Carver TFM-35x issues

I’m looking for a little bit of guidance here. The amp worked fine for a month and last night getting ready to watch a movie I turned the power on and had the normal sound of what seems like magnetic solenoid closing, and then a click which was normal, but this time no sound and a few seconds later another “click” this went on with no changes until powering off.

I’m assuming it’s going into protection but I’m not sure why. With nothing plugged into it I get the same thing. Any advice on what to check?

Comments

  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,305
    Are you competent and comfortable working inside electronics? Do you have a multi-meter that reads down to mv?

    If so, pop the cover and check the power supply voltage, and see if you can adjust bias.

    Here’s a link to the service manual:

    http://thecarversite.com/manuals/mandir/Carver TFM-35x service manual.pdf
    "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

  • Joshwest90
    Joshwest90 Posts: 109
    daddyjt wrote: »
    Are you competent and comfortable working inside electronics? Do you have a multi-meter that reads down to mv?

    If so, pop the cover and check the power supply voltage, and see if you can adjust bias.

    Here’s a link to the service manual:

    http://thecarversite.com/manuals/mandir/Carver TFM-35x service manual.pdf

    I am comfortable with electronics and soldering desoldering things. I have a fluke DMM that should read to MV. I’ve never adjusted bias or frankly I don’t even know what that means so I will do some research to understand it better.
  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,420
    Sounds like it's time for Rolland at Hi-Tech to give it a refresh. Where are you located?
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    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
  • Joshwest90
    Joshwest90 Posts: 109
    audioluvr wrote: »
    Sounds like it's time for Rolland at Hi-Tech to give it a refresh. Where are you located?

    I live in southern Illinois
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,474
    Joshwest90 wrote: »
    audioluvr wrote: »
    Sounds like it's time for Rolland at Hi-Tech to give it a refresh. Where are you located?

    I live in southern Illinois

    I live in central Illinois and use him exclusively for my Carver work.

  • Joshwest90
    Joshwest90 Posts: 109
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Joshwest90 wrote: »
    audioluvr wrote: »
    Sounds like it's time for Rolland at Hi-Tech to give it a refresh. Where are you located?

    I live in southern Illinois

    I live in central Illinois and use him exclusively for my Carver work.

    Where is he out of?
  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,305
    audioluvr wrote: »
    Sounds like it's time for Rolland at Hi-Tech to give it a refresh. Where are you located?

    No offense intended, but what you’ll pay for a repair refresh on that amp is more than it is worth. I say this as an avid Carver fan and active tech. The 35x is not a mag-coil design, contrary to popular belief - it is a straight class A/B transformer amp. It is a good amp, but not a great amp.

    Further, the “x” models were designed WITHOUT a removable bottom cover. Therefore, servicing requires removal of ALL the output devices and commutators from the heat sink, then standing the PCB up within the chassis to reach the foil side of the board. Some people try to “short cut” the process by freeing the heat sinks themselves from the chassis, and leaving all the transistors attached. This is a BAD idea, as the weight of the heat sinks puts far too much stress on the transistors, PCB and pads. There’s just no easy way to do it - I’ve done three of them, and I will never do another.

    If you want to do some basic troubleshooting, I can help you. However, if the relays are engaging, that rules out most easy fixes. One easy thing to check is DC at the output - hook you meter probes to the +/- speaker posts (one channel at a time) and set your meter for DC voltage. We are looking for any reading < about 50mv, with the amp turned on, no input and no load (speakers) hooked up.
    "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

  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,420
    edited June 2019
    daddyjt wrote: »
    No offense intended, but what you’ll pay for a repair refresh on that amp is more than it is worth.

    Good point. Wasn't aware. Besides there is a nice B&K 200.2 in the for sale ads that would be an excellent bump up from the 35x
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    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
  • CH46E
    CH46E Posts: 3,521
    If you like the sound of your TFM then spending a bit more to keep enjoying it is worth it. Even if it may cost as much as you could buy another for. But this way you know you have a newly refurbished unit that should give another 20 years of enjoyment.

    I spent a lot to have a TFM45 done and I'm glad I did.
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,474
    CH46E wrote: »
    If you like the sound of your TFM then spending a bit more to keep enjoying it is worth it. Even if it may cost as much as you could buy another for. But this way you know you have a newly refurbished unit that should give another 20 years of enjoyment.

    I spent a lot to have a TFM45 done and I'm glad I did.

    The TFM 45 is a much different beast than the TFM35x. @daddyjt is very knowledgeable on Carver and I trust what he has to say, if he says it's not worth the time and cost you can believe it.

  • CH46E
    CH46E Posts: 3,521
    It's not always about the money. That's all I'm trying to say. If he likes the amp i say repair it. Dont matter what its worth.
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    CH46E wrote: »
    It's not always about the money. That's all I'm trying to say. If he likes the amp i say repair it. Dont matter what its worth.

    Every hobby IMO is defined as sort of a money pit! I never expect to get back what I put into it. Otherwise it'd be called a business! And where's the fun in that?

    Our dear brother @DSkip notwithstanding of course! :smile:
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,009
    Yup.
    Many of us here have said " If it sounds good to you, that's all that matters". ;)

    If you have the coin and want to explore and maybe hear a better sound, go for it, as long as it doesn't take away from the bills and necessities.
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,305
    CH46E wrote: »
    It's not always about the money. That's all I'm trying to say. If he likes the amp i say repair it. Dont matter what its worth.

    I certainly meant no disrespect to the OP. I was merely trying to point out that there are a myriad of other (better?) options out there for the $300+ a repair/refresh on a 35x will cost. In my experience, the 35(x) doesn’t really have a specific “sound” to it, unlike other “TFM” amps (I’ve owned two 35x and a 35). That said, and like others have said here, if it’s what he likes, then by all means, get it back up and running.

    The 45 is an entirely different design (mag-coil, switching rail design), and typically well worth the cost of a repair/refresh, if for no other reason than resale.
    "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

  • CH46E
    CH46E Posts: 3,521
    I did not take any offense to what anyone one said. Just throwing out my .02.👍👍
  • CH46E
    CH46E Posts: 3,521
    daddyjt wrote: »
    CH46E wrote: »
    It's not always about the money. That's all I'm trying to say. If he likes the amp i say repair it. Dont matter what its worth.

    I certainly meant no disrespect to the OP. I was merely trying to point out that there are a myriad of other (better?) options out there for the $300+ a repair/refresh on a 35x will cost. In my experience, the 35(x) doesn’t really have a specific “sound” to it, unlike other “TFM” amps (I’ve owned two 35x and a 35). That said, and like others have said here, if it’s what he likes, then by all means, get it back up and running.

    The 45 is an entirely different design (mag-coil, switching rail design), and typically well worth the cost of a repair/refresh, if for no other reason than resale.

    To be 100% honest, I did know that if I did not like it, I could recover all of my cost if I sold it. However, I have really come to like the amp and dont forsee selling it anytime soon.