Carver Crimson 275 Review (Tube Amp)

[Xulonn]

Interesting that power rating is stated for short period of time!

Does that mean until you get one to measure it?

 

[DonH56]

I would interpret the power rating as 85 W continuous, 100 W "burst" (short periods of time).

Curious to see if this ever gets measured here (or anywhere).

 

[MoreWatts]

Didn't Carver simply re-brand the ASR tested "275" (now discontinued) into the "Black Magic 25?" Voila! Output now at 25 watts continuous instead of 75? Meanwhile, the discontinued, but not re-packaged, old 275s, get sent out as "loaners" while you await the new 285? That new 285 is gonna sound a lot more powerful, and therefore improved, over that 275 you got to listen to for awhile.

 

[Holmz]

What is there to complain about?
The advertising seems pretty true, as they clearly state ”Black Magic” in the name of it.

 

[dieselmilk]

Didn't Carver simply re-brand the ASR tested "275" (now discontinued) into the "Black Magic 25?" Voila! Output now at 25 watts continuous instead of 75? Meanwhile, the discontinued, but not re-packaged, old 275s, get sent out as "loaners" while you await the new 285? That new 285 is gonna sound a lot more powerful, and therefore improved, over that 275 you got to listen to for awhile.

Thought this exactly. Loaner sounds like garbage so the power increase tricks you into thinking you made a good purchase.

 

[JP]

Didn't Carver simply re-brand the ASR tested "275" (now discontinued) into the "Black Magic 25?" Voila! Output now at 25 watts continuous instead of 75? Meanwhile, the discontinued, but not re-packaged, old 275s, get sent out as "loaners" while you await the new 285? That new 285 is gonna sound a lot more powerful, and therefore improved, over that 275 you got to listen to for awhile.

Looks like he's doubling down: https://www.bobcarvercorp.com/product-page/bob-carver-black-magic-275-stereo-compact-tube-amp. Same OPTs even.


Specifications:

Rated Power
75 watts per channel @ 1KHz into eight ohm resistive load with no more than 1% total harmonic distortion. Distortion decreases at lower levels and when driving dynamic loudspeaker loads.

Frequency Response:
20Hz to 20kHz +0 -.8dB @ 1w into 8 ohms.

Distortion:
Less than 1.0% THD. 1kHz @75w

Line Inputs:
Gold-plated RCAs

Speaker Outputs:
Gold-plated 5-way binding posts

Input Impedance:
100 Kohms (RCA)

Gain:
29 dB (8 ohms)

Tube Complement:
One 12AX7, two 12AT7’s, four KT120’s (optional: KT88 or 6550)

Hum and Noise:
Better than 100 dB below 75 Watts, A-weighted.

Bias:
Rear panel potentiometer adjust, front panel meter

Output Transformers:
Interleaved windings, super wide-band, low leakage inductance, proprietary Bob Carver design EM0946 produced by Edcor.

Color:
Satin black, gold, chrome

Dimensions/Weight:
14" x 7" x 9.5" (W x H x D) / 19 lbs

Country of Origin:
United States of America

Chassis and Tube Warranty:
5 years

 

[SIY]

Edcor? Huh. They’re known for lowest cost.

 

[JP]

Ya, and still the ones with the 15W rating.

 

[atmasphere]

Edcor? Huh. They’re known for lowest cost.

Edcor makes some pretty nice parts but they have two lines. The ones I've seen in the photos look like the budget line. I've used a 10-Watt transformer they make in a little 5W/channel amp I made and the specs were pretty good- I had full power to 100KHz. But that was from their higher end line.

 

[Cbdb2]

Distortion decreases at lower levels and when driving dynamic loudspeaker loads.

How does a real speaker that might dip to 3ohms have less distortion than an 8 ohm resistor?

 

[mhardy6647]

I've used a 10-Watt transformer they make in a little 5W/channel amp I made

apostasy!

(just kidding, @atmasphere -- even the cheap Edcor iron seems like a pretty good value to me for hobbyist use... you know, for those of us who are into transformers)

 

[JP]

How does a real speaker that might dip to 3ohms have less distortion than an 8 ohm resistor?

Didn’t make sense to me either.

 

[mhardy6647]

Didn’t make sense to me either.

We really need to get Dr. Carver workin' on fossil fuel replacements for energy production. Heck, he could render point-of-use nuclear fusion practical in our lifetime! Just need to use a DC restorer circuit, I'm guessing...

 

[Rottmannash]

We really need to get Dr. Carver workin' on fossil fuel replacements for energy production. Heck, he could render point-of-use nuclear fusion practical in our lifetime! Just need to use a DC restorer circuit, I'm guessing...

and get him working on cold fusion while he's at it.

 

[mhardy6647]

and get him working on cold fusion while he's at it.

Yep.
If anyone could do it...

 

[Count Dacula]

The man just offered a full refund to anyone wishes to return their amp …..

I'm pretty sure that's not binding or valid beyond 30 days from purchase, but if so, I would take the money and RUN!

 

[Count Dacula]

Listen to it? Why do that? Audio Science Review is about sine waves and powering resistors, not music powering loudspeakers.
If its cheap and built to test good, its golden, no need to be musical. Audio reviews without listening. If you don't actually listen to an audio product in a review, your name might be more accurately called Resistor Science Review. Never had a 275 returned for lack of power making music. People that use it with music, powering speakers love them.

Wait, what am I listening for...?

 

[Count Dacula]

Tube amps don't really target this crowd. I don't think he has much to gain in coming here defending this product, no one here buy that. He will not sell any more units to this crowd, whatever their rationale is for overspecifying. As for the overly aggressive dealer, yeah they may have a word but it's assuming they knows who this is, people uses pseudos.

Ya know, I don't want to treat this thread like an open mic, but...

I started doing a little more audio around the house, and my wife of 25 years noticed and said, all she remembers from her youth in private school was "Carver" (amps). I tended to agree with her, and didn't give it a second thought until I zoomed in on ass end of the SINAD chart and saw Carver there. I figured there has GOT to be a story behind this one.

Also to add constructively at this junction (snuck in an electronics pun) that the Carver name is far more valuable of an asset than could be wrest from the clownjobbery of selling junky versions of antiquated amps to a shrinking market of suckers.

A nice way to say it is, to simply explain how I would run the business, if given control of the trademark.

In my industry, this should have never left the lab. If I was Carver, I would go 90% Digital and stick them in the fancyboy cases your customers desire. Throw them a bone. Give them some guidance. Why are you selling these loyal customers objective junk? Why are you REALLY selling them junk, is it because they don't know the difference? You certainly should know. Sincerely, anybody here could A<->B this amp, who are you fooling? I would pick yourselves up, brush this off as a learning experience in contrast to 45 years ago, when salesbluster and full page ads were all that mattered.

Get on track! You are selling buggy whips in the Tesla Age.

 

[Count Dacula]

ETA if Nakamichi suddenly started selling killer D Class amps, people would buy them just for the name. X11 for Carver, but you guys blew it, excuse the pun. (so did Nakamichi, lol)

 

[mhardy6647]

ETA if Nakamichi suddenly started selling killer D Class amps, people would buy them just for the name. X11 for Carver, but you guys blew it, excuse the pun. (so did Nakamichi, lol)

Atma-Sphere is selling killer D Class amps.
Just sayin'.

Nakamichi, at this point, is just a name that someone owns and slaps on... whatever they care to, at least AFAIK.
I think the "real" Nakamichi is long gone.