Carver Amp Issues :(

2»

Comments

  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited June 2009
    Right, I'm not trying to fix anything. I don't have a clue what I'm doing I was just trying to learn a few things about it. I had no idea what type of meter I needed, so I just got the cheapest one there was.

    The amp is already broken, last time I had it hooked up the left channel was going in and out (while still sounding f'ed). I'm going to leave it alone until next fall. Then I'll let my physics teachers try to fix it. They'll do it just because they like fixing stuff.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited June 2009
    Look for cold solder issues.

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited December 2009
    Ok so I'm back at school and had some time to mess with this again.

    There was a burnt out wire under one of the diodes, I soldered in new piece. Then I tried adjusting the top rail voltage. It measured at +84VDC but needs to be +64 VDC at one of the diodes. Nothing I did changed the voltage (There's a voltage adjustment that s supposed to only require a little tweaking to change the voltage, it did nothing for me).

    I also noticed the amp is humming much more loudly than usually and there's a nasty smell coming from the black caps in the back. I'm not sure how to describe it, like burning plastic almost but I don't notice anything melting/burning. If the caps smell does that mean they will need to be replaced or does that mean this amp is just trash now? It still powers on but I'm deathly afraid to actually hook speakers up to it and find out what it sounds like.

    Any suggestions?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,419
    edited December 2009
    Send it to Rita's Vintage Audio... She charges 195.00 flat rate to repair and if you ask real nice... Bob Carver himself will sign it for you.
    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
  • mmadden28
    mmadden28 Posts: 4,283
    edited December 2009
    Airplay355 wrote: »
    ...

    Any suggestions?

    Yes. STOP and send it out for repair or sell it.

    Sorry, I'm all for DIY repair and all, but you have to have an inkling of electronics experience/knowledge at all if you're going to attempt this. You may have just made things worse.

    I mean going from not knowing how to measure voltage on a diode to repairing bad traces and adjusting DC Bias? Wow!
    ____________________
    This post is a natural product. The slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to be considered flaws or defects.

    HT:Onkyo 805, Emotiva XPA-5, Mitsu 52" 1080p DLP / polkaudio RTi12, CSIa6, FXi3, uPro4K
    2-chnl : Pio DV-46AV (SACD), Dodd ELP, Emotiva XPA-1s, XPA-2, Odyssey Khartago, LSi9, SDA-SRS 2 :cool:, SB Duet, MSB & Monarchy DACs, Yamaha PX3 TT, SAE Tuner...
    Pool: Atrium 60's/45's
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited December 2009
    $195 is too much, I only paid $225 for it. I'd rather put the $195 into a newer amp.

    I had some help with the repair, I didn't do it on my own.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mmadden28
    mmadden28 Posts: 4,283
    edited December 2009
    Airplay355 wrote: »
    $195 is too much, I only paid $225 for it. I'd rather put the $195 into a newer amp.

    I had some help with the repair, I didn't do it on my own.

    But you don't know what caused that trace to burn out in the first place, or do you?

    I agree though, there is a limit before you put anymore money into it. Sell it on eBay for parts and get some money back.
    ____________________
    This post is a natural product. The slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to be considered flaws or defects.

    HT:Onkyo 805, Emotiva XPA-5, Mitsu 52" 1080p DLP / polkaudio RTi12, CSIa6, FXi3, uPro4K
    2-chnl : Pio DV-46AV (SACD), Dodd ELP, Emotiva XPA-1s, XPA-2, Odyssey Khartago, LSi9, SDA-SRS 2 :cool:, SB Duet, MSB & Monarchy DACs, Yamaha PX3 TT, SAE Tuner...
    Pool: Atrium 60's/45's
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited December 2009
    Nope I'm not sure what made it burn out. What kinds of things would make that happen?

    And why wouldn't the voltage adjust?

    I don't know what kinds of things cause problems like that but I'm willing to learn. I didn't just come up with the idea to adjust the voltage myself, that was a suggestion of Rich on The Carver Site.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited December 2009
    If it was my amp....I wouldn't mind having it back and I'll send it out for repair....

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited December 2009
    Did you sell it to me originally? I don't remember at all, it was a while ago. If you want it back that's fine with me. It's been treated well I'm just guessing some of the parts are starting to wear out after 21 years (date on the power supply says 8/11/88).

    I haven't been doing surgery on it, all I did was take out the fried wire and put in a new one. I'm not sure why the humming got worse or why the caps smell funky or even why the wire under the diode burnt out. It worked well for a long while and while I was away at school last semester my mom noticed one channel wasn't acting right. I thought it was a blown speaker but it turned out to be the amp.

    Feel free to PM me or keep it in this thread if you really are interested in it.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sk1939
    sk1939 Posts: 295
    edited December 2009
    At this point, there is not much you can really do with that amp, other than sell it or give it away. It sounds like it needs some serious maintenance, and without seeing it I can't really tell you exactly what. Given the price you paid for it, sending it in at that kind of cost is just silly, sort of like sending in your '88 Mercedes-Benz for new parts which cost the same as a new car, maybe not a new Mercedes, but a new car nonetheless; and yes there would be some that would do it, but it's not very economical.
    Home:
    Onkyo TX-6500MKII/Polk LSI 9's (A)Polk TSi 100(B)/Polk PSW 10/Onkyo C-S5VL/Technics SL-QD33
    Home 2 (Playback):
    Dynaudio BM5A MKII/Dynaudio SUB 250MC/Audigy 2 ZS
    College:
    JBL LSR 2325P/JBL 2310SP/MOTU UltraLite MKIII
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited December 2009
    No, I sold it to Jcaut, I believe...

    Eh, I'd like to have it back but have a bunch of other projects and not enough fundage.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter