*** INTEREST ONLY!!!*** Carver Statenment Monoblocks

nooshinjohn
nooshinjohn Posts: 25,465
edited October 2013 in For Sale (FS) Classifieds
... no, not my pair. I am looking to build 3 to 5 pairs of monoblocks that will be an improved version of the ones I built. They will feature the same design cues as these:

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?133261-The-AMP-project...-the-final-chapter-has-begun.

The key changes will be the addition of a center mounted backlit meter and three output tubes on each side of centerline, with the front end moved to the center as well. Granite will be used as before and the transformer covers will be painted to color of choice. Expected output will be in the 375/400 wpc range, and (need to confirm this) Bob is on board to once again trim them out and final inspect the finished amps.

My amps have been singing now for a year and still bring an SDA-wide grin every time I turn them on. Cost has not been established yet, but I suspect somewhere in the 5k range for the pair is about where things will come in at, if there are enough people interested to help drive down cost. Expected completion time for all pairs would be about 9 months from start to finish.

PM me or post here if there is any interest....
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
Post edited by nooshinjohn on

Comments

  • polkfarmboy
    polkfarmboy Posts: 5,703
    edited July 2013
    This is like dangling some crack rocks out in front of a bunch of junkies :smile:

    Edit: What would be the cost of ownership as its something I would definitely want in a future rig even though my checkbook might not
  • oldmodman
    oldmodman Posts: 740
    edited July 2013
    Are you seriously going to be doing it again?

    With even neater improvements?

    Let me check my stock market accounts.

    I might be in for more than a single pair.

    Is there a "bulk discount":eek:
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,465
    edited July 2013
    This is like dangling some crack rocks out in front of a bunch of junkies :smile:

    Edit: What would be the cost of ownership as its something I would definitely want in a future rig even though my checkbook might not

    Outside of electricity they have been perfectly trouble free an haven't cost me a dime.
    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
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,465
    edited July 2013
    oldmodman wrote: »
    Are you seriously going to be doing it again?

    With even neater improvements?

    Let me check my stock market accounts.

    I might be in for more than a single pair.

    Is there a "bulk discount":eek:
    Lol... The bulk discount is spread amongst all participants. The most I feel I can do at one time is 5 pairs
    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
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,761
    edited July 2013
    Not interested, but I have to say again what a damn fine looking pair of amps they are. I'd love to get my ears of them one day.
    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

  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,465
    edited July 2013
    Thank you Jesse. They are a labor of love, and I hope to be able to spread some of that around. These beautiful amps should be appreciated by more than just one guy, and the price these can be built for is still 25% less than the current versions offered by the new ownership.
    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
  • ZLTFUL
    ZLTFUL Posts: 5,656
    edited July 2013
    Hi John.

    Are you trying to get my wife to divorce me?

    Sincerely,
    Ryan

    :mrgreen:
    "Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."

    "Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,465
    edited July 2013
    I am not trying to break up any happy homes, but I do think having a set of these in a home might make one guilty of possessing eye/ear ****.:cheesygrin:

    The way I see this build working would be as a step-by-step program..

    The first step would be to acquire the transformers and have the chassis fabricated. This would cost about $1200.00 and take 6 weeks. Those interested would need to make that payment and I will take care of the rest.

    Step two would be to fabricate the granite, transformer covers and miscellaneous trim items to complete the chassis. This would again take six weeks and run about a grand. Same as above, payment would be needed to progress further.

    Step three would be acquiring the internal parts and building the amps, wiring them up and final assembly. each pair would take three weeks and cost about 1500, including stock tubes complement. (KT-120's) If you want power cords, I can recommend PS Audio AC-5's, but they will add to the cost.

    The final step will be taking them to Bob and have him troubleshoot, test and tune each chassis. Once they have ben signed off by him, they will be packaged and shipped from Snohomish to their final destination. I will b transporting them to him personally and will drive there with the amps in my car, stay with him during the testing and shipment of the amps. final payment would need to be made of course before shipping.

    I expect final costs to com in around 5 grand a pair but may go as high as 6k, depending on parts cost, and compensating Bob for his bench time. The end result will be that you will have a true work of art that will be of heirloom quality that can be passed down for generations. I have little doubt that these amps will surpass any expectations even the most discerning owner would have.

    These will be the last amps for two channel use you will ever buy, and breaking the cost down over the course of the 9 month build should make them easier to acquire.
    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
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,695
    edited July 2013
    The final step will be taking them to Bob and have him troubleshoot, test and tune each chassis. Once they have ben signed off by him, they will be packaged and shipped from Snohomish to their final destination. I will b transporting them to him personally and will drive there with the amps in my car, stay with him during the testing and shipment of the amps.

    This would be the coolest part of the whole 9yards.
    I envy you
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,596
    edited July 2013
    John will you accept a kidney or two or three as a form of payment? :evil::biggrin:

    But seriously I will eventually be getting you to build me a set of tube amps, but its not in the foreseeable future.
    "....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)
  • ZLTFUL
    ZLTFUL Posts: 5,656
    edited July 2013
    John, per our phone conversation, here is my official interest in writing.

    On the plus side, if my wife *does* leave me, I would have a pretty kick **** pair of amps to listen to sad music with.
    "Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."

    "Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip
  • cstmar01
    cstmar01 Posts: 4,424
    edited July 2013
    ZLTFUL wrote: »
    John, per our phone conversation, here is my official interest in writing.

    On the plus side, if my wife *does* leave me, I would have a pretty kick **** pair of amps to listen to sad music with.

    LOL. Just too funny. I'm trying to play it smart and just never get a wife :)
  • oldmodman
    oldmodman Posts: 740
    edited July 2013
    cstmar01 wrote: »
    LOL. Just too funny. I'm trying to play it smart and just never get a wife :)

    That really is the most cost effective solution in the long run.

    And in between girlfriends you can play your audio system as loud as you like.
  • Drenis
    Drenis Posts: 2,871
    edited July 2013
    I too, would love to hear your amps John. I also broke down the cost and while it's a stretch, I could do it. However, it's not practical for me currently. Let's talk in a few years when I'm in my own house or AFTER a few beers :razz:
  • polrbehr
    polrbehr Posts: 2,834
    edited July 2013
    I think it's a remarkable thing you're attempting to do, made more so by the fact that you'll allow people to "progess" their payments along with the completion stages of their amps. And while I can admit I am not interested in buying a pair for now, I would love to someday get to hear them, and think this is one of the coolest things that's been offered around here in a long time.

    Edit: ZLTFULs post is sig-worthy, too> [On the plus side, if my wife *does* leave me, I would have a pretty kick **** pair of amps to listen to sad music with.]

    Jeez, Im sorry John. I totally forgot your thread title. Mea culpa.
    So, are you willing to put forth a little effort or are you happy sitting in your skeptical poo pile?


    http://audiomilitia.proboards.com/
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,465
    edited July 2013
    polrbehr wrote: »
    I think it's a remarkable thing you're attempting to do, made more so by the fact that you'll allow people to "progess" their payments along with the completion stages of their amps. And while I can admit I am not interested in buying a pair for now, I would love to someday get to hear them, and think this is one of the coolest things that's been offered around here in a long time.

    Edit: ZLTFULs post is sig-worthy, too> [On the plus side, if my wife *does* leave me, I would have a pretty kick **** pair of amps to listen to sad music with.]

    Jeez, Im sorry John. I totally forgot your thread title. Mea culpa.

    Thanks for the kind words man, and thanks to everyone else for the support. It is a big project, and one that will be rewarding for all those that participate. At each step of the project, I will post receipts and other documentation to show what has actually been spent per unit(pair)... I am certainly not looking to do this as a huge money-making venture, though I do think it reasonable to make a little bit on these. Bob's bench time will be significant, and I am factoring this into the cost, though I have no clue yet how much that will be. Each amp pair's build will be individually documented and a cd of "production" photos will be included with the builds. I wish I could afford to just build them up and sell them off but I would rather have the involvement of the potential owners so they can be custom matched to individual needs and tastes.

    It is entirely possible that things go smooth as glass and the winds of favor be at our backs on this, thus driving down costs to around 4k/pair, but I have prepared the numbers based on worst case scenarios. It is better to under-promise and over deliver rather than the other way around. I want there to be no surprises here going forward. I have also budgeted nine months for completion, but as with my project and Bob's rather unpredictable schedule, it may be closer to a year. One thing I can guarantee is this will be a worthwhile, fun and enjoyable project for everyone involved.

    Again to everyone, thanks for the support.

    John
    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
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,465
    edited July 2013
    OK guys... to those that have expressed interest, my thanks, and during conversations a couple important questions have come up that need to be addressed.

    First off, as you guys all understand, these amps do not yet exist except for the plans and discussions to make them a reality. One question has been what happens if we are in mid-build and for whatever reason, I change my mind?

    Well, they are YOUR amps, and as such, all parts belong to you. They will be sent to you without delay to finish up later ant your own expense, or you can sell them to someone else that would be wanting to continue the project for you. A third option is that I will continue and complete your amp, which will then be sold on Ebay to the highest bidder. At that time you will be reimbursed for your portion of the cost, as well as SPLITTING THE PROFITS FROM THE SALE!

    Obviously the option of what to do will rest with you, the owner of the amp. I am not financially able to allow for changed minds in mid process, but I will work with anyone to make this a pleasant and fun transaction.

    Other questions are things like what if I don't want the cosmetics done so I can reduce costs?... yes you can. What if I want the best caps/resistors money can buy?... again, within reason, yes you can, so long as they are within the specifications needed to make the amp work as designed.

    The projected timeframe for starting the project is October first....
    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
  • ZLTFUL
    ZLTFUL Posts: 5,656
    edited July 2013
    Hot damn! Better get savin'!
    "Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."

    "Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,465
    edited September 2013
    We are coming up on October guys, and the plan is still in the works. I have a partner that is willing to assist in the build, so things should flow smoothly. I am also looking at providing the option of using the sexy as hell new TungSol KT150's for the power tubes. Preliminary numbers suggest the amps are capable of nearly 500 wpc with the new tubes, and deliver even better bottom end that the KT120's do.

    Cost per tube will be around 50 each...

    The time is now guys to let me know if you guys are up for this.... shoot me a PM and I will send my phone number so we can talk about it.


    John
    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
  • ZLTFUL
    ZLTFUL Posts: 5,656
    edited September 2013
    I already have your number...haven't you gotten my "missed connection" messages and nude pics?!? ;-)

    Looking forward to this and I very possibly could be interested in the upgraded tubes too...
    "Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."

    "Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,465
    edited October 2013
    lol...

    Th project is still open, but on hold until I have at least three people that are ready to go... shoot me a pm when you guys are ready.
    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
  • dcoil
    dcoil Posts: 153
    edited October 2013
    My wife and I got off credit cards (and cash advance) several years ago (Dave Ramsey plug). But nothing has tempted me to fall of the wagon more than these. Wow! Simply Beautiful! And I bet they don't sound bad either.. If I came into any unexpected money soon, I'd be in....
    SDA SRS modded: X’ovrd, de-polyed, inductorized, interconnectorized, re-posted, dynamited, RDO’d, spiked, gasketed, ringed (Larry's), and grill cloth blinged! Done this on my own? Not a chance. Thanks to Raife and all who forged easy to follow upgrades. At least a 100% improvement in sound and my personal listening pleasure! :cheesygrin:Pass XP-10 preamp, Parasound A21 amp, Pioneer Elite DV-58AV (Ric Shultz modded), Audioquest Sky IC's, No longer need my Sunfire sub after mods...
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,465
    edited October 2013
    They sound even better than they look, and I can make them look even better. :smile:
    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