[skidly]

Hello all just joined audiocircle and am curious how Carver rates on this forum. My shop is all carver, with everything upgraded by Greg, Nelion Audio, Forte III speakers, and it sounds for great to my ears, especially for just in a shop environment.

[SteveFord]

I've found that the new tube Carver gear is excellent.
The older SS stuff mates up really well with the Carver preamps.

[Jazzman53]

Hi Skidley,

Welcome to the AC! 

For the past thirteen years; I've used a trio of early 90's vintage Carver TFM amps driving hybrid ESL's and a pair of Ripole subs.  The amps run cool and sound sweet-- no complaints. 

Jazz

[mresseguie]

Welcome to AC, skidly.

No personal experience with Carver gear. However, just yesterday a guy offered to sell me an updated TFM-25 amp for $500 plus shipping. Is that a good deal?

Michael

[FullRangeMan]

No too expensive.
I have sold a Silver 9T for less that it.
or  I loss money ?

[djpk]

I have a Carver TFM35x that I purchased new around 1995. It's still going strong powering my KEF LS50 speakers. Very happy with Carver equipment.

[Jazzman53]

Welcome to AC, skidly.

No personal experience with Carver gear. However, just yesterday a guy offered to sell me an updated TFM-25 amp for $500 plus shipping. Is that a good deal?

Michael

Probably, but it would be nice to know what "updated" means.  If you do a search for recent sold 25's on Ebay; they all fetched at least $470, so $500 isn't out of line.

BTW; a TFM-25 is advertised as a magnetic field amp but it's not (no triac).  It's a very sweet sounding conventional class G amp which uses three power rails (22V, 50V & 90V).   

If the amp hasn't been recapped, it will need to be.  BTW; a full recap replaces all (39) electrolytic capacitors, whereas a half-ass recap only replaces the (6) power rail caps.

Also, if you can get a photo showing the PCB board; look for heat damage (dark brown discoloration) on the board at the rear, and near the left and right ends.  Pursuant to that; there is a TFM-2 Service Bulletin modification which should be done whenever that amp is refurbished.  This mod consists of replacing about eight resistors with slightly different value flame-proof resistors, replacing four pre-driver transistors that could have been heat damaged, and then lofting the new parts about 1/2" above the board for better heat dissipation.   

I have purchased six used TFM-25's off Ebay over the years-- some were pristine and some had heat discoloration on the boards.   A full refurb requires about $90 in parts, excluding labor. 

If that amp has been fully recapped and has the -2 Service Bulletin mod, then $500 is a very good deal. 


             

[mresseguie]

Probably, but it would be nice to know what "updated" means.  If you do a search for recent sold 25's on Ebay; they all fetched at least $470, so $500 isn't out of line.

BTW; a TFM-25 is advertised as a magnetic field amp but it's not (no triac).  It's a very sweet sounding conventional class G amp which uses three power rails (22V, 50V & 90V).   

If the amp hasn't been recapped, it will need to be.  BTW; a full recap replaces all (39) electrolytic capacitors, whereas a half-ass recap only replaces the (6) power rail caps.

Also, if you can get a photo showing the PCB board; look for heat damage (dark brown discoloration) on the board at the rear, and near the left and right ends.  Pursuant to that; there is a TFM-2 Service Bulletin modification which should be done whenever that amp is refurbished.  This mod consists of replacing about eight resistors with slightly different value flame-proof resistors, replacing four pre-driver transistors that could have been heat damaged, and then lofting the new parts about 1/2" above the board for better heat dissipation.   

I have purchased six used TFM-25's off Ebay over the years-- some were pristine and some had heat discoloration on the boards.   A full refurb requires about $90 in parts, excluding labor. 

If that amp has been fully recapped and has the -2 Service Bulletin mod, then $500 is a very good deal. 


           

Interesting!

Here's what I know so far (I haven't yet responded to his offer due to my lack of knowledge in the matter):
"It has the full Circuits & Concepts updates, meaning both the power circuit as well as the complete main board capacitor replacement was performed."

Michael

Apologies to OP for hijacking his thread.

[davidc1]

I've always like stuff Bob Carver made. He and Brian Cheney were my favorite designers.

Over the last year or so, I've gotten a power bug, so I've purchased and upgraded (via the guys on thecarversite.com) a PM1.5a, PM1200, PM1201 and PM1205 and an AV806x.