• 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

silverbot01

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2022
Messages
11
Likes
36
Location
Illinois, USA
Floating chassis -- note the ground lug of the IEC power receptacle is not connected.
I'm not sure if there is variance among earlier vs later serials but my Crimson 275 seems to be grounded. I got 0 resistance continuity between the Crimson's chassis (specifically that handle/pre tube gaurd rail) and ground. Is it possible the IEC receptacle mounted to the chassis grounds to the chassis internally?

Silver
 

paulbottlehead

Active Member
Audio Company
Joined
Dec 22, 2021
Messages
209
Likes
843
I'm not sure if there is variance among earlier vs later serials but my Crimson 275 seems to be grounded. I got 0 resistance continuity between the Crimson's chassis (specifically that handle/pre tube gaurd rail) and ground. Is it possible the IEC receptacle mounted to the chassis grounds to the chassis internally?

Silver
Be sure you don't have anything connected to the RCA jacks when you take this measurement, otherwise you may be measuring an earth reference provided by your preamp.
 

mhardy6647

Grand Contributor
Joined
Dec 12, 2019
Messages
11,211
Likes
24,170
Isn't Manley also famous for power? I wonder how their stuff stacks up now.
I think it's fine. The Manley 250 and 500 watt monoblocks are beasts.
Here's the 250 tested @ Stereophile.

Manfig12.jpg

Fig.12 Manley 250 Neo-Classic, tetrode mode, distortion (%) vs continuous output power into (from bottom to top at 1W): 16 ohms, 8 ohms, 4 ohms, 2 ohms.
 

silverbot01

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2022
Messages
11
Likes
36
Location
Illinois, USA
Be sure you don't have anything connected to the RCA jacks when you take this measurement, otherwise you may be measuring an earth reference provided by your preamp.
Yeah I missed this. Appears it does not have a short to ground with RCAs disconnected. Thanks for mentioning this.

Ignoring the obvious issue, will this make up for it not having a proper chassis ground? At least in my situation?

Silver
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,368
Likes
234,381
Location
Seattle Area
Ignoring the obvious issue, will this make up for it not having a proper chassis ground? At least in my situation?
No. The shield in your RCA cables cannot withstand the shorting current needed to trip your breaker. They will likely burn out and leave the unit hot.
 

silverbot01

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2022
Messages
11
Likes
36
Location
Illinois, USA
No. The shield in your RCA cables cannot withstand the shorting current needed to trip your breaker. They will likely burn out and leave the unit hot.
I suppose I could modify the Crimson to have a ground, but I don't know if that will affect performance.

Silver
 

silverbot01

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2022
Messages
11
Likes
36
Location
Illinois, USA
I would insist on Carver taking it back warranty or not. This would violate the National Electrical Code. You may not need to have UL but you need to follow code.
Well first of all I'm not the first owner. Second I do enjoy the amplifier, personally. I can't imagine I'm in much danger.

Not sure how I would even go about that in the first place.

Silver
 

Trdat

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 6, 2019
Messages
967
Likes
396
Location
Yerevan "Sydney Born"
The moment you scroll down towards the SINAD section, contemplating the purchase of a $3000 tube amp that you thought will provide musical bliss and happily being dissapointed.
 

Spkrdctr

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 22, 2021
Messages
2,212
Likes
2,934
You could even add a little microphone and some DSP room correction, then the amp could "listen to the room" for real!
I thought that was where they were going with it. But then, they started saying the feedback information is coming from the driver and the end result is fixing the room for near sonic bliss. I'm not sure I'm buying into that. OK, I'm throwing the red flag of BS.
 

john2017

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2022
Messages
56
Likes
94
I thought that was where they were going with it. But then, they started saying the feedback information is coming from the driver and the end result is fixing the room for near sonic bliss. I'm not sure I'm buying into that. OK, I'm throwing the red flag of BS.
I won’t say it works in my room, because my amps are one-offs and I have no experience with the 275, but I will say that I have heard my amps in many different rooms and with a bunch of different gear. If I had found better, I would have them. There is a list of people hoping I will sell my amps, but they will be coming with me to the Pearly Gates...
 

Spkrdctr

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 22, 2021
Messages
2,212
Likes
2,934
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
That is where it breaks down. Speakers drivers do or can act like a microphone. BUT, acting as an effective feedback loop would seem difficult. The speaker will send feedback that it is receiving in it's position in the room. This is NOT the same as the listening position. I agree that feedback could happen with a speaker, but I'm not seeing how the speaker "reads the room" for the listening position. That is much harder to do and I don't "think" it has been done. But I'm only 95% sure of that. The other 5% could make me wrong. This is next gen stuff at the very least. Otherwise everyone would have it. Instead we have the existing room correction systems.
 

rebbiputzmaker

Major Contributor
Joined
Jan 28, 2018
Messages
1,099
Likes
462
ANSWER: I’ve always designed amplifiers that had lots of power and lighter weight than others designs. The transformer size can be made smaller by using fine wire and specified materials. There is no magic, because it adds inefficiencies in other ways like power, but the design has more than enough power.
What a load of crap. He knows zero about winding transformers. Most people do not, it’s pretty much lost art. The transformers are probably five dollars each from a Chinese supplier. The can is to hide they are junk, not for any legitimate purpose. Sad to say he’s not really a good designer, pretty much going on a puffed up reputation. Smh.
 
Top Bottom