Carver C-1 and upgrades?

[Bob Boyer]

So I've got this Parasound HCA-1000 sitting around doing nothing and saw a C-1 in mint visual condition for sale for $300. Assuming it works as described, does that seem to be in the ballpark? If so, any thoughts on how it might interact with the Parasound (a John Curl design)?

And finally, since you seem to be the go-to C-1 guy, Perry , when do you think you'll have a bench set up, sir? If sooner rather than later, I'll PM you to talk details should I pull the trigger on this idea. Thanks in advance, everyone.

 

[J!m]

I think it’ll work.

 

[WOPL Sniffer]

$300 is a good price for a mint C-1 even if it don't work. They have a single board and are easy to fix with the right parts. Upgrades, which the C-1 responds to very well, start at under $200 and go all the way up to $1000 (the gold RCA upgrade to get rid of the Carver/PL plastic RCA garbage) for the full Monty. OR you could get an Acurus RL-11 (with a remote) which needs only to be plugged in and it's better than most preamp costing BIG bucks. It don't have a phono section but for about $300, you can own the best one I ever heard.

 

[WOPL Sniffer]

I won't be doing a lot of work (especially the heavy shit), but I will be taking in a FEW jobs here in Jan.

 

[J!m]

I’ll second Accurus, or big brother Aragon for low cost/high performance/value components.

I don’t know about their power amps, but other than board quality, which is poor, components are top notch for the most part and they are simple. Madrigal labs was Mark Levinson after he sold his name off. Also Proceed, Red Rose and Cello. All good stuff!

 

[WOPL Sniffer]

 

[Bob Boyer]

I know about the Acurus pedigree and other than the Panasonic(?) laser that crapped out on my Acurus CD, I loved it. Had a nice sound. I'll keep my eye out for an RL-11 as well. Just toying with an idea of running amp/preamp again. I saw a Counterpoint Solid 8 for $400 about the same time I saw the Carver; I'll poke around and see if there are any Rl-11s out there as well. I've been happy with the Phonomena preamp/Denon cartridge combo so I wouldn't be changing anything if I went line-stage only...

 

[VSAT88]

2nd the Aragon. I got a 28K MKII and it is a substantial piece of equipment with remote. It is a totally different animal than anything I have ever had before. Much higher quality build. Think I gave 600.00 for it. I would pay that again. It is very nice and sounds well, it has no sound far as I can tell. Its like having a straight wire with drive. as far as that Parasound equipment, man I like that stuff. Got a HCA 1206 360 wpc bridged and I believe it too. Heavy as hell. 71 lbs. The Aragon weighs more than 25 lbs. Pretty heavy for a preamp.

 

[J!m]

I don’t understand why the brand didn’t endure longer.

The later all silver flat face stuff I’ve not heard. That was after Mark sold it and moved on. Maybe his engineers left too? Where did they go?

 

[VSAT88]

I did some reading about that but could not find much. Cant really recall what I read but they were bought out you know, same story, some big conglomerate buys them and sells it all off bit by bit .

 

[Gepetto]

I did some reading about that but could not find much. Cant really recall what I read but they were bought out you know, same story, some big conglomerate buys them and sells it all off bit by bit .

Bean counters are not known for their vision...

 

[J!m]

Indeed.

 

[Bob Boyer]

2nd the Aragon. I got a 28K MKII and it is a substantial piece of equipment with remote. It is a totally different animal than anything I have ever had before. Much higher quality build. Think I gave 600.00 for it. I would pay that again. It is very nice and sounds well, it has no sound far as I can tell. Its like having a straight wire with drive. as far as that Parasound equipment, man I like that stuff. Got a HCA 1206 360 wpc bridged and I believe it too. Heavy as hell. 71 lbs. The Aragon weighs more than 25 lbs. Pretty heavy for a preamp.

Agreed. I have significant experience with Mike Elliott's top-shelf Counterpoint gear (the SA-5000 hybrid preamp and his NPS-400 hybrid amp) and would have them to this day if I hadn't needed the money back when. Like the Aragon gear, Nelson Pass's Threshold and later stuff, Conrad-Johnson, and other top-end gear, this stuff is in another league. Build quality is generally well above average. Is this level of quality worth the premium price (especially when new)? That's always the conversation, but there's no denying the quality of both the build and the sound of this level of equipment.

 

[laatsch55]

" You haven't reached the point of diminishing returns, you've just run out of money!"
One of my bud Stephen's favorite quotes..

 

[WOPL Sniffer]

Nice L10 (no remote function) in mint condition.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/154708328824?hash=item240555c178:g:rdsAAOSwOvthl0rX

 

[WOPL Sniffer]

P10 Phono Pre to go with it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/154708043473?hash=item24055166d1:g:8h0AAOSwCQxhlyqo

 

[Bob Boyer]

Hmmm... this one also caught my eye: https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649795877-acurus-ls-11-preamp-upgraded-by-kevin-chambers/

Choices, choices...

 

[WOPL Sniffer]

Hmmm... this one also caught my eye: https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649795877-acurus-ls-11-preamp-upgraded-by-kevin-chambers/

Choices, choices...

There are several of us using them with no upgrades. I didn't think there were any issues with the stock Pre

 

[Gepetto]

There are several of us using them with no upgrades. I didn't think there were any issues with the stock Pre

Yup, bone stock. Wire with gain...

 

[laatsch55]

Kevin Chambets is member Mondialfan here Bob. He did the FET upgrade to my Acurus LS-11...its quieter after the upgrade, not that it was noisy to begin with, a before residual noise measurement was at 35 microvolts, after it was 22 microvolts.