[mort]

I am looking to purchase a 1985 to 1990 carver receiver 2000, 6200, 6250, any suggestions or related comments would be very helpful, How much should I pay, which models should I avoid. Thanks ,Mort

[Bemopti123]

Most of the Carvers that you refer to are not worth the chassis they are built in.  Their power ratings were overinflated, they did have an excellent advertisement budget as well as a lot of features that were way overrated.  They are good for Ebaying, but I simply do not understand what is that get these people all hyped up.  Look for "honest" receiver offerings that can be older, but will deliver good sound.  If you are into Vintage receivers, go for some old classics as Harman Kardon, Yamaha and other common ones.

In the late 1980s, I have an entire Carver set up, two stereo amps into monoblock configuration etc... I did not realize how bad and harsh they were until I dipped my toes in to some mid fi. 

[mort]

My Intrest in Carver receivers is basic, I have limited space (a 56 foot schooner is my home), a limited budget ( What retailed for $1600 in 1985 now sells for $300 on eBay) and a discerning ear for two channel audio. I can say this because I spent 8 years of my life as a studio and live sound engineer making the music you now enjoy. during this period  I was directly exposed to Carver and other  gear on the road and in reference settings. While I understand that Carver units were never price targeted for the elitist of Hi Fi, I do  believe that they probably bettered the majority of esoteric gear produced throughout the 1980s. I also believe that most company's have now pushed their attention to the more profitable markets of theater sound and thus conclude that the 80s technology still prevails today in amplification. I started This topic looking for constructive criticism or for a nudge in the right direction. It seems however that I have run head first into the Carver firewall that is Mr Bemopti123. It amazes me that even to this day Your "Stereophile" born bias is still strong. There is something about the fact that bob carver could easily reproduce the sound of your Final laboratories music 5 and 6 amps within 48 hours using his cheepest and most entry level amp from 1985, That drives you crazy. Please Google "the Bob Carver challenge" two contests put on by Stereophile and Audio Circle Magazines in the 80's Where Mr Carver was victorious in exactly duplicating the sound in all forms of both the Mark Levinson ML-2 and the Conrad Johnson premiere five. two amps that were the most highly regarded of there time. Stereophile wrote and I quote "Identical in depth presentation, Midrange solidity and three dimensionality, Imaging high end sweetness" They went on to ad that the Carver 1.0 bettered its competition in lowrange definition. A $700 dollar amp sonically identical to a $12000 Conrad Johnson imagine that !! Pretty scary to a audio elitist like your self. If  for some reason you cant give the gear a chance maybe you can give a break to one of America's most underrated and best audio designers. You probaby should have held on to those 4.0 T's there worth quite a bit more than you sold them for. Go Giants, Mort

[2gumby2]

I have a lot of respect for Carver equipment. I purchased a new Carver "The Receiver" in 1987 and it had the best tuner I have ever heard and it had plenty of power for anything I needed. I also have a TFM-35x amplifier and a CT-3EX preamp/tuner. I think Carver equipment is an excellent value. I recently bought some AVA equipment so the Carver equipment may go up to eBay in a couple of months, but it has served me well for the last 12 years or so.

[Bemopti123]

I once was fooled into buying into what magazines said and yes, I did read those famous comparisons.  Nevertheless, in my own experience later in life, I did realize that most Carvers were simply products that was barely adequate, but not nearly groundbreaking, as those inflated claims had me believe.  That is my experience, of course, people are entitled to believe and spend their $$$ as they wish.  Nevertheless, if you really "read" into some of these mags and use them as standards to what is to be believed, it is up to you.  I got fed up of a mag that had itself reviewing 2-3 pieces of the same manufacturer and later had many advertisement pages of the same company.  If you want to quote from such source, you are free to do so.  For my part, I would be highly suspect of their objectivity.  The only B Carver product that seem to have real muscle and had held their values well are the Sunfire Signature (600 watts per channel), as well as their original Carver Lightstar amplifier, that to me seem to be an earlier itineration of the later Sunfire signature. 

After I sold my Carvers, I went to a Nakamichi PA-7 amplifier with 200 watts per channel with Stasis technology as well as a Sonic Frontiers SFL-2.  That was an incredible combo, better than anything I had with the Carver name printed on it. 

Perhaps Carvers were my stepping stones to hifi, but I surely would not go back to them even if I had the opportunity to travel back in time.