Carver m500t Reviews and opinions?

[Web Police]

Nice amps for sure. I happen to like Carver Equipment.

 

[Phase Linear Phanatic]

Thanks!! Upon receiving them; i took them apart. Replaced the meter bulbs, and took apart the glass to remove dust that built up between the meters and the glass. Using transparent audio cables, my Arcam AVR 400 as a pre, and my oppo BDP-105 as my audio source, I put on a super audio CD of chicago's 26 to 4. Sound was incredible; meters were jumping, was afraid to crank it more, but i did to test. My speakers took the pounding and the bi-amped M500t's broke no sweat. Raw clean power is where these guys reside.

Do they beat my bi-amped PL 700B's? Well no; but my father isn't going for ear deafening volume either. Even these may be overkill for him. But there is something he desires. Raw clean power. Even if you don't turn it up. Just knowing it's there, makes the music sound so much clearer. The amp not having to push so hard. They are indeed very nice looking amps. Can't wait to repost in January to you guys to let ya know how it all turns out. I know we all turn our heads when we hear or see a PL amp; but no as much gets said of Carver's later ventures. (Which is understandable considering PL was his first and best). Thanks for the kudos guys!!!

 

[Phase Linear Phanatic]

Final Conclusion On The M500t's

Gentlemen, after the six month waiting game; my father received his dual Carver M500t's this Christmas, and he was LITERALLY "blown" away. I covered them up with a blanket and had a rock song on 'Pause' for six hours, till present time under the three came around. I started off by whipping off the covers and un-pausing the CD player and BOOM! He was greeted by blaring tunes and sweeping meters. I said Merry Christmas, and enjoy your new pair of Carver M500t's! He thought it was a joke? That they were mine? Never ever expected something like that!

I should also note, he also received two tubes under the tree of two PL400 WOA light boards. I installed them yesterday for him. Now he has all four of his PL 400's in Joe's awe-inspiring white light!

I hooked up the Carver's in his system upstairs, in place of two PL400's he was using with his audio research SP3A-1 preamp. He told me he was hearing things in his music he had not heard before. He said he wanted four more M500t's to replace all PL400's.

Well........I'm cool with that if he is happy. But see; here is the thing. I swear I can hear a difference in model years on these amps. It's like comparing a 4-fin PL400 to an 8-fin PL400. (even though there may be sonically no difference)? But in THESE I think so. From what I can tell................the earlier model has a missing mod that the later has. And the later SOUNDS better to me. Accurate to be best described. The non mod seems to sound "muddied" or distorted when you crank the volume. But it's not technically distorted. If you know what I mean? It just sounds "off" to me. But HE swears he can't hear it in his highs? But he said he's "old and can't hear highs anyway". Well he has that non-mod amp ON his highs and I can tell.

So riddle me this batman? For anyone out there that knows Carver amps, I have noticed a discernible difference on the circuit boards. From what TINY bit I could find on some obscure site; I THINK I read that resistors were added in in later production runs to better adjust the bias. Or Bias resistors were added. Any truth to this? Here are photo's I took of the internal circuitry before it left my hands. I'd be interested to know what if any improvement this may cause? If indeed it was made as an improvement?

Regardless, he is VERY pleased. And couldn't have asked for more. He deserves it. Thanks guys!

 

[Phase Linear Phanatic]

"He said he wanted four more M500t's to replace all PL400's."

Ignore that. I should have mentioned THAT part was said two hours after I installed them, and AFTER a dozen beers while listening to the music. The next day I got a voice-mail saying "umm yeah. don't do that. on second thought, I want to keep the PL400's. It's good enough".

The things a guy will say when he's all liquored up. Hmmmm I am wondering if he still feels the same way NOW about the Carver's? We shall see when he puts those PL 400's back together downstairs and he can do a camparo. LOL! Ahhhhhhh....... my father. Never could make a straight decision in his life. Liquor or no liquor. LOL!

 

[laatsch55]

Throw a fully comp WOPL in there, without his knowing, I'd bet a weeks wages he'll pick that one...

 

[Gibsonian]

That's easy money. I'd go further and say throw any WOPL, fully or quasi comp in there for same result. It's no contest.

 

[Phase Linear Phanatic]

Throw a fully comp WOPL in there, without his knowing, I'd bet a weeks wages he'll pick that one...

I would HAVE to! He won't let me touch the four eight fin PL400's he has. Aside from the light boards; he wants the guts factory. I'd need a whole new beast to compare it to to convince him. it's the only way.............................

 

[Phase Linear Phanatic]

Throw a fully comp WOPL in there, without his knowing, I'd bet a weeks wages he'll pick that one...

There's no doubt in my mind that if I won that lotto, (which I won't. Because I have never won anything in my life.....not even a scratchers ticket); my father would be getting the fully white oaked 400. Only THEN will he see and hear the difference. He owns no 700's and doesn't want them. But he loves the 400's. I myself am the opposite. That would be a perfect side by side comparo. I could A/B them for him on the same source and let his ears decide. I'd bet you if he heard the difference, he'd ask me to have Lee build three more! Hah!! That would make me smile knowing I was right about the White Oak PL's all along. He'd send those Carvers packing and dismiss the Rotel idea.

 

[laatsch55]

The last 2 winners never won anything either.......