The Tubes are more mellow and laid back. You trade off some serious muscularity for a more warm and relaxed sound. I think tubes work wonderfully with high efficiency loudspeakers. Often to gain efficiency there is a bass roll off, so tubes tend to have that nice warm bottom end while rolling off the highs a bit. If I'm being honest, I think those speakers sound a little choked by the tube amp. It doesn't sound like it's opened up.
You have a very good ear. I think it was more of the receiver’s pre amp that was stifling the tube sound. I have since gotten an actual preamp - peachtree audio hybrid. And wow it really opened up. It made a good difference in both solid state and tube amps. But the tubes were able to brighten up, also that tube amp has the ability to adjust its bias to get the sound you like. I had it a little off at the time of this video, so now with that change and the addition of the preamp it’s very sweet sounding. Not that it wasn’t before, just a little sweeter. Thanks for watching
I know Im asking the wrong place but does anyone know of a way to get back into an Instagram account..? I stupidly forgot my account password. I appreciate any tips you can give me.
@Harvey Amari thanks for your reply. I found the site thru google and Im trying it out now. Takes quite some time so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
I have a 1957 Motorola stereophonic masterpiece stereo console with original Motorola tubes in a blonde walnut cabinet. The sound is so much warmer than any of my SS amps and it is just a beautiful piece of furniture to boot.
@Audiolympian thank you. I'm just an average guy. I noticed my face muscles remained very tense the entire time the prior to the tube amp and literally immediately upon the switch the muscles relaxed. The body can likely sense the sound is not natural balanced and the tube amp likely harmonizes the sound causing the relaxation. Is my theory. I literally replayed it twice and notice subtle muscle tension on the other amp and then literally immediate relaxation upon the switch to the tube. I have been reading also that music has been deliberately tuned to the wrong hertz and some artists are tuning their sound and instruments back to the correct one. The difference is really big and I also noticed feeling more relaxed when music is tuned to the correct hertz and tense at the one the govt made musicians record at.
@@Audiolympian yea see that! The body knows that it isn't right and it is actually an irritant. Now imagine our whole society is affected by it on a grand scale and irritated all day and don't know why. The music felt better with analog and tube. I am thinking if I could at least attach a tube to feed my 2 towers from my receiver?
Ah I’m not an expert but as far as the transformers, one is probably the power transformer & the other two are output transformers to step down the voltage for the speakers. Tubes generally have to run at far higher voltages than a transistor.
@@jcadlololols4671 correct on the transformers. The preamp tubes can serve different functions. In some cases, they are just amplifying the signal, which is probably what one of the tubes is doing. For a push pull amp, you'll usually have a tube for each channel that is a "splitter" which is providing the signal for each of the power tubes that are on either end of the output circuit. driver->splitter>output tubes.
One of the tube preamps is likely used for the RIAA Phono circuit. I can't tell what it is, but likely a dual triode which can handle two channels with one tube. The other preamp tubes are probably single triode and are thus independent for each channel. Transformers - one power and one output per channel.
Carvers are so sweet. I was fortunate to buy 3 brand new TFM 75 (1000 watts Mono). I have been living in Medellin Colombia for 5 years. Can't wait to hear my Carvers again when I get back to the States.
How about comparing the Bob Carver amp, one of the old time designers to another, Frank Van Alstine and his current SS line like the $2,000 Vision Set 400 amp?
Thank you for sharing, very interesting and informative, just uploaded a few of my hand crafted tube Amps. I enjoy learning more about the world of tube Audio
tube much more balanced, musical. The bass was better defined, the treble sweet, and the biggest difference is the voice. It is so clear. With tube amp you can sit for hours and listen without getting tired of the sound.
Milan, that is specifically due to our proprietary feedback loop-- only for the back EMF-- so the amplifier can listen to the room plus the fact that from the outset, human physiology played a part in voicing the amplifier which sounds substantially like our $32,000 model.
@@Audiolympian Back in the day I use to have the Carver Magnetic Field Power Amplifier M-1.5t. That amp alone would shake the house apart lol Here are some specs from personal bench measurements. 350 wpc at 8 ohms 600 wpc at 8 ohms maximum it can borrow 150 wpc power from either channel if need be for a total of 750 watts into a single channel and has virtually every kind of protection for the amp and your speakers known to mankind.
@@Audiolympian I have never seen another amp that would beat the M-1.5t but on the other hand I have never run across other amps that I could or wanted to compare it to. But if you want to talk about tube amps they are in a completely different category altogether.
@@Thomasp671 I know what you mean. I had a Prima Luna before I got my 275 and it couldn’t compete. Of course it’s was only half the amount of power, but the way the carver listens to the room and regulates the sound is phenomenal.
Decided to get best of both worlds so I am biamping. Tubes for mid tweeters and solid state for bass drivers using the MC 901 from McIntosh. Seems very good so far really brings out the upper range drivers and a dedicated bass amp doesn't hurt
Bob Carvers a genetic field amps were the exception to the tube vs solid state argument . He challenged two 'tube ' fanatics backin the eighties saying he could make a solid state amp that could rival the best tube amp . his buddies laughed u til it became painful . he finished working on the amp , submitted it to his buddies for testing over two days and got a call from them , with a message of ' we didn't think it was possible but you did it ." i had one of those amps hooked up with the original polk SDAs. considering that most musical experiences are subjective i won't even attempt to describe that amp and those speakers
I do have a video that n the works with the xpa 1l. I just got a second one for stereo sound. They do sound really good. It does have a lighted logo. I have several Emotiva amps and the brightness on the logo is a little different on each one. Some are bright and some are dim. Thanks for watching
I am thinking about getting the carver crimson 275 from Jim Clark he is only 20 minutes away from me. Right now I have the carver c-1 preamp and the carver tfm 45 amplifier speakers are elac UniFi uf5 and the polk audio sda 2b studio monitors that I switch once in a while
I heard the new Carver Ram 285 last Friday by Jim Clark at the Carver corporation in Rockford, Illinois. He did a little work on my Carver. C1 preamp, that amplifier sounds really nice. On his mega Pan speakers with my Carver c-1 preamp
@@rudykraker4905 super cool. I’ve always wanted to go to Jim Clark and checkout his shop. It’s not too far from me in Michigan. And eventually I’ll make it to SVS in Ohio both places are about the same distance away.
emotiva, the vocals is moving straight fwd infront of the listener with great clarity and wideness, analytical,punchy. tube , the vocals steps back and jive with the whole music creating a jam band session experience. (natural ,relaxed)
"The Carver amp is significantly higher quality then the Emotiva" Funny you say that... I have an emotiva XPA-2 gen 3. It's getting replaced by a Carver M1.5T that is getting a total overhaul/mod/upgrade by Carver Audio repair.
@@Audiolympian Back in the day Carver was excellent but- was held back from being top tier- they had to meet a price point. A few basic parts upgrades (op amps, caps etc) and it becomes something customers use instead of $$$$ amps. An affordable masterpeice.
Scott Lowell agreed. I enjoy watching Bob Carver videos talk about his creations. You can clearly see his passion and genius he has that not many people have.
@@Audiolympian Bob is an industry white hat. He invented solutions to things people said was impossible. He thought outside the box, and beat the high end for a fraction of the cost.
Thank you for sharing, very interesting and informative, just uploaded a few of my hand crafted tube Amps. I enjoy learning more about the world of tube Audio!
I liked the solid state amps way better than the tube amp. I could clearly hear everything with the solid state amps. The Carver tube amp sounds muddy.
I don't know if you own the Carver and if you do and are happy with it, I'm happy for you. I couldn't listen to that thing, though. It sounded like someone got a little happy on the loudness and tone controls and turned the bass and midbass to mush. The distortion levels must be exceptionally high.
Wow I’m surprised to hear that. Yep it’s my amp. In fact I just re-arranged my tube set up last night and hooked up my carver to my Tekton impact monitors and it sounded fantastic. I will say this. I purchased a very early model when they became available, the first amp I received did sound different then the one I have now. I returned it because of some issues. The one in the video is my second one. Thanks for watching appreciation it
Cruzing RSX nope Goldenear have the capability to use the subwoofers without connecting an rca interconnect just by connecting the speaker wire as long as the power cable is plugged in. However, if you do connect an rca cable to the speaker and receiver the bass is better. Thanks for watching!
2 reasons. 1. I’ve always liked the speakers Sandy Gross has made. I used to have Polk audio speakers then I went to the definitive technology brand a lot of which I still own. Then I found out about the Goldenear line. The big difference I love about GE is the ribbon tweeter it truly is their secret sauce for high quality sound. 2. My local high end retailer carry the paradigm, klipsch and Goldenear brands. Among others that come in on trade in. But I felt the Goldenear sound the best. Thanks for watching
@@liya7058 that’s a deep question. Depending your taste. I like the smoothness of Primaluna integrated amps. Parasound has really good ones too, PS Audio sprout is a great little amp. Also a good Denon or Marantz receiver is good for Aon 3’s too. Thanks for the question.
Yeah more watts but also sweeter and more resolving sound with better dynamics. Prima Luna does make a bigger amp with more tubes and higher wattage, that amp is probably a better comparison. Thanks for watching and commenting
@@Audiolympian it is ridiculously good and I haven’t even put 10hrs on it yet!! Lol. However I did leap frog the stock tubes that come with the WA22, so that has a little something to do with why I’m in such tube euphoria.
I replaced a Carver TFM-35X with the Crimson 275. The tube amp has much smoother midrange, the ss had a little more drive in the very low bass. I'm using high efficiency speakers (98dB/2.83v/1m). The Crimson sounds so sweet I'm ok with the drop in very low bass.
Awesome. One of my favorite jazz bands too. I follow Chieli Minucci on IG they still tour all over the world. I’d love to see them live one day. Thanks for watching
I blind tested Mcintoshes in both tube and solid state. Absolutely could not tell the difference but IMO Mcintosh knows how to make solid state amps sound like tube amps.
Nice setup. No mention of Hybrid Amps? Kind of get the best of both worlds. I have a Vincent SV-500 Hybrid Integrated Amp and it sounds pretty good. By the way those old Denon AVR's are solid. I have a Denon AVR-3300 (which was a progression of your 3600 because it came with DTS for the first time). Bought it new in 1999 and still works 2day. So your 3600 must be a little older then that. Then about 6 years ago (before the Vincent) I bought the Denon AVR-5700, which was the big brother to the 3300 back in 1999. Absolute beast, around $3k in 1999, got it on ebay for around $250. Still working but packed away with the 3300 for now. Your right, they dont make it like those anymore. Want to pick up a AVR 5800 one day just because.
Nice gear bro. Them old school Denon’s were practically bullet proof. And yes they rock! Actually, it’s funny you mention hybrid amps. I have a ps audio m700 hybrid amp. That is a video I have coming out soon. Comparing that with solid state and tubes. The new class d amps have come a long way. I used to have the AVR 5700 it was a monster.
Yamaha’s have always been a good brand. Especially the older models. It’s a bit bright sounding for some people. I like it so I usually paired it with speakers not so bright back then paradigm or definitive so it balanced well. But I agree I’d use for mostly stereo or 3.1 / 4.1. / 5.1. Which will still give great sound. Hope that helps and thanks for watching and subscribing
The carver amp cost 4 times the price of the 2 emotiva amps. Is a BMW better than a corolla, of course it is , but is it better then the equivalent Porsche. Comparisons should be realistic.
True. However speaking in terms of MSRP. If you were to look under the hood of the Carver amp compared to the Emotiva. They are both quite simple. Unlike a BMW engine. So the high cost of the Carver amp has a lot more to do with its bells and whistles. So remove its fancy body, Carver name and unique design to keep the tubes from getting too hot then you’d have about a $500 tube amp which is closer in the comparison. Thanks for watching
@@Audiolympian If it's basically a $500 tube amp in makeup how come it sounds better than your old premaluna which uses quality parts and still manages to be $1000 cheaper than the carver. There has to be something about it that gives it the superior sound and higher price.
kerry brath well the same goes for the Primaluna. Under the hood mostly all parts from China. You know the caps, resistors etc. The primaluna I had I purchased used for about $1,000 less but the original msrp was about the same price. The difference in the sound between those two amps was probably mostly due to the Carver more powerful tube at 75 watts. The Primaluna was at 40 watts. Keep in mind the primaluna and Carver are hand made products awesome build quality in their bodies to look very nice, solid and sturdy. Everything hand made is always going to have a way higher price tag no matter if it’s furniture, watches, clothes we pay for the craftsman time and knowledge. I had to wait 3 weeks for my Carver to be made and to my surprise I had some options I could choose on a few things, I’m quite sure those specialties were worked in the price. Thanks for your comments/questions I enjoy discussing with you.
@@Audiolympian consider the following: 1) all of our amplifiers have the longest warranties in the history of the industry-- five years on circuitboard units including tubes; 10 years on the point to point models. 2) the product is handmade in the United States without Chinese components 3) the product listens to the room and reproduces a larger soundstage with more depth. 4) we've never had a failure. the 275 is now 2 1/2 years old. we don't even have a service department-- no need. 4) all of our dealers are required to give the money back guarantee; if the amplifier does not sound better than what you currently have, you get every penny back without a restocking charge. Thus far, we have never had a unit returned. 5) the internal temperature runs about 90°-- cooler than the inside of your mouth. I measure the chassis, immediately in front of the KT 120s, at 98° so the amplifier may never ever wear out since it's not boiling itself to death. 6) it's the only amplifier in the world along with its siblings that can repair a defective output tube so there's never a reason to return the unit for service. 7) The Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Aston Martin owners club will be celebrating their 50th anniversary in London in 2021 at a gigantic luxury Expo featuring $5000 pens, million-dollar watches, aircraft and yachts and we are the only American audio manufacture to be included. We were chosen because the product has a retro feel, a definite heritage, but unmatched technology by any other company, hence the ability to listen to the room, track the impedance of the loudspeaker for best performance, adjustable compensation for when you change brands of loudspeakers without using any signal processing or digital circuitry, and the longest warranties in history. 8) Ken Kessler, the Dean of British audio reviewers, and a regular monthly columnist on the web as well as contributing to both Absolute Sound and Stereophile magazines just bought one from me when he could've had it for free. He insisted on paying after his visit to the United States right before the pandemic. As a reviewer of such stature, he can have anything he likes for a full year at no cost from any of us 9) finally, the product cost so much to build that neither Bob nor I could take any income for the first four years. Please keep these things in mind when you are comparing a mass-produced Chinese product to a handmade amplifier that embodies everything we've ever known about the ear-brain interface (Bob Carver also developed monoclonal antibodies to fight virus and cancer in addition to his doctorate in physics, and his master's degree in electronics).
Great content again! Have you considered posting a blind a/b listening test where it's not labeled and take a poll to see if you can get any consensus. Then in a separate video post the results from the poll and which was which? I've haven't seen a blind test on youtube!
I can even clearly hear the difference on my iPhone. The solid state let you hear lots of artefacts and sibilance in the highs. It’s sounds also quite nervous. The Tube sound is relaxed, no annoying artefacts just pure music!
@@nicktube3904 good ear you have. I felt the same way. I can’t get enough of my tube amp. I got a Primaluna preamp on the way I’m super excited about. Can’t wait to hear how both tube devices will sound together. Thanks for watching
@@Audiolympian Prima Luna is a Dutch brand we’re I live :) I have never heard it myself but I hear good things about the brand! I have a Audio Note Oto SE signature, really amazing ✨
@@nicktube3904 oh yes. I know that brand you have great gear. FYI we have a giveaway coming up once we pass 1,000 subscribers and more giveaways after that. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Yeah. But honestly even in person they were pretty close the differences were mostly tones and some clarity. Polis my volume wasn’t very high. I’m sure that would make a difference too. Thanks for watching
@@Audiolympian The number one comment we get is about sound staging. The amplifier uses your loudspeakers as microphones. all loudspeakers are not only microphones but electric motors as well. due to the theorem of reciprocity, all electric motors must send back EMF (voltage) to the voltage source-- in this case, the amplifiers under test. Because of the unmeasurably low output impedance of solid-state amplifiers (and a commensurately high damping factor), that voltage which contains the room sound from your microphones (speakers) is discarded. We are the only company in the world to develop a special circuit to retrieve that information and reproduce it 35 to 40 dB below the music so it's not audible except for providing a larger soundstage with more depth. The amplifiers listening to the room and tracking the loudspeakers impedance as well. there is no signal processing. there are no digital circuits of any kind. I am Frank Malitz, cofounder and VP of the Bob Carver Corporation and I can be reached anytime at 847-668-4519 if any of you need guidance or suggestions. after all, it's my hobby as well. For more information, Google my name and you should come across a little video presentation from the axpona show. Please forgive any mistakes and the lack of capitalization; I simply don't see as well as I did when I was younger.
@@fmalitz OMG. Thanks for your response and comment here. I definitely know who you are sir! I have been a huge fan of the carver product line for many years because of it’s innovation and trailblazing products. I’ve watched all of bob’s videos online several times. I own several carver products amps and speakers. I sold my primaluna amp after getting my carver 275. I wish I would have done a comparison video because the carver was so much better and was less expensive. The one product I would love to get but haven’t been able to find one on the used market is the Sunfire Classic Vacuum Tube Preamp. I wanted to pair it up with the 275. Thanks for your info here and your number. I would love to chat and hear about the days of origins and hard knocks. Thanks so much sir!
This is an example of why I don't think sound demos work on TH-cam. To me the Emotiva's sounded better. Of course I'm hearing your samples through your microphone - through TH-cam - My TV's DAC - My Amp - My speakers. I'm not hearing anything like what you are hearing. However, thanks for the tip on Special EFX. I'm listening to them now on Qobuz. They have a nice sound.
Haha. You not the only person to say that about the Emotivas. Which is why I usually still recommend hearing things in person. It’s always different. I love the special EFX jazz group great sound. Thanks for watching and commenting for the support. 👍
The emotiva was clearly louder (and therefore more open & punchier) .. didnt look like this test was level matched properly. Carver sound subdued. Easy to tell the level difference if you jump between 5:11 and 6:11 on the timeline.
@@naikrosh I will bet you that if you come to Axpona later this year and don't feel that our product is more open sounding-- arguably one of our greatest strengths-- than the Emotiva, I will buy you the solid-state amplifier. Let me see if I understand this: you judge openness through TH-cam?? On a computer?? Conversely, if you're honest, and you admit that our tube type amplifier (and almost any other brand as well) is more open sounding, your buying me dinner. fair enough?
Good review. Tube amps blow away solid state period. More bass, more and better everything. Not laid back, just kick ass dynamic real audio sound. Like real live music. All speakers are better with tubes. Naysayers just do not want to spend thousands on a tube amp that is small and efficient. Not flashy enough? I want real music sound. Tubes do that. I play music, I use tube amps, I know. I really do not care what an amp looks like or how big it is. I want big, tube sound. Hear tubes on your speakers. You may never even look at solid state amp again, no matter how many watts they claim to have.
Is this useful to anybody? The two samples aren't level matched at all (tubes sound way quieter). It seems like you recorded the sound with your phone or camera's onboard mic. And last but not least, you have the bass cranked up all the way on the Denon!! That's crazy man.
This definitely was not very sophisticated or scientific, mostly due to the transfer and quality of TH-cam. However this being one of my first videos I have gotten better equipment and learned to to talk more about the sound and details I heard just as another person’s opinion. Thanks for watching though.
I know for a fact that an American Five AM radio sounds clearer with hearing the difference between person saying p, or t or in normal speech, the s is more clear with a tube radio than a solid state radio! The word calipso, or calitso cannot be differentiated on solis state radios, yet with tube radios it is clearly understood!
I do live sound and have listened to tube and solid state amps. Tubes are simply an older way to EQ. If you have a good EQ you can make a solid state amp sound the same. I know because I have done it before.
Recently I just got a solid state preamp with a built in dac and your right when I make adjustments on it my ss amps sound like tubes. Thanks for watching
Very nice video and presentation Audiolympian Definitely the tube amp is the winner, never heard of Bob Carver 275, always thought he did SS amps A touch surprised it 'blu away' the Prima Luna whom I have a high regard for You might want to look at Doge tube amp if you fancy investing more
Thanks. Carver does have less tube amps that solid state. This 275 is the newest and entry level of the tube amps. Their other tube amps are like $4k up to $9k. Out of my price range. But the crimson 275 is such a good and neutral amp. I’m still a Primaluna fan as well. I’ll look into that amp. Thanks for watching.
@@Audiolympian At the moment all out of my price range Lol, I have just purchased my first tube amp, for a 2nd system I us when abroad, a cheaper Chinese (RTFLYS A2) but it does the job I wanted and so very happy
First combination plays energic and dynamic in this video.but we cant understand the soundstage in a video.i think tube plays wide and deeper than solid state.so our mind chooses energic sound.i prefer solid state in this video,tube amplifier in real life.
Same here. The solid state amps were more dynamic and the tubes were warmer and sweet sounding. I like having both around. Some days I love the tubes and some days I love the solids. Thanks for watching
@@Audiolympian actually, we provide a loudspeaker compensation faculty with our adjustable bias-- go hotter for more detail and vibrancy or drop down to 80 mA for sweetness and staging. You cannot break the amplifier with the bias control. experiment. We ship at 100 mA. Bob is a soundstage freak so he likes 80.
Not a very fair comparison. Class D amplifiers simply have zero "headroom". I mean, just look at the Carver's huge power supply and caps? Should have compared the Carver against YBA, Krell or Super fast Spectral. Personally, I like dynamics, massive sound stage and tangible organic sound. I like being forced to mute my system, because I think somebody knocked on my door or is in my home...thanks to an impossibly large deep soundstage. Realistic over warm any day, for me. I like being able to hear dead silence, capturing the size of an outdoor concert, hall or recording studio. Solid state for me.
Actually the Emotiva amps are class A/B amps. You may like my other video comparison video. I compared my carver tube amp to my Sunfire cinema grand solid state amp. That was a much closer comparison in sound. I agree solid state is quite and has massive soundstage. Which is why I have Parasound jc 1’s but some days I want the warmth and clarity of tubes. Thanks for watching
NewYorkBlack that is weird. You must have really, really good headphones maybe. The Emotiva was a little louder but here live the difference in sound was immediate. Thanks for watching
Wimbo 9 yes. This amp is amazing. It has it own bias control and a switch if your using a powered sub. Lots of control to change the sound how you like it. Thanks for watching
Thank you for the video, but you didn't explain what you liked about the audio from the tube amplifier. You just said it was better, this gives us nothing to go on besides your opinion
Of course Bob Carver is so much better, more natural, more organic and more musical! This comparison is weird and I don't understand it, the vacuum tube musically will always be superior, period! "Positive Distortion - Sequence Harmonics": Tubes produce more even than odd and this fact is thought to be a primary reason tube circuits sound more musical than solid state. ................. this positive distortion is more pleasant to the human ear. The music has a dynamic response.... Also; THD" Total Harmonic Distortion" doesn't tell you anything about an amp's ability to play music. Some of the best and most prized amps made have lousy THD (3-5%) ,but play music better than amps with stellar specs and perfect square and sine wave response. (Transient Intermodulation Distortion) "TIM" is a better indicator of an amplifier's capability.
Right you are. And I agree. However there are always people out there that would disagree, so my comparison was to just give those with a difference of opinion another chance to possibly have an open mind and think to themselves “maybe we should give tubes another chance” thanks for the comment and watching
Hifi solid state amps just lacks the dominate midrange and authentic octaves a tube amp presents and the solid state amps just are weak presenting the sound stage to produce a band in front of you ! Solid state is great for machines but in audio it lowers the level of quality sound a large noticeable amount that is obvious to the ears !
The difference was subtle. Mostly only noticeable in person. Also I didn’t have the volume very high. Butte tubes were more clear and cleaner sound as the Emotivas were a little more muffled sounding in comparison. Again very subtly. I’m still a huge Emotiva amp fan as they pack good power and have pretty good dynamics. But overall if I had an unlimited budget and was going to choose an amp for everything, I think I’d go for a modern class D amp. The new ones are outstanding and take up a lot less space. Thanks for watching.
I enjoy both solid state and tubes. But lean more towards tubes. I enjoy the warmth that tubes exude. The silky highs, sweet mids ... now bass is an issue. But I just use subs. Some good solid state can give you that tube style of sound. Airy and holographic. The Audia Flight amps come to mind. Then you got typical solid state systems that are so clear, crisp and taut. They got very good bass. I just listened to the Yamaha C5000/M5000. Just awesome. But don’t give you that holographic effect. Still it’s a great system. It’s just 🍎 and 🍊
hushpuppykl right you are. I love the power of solid state. And with the right speakers the sound is amazing (plus a little lighter on the wallet) and some days I crave the silky smooth sound of tubes with a good sub. Thanks for watching.
Audiolympian ... chasing NOS tubes can be painful. Just got x4 pieces of the Pope 6SN7GT, now gonna get another x4 to keep. They are so smooth. Happy Hunting!
Audiolympian ... want the honest truth? Hehehe ... smoother than NOS Sylvania 6SN7GTA. Just a notch or two up. But it’s smooth. It’s not like comparing say a EH 6SN7 vs NOS Sylvania 6SN7GTA. 😬
It's like reviewing a car driving in the dessert..........tubes were never conceived to drive the modern speakers .......... Every body seems to be an expert these days................I agree with some of them ..............mostly as soon as people talk about tube sound ...............I know they don't understand nothing about what this technology is about ...........
Well, you're WRONG. I'm sick of you people trying to rewrite history. There was obviously a fault with the valve amplifier design which led to a refined design. Its easily heard in your crapy conparison video. Evolution is the winner. You're obviously going backwards in life trying to educate yourself.
People buy two amplifiers and become experts , giving their expertise as if they were designers with degrees in Electronics and electrical engineering!! and fools accepting their bla bla bla ....
How about 2 1/2 years of production without a single amplifier being returned for sonic reasons despite a guarantee of performance-- not one single unit returned ever. I suggest you audition the product. Perhaps you should visit Glenn Poors AV website. Geoff Poor was a principal at BAT for 22 years. He went back to his retail store and is the largest Balanced Audio Technology retailer in the world and the largest retailer of Wilson audio loudspeakers in the Midwest and he wrote a tribute to our little 275 on his website. He sells speakers that retail for half million dollars and he writes a tribute to our product. check it out. I'm very proud.
Haha. I agree. So on my newer videos it’s much shorter and sometimes I don’t use the intro. However quick tip incase you may not know, if your watching on a phone or tablet if you double tap the screen of the video on the right the video will skip forward between 10 and 40 seconds.
Fact- any tube or hybred tube amp drives speakers more effiently than solid state amps. Less power is needed with tubes. Every speaker will sound better, best driven by tubes. Tube audio blows away solid state. Period. Save money, get a rockville for 140 bucks and dont look back.
Emotiva 4:13 4:24
Tube 5:20 5:30
The Tubes are more mellow and laid back. You trade off some serious muscularity for a more warm and relaxed sound. I think tubes work wonderfully with high efficiency loudspeakers. Often to gain efficiency there is a bass roll off, so tubes tend to have that nice warm bottom end while rolling off the highs a bit. If I'm being honest, I think those speakers sound a little choked by the tube amp. It doesn't sound like it's opened up.
You have a very good ear. I think it was more of the receiver’s pre amp that was stifling the tube sound. I have since gotten an actual preamp - peachtree audio hybrid. And wow it really opened up. It made a good difference in both solid state and tube amps. But the tubes were able to brighten up, also that tube amp has the ability to adjust its bias to get the sound you like. I had it a little off at the time of this video, so now with that change and the addition of the preamp it’s very sweet sounding. Not that it wasn’t before, just a little sweeter. Thanks for watching
I know Im asking the wrong place but does anyone know of a way to get back into an Instagram account..?
I stupidly forgot my account password. I appreciate any tips you can give me.
@Kristopher Nicolas Instablaster :)
@Harvey Amari thanks for your reply. I found the site thru google and Im trying it out now.
Takes quite some time so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Harvey Amari It worked and I actually got access to my account again. Im so happy:D
Thanks so much you saved my ass!
I have a 1957 Motorola stereophonic masterpiece stereo console with original Motorola tubes in a blonde walnut cabinet. The sound is so much warmer than any of my SS amps and it is just a beautiful piece of furniture to boot.
Wow that sounds like a great piece. They don’t make them like that anymore. Thanks for watching and commenting
I literally noticed my body stopped being tense once the tube amp played, very interesting.
@@nesq4104 wow that is interesting. Thanks for watching
@Audiolympian thank you. I'm just an average guy. I noticed my face muscles remained very tense the entire time the prior to the tube amp and literally immediately upon the switch the muscles relaxed. The body can likely sense the sound is not natural balanced and the tube amp likely harmonizes the sound causing the relaxation. Is my theory. I literally replayed it twice and notice subtle muscle tension on the other amp and then literally immediate relaxation upon the switch to the tube. I have been reading also that music has been deliberately tuned to the wrong hertz and some artists are tuning their sound and instruments back to the correct one. The difference is really big and I also noticed feeling more relaxed when music is tuned to the correct hertz and tense at the one the govt made musicians record at.
@nesq4104 great insight. Now that you mention it, I do always feel more relaxed when I listen to my tube amp. Just never thought about it
@@Audiolympian yea see that! The body knows that it isn't right and it is actually an irritant. Now imagine our whole society is affected by it on a grand scale and irritated all day and don't know why. The music felt better with analog and tube. I am thinking if I could at least attach a tube to feed my 2 towers from my receiver?
I love Carver amps..... I'm a proud owner of the Carver Silver 7t 575watts Monoblock amps. I can't wait to buy the top of the line Carver Tube Amps.
Wow. You got some masterpieces. I too have always been a fan of carver products. Bob is quite the genius
@@Audiolympian Amen to that.
you should check out the article on audio science review first
so can someone explain to me why a 2 channel amp needs 3 transformers and 3 pre-amp tubes?
Ah I’m not an expert but as far as the transformers, one is probably the power transformer & the other two are output transformers to step down the voltage for the speakers. Tubes generally have to run at far higher voltages than a transistor.
@@jcadlololols4671 correct on the transformers. The preamp tubes can serve different functions. In some cases, they are just amplifying the signal, which is probably what one of the tubes is doing. For a push pull amp, you'll usually have a tube for each channel that is a "splitter" which is providing the signal for each of the power tubes that are on either end of the output circuit. driver->splitter>output tubes.
One of the tube preamps is likely used for the RIAA Phono circuit. I can't tell what it is, but likely a dual triode which can handle two channels with one tube. The other preamp tubes are probably single triode and are thus independent for each channel. Transformers - one power and one output per channel.
wow. thanks was wondering if i should give tubes a go but i know i will go with solid state
Thanks for watching
Carvers are so sweet. I was fortunate to buy 3 brand new TFM 75 (1000 watts Mono).
I have been living in Medellin Colombia for 5 years. Can't wait to hear my Carvers again when I get back to the States.
Nice gear. I love my carver too. Thanks for watching
Very informative video!!! With Tube amp's vocals sound astounding on my HD6xx!!
Appreciate the compliments. Thanks for watching.
On Which DAC ?
Emotiva sounds great! The Carver sound good too. Maybe less loud
I agree. Since then I’ve upgraded preamps and that has brought out the differences much more.
Tubes are always less loud.
How about comparing the Bob Carver amp, one of the old time designers to another, Frank Van Alstine and his current SS line like the $2,000 Vision Set 400 amp?
🤔 that’s a pretty good idea. Thanks
What make r the speakers?
Those are the Goldenear One.R’s thanks for watching
Thank you for sharing, very interesting and informative, just uploaded a few of my hand crafted tube Amps. I enjoy learning more about the world of tube Audio
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching and commenting
tube much more balanced, musical. The bass was better defined, the treble sweet, and the biggest difference is the voice. It is so clear. With tube amp you can sit for hours and listen without getting tired of the sound.
Yes I definitely can. I’m surprised you could hear that on the vid. You got great listening skills. Thanks for watching
Milan, that is specifically due to our proprietary feedback loop-- only for the back EMF-- so the amplifier can listen to the room plus the fact that from the outset, human physiology played a part in voicing the amplifier which sounds substantially like our $32,000 model.
Yes.... The Carver had much cleaner wide open highs and the bass was fuller and just insane.
Yes tubes all day. I did a follow up video of this one with a sunfire solid state amp and the carver tube amp. I was quite impressed with both amps.
@@Audiolympian Back in the day I use to have the Carver Magnetic Field Power Amplifier M-1.5t. That amp alone would shake the house apart lol
Here are some specs from personal bench measurements. 350 wpc at 8 ohms 600 wpc at 8 ohms maximum it can borrow 150 wpc power from either channel if need be for a total of 750 watts into a single channel and has virtually every kind of protection for the amp and your speakers known to mankind.
@@Thomasp671 that is awesome. I love that carver products are so powerful and built to last
@@Audiolympian I have never seen another amp that would beat the M-1.5t but on the other hand I have never run across other amps that I could or wanted to compare it to. But if you want to talk about tube amps they are in a completely different category altogether.
@@Thomasp671 I know what you mean. I had a Prima Luna before I got my 275 and it couldn’t compete. Of course it’s was only half the amount of power, but the way the carver listens to the room and regulates the sound is phenomenal.
Nice video. I'm trying to buy to preamp to balance out the solid-state Mono amps I have
Thanks, appreciate your feedback and for watching.
Howd it work out? Thats what im considering, was thinking schitt freya+
Decided to get best of both worlds so I am biamping. Tubes for mid tweeters and solid state for bass drivers using the MC 901 from McIntosh. Seems very good so far really brings out the upper range drivers and a dedicated bass amp doesn't hurt
@iampuzzleman282 whoa. Yes that should be awesome
Bob Carvers a genetic field amps were the exception to the tube vs solid state argument .
He challenged two
'tube ' fanatics backin the eighties saying he could make a solid state amp that could rival the best tube amp . his buddies laughed u til it became painful . he finished working on the amp , submitted it to his buddies for testing over two days and got a call from them , with a message of ' we didn't think it was possible but you did it ." i had one of those amps hooked up with the original polk SDAs. considering that most musical experiences are subjective i won't even attempt to describe that amp and those speakers
Great story. Thanks for sharing
oh my gosh i should have edited the spelling . yikes! 😂
@siriosstar4789 haha
I would like a test with emotiva xpa1L that can switch to A class. That emotiva don"t have a light on the logo?
I do have a video that n the works with the xpa 1l. I just got a second one for stereo sound. They do sound really good. It does have a lighted logo. I have several Emotiva amps and the brightness on the logo is a little different on each one. Some are bright and some are dim. Thanks for watching
@@Audiolympian Thanks and keep on doing videos with emotiva.
@@federicomalacrida5732 I certainly will as long as you keep watching them.
@@Audiolympian You have my word and a new suscriptor.
@@federicomalacrida5732 🙏🏽 thanks so much appreciate the support. Going’s to have a giveaway as soon as we hit 1,000 subs.
tube all the way man.
👍. Thanks for watching
I am thinking about getting the carver crimson 275 from Jim Clark he is only 20 minutes away from me. Right now I have the carver c-1 preamp and the carver tfm 45 amplifier speakers are elac UniFi uf5 and the polk audio sda 2b studio monitors that I switch once in a while
Very Cool. I had the UF5’s too. They sound excellent with the Crimson. Thanks for watching.
I heard the new Carver Ram 285 last Friday by Jim Clark at the Carver corporation in Rockford, Illinois. He did a little work on my Carver. C1 preamp, that amplifier sounds really nice. On his mega Pan speakers with my Carver c-1 preamp
@@rudykraker4905 super cool. I’ve always wanted to go to Jim Clark and checkout his shop. It’s not too far from me in Michigan. And eventually I’ll make it to SVS in Ohio both places are about the same distance away.
emotiva, the vocals is moving straight fwd infront of the listener with great clarity and wideness, analytical,punchy.
tube , the vocals steps back and jive with the whole music creating a jam band session experience. (natural ,relaxed)
Very good ear you have. Thanks for watching and commenting
"The Carver amp is significantly higher quality then the Emotiva"
Funny you say that... I have an emotiva XPA-2 gen 3. It's getting replaced by a Carver M1.5T that is getting a total overhaul/mod/upgrade by Carver Audio repair.
Wow that things gonna be a masterpiece when it’s done. It’s cool to see other carver fans out there. There’s not many of us.
@@Audiolympian Back in the day Carver was excellent but- was held back from being top tier- they had to meet a price point. A few basic parts upgrades (op amps, caps etc) and it becomes something customers use instead of $$$$ amps. An affordable masterpeice.
@@Audiolympian Sources:
Hi-tec wudio./ Washington
Neilion audio/Michigan
Scott Lowell agreed. I enjoy watching Bob Carver videos talk about his creations. You can clearly see his passion and genius he has that not many people have.
@@Audiolympian Bob is an industry white hat. He invented solutions to things people said was impossible. He thought outside the box, and beat the high end for a fraction of the cost.
Thank you for sharing, very interesting and informative, just uploaded a few of my hand crafted tube Amps. I enjoy learning more about the world of tube Audio!
You’re welcome. Thank you for watching and commenting.
I liked the solid state amps way better than the tube amp. I could clearly hear everything with the solid state amps. The Carver tube amp sounds muddy.
Great input. Thanks for watching.
I don't know if you own the Carver and if you do and are happy with it, I'm happy for you. I couldn't listen to that thing, though. It sounded like someone got a little happy on the loudness and tone controls and turned the bass and midbass to mush. The distortion levels must be exceptionally high.
Wow I’m surprised to hear that. Yep it’s my amp. In fact I just re-arranged my tube set up last night and hooked up my carver to my Tekton impact monitors and it sounded fantastic. I will say this. I purchased a very early model when they became available, the first amp I received did sound different then the one I have now. I returned it because of some issues. The one in the video is my second one. Thanks for watching appreciation it
If your using Goldenear speakers are you just feeding the highs to compare the two amps?
Cruzing RSX nope Goldenear have the capability to use the subwoofers without connecting an rca interconnect just by connecting the speaker wire as long as the power cable is plugged in. However, if you do connect an rca cable to the speaker and receiver the bass is better. Thanks for watching!
Audiolympian yea man, the Carver sounds nicer from the mid’s up. The tunes were also cool.
Cruzing RSX I had the microphone up higher to the mids and tweeter. So it was probably not getting much of the bass.
do you get that holographic/layering with the solid state?
Not with those ss amps. But with my Parasound JC1 amps yes I do. Thanks for watching
@@Audiolympian those are too expensive...
@@MasterofPlay7 yeah they are pricey. I do get some slight holographic sound from my older ss sunfire amp. Just not as much as the tube amp.
@@Audiolympian did you try positioning the speakers or that's the way it is?
@@MasterofPlay7 not in that video. I had different positions on my other comparison video
Have you ever tested a Luxman R115?
I have not. But I’ve been very interested in the Luxman brand. They make very good products
Thanks for watching
I wonder why did you get Golden ears?
2 reasons. 1. I’ve always liked the speakers Sandy Gross has made. I used to have Polk audio speakers then I went to the definitive technology brand a lot of which I still own. Then I found out about the Goldenear line. The big difference I love about GE is the ribbon tweeter it truly is their secret sauce for high quality sound. 2. My local high end retailer carry the paradigm, klipsch and Goldenear brands. Among others that come in on trade in. But I felt the Goldenear sound the best. Thanks for watching
@@Audiolympian which is better integrated amp for goldenear aon3?
@@liya7058 that’s a deep question. Depending your taste. I like the smoothness of Primaluna integrated amps. Parasound has really good ones too, PS Audio sprout is a great little amp. Also a good Denon or Marantz receiver is good for Aon 3’s too. Thanks for the question.
I have the Carver Crimson 275 and use the Emotiva XSP-1 Gen. 2 as my pre amp. The two sound great together.
Someone else commented the same thing before. Sounds like an interesting combo. Thanks for watching and commenting.
So you use a z coupler to knock down the Denon power?
And the dac from the Sony or do you go optical to the Denon’s dac?
I use optical. Thanks for watching
“Blows the PrimaLuna out of the water”
How? More wattage?
Yeah more watts but also sweeter and more resolving sound with better dynamics. Prima Luna does make a bigger amp with more tubes and higher wattage, that amp is probably a better comparison. Thanks for watching and commenting
I’m right there with ya buddy. I get it. The power of tubes is uniquely special. I have WA 22 from Woo Audio. I’m living the dream.
Nice. I bet those are very smooth. Thanks for watching
@@Audiolympian it is ridiculously good and I haven’t even put 10hrs on it yet!! Lol. However I did leap frog the stock tubes that come with the WA22, so that has a little something to do with why I’m in such tube euphoria.
@@Nephilim-81 gotcha. Enjoy those tubes and sweet sounds
I replaced a Carver TFM-35X with the Crimson 275. The tube amp has much smoother midrange, the ss had a little more drive in the very low bass. I'm using high efficiency speakers (98dB/2.83v/1m). The Crimson sounds so sweet I'm ok with the drop in very low bass.
Nice upgrade. I love my carver tube amp. It’s a masterpiece. Thanks for watching
Special EFX - Day Break. My favorite band from GRP records
Awesome. One of my favorite jazz bands too. I follow Chieli Minucci on IG they still tour all over the world. I’d love to see them live one day. Thanks for watching
I blind tested Mcintoshes in both tube and solid state. Absolutely could not tell the difference but IMO Mcintosh knows how to make solid state amps sound like tube amps.
That’s cool. Yes they do. Those ss amps sound amazing I have heard them before, a while ago but I still remember how they sounded. Thanks for watching
Nice setup. No mention of Hybrid Amps? Kind of get the best of both worlds. I have a Vincent SV-500 Hybrid Integrated Amp and it sounds pretty good. By the way those old Denon AVR's are solid. I have a Denon AVR-3300 (which was a progression of your 3600 because it came with DTS for the first time). Bought it new in 1999 and still works 2day. So your 3600 must be a little older then that. Then about 6 years ago (before the Vincent) I bought the Denon AVR-5700, which was the big brother to the 3300 back in 1999. Absolute beast, around $3k in 1999, got it on ebay for around $250. Still working but packed away with the 3300 for now. Your right, they dont make it like those anymore. Want to pick up a AVR 5800 one day just because.
Nice gear bro. Them old school Denon’s were practically bullet proof. And yes they rock! Actually, it’s funny you mention hybrid amps. I have a ps audio m700 hybrid amp. That is a video I have coming out soon. Comparing that with solid state and tubes. The new class d amps have come a long way. I used to have the AVR 5700 it was a monster.
Can't understand what you said the cd was called
It’s called Special EFX. The main artist is Chieli Minucci. Thanks for watching
new sub here 😁
can you tell me if yamaha RX-V3000rds is good for stereo or maybe at most 4.1 ???
is it good anyways. i mean build quality.
Yamaha’s have always been a good brand. Especially the older models. It’s a bit bright sounding for some people. I like it so I usually paired it with speakers not so bright back then paradigm or definitive so it balanced well. But I agree I’d use for mostly stereo or 3.1 / 4.1. / 5.1. Which will still give great sound. Hope that helps and thanks for watching and subscribing
@@Audiolympian thank you for the reply ) You deserve much more subs for the content you are making.
@@ChudGippity thank you. I’m trying to grow my channel. Really appreciate your support.
emotiva sounded better to my ears, better definition more detailed.
Nice. Thanks for watching
The carver amp cost 4 times the price of the 2 emotiva amps. Is a BMW better than a corolla, of course it is , but is it better then the equivalent Porsche. Comparisons should be realistic.
True. However speaking in terms of MSRP. If you were to look under the hood of the Carver amp compared to the Emotiva. They are both quite simple. Unlike a BMW engine. So the high cost of the Carver amp has a lot more to do with its bells and whistles. So remove its fancy body, Carver name and unique design to keep the tubes from getting too hot then you’d have about a $500 tube amp which is closer in the comparison. Thanks for watching
@@Audiolympian If it's basically a $500 tube amp in makeup how come it sounds better than your old premaluna which uses quality parts and still manages to be $1000 cheaper than the carver. There has to be something about it that gives it the superior sound and higher price.
kerry brath well the same goes for the Primaluna. Under the hood mostly all parts from China. You know the caps, resistors etc. The primaluna I had I purchased used for about $1,000 less but the original msrp was about the same price. The difference in the sound between those two amps was probably mostly due to the Carver more powerful tube at 75 watts. The Primaluna was at 40 watts. Keep in mind the primaluna and Carver are hand made products awesome build quality in their bodies to look very nice, solid and sturdy. Everything hand made is always going to have a way higher price tag no matter if it’s furniture, watches, clothes we pay for the craftsman time and knowledge. I had to wait 3 weeks for my Carver to be made and to my surprise I had some options I could choose on a few things, I’m quite sure those specialties were worked in the price. Thanks for your comments/questions I enjoy discussing with you.
@@Audiolympian Fear enough
@@Audiolympian consider the following: 1) all of our amplifiers have the longest warranties in the history of the industry-- five years on circuitboard units including tubes; 10 years on the point to point models. 2) the product is handmade in the United States without Chinese components 3) the product listens to the room and reproduces a larger soundstage with more depth. 4) we've never had a failure. the 275 is now 2 1/2 years old. we don't even have a service department-- no need. 4) all of our dealers are required to give the money back guarantee; if the amplifier does not sound better than what you currently have, you get every penny back without a restocking charge. Thus far, we have never had a unit returned. 5) the internal temperature runs about 90°-- cooler than the inside of your mouth. I measure the chassis, immediately in front of the KT 120s, at 98° so the amplifier may never ever wear out since it's not boiling itself to death. 6) it's the only amplifier in the world along with its siblings that can repair a defective output tube so there's never a reason to return the unit for service. 7) The Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Aston Martin owners club will be celebrating their 50th anniversary in London in 2021 at a gigantic luxury Expo featuring $5000 pens, million-dollar watches, aircraft and yachts and we are the only American audio manufacture to be included. We were chosen because the product has a retro feel, a definite heritage, but unmatched technology by any other company, hence the ability to listen to the room, track the impedance of the loudspeaker for best performance, adjustable compensation for when you change brands of loudspeakers without using any signal processing or digital circuitry, and the longest warranties in history. 8) Ken Kessler, the Dean of British audio reviewers, and a regular monthly columnist on the web as well as contributing to both Absolute Sound and Stereophile magazines just bought one from me when he could've had it for free. He insisted on paying after his visit to the United States right before the pandemic. As a reviewer of such stature, he can have anything he likes for a full year at no cost from any of us 9) finally, the product cost so much to build that neither Bob nor I could take any income for the first four years. Please keep these things in mind when you are comparing a mass-produced Chinese product to a handmade amplifier that embodies everything we've ever known about the ear-brain interface (Bob Carver also developed monoclonal antibodies to fight virus and cancer in addition to his doctorate in physics, and his master's degree in electronics).
Great content again! Have you considered posting a blind a/b listening test where it's not labeled and take a poll to see if you can get any consensus. Then in a separate video post the results from the poll and which was which? I've haven't seen a blind test on youtube!
I’ve wanted to do one. That would be a great video. Thanks for watching
I can even clearly hear the difference on my iPhone. The solid state let you hear lots of artefacts and sibilance in the highs. It’s sounds also quite nervous.
The Tube sound is relaxed, no annoying artefacts just pure music!
@@nicktube3904 good ear you have. I felt the same way. I can’t get enough of my tube amp. I got a Primaluna preamp on the way I’m super excited about. Can’t wait to hear how both tube devices will sound together. Thanks for watching
@@Audiolympian Prima Luna is a Dutch brand we’re I live :) I have never heard it myself but I hear good things about the brand! I have a Audio Note Oto SE signature, really amazing ✨
@@nicktube3904 oh yes. I know that brand you have great gear. FYI we have a giveaway coming up once we pass 1,000 subscribers and more giveaways after that. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Very rarely I find that the solid state is more enjoyable. The tubes here feel strained and lack full presence. But I'm only listening on YT, lol.
Plus I don’t have the best mics. Thanks for watching
Well listening through headphones the solid state sounded much better. Obviously you must hear them in person.
Yeah. But honestly even in person they were pretty close the differences were mostly tones and some clarity. Polis my volume wasn’t very high. I’m sure that would make a difference too. Thanks for watching
@@Audiolympian The number one comment we get is about sound staging. The amplifier uses your loudspeakers as microphones. all loudspeakers are not only microphones but electric motors as well. due to the theorem of reciprocity, all electric motors must send back EMF (voltage) to the voltage source-- in this case, the amplifiers under test. Because of the unmeasurably low output impedance of solid-state amplifiers (and a commensurately high damping factor), that voltage which contains the room sound from your microphones (speakers) is discarded. We are the only company in the world to develop a special circuit to retrieve that information and reproduce it 35 to 40 dB below the music so it's not audible except for providing a larger soundstage with more depth. The amplifiers listening to the room and tracking the loudspeakers impedance as well. there is no signal processing. there are no digital circuits of any kind. I am Frank Malitz, cofounder and VP of the Bob Carver Corporation and I can be reached anytime at 847-668-4519 if any of you need guidance or suggestions. after all, it's my hobby as well. For more information, Google my name and you should come across a little video presentation from the axpona show. Please forgive any mistakes and the lack of capitalization; I simply don't see as well as I did when I was younger.
@@fmalitz OMG. Thanks for your response and comment here. I definitely know who you are sir! I have been a huge fan of the carver product line for many years because of it’s innovation and trailblazing products. I’ve watched all of bob’s videos online several times. I own several carver products amps and speakers. I sold my primaluna amp after getting my carver 275. I wish I would have done a comparison video because the carver was so much better and was less expensive. The one product I would love to get but haven’t been able to find one on the used market is the Sunfire Classic Vacuum Tube Preamp. I wanted to pair it up with the 275. Thanks for your info here and your number. I would love to chat and hear about the days of origins and hard knocks. Thanks so much sir!
The Emotiva’s have a cloudy veil, no clarity. An ‘80’s Threshold/Nelson Pass amp would eliminate that issue, providing the ultimate in S/S clarity.
Right you are. Pass labs are incredible amps and their class A amps are amazing. The sound makes you melt. Thanks for watching
Emotiva sounds much better. Louder fuller and more transparent.
That’s what the comments have been saying lately. Thanks for watching
Tube amp has more bass than solid state. Listening to this video through earbuds and a small solid state kicker amp.
Good ear you have. The tubes are deeper sounding. And it does punch good. This Carver amp is fantastic. Thanks for watching and commenting
Solid state was bringing everything forward, lots of details but harsh tops and unrealistic sounding.
Tube was darker, richer and more 3D.
Yep the tube is way more detailed and revealing. Thanks for watching and commenting
I’m beginning to understand why people have more than one system, or several components to the one system they have.
It took me a while to understand it. Thanks for watching. Appreciate it
my system I went with is Tube pre-amp and solid state amp, here's a video of the system: th-cam.com/video/MH5YAbCfDJ8/w-d-xo.html
Whoa. Killer system. That’s awesome. Nice tunes as well
@@Audiolympian likewise my man, and thanks for the recommendation on Chieli Minnuci CD...
@@Sams911 anytime. I’ll sub to your channel. Keep it up
@@Audiolympian likewise ... sub's and likes coming your way ..
This is an example of why I don't think sound demos work on TH-cam. To me the Emotiva's sounded better. Of course I'm hearing your samples through your microphone - through TH-cam - My TV's DAC - My Amp - My speakers. I'm not hearing anything like what you are hearing.
However, thanks for the tip on Special EFX. I'm listening to them now on Qobuz. They have a nice sound.
Haha. You not the only person to say that about the Emotivas. Which is why I usually still recommend hearing things in person. It’s always different. I love the special EFX jazz group great sound. Thanks for watching and commenting for the support. 👍
The emotiva was clearly louder (and therefore more open & punchier) .. didnt look like this test was level matched properly. Carver sound subdued. Easy to tell the level difference if you jump between 5:11 and 6:11 on the timeline.
@@naikrosh I will bet you that if you come to Axpona later this year and don't feel that our product is more open sounding-- arguably one of our greatest strengths-- than the Emotiva, I will buy you the solid-state amplifier. Let me see if I understand this: you judge openness through TH-cam?? On a computer?? Conversely, if you're honest, and you admit that our tube type amplifier (and almost any other brand as well) is more open sounding, your buying me dinner. fair enough?
@@fmalitz not saying emotiva is better. Just saying this a/b comparison seems flawed. I respect Carver, though never heard his stuff.
Good review. Tube amps blow away solid state period. More bass, more and better everything. Not laid back, just kick ass dynamic real audio sound. Like real live music. All speakers are better with tubes. Naysayers just do not want to spend thousands on a tube amp that is small and efficient. Not flashy enough? I want real music sound. Tubes do that. I play music, I use tube amps, I know. I really do not care what an amp looks like or how big it is. I want big, tube sound. Hear tubes on your speakers. You may never even look at solid state amp again, no matter how many watts they claim to have.
You said it. I can always hear a big difference from tubes when I haven’t listened to them in a while. Thanks for watching
Is this useful to anybody? The two samples aren't level matched at all (tubes sound way quieter). It seems like you recorded the sound with your phone or camera's onboard mic. And last but not least, you have the bass cranked up all the way on the Denon!! That's crazy man.
This definitely was not very sophisticated or scientific, mostly due to the transfer and quality of TH-cam. However this being one of my first videos I have gotten better equipment and learned to to talk more about the sound and details I heard just as another person’s opinion. Thanks for watching though.
Gotta give it to the solid state over choked up tubes this time sry
Good perception. A few others say the same thing. Thanks for watching and commenting.
I know for a fact that an American Five AM radio sounds clearer with hearing the difference between person saying p, or t or in normal speech, the s is more clear with a tube radio than a solid state radio!
The word calipso, or calitso cannot be differentiated on solis state radios, yet with tube radios it is clearly understood!
Very good point. I didn’t realize how much a difference in vowel sound the tubes make until you stated it. Thanks for watching
I do live sound and have listened to tube and solid state amps. Tubes are simply an older way to EQ. If you have a good EQ you can make a solid state amp sound the same. I know because I have done it before.
Recently I just got a solid state preamp with a built in dac and your right when I make adjustments on it my ss amps sound like tubes. Thanks for watching
Very nice video and presentation Audiolympian Definitely the tube amp is the winner, never heard of Bob Carver 275, always thought he did SS amps A touch surprised it 'blu away' the Prima Luna whom I have a high regard for You might want to look at Doge tube amp if you fancy investing more
Thanks. Carver does have less tube amps that solid state. This 275 is the newest and entry level of the tube amps. Their other tube amps are like $4k up to $9k. Out of my price range. But the crimson 275 is such a good and neutral amp. I’m still a Primaluna fan as well. I’ll look into that amp. Thanks for watching.
@@Audiolympian At the moment all out of my price range Lol, I have just purchased my first tube amp, for a 2nd system I us when abroad, a cheaper Chinese (RTFLYS A2) but it does the job I wanted and so very happy
@@davidnewboult6887 thats what it’s all about. Keep listening.
First combination plays energic and dynamic in this video.but we cant understand the soundstage in a video.i think tube plays wide and deeper than solid state.so our mind chooses energic sound.i prefer solid state in this video,tube amplifier in real life.
Same here. The solid state amps were more dynamic and the tubes were warmer and sweet sounding. I like having both around. Some days I love the tubes and some days I love the solids. Thanks for watching
@@Audiolympian actually, we provide a loudspeaker compensation faculty with our adjustable bias-- go hotter for more detail and vibrancy or drop down to 80 mA for sweetness and staging. You cannot break the amplifier with the bias control. experiment. We ship at 100 mA. Bob is a soundstage freak so he likes 80.
Not a very fair comparison. Class D amplifiers simply have zero "headroom". I mean, just look at the Carver's huge power supply and caps? Should have compared the Carver against YBA, Krell or Super fast Spectral. Personally, I like dynamics, massive sound stage and tangible organic sound. I like being forced to mute my system, because I think somebody knocked on my door or is in my home...thanks to an impossibly large deep soundstage. Realistic over warm any day, for me. I like being able to hear dead silence, capturing the size of an outdoor concert, hall or recording studio. Solid state for me.
Actually the Emotiva amps are class A/B amps. You may like my other video comparison video. I compared my carver tube amp to my Sunfire cinema grand solid state amp. That was a much closer comparison in sound. I agree solid state is quite and has massive soundstage. Which is why I have Parasound jc 1’s but some days I want the warmth and clarity of tubes. Thanks for watching
@@AudiolympianOh your video rocked! That Carver is a thing of beauty.
@@realtalk6987 thanks man
I just don't get this. The UPA-1 was louder and had more bass. Even had a little more warmth to the sound.
NewYorkBlack that is weird. You must have really, really good headphones maybe. The Emotiva was a little louder but here live the difference in sound was immediate. Thanks for watching
The Carver had more control in the bass and was more detailed from the outset. I use a solid state power amp.
Wimbo 9 yes. This amp is amazing. It has it own bias control and a switch if your using a powered sub. Lots of control to change the sound how you like it. Thanks for watching
Thank you for the video, but you didn't explain what you liked about the audio from the tube amplifier. You just said it was better, this gives us nothing to go on besides your opinion
Of course Bob Carver is so much better, more natural, more organic and more musical!
This comparison is weird and I don't understand it, the vacuum tube musically will always be superior, period!
"Positive Distortion - Sequence Harmonics": Tubes produce more even than odd and this fact is thought to be a primary reason tube circuits sound more musical than solid state.
................. this positive distortion is more pleasant to the human ear.
The music has a dynamic response.... Also; THD" Total Harmonic Distortion" doesn't tell you anything about an amp's ability to play music.
Some of the best and most prized amps made have lousy THD (3-5%) ,but play music better than amps with stellar specs and perfect square and sine wave response.
(Transient Intermodulation Distortion) "TIM" is a better indicator of an amplifier's capability.
Right you are. And I agree. However there are always people out there that would disagree, so my comparison was to just give those with a difference of opinion another chance to possibly have an open mind and think to themselves “maybe we should give tubes another chance” thanks for the comment and watching
@@Audiolympian Thanks.
Hifi solid state amps just lacks the dominate midrange and authentic octaves a tube amp presents and the solid state amps just are weak presenting the sound stage to produce a band in front of you !
Solid state is great for machines but in audio it lowers the level of quality sound a large noticeable amount that is obvious to the ears !
Agreed. I try to tell other the same things. But some just don’t want to hear it. Thanks for watching
cant ear the difference at all.. im using audioquest headphone
The difference was subtle. Mostly only noticeable in person. Also I didn’t have the volume very high. Butte tubes were more clear and cleaner sound as the Emotivas were a little more muffled sounding in comparison. Again very subtly. I’m still a huge Emotiva amp fan as they pack good power and have pretty good dynamics. But overall if I had an unlimited budget and was going to choose an amp for everything, I think I’d go for a modern class D amp. The new ones are outstanding and take up a lot less space. Thanks for watching.
I enjoy both solid state and tubes. But lean more towards tubes. I enjoy the warmth that tubes exude. The silky highs, sweet mids ... now bass is an issue. But I just use subs.
Some good solid state can give you that tube style of sound. Airy and holographic. The Audia Flight amps come to mind.
Then you got typical solid state systems that are so clear, crisp and taut. They got very good bass. I just listened to the Yamaha C5000/M5000. Just awesome. But don’t give you that holographic effect. Still it’s a great system.
It’s just 🍎 and 🍊
hushpuppykl right you are. I love the power of solid state. And with the right speakers the sound is amazing (plus a little lighter on the wallet) and some days I crave the silky smooth sound of tubes with a good sub. Thanks for watching.
Audiolympian ... chasing NOS tubes can be painful. Just got x4 pieces of the Pope 6SN7GT, now gonna get another x4 to keep. They are so smooth.
Happy Hunting!
hushpuppykl I have heard those are excellent tubes. I bet they sound unbelievable.
Audiolympian ... want the honest truth? Hehehe ... smoother than NOS Sylvania 6SN7GTA. Just a notch or two up. But it’s smooth.
It’s not like comparing say a EH 6SN7 vs NOS Sylvania 6SN7GTA. 😬
hushpuppykl always appreciate honesty. thanks for the support
It's like reviewing a car driving in the dessert..........tubes were never conceived to drive the modern speakers ..........
Every body seems to be an expert these days................I agree with some of them ..............mostly as soon as people talk about tube sound ...............I know they don't understand nothing about what this technology is about ...........
Thanks for watching
Prefer the solid state amp
I’ve been getting that comment lately. Thanks for watching
Tube were more gentle !
Yes not as harsh. Thanks for watching
I cannot tell a difference. I'll just stick to my bose.
👍 Rock on brother. You do need to hear them in person to get a better idea
Well, you're WRONG.
I'm sick of you people trying to rewrite history.
There was obviously a fault with the valve amplifier design which led to a refined design.
Its easily heard in your crapy conparison video.
Evolution is the winner.
You're obviously going backwards in life trying to educate yourself.
To each his own. Thanks for watching appreciate it
Lett's face it, your test here really says nothing.
Thanks for watching anyway.
People buy two amplifiers and become experts , giving their expertise as if they were designers with degrees in Electronics and electrical engineering!! and fools accepting their bla bla bla ....
Thanks for watching
Open up the Carvas and see it for yourself..................scary low quality build .......................
I thought that too. Since almost everything is built in China. Thanks for the tips and for watching
@@Audiolympian Ok , have a nice day.......important is people to be happy with their choices.
@@frankgeeraerts6243 you said it brother.
Bias opinion.
Well maybe a little. Thanks for watching
How about 2 1/2 years of production without a single amplifier being returned for sonic reasons despite a guarantee of performance-- not one single unit returned ever. I suggest you audition the product. Perhaps you should visit Glenn Poors AV website. Geoff Poor was a principal at BAT for 22 years. He went back to his retail store and is the largest Balanced Audio Technology retailer in the world and the largest retailer of Wilson audio loudspeakers in the Midwest and he wrote a tribute to our little 275 on his website. He sells speakers that retail for half million dollars and he writes a tribute to our product. check it out. I'm very proud.
Intro is too damn long
Haha. I agree. So on my newer videos it’s much shorter and sometimes I don’t use the intro. However quick tip incase you may not know, if your watching on a phone or tablet if you double tap the screen of the video on the right the video will skip forward between 10 and 40 seconds.
Fact- any tube or hybred tube amp drives speakers more effiently than solid state amps. Less power is needed with tubes. Every speaker will sound better, best driven by tubes. Tube audio blows away solid state. Period. Save money, get a rockville for 140 bucks and dont look back.
Great comment! Thanks for watching
Silly generalisation....
That music was awful dude
Hey what can I say. I like jazz. Thanks for watching appreciate it.