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You didn’t like the Valhalla 2 with low impedance cans even in low impedance mode?

Thanks very much for this video. Your thoughts on these Carver products was nice to hear. I recently bought a pair of Fortes and the guy threw in a Carver MXR-130. The synergy between the two is actually quite good. The amp also drives my Tekton Pendragons with ease. I do guitar and tube amp repair / set ups, upgrades, modifications, etc. as a profession, but don’t work on solid state too much. I really like the original sonic character of the amp, so I’m going to merely upgrade the electrolytics and anything else I see needing replacement. Thanks very much again. Your thoughts and experience is very much appreciated. Edit: I forgot to mention those dreadful binding posts will absolutely be changed

I live in Canada and I had FANTASTIC warranty service!

I have a Carver 900 receiver that went bad a few years ago. I found that Carver still services this 80's vintage unit & so sent it to them for repair. They repaired it at modest cost and had it back to me within a month. The unit works great!

@scottlowell493 Good advice! Like you, I finally got tired of buying classic vintage gear and constantly having to refurbish/upgrade/modify it. Ultimately, it was a huge time and money sink, and still didn't always result in the sound quality I was chasing. For a while it seemed fun and worthwhile because of the challenge of making something old and classic "new" again and the nostalgia aspect. But a while back I even sold my beloved Adcom GFA-555 MkII and finally updated my system with something modern and efficient... a ~$1300 Stereo "kit" amplifier that requires no soldering or special tools to assemble which uses the modern Hypex Nilai500 modules and is sold by DIYclassD. I never knew what I was missing and am never going back, LOL. It's got a boatload of power, the background is as black as deep space, and it is load impedance agnostic. I'm a drummer/percussionist & saxophonist and have my own home recording studio, and my own recordings have never sounded more lifelike, holographic, and dynamic. No, it's not the classic tube/valve sound that some might prefer. But when I hear my instruments and other high quality recordings being played back with such lifelike realism that I get goosebumps and chills down my spine, I know I've reached my end game goals. Side Note: Check out the Cifford Jordan Quartet's 'Round Midnight track from the "Live At Ethell's" album, or Norris Turney Quartet's "Blues For Edward" from the "Big, Sweet N' Blue" album...both on the Mappleshade Records label (unfortunately out of print), or Cecile McLorin Salvant's "Devil May Care" from her "Dreams and Daggers" release. Someone else is still enjoying my old Adcom now, so it didn't just end up in a landfill somewhere, and is still making beautiful music. Cheers

I restorated pt1800

I have an 806x 6 channel power amp that I can just barely hear some 60 Hz. hum if I'm within a foot of the speakers, been thinking of doing a recap of the audio chain myself.

I have a TFM35X on the way to High Tech Audio for a rebuild.They did a TFM15CB for me years ago and it sounds great.

I miss my M-1.0t mk II's and PM 1201's. My road rig consisted of a case with a pair of M-1.0t mk II's running a pair of 502b subs, and two PM 1201's running a couple of monitors and four PT 2400's running our four pole-mount Custom PPA15 800W PA enclosures. Was the closest you got to Tube sound with enormous power and clarity. Also had an optional outdoor kit with two more PT 2400's driving two pairs of AWCS-II SR tubes that my dad hacked to work way better than with the WSC controller, those things would rattle fillings out of your head 100ft away in a grass field, the sound pressure was nuts. My dad was a huge Carver fan and when his boss had bought a high-end boutique loudspeaker company back in the 90's, it came with an entire room full of about fifty M-1.0t's, M-1.5t's PM1200's/1201's PT-1800's and PT-2400's The PT-2400's were pre-production units and had some supply issues. I think my dad offered his boss $1000 for 12 varying units, the 2400's weren't working right and the 1800's kept blowing fuses, he put about $500 worth of component upgrades into them and then we beat the bag out of them for years. I toured with the kit for years with multiple bands, he did as well, in addition to DJ events. He still uses four of the same 2400's in his DJ/traveling PA sound-kit and he's in his 60's.

great review buddy!

I subscribed when I discovered that you listened to some classical music with these. Almost all other reviewers use pop/rock material for evaluations.

Very informative video. Do you know what the M 200-T was nulled against? Also, what is the topology of these amps? Class A/B, class D? Class H?

I like carver products for the most part. I liken them to pioneer or any other consumer lvl audio. Every brand has its good and its bad products so I don't listen to the haters or fanboys. I have a couple TFM 35s and am pleased with the sound quality. I like the warm tube sound they give. Whats there to hate?

Nicely done, appreciate the honest review. I have an Carver 2000 receiver and am debating what to do with it since it supports both moving magnet and moving coil phono inputs. Is this a better candidate for a refurb or is some sort of ‘upgrade’ available?

Killer review just what i wanted

Great information, thanks. I sent my PM-1200 to Rolland Barr for a full refresh, definitely nostalgic product for me, that is why I went forward with the service. I also have a Soundcraftsmen A2502 that I'd like to recap.

I have a Carver M240 amp that I purchased as part of a system for my 84 Z28. It worked very well at driving my 12 inch subs.

Currently have a Carver C-2 preamplifier and a Carver M-400 amplifier. A Rotel RP1100q turntable with a very nice Shure cartridge and stylus. Klipsch Heresy II speakers. To me, it sounds amazing.

I"ve heard that it's a side grade from the Jotenheim2.

I am currently boycotting all Russian made product therefore the Tung Sol 6SN7gtb is not my 1st choice. I agree with your observations but I plan on purchasing the EH Gold based on larchan from Passion for Sounds recommendations. Have you tried pairing the Lyr+ the Ultrasone PRO 780i or the Sylvania 6SN 7GTB before? I primarily chose this amp over Singxer SA-1 due to the more ‘real’ higher power output that is said to be 5 watts @ 50ohm so I can pair it with my Hifiman HE6 SE. At ‘high’ gain and the with the linear volume control, I set my Lyr+ to 3 o’ clock to get decent volumes with this pairing I was wondering if you or anyone could recommend a comparable single ended DAC…. I hear that the Bifrost 2/64 is better sounding as balanced.

What do you think of the digital time lens stand alone unit ? I have one. Where should it go in the chain of streamer, DAC, pre,-amp and power amp ? Is it good to adjust dither ?

Note: when carver made his amp, he installed a series of variable potentiometers to dial in Bias. The mods simply install fixed resistors to set bias accurately.

Note: a Sunfire "load invariant". isn't just more stable and powerful, it's not made of lowest bidder parts than carver amps.

i've had Asgard amp and it was my worst buying. the lack of bass and dominion of higher frequencies make it sound worse then my smartphone 3.5 output. but scene and details were superb for this price.

I have a Carver C1 preamp and carver tfm 45 amplifier upgraded and a carver m1.5t mkii upgrade from nelion audio speakers are elac uni-fi uf5 speakers