[ASi_TEK]

Reference Audio Mods, and Exotic Hi-Fi Parts Supplier and Professional Exotic Modification service, has just released ultra-high end reference upgrade mods to the Carver ZR1600 Digital Amplifier. These modifications will better any amp you currently own, or plan to buy. You will not find a better sounding, more emotional, resolving and dynamic amplifier anywhere! Get ready for many years of extreme enjoyment ahead of you, and know to yourself that there is nothing out there that compares, even the worlds most expensive amplifiers available.

These professionally installed modifications are the very best type of mods for this amplifier as we are addressing many issues such as input/output stage additions/deletions/modifications, Power Supply Re-builds with Jensen 4-poles and exotic handmade diode bridges, low noise high speed discrete regulation circuits, custom Exotic Silver Wire Wound Output Chokes from Audio Consulting switzerland, silver wire output wiring, etc.. etc.. to get some extreme amounts of resolution and dynamics that can not be found anywhere else.

The end results is just not a "boost" in sound but the results here is nothing short of a amazing live transformation to the sound you have never experienced before in any other amp you have ever heard, regardless or price or elegantcy.

There is NO unnecessary circuitry used left in place, this is all about the very best performance that can come in live sonic reproduction.

Your amp will be modified by Doug Jesse (Reference Audio Mods, East location) and he can also answer any technical related questions pertaining to these modifications.

Buyer is responsible for shipping costs.

Typical turn-around is 2-3 weeks from receivement of amplifier.

These modification can also be bought for DIY install (caution: very tough DIY project, lots of mounting/wire, many labor hours involved, We highly recommend a professional installation)

The total Costs for all the modification upgrades and installation services is $1600 + shipping. We can also upgrade the output binding post of your choice, please email or call to inquire.

These modifications are also applicable to the Carver ZR-1000 amplfiers as well.

Please visit www.referenceaudiomods.com for more info. These mods can be bought on our webpage, please click on the info link below.

Note: We are not selling any Carver ZR-1600 Digital Amplifiers, new or modded.

Please check out the first glowing review of our modified Carver ZR1600
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=10622

Sincerely,
Douglas Jesse
Reference Audio Mods
586.944.5611

[_scotty_]

ASi_TEK,were you able to eliminate all of the op-amps from the signal path
in the amp.

[Occam]

ASi_TEK,were you able to eliminate all of the op-amps from the signal path
in the amp.

Lordy Scotty... Were you abused by an op amp as a child? If you want to know how, and with what, RAM has interfaced to  the Tripath chip, just ask the man, don't ask a question that implicitly calls the use of an opamp, less than optimal. I've no idea as to what RAM has chosen, but regardless of the fact that you have that Stan Warren modded Tripath eval board, and it interfaces with his inverted cascode discrete circuit (which I like very much), there are many paths to enlightenment, Grasshopper. Give me a well executed monolithic ic based implementation over some slapdash pos discrete circuit any day.
If you'll recall, I was the one who brought up the idea on the ZR Lab thread of bypassing those 'superfluous' opamps and potentially connecting  semidirectly to the Tripath chip, but it hasn't become my religion.... and the Tripath chips always have that pesky single rail monolithic input op-amp.
And other than a follower, I can't think of much analog amplification sand curciutry that isn't basically an op amp.
Frankly, neither you nor I have the 'chops' to determine audio technical orthodoxy, and I'd like to learn what Asi_TEK has chosen to do without implicitly questioning his choices, unless he passes your litmus test. I like to wait a bit before pissing folks off....

[Occam]

ASi_TEK,

Welcome to the board. Looking at your board I did see, as you said, the disappearance of the #2 cored toroid output filter inductor, and those wooden core exotic inductors are their replacement, along with the upgrade of that filter and Zoebel cap? How hot do those suckers get?

Do you have active circuity (other than the servo, if its still there) feeding the Tripath chip, and if so, with what? Whats the input impedance and gain of the modded amp?

What with those exotic diode bridges and output inductors, I'm left with one more question-


Do they do lap dances?

[_scotty_]

edited for content
 ASi_TEK and RAM are to be congratulated, a modification of this magnitude is quite an accomplishment, and implies great technical prowess and dogged determination on the part of the person doing the work.
 
  A $1500 price for as many parts as was used in this redesign and
the amount of bench time involved to do the work seems like a bargain.
  JCCs review after break in should be interesting, I trust his ears and equipement.
  Scotty

[Occam]

My apologies to the Board, Scotty, and espcially the folks at RAM.
My post to Scotty was a hijacking of the thread and was inappropriate. Nor is it my place to analyze the 'intent' of posts.

Moderators - If you'd move my post to Scotty, his response, and this post to a more appropriate venue such as the Fight Club, it would facilitate a return to on topic discussion here, which I unwisely caused.

Again, sincere apologies.

[JCC]

If you look on RAM's site (http://www.referenceaudiomods.com/) you will see that RAM has multiple modifications. In fact there are three separate upgrades. I don't know which would give the most bang for the buck, but you don't need to spend the entire $1500 at one time.

As I sit in listen to old recordings that I have played hundreds of times in the past, I continue to be astounded by new RAM modified ZR1600. It is tremendous and the improvement is astonishing.

Highly recommended!!

[Ferdi]

HI Occam, thank you for returning to the simplest explanation. No further action needed.

The mods are interesting though!

Ferdi

[JCC]

As the amp continues to breaks-in, the low level detail and the sound stage are progressing. I wonder how far it will go. Last night listening the a VTL Sampler, I was startled with all of the new (to me) sounds. When listening to Chesky's Havana Cafe, I was bowed over by the air and decay from the latin percussion.

[JCC]

Yesterday, I spoke to Kyle at RAM. As you know, they are offering three modifications for the ZR1600. Because of conversations with a few friends and the overall price, I asked about the results of each. His answer is listed below:

1. Output Stage, Choke and Speaker Wiring - Kyle that this is mod that really opens up the amplifier, providing the tremendous detail that I have been hearing. He feels that, if you choose one of the three, that he would recommend this one.

2. In second place is the High Voltage Power Supply mod. I have noticed an improvement in bass slam, and I guess that it comes from this.

3. Third place goes to the Low voltage Power Supply mod. Kyle indicates that this provides additional improvement, but that it was more subtle than the other two.

[NealH]

Do any of these mods get rid of the op-amps or, change the op-amps?

[JCC]

I just confirmed that the RAM mod has reduced the number of OpAmps from 8 to 3. The next guy who does a mod, gets lucky, because the plan is to remove the last 3.

[NealH]

Oh my gosh.....now I am getting excited.  No op-amps.  I may not be able to resist.  How much was this unit?

[ASi_TEK]

Hello,

This statement is correct. From now on we will be using 0 opamps. I need to make sure of a couple of small things first, but the whole goal is to have the signal enter from the RCA jacks and go right into the input filter/chip via silver wire/cotton.

This will be completely optimal at this point as now we do not have the distortions from the opamps and the other unnecessary circuitry in the signal path.

Also, I will be testing a transformer coupled input and output stage for even more peformance. The silver wired transformer by Audio Consulting that we use is by far the best we have heard and they provide galvanic isolation. This is espeically critcal in the application and only hearing how it sounds will let us know. This would be another option, and take this unit to a completely further level.

Stay tuned for some other mod options that will be surfacing in the near future as well. This is definitely one amplifier you have to invest into as I see it taking performance levels far beyond what any one has ever imagined. JCC is not joking, this is one hell of a sounding amplifier!

[ASi_TEK]

ATTENTION:

We have removed all op-amps from the input circuitry with complete success. The results are even more resolution, transparency and greater soundstage. This is a very significant difference. We replaced the input resistor with a Caddock version and the coupling input cap to set the filter with a NOS LeClanche and wired it with Audio Consulting Silver wire/cotton.

What a difference in sound!!!  This amp is on a whole new level of performance. The lifelike character and detail is Amazing!

[ASi_TEK]

THESE MODIFICATIONS AND PRICING HAVE JUST BEEN REVISED TO REFLECT THE VERY SIGNIFICANT PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENTS.

THIS WILL BETTER ANY AMPLIFIER AVAILABLE. Compare and be stunned!

HERE IS THE NEW AD AND PRICES:

Reference Audio Mods, and Exotic Hi-Fi Parts Supplier and Professional Exotic Modification service, has just released ultra-high end reference upgrade mods to the Carver ZR1600 Digital Amplifier. These modifications will better any amp you currently own, or plan to buy. You will not find a better sounding, more emotional, resolving and dynamic amplifier anywhere! Get ready for many years of extreme enjoyment ahead of you, and know to yourself that there is nothing out there that compares, even the worlds most expensive amplifiers available.

These professionally installed modifications are the very best type of mods for this amplifier as we are addressing many issues such as input/output stage additions/deletions/modifications, Power Supply Re-builds with Jensen 4-poles and exotic handmade diode bridges, low noise high speed discrete regulation circuits, custom Exotic Silver Wire Wound Output Chokes from Audio Consulting switzerland, silver wire output wiring, etc.. etc.. to get some extreme amounts of resolution and dynamics that can not be found anywhere else.

The end results is just not a "boost" in sound but the results here is nothing short of a amazing live transformation to the sound you have never experienced before in any other amp you have ever heard, regardless or price or elegantcy.

There is NO unnecessary circuitry used left in place, this is all about the very best performance that can come in live sonic reproduction.

Your amp will be modified by Doug Jesse (Reference Audio Mods, East location) and he can also answer any technical related questions pertaining to these modifications.

Buyer is responsible for shipping costs.

Typical turn-around is 2-3 weeks from receivement of amplifier.

These modification can also be bought for DIY install (caution: very tough DIY project, lots of mounting/wire, many labor hours involved, We highly recommend a professional installation)

The total Costs for all the modification upgrades and installation services is $1600 + shipping. We can also upgrade the output binding post of your choice, please email or call to inquire.

These modifications are also applicable to the Carver ZR-1000 amplfiers as well.

Please visit www.referenceaudiomods.com for more info. These mods can be bought on our webpage, please click on the info link below.

Note: We are not selling any Carver ZR-1600 Digital Amplifiers, new or modded.

Please check out the first glowing review of our modified Carver ZR1600
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=10622

Sincerely,
Douglas Jesse
Reference Audio Mods
586.944.5611

[ASi_TEK]

Look for a revised review coming soon.

Absolutely Amazing!!!!