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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

Jim Clark

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Dec 25, 2021
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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.
 

abdo123

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Love this marketing blurb:
”Another significant benefit of the 350 relates to its ability to listen to the room, often referred to as the "speaker-microphone effect." Facilitated by a special current feedback loop, these amplifiers can hear the room's reverb and unique sonic signature. By design, 350 uses the speaker as a microphone by using the speaker in reverse (the theorem of reciprocity) to listen to the room, thereby allowing a portion of the room acoustic to be expressed through the main speakers. As such, the room becomes an integral part of the music in a way sold-state amps do not permit. The resulting sound feels more majestic and realistic, and the soundstage larger and more compelling. It's a sensation you seriously need to hear for yourself.”
The phenomenon is real btw, speakers act like microphones with similar directivity and frequency response to their ‘speaker’ output. I’m not experienced enough to judge whether what he said is absolute bullshit or not though.
 

mhardy6647

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Dec 12, 2019
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I won't name them, but one dealer lists this thing as "This product is no longer available for purchase."

I wondered how long that would take.
It's been replaced, apparently, by the Carver Raven 275.
Not sure how different the Raven is to the Crimson. I am guessing chassis color.

note the URL at the Bob Carver Corp. website.
https://www.bobcarvercorp.com/copy-of-crimson-raven-features-spec
 

abdo123

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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.
How did you come up with the advertised power ratings without sine waves and powering resistors?
 

paulbottlehead

Active Member
Audio Company
Joined
Dec 22, 2021
Messages
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843
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.
I have yet to see an amplifier that measures better on a reactive load than it does on a loading resistor. A loading resistor provides the easiest possible load to the amp in order to come up with a proper set of specifications that can be independently verified offsite.
 

MakeMineVinyl

Major Contributor
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Jun 5, 2020
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Santa Fe, NM
It's been replaced, apparently, by the Carver Raven 275.
Not sure how different the Raven is to the Crimson. I am guessing chassis color.

note the URL at the Bob Carver Corp. website.
https://www.bobcarvercorp.com/copy-of-crimson-raven-features-spec
Maybe carver read my previous post about using rattle can Krylon to avoid orange peel in the paint. Probably the closest color to the original paint which Krylon made was "Raven". Bada Bing. :cool:
 

Jim Clark

Member
Dealer
Joined
Dec 25, 2021
Messages
18
Likes
36
He sure changed his tune from the 5th of December:

"My point is this- If those poor performing amplifiers are owned by the original purchaser and bought from Jim Clark Stereo or another authorized Bob Carver dealer, they have a 5 year warranty.. Call your dealer. They will call the factory rep.. Carver will stand behind the product 100% of the time I can assure you.. Issues are so rare they don't actually have a service department."

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/.../carver-crimson-275-measurements.29271/page-6
View attachment 179457
If you bought that amp from me within the last 30 days I will be happy to refund your money.
 

pma

Major Contributor
Joined
Feb 23, 2019
Messages
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Location
Prague
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.
Words of a dealer - quite understandable.
 

SIY

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Apr 6, 2018
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Alfred, NY
The phenomenon is real btw, speakers act like microphones with similar directivity and frequency response to their ‘speaker’ output. I’m not experienced enough to judge whether what he said is absolute bullshit or not though.
It's one of those "sorta true, but..."

Again, this is just a mystique-marketing way to say "has a feedback loop."

If I were selling this, I'd be embarrassed, apologetic, and getting all over the manufacturer. That sort of ethical approach does not seem to be common in niche fashion audio.
 

HammerSandwich

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Nov 22, 2018
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1) Because Clark keeps stating that test signals & loads don't relate to music & speakers, I'd like to see @amirm measure actual SPL produced by this amp & a ~50W transistor model. Not sure how meaningful it would be above deep bass, but it might help bridge the chasm.

2) Kessler's New Stereo at Soundstage UK might entertain some of you. He designs the rest of the system around this amp, which costs about 50% of the entire budget. The system's definitely the polar opposite of ASR recommendations; KK combines the Carver with Magnepan LRS speakers... Sample:
On every level, it exceeded any expectations one might apply to a $2750 stereo power amp. My reaction was instant and, I believe, valid, because I’ve been listening to KT120s daily for two years, so I know what that tube’s characteristics contribute to the sound. What I didn’t anticipate were the sheer grunt, bottom-end control, quietness, and openness of the Crimson 275.
 

MakeMineVinyl

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Jun 5, 2020
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Santa Fe, NM
It's one of those "sorta true, but..."

Again, this is just a mystique-marketing way to say "has a feedback loop."

If I were selling this, I'd be embarrassed, apologetic, and getting all over the manufacturer. That sort of ethical approach does not seem to be common in niche fashion audio.
If I were in charge of marketing this amp, I'd point out the fact that the capacitors in the amplifier act as little condenser microphones (because, microphonics) which monitor the sound in the room, and this modulates the signal going through them to correct for irregularities. :D
 

Jim Clark

Member
Dealer
Joined
Dec 25, 2021
Messages
18
Likes
36
1) Because Clark keeps stating that test signals & loads don't relate to music & speakers, I'd like to see @amirm measure actual SPL produced by this amp & a ~50W transistor model. Not sure how meaningful it would be above deep bass, but it might help bridge the chasm.

2) Kessler's New Stereo at Soundstage UK might entertain some of you. He designs the rest of the system around this amp, which costs about 50% of the entire budget. The system's definitely the polar opposite of ASR recommendations; KK combines the Carver with Magnepan LRS speakers... Sample:
That because the reviewer actually listened to the amp..
 

MakeMineVinyl

Major Contributor
Joined
Jun 5, 2020
Messages
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5,871
Location
Santa Fe, NM
Well, that's certainly a reasoned and intelligent way to deal with the revealed product defects.
Yes, very classy. :facepalm:
 
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