carver will be around for some time to come.
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Rolland did my c19 also. he does do good work.
Congrats i agree it is worth the piece of mind knowing it is done right once and now you dont have to mess with it for another 20 years!!! The foam will rot on the speakers before the amp gives out LOL BTW AR9 good speaker!! -
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listening to it again today, seriously...this thing sounds fantastic. of course, I don't know if the improvement is from the refresh or the bypass cap mod he did....and as usual I don't care.
Ernie, I agree with you re: the AR9's. I dread the day they let go, as I will go through the trouble of repairing them...and it will not be cheap. either way, a speaker I will die with.Living Room 2 Channel -
Wiim Ultra. Jolida CD player. Fiio k11 R2R DAC, XTZ as300 Edge amp. Focal Cobalt 826 towers,
Upstairs 2 Channel Rig -
Classe Audio 5 Preamp, DIY1200as2 Icepower Amp x 2, Wiim pro streamer and Topping E70 Velvet DAC, California Audio Labs DX1 CD player, Polk LSi15's with MM840 woofer upgrade.
Studio Rig - Scarlett 18i20(Gen3) DAW, Schitt Saga 2 preamp, Topping a90 headphone amp, Mac Mini, Audiophonics Hypex NC252m amp, Polk r200's -
Rolland has done my 490t and C19. He does outstanding work. When you consider his price keep in mind what the unit cost new. That is basically what you get back from him after he works his magic.
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What series of the ar9's do you have?
That is on my list of speakers to find in IL. LOL. I love this hobby!! -
it's just the AR9, no LS or whatnot. vintage 79-80 ish?
has the 2 12" (actually more like 11) sidefiring woofers per channel.Living Room 2 Channel -
Wiim Ultra. Jolida CD player. Fiio k11 R2R DAC, XTZ as300 Edge amp. Focal Cobalt 826 towers,
Upstairs 2 Channel Rig -
Classe Audio 5 Preamp, DIY1200as2 Icepower Amp x 2, Wiim pro streamer and Topping E70 Velvet DAC, California Audio Labs DX1 CD player, Polk LSi15's with MM840 woofer upgrade.
Studio Rig - Scarlett 18i20(Gen3) DAW, Schitt Saga 2 preamp, Topping a90 headphone amp, Mac Mini, Audiophonics Hypex NC252m amp, Polk r200's -
Sweet!! I have heard many good things about them but, I still have never heard one. they dont seem to come up to often in this area.
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He did the crossovers for my Plats. I was quite satisfied...
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He did the crossovers for my Plats. I was quite satisfied...
oh yeah, forgot you mentioned that.
on an unrelated note, your 9t's are currently cruising in my office rig powering the LSi9's. lovely
(swapped em in when I blew the fuse on my Anthem.....apparently finding a 3.5 amp slo blow fuse is not as easy as I anticipated, radio shack didnt have it)
the 9t's are a ridiculous amp to use as a stopgap..LOL waaaaay too much power for that room.Living Room 2 Channel -
Wiim Ultra. Jolida CD player. Fiio k11 R2R DAC, XTZ as300 Edge amp. Focal Cobalt 826 towers,
Upstairs 2 Channel Rig -
Classe Audio 5 Preamp, DIY1200as2 Icepower Amp x 2, Wiim pro streamer and Topping E70 Velvet DAC, California Audio Labs DX1 CD player, Polk LSi15's with MM840 woofer upgrade.
Studio Rig - Scarlett 18i20(Gen3) DAW, Schitt Saga 2 preamp, Topping a90 headphone amp, Mac Mini, Audiophonics Hypex NC252m amp, Polk r200's
