Carver quality SUCKS!
Jim Clemens
I would like to go on the record and explain why I feel that Carver is
producing sub-standard equiptment and has difficulty dealing with
it...
I have a Carver CT-17 pre-amp/tuner with sonic holography that
functioned tollerably for a period less then a year. Suddenly it
developed intermittant left channel loss which became easily apparent
with operation times extending beyond 30 minutes at low-moderate
volumes. Since it was under warrenty, I sent it accross the country
to Washington state. Several weeks later it was returned to me with a
note saying that nothing was wrong with it. I re-installed the unit
and was disappointed to discover that the problem was still present.
I called Carver and explained that the problem had not been solved.
They told me to send it back. I did. This time with a note saying
that they should call me before sending the unit back to me. I also
explained that if a problem was not found, I didn't want the unit
back. I received the unit with no phone call but with a note that
they still were unable to locate the problem. They did say that they
soldered some connections which may be loose. Needless to say, when I
re-installed the unit, the left channel cut out after minutes of use!
I decided to just put up with the problem as best I could until the
problem became constant rather then intermittant. I ignored it as
best I could, but I just became more and more pissed off! My friends
would come to my home and compliment me on my stereo equiptment. I
would thank them for their compliment and then explain that it didn't
work! I finally called Carver and decided to bitch to the customer
service dept. They told me to send it back. I did. This time they
were able to find the problem and actually correct it! When I got the
unit back, I reinstalled it and was actually able to listen to music
from both channels! Unbelieveable! In fact it is still working
today. The problem is that now my display is completely
non-functional! I have no idea what station the tuner is on until the
radio D.J. announces it. I also can't tell which filters ar engaged
until I engage and disengage them. I called Carver one last time and
got a voice mail box of the customer service rep. and bitched him
out. I have not heard from him since and have totally given up on him
and his company.
Please let me know if this is par for Carver's course or if this was
just an isolated incident. I am currently in the market for a new
pre-amp/tuner and any suggestions of quality reliable equiptment would
be appreciated.
Thanks for any response in advance!
Jim Clemens
jcle...@umich.edu
KCdgw
receivers, and after 7 years of use, one of the channels began cutting
out. I took it to my dealer, who shipped it back to Lynwood. When it came
back, the sound was good, but the display was out! I paid for the original
repair, and the dealer sent the unit back
(making sure I was given a decent loaner). It came back within a week (no
charge), and worked fine. So, I'm not sure I'm a typical customer! Also,
the unit was one of the built-like-a-tank originals.
I've had a TFM-35 amp now for 1 1/2 years, with no trouble!
I have heard similar stories like yours from others, though.
KC
Those who know the truth are not equal to those who love it - Confucius.
Thomas Y. Rhee
>I would like to go on the record and explain why I feel that Carver is
>producing sub-standard equiptment and has difficulty dealing with
>it...
You're right. Carver doesn't produce the most reliable components nor are
their products build quality on par with high end equipment.
My opinions of Carver products? Mass market BS that purports to be high
end with the exception of the Carver Silver Seven tube amps.
I've even had reputable dealers tell me horror stories about the products.
This is pretty bad when a dealer selling the product cuts it down. The
only reason they tell me this of course is that I usually end up on good
terms with dealers.
Some of the horror stories? Amps blowing up in the store...higher return
rates than other brands...higher returns for service than other brands...
As for the sound quality, I don't think their as bad as Stereophile makes
them out to be.
Sure they're not the greatest sounding products, but their not absolutely
horrible sounding either. I think you could do much better for the price
though. Personally I think Stereophile has a beef with Bob Carver...but
that's another story in itself. As for Bob Carver, I respect him as a
designer and he's proven he can design with the best of them if he chooses
to do so as evidenced by his Carver Silver Seven tube amps.
Thomas Y. Rhee
Chief Executive Officer
Lunar Engineering
"A Progressive Engineering & Newton Software Development Firm."
Jamey Brock
(Thomas Y. Rhee) writes:
[ quoted text deleted -- jwd ]
>As for the sound quality, I don't think their as bad as Stereophile
>makes them out to be. Sure they're not the greatest sounding
>products, but their not absolutely horrible sounding either. I think
>you could do much better for the price though. Personally I think
>Stereophile has a beef with Bob Carver...but that's another story in
>itself. As for Bob Carver, I respect him as a designer and he's
>proven he can design with the best of them if he chooses to do so as
>evidenced by his Carver Silver Seven tube amps.
Bob carver is no longer a part of Carver Corp nor has he been for a
while. I can't speak for the consumer end of the line but I do know
that Carver professional products work quite well and have had few
problems.
Jamey Brock
wwr...@chmc.org
> I would like to go on the record and explain why I feel that Carver is
> producing sub-standard equiptment and has difficulty dealing with
> it...
> just an isolated incident. I am currently in the market for a new
> pre-amp/tuner and any suggestions of quality reliable equiptment would
> be appreciated.
home. This makes it easy for me to just pop up there and talk to the
Tech in person. All of the Carver employees are friendly and
courteous and have gone out of their way to help me on several
occasions sometimes providing replacement parts for free.
It is always frustrating when equipment breaks. Intermitent problems
are the worst to troubleshoot. Had I been in your situation I would be
equally as frustrated. However, these circumstances are not isolated
to midfi equipment. I have had similar experiences with $6000 pieces
of gear from highend firms.
My impression of Carver is that they are attempting to produce highend
sound from reasonably priced gear. This can be a tough trick to pull off.
Usually it requires the use of inexpensive parts and, in fact, most of the
Carver gear I have opened was built that way. No Calvin Klein capacitors,
no Armani hookup wire, and no Dior inductors. Just basic parts. The most
amazing thing is that some of this stuff works at all. Take a retail priced
$100 CD player. The wholesale will be $50 and at that the manufacturer
makes a profit even with overhead for stocking, shipping and handling
costs, and parts and labor costs etc. etc. Many people will consider
a more expensive player way to pricey. Go figure!
Brian L. McCarty
> Please let me know if this is par for Carver's course or if this was
> just an isolated incident.
It sounds like a relatively isolated incident to me; but a few Carver products
during that time period were contracted out for construction to a Japanese
company, one that isn't very well regarded. This could be one of those units
(does it say "Made In Japan" on it)?
Brian
jbuss...@gmail.com
Thanks , Jeff
Peter Wieck
> Hello Jim , I too have a CT-17 with the same channel problems . Did they tell you what the problem was and what they did to fix it . If so it could save us here some time.
>
> Thanks , Jeff
After that, shop techs typically have seen a lot such that the back-and-forth described should never have happened.
Want a contrast? Back when AR was still in business, I had one of their receivers. It developed a crackle in one channel, I called AR (this was before I knew one end of a soldering iron from another) and they stated that their flat-rate was $65 (in 1976) + shipping, one way, for diagnosis only. Off it went with a check. Back it comes, no additional charge, now in an AR box complete with the plywood. Now, the *other* channel was entirely out. I called AR. Two days later, comes a prepaid shipping label. Off it goes. A week later, it comes back, working perfectly. And two baggies of parts, one from the first repair (small caps and one driver transistor), then the second baggie with all four output transistors replaced, and the bias issue (carbon pots) dealt with. With a note of apology for them not 'catching' the problem the first time.
I still own an AR receiver, amp and tuner, as well as four sets of their speakers.
Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA
Ed Presson
Although I never owned any AR products (except an AR turntable), I had
acquaintances who did. I always felt AR was a class act/
Ed Presson.