I have one of these amps. I got it from someone I was in the Navy with back in the mid 1980's. He let me have it for the low price of $0.00, but I had to pay for shipping. I did have it refurbished by a technician here in Washington state who specializes in Carver equipment. He did similar things, like new power supply capacitors as well as work on the main boards and the modification to the mains transformer that reduces noise. There is still noise from the tri-ack switching, but that comes with the territory of this amp, hard to avoid, but you can only hear that noise when you are right up on the speaker's tweeter. If you have this amp or any other Carver gear that you need service or modifications done, I recommend Carver Audio Repair in Stevenson, WA.
Thanks for the comment and sharing your experience- pretty good deal for just the cost of shipping. There are a few places that specialize in Carver gear repair- I think the one you mention is popular, as well as Nelion. You are dead on about the triac switching noise, but typically only heard with your ear very close to the speaker, and 90% of the amplifiers I listen too have some hum or his- quite normal.
I have an M500t as well. Bought it from Rogersound Labs in the 80s. I also have a TFM 45, a TFM 35, and an M-1.0. They've all been through Carver Audio Repair and have had the complete overhaul to make sure that they last another 30 years. They do a terrific job.
@@vintageaudioreview it is in fine working condition. I think I had it repaired just once. It was my everyday amp for the longest time but right now I am using the Jeff Rowland 125 power amp. I am keeping the Carver though. Can't let it go 🙂
@@vintageaudioreview I purchased the Rowland from a trusted youtuber for 3K. He gave me $500 off. Yeah, it's expensive but I really wanted to own a piece of equipment of that caliber. Took a lot to put the Carver aside.
FYI, The M1.5t was a null-mod-copy of the Mark Levinson ML-2. See the Wikipedia Article on Bob Carver for this quote: "First, The Audio Critic chose a Mark Levinson ML-2 which Bob acoustically copied (transfer function duplication) and sold as his M1.5t amplifier (the “t” stood for transfer function modified)."
Thanks for providing the correct information about the regarding the "t", Andrew. I did not get into the whole Carver challenge as this was more about how the two amps differed. There is certainly a lot of info on that challenge, and the ML-2 is a solid state class A amp. I will make of mention of this incorrect statement in an upcoming video 🙃
@@vintageaudioreview love your videos - just wanted to add the answer to clarify, your thoughts in the beginning of your overview. There is a table of the full list of null-mod relationships Bob Carver did on TCS, somewhere.
Love this analysis. Well done! I have 4 m1.5t's. All have been refurbished, recapped, upgraded by Nelion. I can say that my experience is the same... refurbishment definitely helps lower the noise floor.
Four of them is a lot, for sure and I have only heard great things about Nelion. Thanks for taking the time to comment. I don't think any Brand draws as much interest as the Carver gear, and i have a video of another piece of gear coming up at some point...
@@vintageaudioreview If you would like, I would volunteer to send you one of my 4 to test...I'd be curious to see the numbers versus the two you already tested.
@@kurtschieding3045 I would enjoying testing one of them and would certainly provide you with the data. Depending on the results it could make for another upcoming video. If you are seriously considering this email me and we can talk more.
That was a very thorough review! Regarding the sound quality, did these Carvers live up to the claims of sounding like a tube amplifier? Does the sound quality stand out to you as being exceptional? Thanks
Thanks for taking the time to comment- I look forward to them from you! So, I mistakenly attributed the "t" for tube, but it actual meant "transfer function", and mimicked a Mark LEvinson class A amp. In my a/b listening tests, I have not heard a difference between solid and and tube amps, other than maybe low level hum on the tube amps. I just listened to one of my Carver Cube amps yesterday with a tube preamp and the combo sounded very nice. The Carver amps I have heard sound very good and pack a punch- they may have some low level noise as well with no music playing, but that can be the case with many maps/recievers
Thanks, another nice review. Like the shirt… was that a conscious decision to wear VU and show LED’s? Nice car, can’t believe we once could buy something with those fins! I still use my 400 series I bought new back in the day.
Thanks as always Chris for your comments. I have two audio related shirts than my youngest son got me, and I just try to mix up the shirts that I wear when doing the videos- just it's time to wear. My other son got me a shirt feature his dog so I wear that sometimes. I use different cars to kinda express how I feel about the gear I tested (took the idea from Amir at ASR who uses the Pink panther). That is a '59 ElDorado, so a fairly decent car. If you have not had your cubes recapped, you really should.
Great review! Perhaps I missed it, but it would be interesting to know the 2nd order harmonics versus 3rd order harmonics as they claim to be similar to a tube amplifier and this is one of the hallmarks of tube equipment according to tube amp fans.
Thank You David! I have measured of lot of gear over the past few years, and solid state preamps and amps can have higher 2nd Order (even) harmonics, just like tube gear and I seem to recall some piece of tube gear having the 3rd(odd) harmonics higher than the even ones. When I have a/b'd solidstate vs tube, I really have not heard any difference in the sound. I am sure there is some research out there on the subject, but my LaScala's (horn speakers which supposedly sound less harsh with tube gear according to the lore) don't sound any different when I run with my tube monoblocks or my solid state amp (I have an a/b switch between them so I can change them out easily)....
Everyone how has had Nelion do that upgrade likes it. It would be interesting to see how the performance measurements changed on one these amps before and after the upgrade. Appreciate your commenting
The analyzer is a QuantAsylum QA403- check out episode # 115. The software comes with the unit (actually, you down load it from the website). Thanks for the question
A couple of Carver amps forsake the Power button for reasons I have not heard, other than they are less expensive to build that way. Not that they draw much power just idling. Easy enough to do for someone like Nelion- appreciate the comment.
Class T was developed by TriPath Semiconductor. Tripath's trick was to use a 50-megahertz sampling circuit to drive the amplifier. They had great power modules from 15WPC used in consumer electronics to a kilowatt module, that was used for pro audio and musical instrument amplifiers. Very high thermal efficiency for their size and wattage. The important fact was that they sounded fantastic!
@@1michaelricci I had not heard of class T amplifiers. Running at 50Mhz could bring out different problems, but they must have made it work ok. I have never heard of them- thanks for the info!
I have one of these amps. I got it from someone I was in the Navy with back in the mid 1980's. He let me have it for the low price of $0.00, but I had to pay for shipping. I did have it refurbished by a technician here in Washington state who specializes in Carver equipment. He did similar things, like new power supply capacitors as well as work on the main boards and the modification to the mains transformer that reduces noise. There is still noise from the tri-ack switching, but that comes with the territory of this amp, hard to avoid, but you can only hear that noise when you are right up on the speaker's tweeter. If you have this amp or any other Carver gear that you need service or modifications done, I recommend Carver Audio Repair in Stevenson, WA.
Thanks for the comment and sharing your experience- pretty good deal for just the cost of shipping. There are a few places that specialize in Carver gear repair- I think the one you mention is popular, as well as Nelion. You are dead on about the triac switching noise, but typically only heard with your ear very close to the speaker, and 90% of the amplifiers I listen too have some hum or his- quite normal.
I have an M500t as well. Bought it from Rogersound Labs in the 80s. I also have a TFM 45, a TFM 35, and an M-1.0. They've all been through Carver Audio Repair and have had the complete overhaul to make sure that they last another 30 years. They do a terrific job.
@@gunsort3242 Thanks for the info- glad you kept them and had them overhauled. Most folks really like their Carver gear
I still have my Carver M500t power amp. Since the mid 80s. Love it !
That is a favorite amp for many, and I understand why. Love the big meters- hopefully the lamps have not gone out
@@vintageaudioreview it is in fine working condition. I think I had it repaired just once. It was my everyday amp for the longest time but right now I am using the Jeff Rowland 125 power amp. I am keeping the Carver though. Can't let it go 🙂
@@nelsono4315 You can never have enough power amps and hard drives is my motto. Rowland makes good, but pricey gear.
@@vintageaudioreview I purchased the Rowland from a trusted youtuber for 3K. He gave me $500 off. Yeah, it's expensive but I really wanted to own a piece of equipment of that caliber. Took a lot to put the Carver aside.
@@nelsono4315 Just put together a system in another room for the Carver 😄
FYI, The M1.5t was a null-mod-copy of the Mark Levinson ML-2. See the Wikipedia Article on Bob Carver for this quote: "First, The Audio Critic chose a Mark Levinson ML-2 which Bob acoustically copied (transfer function duplication) and sold as his M1.5t amplifier (the “t” stood for transfer function modified)."
Thanks for providing the correct information about the regarding the "t", Andrew. I did not get into the whole Carver challenge as this was more about how the two amps differed. There is certainly a lot of info on that challenge, and the ML-2 is a solid state class A amp. I will make of mention of this incorrect statement in an upcoming video 🙃
@@vintageaudioreview love your videos - just wanted to add the answer to clarify, your thoughts in the beginning of your overview. There is a table of the full list of null-mod relationships Bob Carver did on TCS, somewhere.
@@AndrewStein1 Thanks for watching and keeping me honest and being a voice of reason on the forums 😄
Love this analysis. Well done! I have 4 m1.5t's. All have been refurbished, recapped, upgraded by Nelion. I can say that my experience is the same... refurbishment definitely helps lower the noise floor.
Four of them is a lot, for sure and I have only heard great things about Nelion. Thanks for taking the time to comment. I don't think any Brand draws as much interest as the Carver gear, and i have a video of another piece of gear coming up at some point...
@@vintageaudioreview If you would like, I would volunteer to send you one of my 4 to test...I'd be curious to see the numbers versus the two you already tested.
@@kurtschieding3045 I would enjoying testing one of them and would certainly provide you with the data. Depending on the results it could make for another upcoming video. If you are seriously considering this email me and we can talk more.
@@vintageaudioreview I will email you!
That was a very thorough review! Regarding the sound quality, did these Carvers live up to the claims of sounding like a tube amplifier? Does the sound quality stand out to you as being exceptional? Thanks
Thanks for taking the time to comment- I look forward to them from you! So, I mistakenly attributed the "t" for tube, but it actual meant "transfer function", and mimicked a Mark LEvinson class A amp. In my a/b listening tests, I have not heard a difference between solid and and tube amps, other than maybe low level hum on the tube amps. I just listened to one of my Carver Cube amps yesterday with a tube preamp and the combo sounded very nice. The Carver amps I have heard sound very good and pack a punch- they may have some low level noise as well with no music playing, but that can be the case with many maps/recievers
Thanks, another nice review. Like the shirt… was that a conscious decision to wear VU and show LED’s? Nice car, can’t believe we once could buy something with those fins! I still use my 400 series I bought new back in the day.
Thanks as always Chris for your comments. I have two audio related shirts than my youngest son got me, and I just try to mix up the shirts that I wear when doing the videos- just it's time to wear. My other son got me a shirt feature his dog so I wear that sometimes. I use different cars to kinda express how I feel about the gear I tested (took the idea from Amir at ASR who uses the Pink panther). That is a '59 ElDorado, so a fairly decent car. If you have not had your cubes recapped, you really should.
Great review! Perhaps I missed it, but it would be interesting to know the 2nd order harmonics versus 3rd order harmonics as they claim to be similar to a tube amplifier and this is one of the hallmarks of tube equipment according to tube amp fans.
Thank You David! I have measured of lot of gear over the past few years, and solid state preamps and amps can have higher 2nd Order (even) harmonics, just like tube gear and I seem to recall some piece of tube gear having the 3rd(odd) harmonics higher than the even ones. When I have a/b'd solidstate vs tube, I really have not heard any difference in the sound. I am sure there is some research out there on the subject, but my LaScala's (horn speakers which supposedly sound less harsh with tube gear according to the lore) don't sound any different when I run with my tube monoblocks or my solid state amp (I have an a/b switch between them so I can change them out easily)....
I have the same amplifier with mkII upgrade by Greg at nelion audio amplifier sounds great
Everyone how has had Nelion do that upgrade likes it. It would be interesting to see how the performance measurements changed on one these amps before and after the upgrade. Appreciate your commenting
Whic kind of instrumentation (HW & SW) you used to test this devices ? Thanks
The analyzer is a QuantAsylum QA403- check out episode # 115. The software comes with the unit (actually, you down load it from the website). Thanks for the question
So odd with the lack of power button. I think Nelion adds them upon request
A couple of Carver amps forsake the Power button for reasons I have not heard, other than they are less expensive to build that way. Not that they draw much power just idling. Easy enough to do for someone like Nelion- appreciate the comment.
For a moment I thought the T stood for Class T 😉
Thanks for the Chuckle and watching!
Class T was developed by TriPath Semiconductor. Tripath's trick was to use a 50-megahertz sampling circuit to drive the amplifier. They had great power modules from 15WPC used in consumer electronics to a kilowatt module, that was used for pro audio and musical instrument amplifiers. Very high thermal efficiency for their size and wattage. The important fact was that they sounded fantastic!
@@1michaelricci I had not heard of class T amplifiers. Running at 50Mhz could bring out different problems, but they must have made it work ok. I have never heard of them- thanks for the info!
Man !!! That's why I sold my units in the 90s
On PS Audio recently this is exactly what I remembered bad noise floor & production and manufacturing