Bob Carver Tube Amp company is no more…

nooshinjohn
nooshinjohn Posts: 25,392
edited April 28 in 2 Channel Audio
The Bob Carver Co. announced this morning that they are stopping all production and pretty much closing their doors after a decade in business building some very well regarded tube amplifiers. In a conversation I had with Jim this morning, he informed me that they will be looking at releasing part numbers for transformers and schematics for past product so that they can be maintained in the field by either their owners or a competent repair shop. Several factors were cited behind the reasons to close, none of which I feel comfortable getting into at this time.

Perhaps in the future, we will know more about why they closed, and also hope for the best moving forward For everyone involved. Someday in the not too distant future maybe the name will come back at this time all I can really say is thank you for the music.

It looks like Jim is planning on offering warranty support for all product that is still within warranty out to five years from now. He is really a standup guy and I wish him nothing but the best.

https://www.bobcarvercorp.com/
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
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Comments

  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,578
    You are so fortunate to be the recipient of one of the last great "Bob Carver" amps. I see this as the end of an era. Like the Mopar Hemi. It's had many reintroductions and modernizations but in the end it's just a nostalgic piece of history that will never die in our hearts and minds.

    R.
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    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)

    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,146
    Sad to hear that John.

    I've been meaning to put my TFM-35 THX back into a system to hear it again. I was going to do it a week or more ago but got sidetracked.

    Back on the to-do list for sure.

    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • CH46E
    CH46E Posts: 3,591
    I grew up with my fathers system. First a Marantz 2250 (IIRC maybe 2275) to some Quadraflex speakers. Then he upgraded to (per Stereo Review magazines recommendation) some JBL L100Ts. I remember he loved them. In the 90s he picked up a Carver CT-17 pre and TFM25 amp. I remember going with him in Vegas to demo. That was the first time I had seen a tube amp. IIRC it was some silver 7 or Silver 9s. We left that day with the aforementioned CT-17 and TFM25. I was hooked from there on in. A few years back I picked up a TFM-45 and sent it to Greg Garska. Came back and sounded great. It's the only amp I regret selling to date.

    https://youtu.be/nLB_Fy4HVmY?si=hpvLeSCWvr5aUZw2

    Powering. Some Paradigm Studio 20s.



    had a TFM-45 refreshed by Greg Garska.
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,004
    edited May 6
    Bob is a good friend of mine. I am happy for him that, "retirement" is for good this time.

    At one point in my audio journey, I had 13 of his amplfiers in my house at the same time. Had plenty more ever since then and even helped a group build some tube amplifiers up in the mountains of NC during Carverfest.

    I wish him well and hope to see him again at this year's CF, along with his wife Peggy. Maybe some of his college roommates will tag along for one last hooray as well.

    He is getting up there in years and all I have to say is, love him or hate him? He did good for the audio community BITD. Real good.

    Rock on, Bob!

    Tom
    Post edited by treitz3 on
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • GlennDog
    GlennDog Posts: 3,120
    edited May 6
    CH46E wrote: »
    A few years back I picked up a TFM-45 and sent it to Greg Garska. Came back and sounded great. It's the only amp I regret selling to date.

    I have it on good authority that GG is a great technician . . . luckily, just 3 hours north of me in mid Michigan. If I'm gonna use these Pass designed Adcoms (5803 & 5802) . .. I need to get on the road!

    oops . . .tha'd be a 5503
    Post edited by GlennDog on
    AC Regenerator PS Audio PerfectWave Power Plant 10
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  • invalid
    invalid Posts: 1,363
    That's too bad, because I think his new tubes amps were built pretty good at triple the weight of the last ones.
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  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,476
    Greg Garska in Hersey MI is a brilliant tech. He doesn’t just swap parts and blow the dust out - he actually understands the circuits and how they work (not many people do understand, when it comes to Bob’s designs). Further, Greg has worked with Bob for hours at multiple Carverfest gatherings, picking his brain and learning the subtle insights. Any gear sent to Greg will come back to you in tip-top shape.
    "Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow


    “Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
    ― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

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  • invalid
    invalid Posts: 1,363
    daddyjt wrote: »
    Greg Garska in Hersey MI is a brilliant tech. He doesn’t just swap parts and blow the dust out - he actually understands the circuits and how they work (not many people do understand, when it comes to Bob’s designs). Further, Greg has worked with Bob for hours at multiple Carverfest gatherings, picking his brain and learning the subtle insights. Any gear sent to Greg will come back to you in tip-top shape.

    I wonder if he would service a Krell amp, I hate having to ship it to krell for a recap. I'm in Michigan so it would just be a drive.
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  • CH46E
    CH46E Posts: 3,591
    edited May 6
    For the life of me I can't remember what member here I sold the Garska TFM-45 to. Hey.... You still here??? 😂 I would not mind buying it back!
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  • CH46E
    CH46E Posts: 3,591
    edited May 6
    Ahhh @honestaquarian was Carlton I sold her to. You still have her? Still happy with it?
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  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,476
    invalid wrote: »
    daddyjt wrote: »
    Greg Garska in Hersey MI is a brilliant tech. He doesn’t just swap parts and blow the dust out - he actually understands the circuits and how they work (not many people do understand, when it comes to Bob’s designs). Further, Greg has worked with Bob for hours at multiple Carverfest gatherings, picking his brain and learning the subtle insights. Any gear sent to Greg will come back to you in tip-top shape.

    I wonder if he would service a Krell amp, I hate having to ship it to krell for a recap. I'm in Michigan so it would just be a drive.

    I would bet he’d take it on.
    "Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow


    “Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
    ― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

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  • CH46E
    CH46E Posts: 3,591
    daddyjt wrote: »
    invalid wrote: »
    daddyjt wrote: »
    Greg Garska in Hersey MI is a brilliant tech. He doesn’t just swap parts and blow the dust out - he actually understands the circuits and how they work (not many people do understand, when it comes to Bob’s designs). Further, Greg has worked with Bob for hours at multiple Carverfest gatherings, picking his brain and learning the subtle insights. Any gear sent to Greg will come back to you in tip-top shape.

    I wonder if he would service a Krell amp, I hate having to ship it to krell for a recap. I'm in Michigan so it would just be a drive.

    I would bet he’d take it on.

    There are 2 local places for audio repair here. They both declined to work on Krell. Apparently Krell is very tight lipped on schematics.

    Hell, I could not even get them to tell my if my Krell KAV3250 was class A or AB and if AB approximately how much class A bias.
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  • robingudgel
    robingudgel Posts: 1
    I saw the Phase Linear Superamp poster at the PL factory in Edmonds when I was hired there in 1971. I am going to be getting my brothers poster at some point. I can’t find any information about this poster online. It is Superman with the original 700 built into his chest. I never paid much attention to this poster. I don’t know when or how many were made? I was the 8th person hired at PL and was the production supervisor for a couple of years. I knew every inch of the factory and I do not remember seeing a stash of these posters anywhere. The only ones I am aware of are my brothers and the one on the wall. I know it was only 53 years ago, so someone like Bob Carver or Steve Johnston should know something about the history of this poster. It is really good.
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,004
    I will ask him when I am at Carverfest this year. It's coming up shortly.

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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