• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Carver Crimson 275 Review (Tube Amp)

Rate this amplifier

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 379 95.0%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 5 1.3%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 6 1.5%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 9 2.3%

  • Total voters
    399

anmpr1

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 11, 2018
Messages
3,722
Likes
6,405
Ah, well. Speakers too large for the room is a very common problem with a lot of audiophiles, IME.
Although they generally are not my cup of Joe, that's one positive thing you can say about the shoe boxes being touted. You will likely never overpower your listening room with a two-way monkey coffin!

I envy (as much as I can envy anyone in this oftentimes too weird of a hobby) the listener who is able to shape the room to his intended loudspeakers. The one who has the knowledge, ability, time and money to make something integrated and holistic. But usually the listening room is simply an afterthought.
 

traderitch

Active Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2022
Messages
104
Likes
44
If Frank doesn't respond or if he responds by not directly answering the material questions, I'll just ask Music Direct for a refund.

The dealers should be mailing out notices to folks that the amp is potentially dangerous to human life.

Have you heard from Frank?
 

anmpr1

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 11, 2018
Messages
3,722
Likes
6,405
Oh no you didn't do that to your friend or is he an ex-friend?
1) I do want to say that in a large room, with the proper placement, Sound Lab speakers are no doubt first rate. For that sort of thing. But in my experience, large panels need a lot of room to breath, behind and to the side.

2) The problem with little portable devices is that they are little. I 'lost' the Panasonic, and bought a JVC to replace it. Then, much later, under some socks or a pile of underwear, I 'found' the Panasonic. Now I have two portable CD players in the closet. The JVC was advertised as an an improvement to the usual 'discman' thing, in that it had some kind of memory that stored five or ten seconds of the stream, which was supposed to help buffer external shocks. I never really understood how that worked, or if it worked at all.

3) Just a colleague. Last I heard he had moved to a smaller house, and couldn't fit all that large stuff in his listening room. So it just wound up in storage.

4) Thinking back over my long history in this hobby, if I had to do it over, I'd have gotten into electric guitars, instead of hi-fi. I mean, as much as I like my 1959 Dynaco amp, I think I'd have been much better served buying a 1959 Lest Paul. Or two or three!
 

norcalscott

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 30, 2020
Messages
198
Likes
327
Location
Sierra Foothills
@JayGilb , HA HAAAAAA!

According to Frank, the amp is under engineering review; I wonder how long it takes to assess the grounding scheme and simply ask Bob if he specified the Edcor OPTs?
I project they will ignore the question about the transformers and hide behind the "specifications are subject to change" qualifier to cover that and the power rating.

However, the improper grounding scheme is more troublesome as I would think it opens them up to litigation or exposure if someone gets killed now that this is known. Still, I project they will do a "recall" where in order to get this addressed a customer would need to ship the unit back to them, and since shipping will be expensive, very few will take them up on this.

Moving forward, they will likely only sell the "black" version and maybe try to fix the grounding and the spec issues, and hope this all blows over.
 

traderitch

Active Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2022
Messages
104
Likes
44
I project they will ignore the question about the transformers and hide behind the "specifications are subject to change" qualifier to cover that and the power rating.

However, the improper grounding scheme is more troublesome as I would think it opens them up to litigation or exposure if someone gets killed now that this is known. Still, I project they will do a "recall" where in order to get this addressed a customer would need to ship the unit back to them, and since shipping will be expensive, very few will take them up on this.

Moving forward, they will likely only sell the "black" version and maybe try to fix the grounding and the spec issues, and hope this all blows over.
Scott,

How many units do you believe have been sold?
I would bet shipping would be free both ways.
 

Blumlein 88

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
20,521
Likes
37,050
1) I do want to say that in a large room, with the proper placement, Sound Lab speakers are no doubt first rate. For that sort of thing. But in my experience, large panels need a lot of room to breath, behind and to the side.

2) The problem with little portable devices is that they are little. I 'lost' the Panasonic, and bought a JVC to replace it. Then, much later, under some socks or a pile of underwear, I 'found' the Panasonic. Now I have two portable CD players in the closet. The JVC was advertised as an an improvement to the usual 'discman' thing, in that it had some kind of memory that stored five or ten seconds of the stream, which was supposed to help buffer external shocks. I never really understood how that worked, or if it worked at all.

3) Just a colleague. Last I heard he had moved to a smaller house, and couldn't fit all that large stuff in his listening room. So it just wound up in storage.

4) Thinking back over my long history in this hobby, if I had to do it over, I'd have gotten into electric guitars, instead of hi-fi. I mean, as much as I like my 1959 Dynaco amp, I think I'd have been much better served buying a 1959 Lest Paul. Or two or three!
I own some Soundlabs so well aware of what they need. Actually they can get by with not so much space to the side, but do need space to the rear.

I would have gotten into guitars as a hobby if I could play one which I can't. When asked if I play any musical instruments my answer is, "Yes, the stereo".
 

Blumlein 88

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
20,521
Likes
37,050
I project they will ignore the question about the transformers and hide behind the "specifications are subject to change" qualifier to cover that and the power rating.

However, the improper grounding scheme is more troublesome as I would think it opens them up to litigation or exposure if someone gets killed now that this is known. Still, I project they will do a "recall" where in order to get this addressed a customer would need to ship the unit back to them, and since shipping will be expensive, very few will take them up on this.

Moving forward, they will likely only sell the "black" version and maybe try to fix the grounding and the spec issues, and hope this all blows over.
Well you can make the grounding safe from electrocution by using a GFCI outlet. Maybe they'll include one with each amp or something.
 

norcalscott

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 30, 2020
Messages
198
Likes
327
Location
Sierra Foothills
Scott,

How many units do you believe have been sold?
I would bet shipping would be free both ways.
Just a WAG (wild ass guess) on the units is around 5,000 or so (~1,500 per year). I think this has been a fairly profitable unit for them to date as the BOM cost is probably around $400-$500 (again WAG). Add in a couple more hundred for Wyred4Sound assembly and packaging and total cost is around $1k. After dealer discount profit is probably around $1k per unit. $5M total for 5,000 units. Not bad. (all complete conjecture :) )

I would hope they would offer to pay shipping - I would if I were in their shoes.
 

Blumlein 88

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
20,521
Likes
37,050
Frank might be the kind of guy who will bankrupt and then reopen under a different name, like Carver tubular LLC. With the all new re-imagined Carver breakthrough amp. The Golden 275.
 

SIY

Grand Contributor
Technical Expert
Joined
Apr 6, 2018
Messages
10,383
Likes
24,749
Location
Alfred, NY
600 or so volts on B+ for those little peanut pentodes? The poor little tubes would be shaking in their boots, er, sockets.
Mine run at 550. No problem at all. Roger Modjeski did 650 with commercial product.
 

SIY

Grand Contributor
Technical Expert
Joined
Apr 6, 2018
Messages
10,383
Likes
24,749
Location
Alfred, NY
Excellent-measuring tube amps: Krohn-Hite.

My next construction project will be a high efficiency tube amp. I'm not going to get 0.0001% THD, but I don't think that's important for the application. My current amp (when I find it!) does 0.05% or so midband, so I'll shoot for 0.01% and be happy if it does better.
 

egellings

Major Contributor
Joined
Feb 6, 2020
Messages
4,004
Likes
3,244
I 'spoze. The tube manuals list a maximum anode voltage of 300Vdc for the 6BQ5, 400Vdc for the 7189, so you are operating in uncharted territory using such extreme voltages. I wonder about the reliability of amplifiers using such voltages.
 

SIY

Grand Contributor
Technical Expert
Joined
Apr 6, 2018
Messages
10,383
Likes
24,749
Location
Alfred, NY
I 'spoze. The tube manuals list a maximum anode voltage of 300Vdc for the 6BQ5, 400Vdc for the 7189, so you are operating in uncharted territory using such extreme voltages. I wonder about the reliability of amplifiers using such voltages.
The SCA-35, which is likely the second-biggest selling tube amp of all time, ran 450 on the plates. My last set of tubes were changed out after ten years, still running well, but PM.

Again, key is keeping dissipation and screen voltage low. 600V is not going to arc the plates.
 

sarumbear

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
7,604
Likes
7,313
Location
UK

sarumbear

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
7,604
Likes
7,313
Location
UK
Here in the U.S. Earthing was not required, and in many places, may not be required still. Europe has very different requirements. We are 110/120v here in the US, and Europe/Britain are 220/240v... that is likely a big reason for the variance.
You do have federal laws that require powered devices with metal enclosure to be earthed. That means if you don’t have earthing you can’t use most tube amplifiers.

Don’t blame me, blame your law makers.
 

jbhiller

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2022
Messages
45
Likes
107
I project they will ignore the question about the transformers and hide behind the "specifications are subject to change" qualifier to cover that and the power rating.

However, the improper grounding scheme is more troublesome as I would think it opens them up to litigation or exposure if someone gets killed now that this is known. Still, I project they will do a "recall" where in order to get this addressed a customer would need to ship the unit back to them, and since shipping will be expensive, very few will take them up on this.

Moving forward, they will likely only sell the "black" version and maybe try to fix the grounding and the spec issues, and hope this all blows over.
I think you are probably right.

Still waiting on Mr. Malitz....
 
Top Bottom