What Amplifier Now?

[munk]

My old Carver 2000 reciever is dying, and I'm looking towards the futer. It was driving an old pair of Polk LS 50's. I don't need a reciever, but an amplifier that is video and surround sound ready, as well as being able to deliver good old stereo power, is what I'm after.

Any suggestions?


munk

[AsSiMiLaTeD]

Originally posted by munk
My old Carver 2000 reciever is dying, and I'm looking towards the futer. It was driving an old pair of Polk LS 50's. I don't need a reciever, but an amplifier that is video and surround sound ready, as well as being able to deliver good old stereo power, is what I'm after.

Any suggestions?


munk

Um, I think you'll need a receiver...or separates...

Unless you're planning on using the Carver as a pre, you're going to need something to do the processing...and something to do the amplification. So you'll either need a preamp and amp, or a receiver, which is both in one box.

What's your budget?

[Porter]

Another option is a good solid integrated amp that can be switched into amp-only mode for integration into a receiver-headed surround sound system.

[munk]

Of course. I'd probably go the seperate pre amp and amp route, being as how I've never had them, rather than the integrated unit.

I'm a family man now, I was single when I purchased the Carver and had money. If I got together 800 to a 1000 for the amp, and less for the pre-amp, I'd be fortunate. I was curious as to what was considered desirable. For instance; Crown? Is the company Carver still good or not? ( I know the man left a long time ago)

I know the market has changed dramatically. There was a time when LA for instance, was filled with high end stereo shops. Today when I type in 'amplifier' or 'reciever' into a search engine on the net, a few names appear over and over again, and the products aren't very good.

I see that an amplifier is called upon to deliver power to many channels, for surround sound. I don't have that now but would like to leave it open. Or not? Maybe I should keep the music stereo seperate from the TV/DVD world? I don't know.

There's one shop in Montana that can fix equipment and I'm packing the Carver off to them.
They repaired my Nakamichi not too long ago and maybe another miracle is in the works.

Any advice is welcome. Don't be timid about offering data and offending me- I'm sort of a relic that time has left behind.


munk

[Dennis Gardner]

Welcome, munk,

Where are you at in MT? I do alot of business in the "Big Sky".

Vann's in Missoula has alot of good stuff to offer. Shop at their website or in person. They carry many of the mainstream brands, Denon, Harman Kardon, Onkyo, Yamaha, etc. They sometimes have great clearance sales too.

I've purchased from them before and they have great customer service.

Vanns.com

[munk]

Thanks for the welcome.
Do I want those brands?

After I posted last I had to laugh: I'm the fatted Calf. If I had any real money I'd be dangerous. I'd walk into a store, say something smart like, "I want good stuff" and the salespeople would oblige!

I'll give Vanns a look. Stratten's is the place that fixes, also in Missoula.


munk

[Dennis Gardner]

I can edit my post to read just "stuff" if that fits you better. If you want real fidelity, then go with separate preamps and amps. I would look into Parasound, Rotel, Sunfire( Carver's new line), Acurus, Aragon, Odyssey, Outlaw, Adcom, ATI, etc. Any of these for a solid state amp would give nice sound and you can always add a surround processor to give you the added channels if you want.

I find that great stereo beats average surround every day of the week.:D

[munk]

Thanks Dennis. I'm in Eastern Montana, near the Hi line.

I just visited OK, btw, the Tulsa area, and I liked it.



munk

[Dennis Gardner]

Havre and Lewistown are as far east as I have businesses. Tulsa is a great place to visit, if you can stand the humidity.

[munk]

I go to Lewistown frequently. Is not North Western OK humid?

The Sunfire stuff looked expensive. I think an amp I saw went for 3000 bucks.

I'd have to start selling heirlooms to come up with that.


I'm glad stereo still has a place. Surround sound never sounds 'authentic' to me.


munk

[Dennis Gardner]

I live at the edge of the high plains where we get around 20 inches of moisture annually. The difference in Okla. is alot like that in MT. Nearly 2 different states.

By the way, the Carver still holds its own for stereo usage, you may just want to look into repairing it. Isn't the 2000 around 130 watts?

[munk]

200 watts, and I think that's into 8 ohms.



I'll check the map. What's in NW OK?



munk

[heiney9]

Welcome Munk,

Nothing wrong w/ being considered a relic….. Just curious what Nak did you have repaired. I own a few pieces and have found as time goes on reputable places that have the knowledge are hard to find. I know Nak isn’t some esoteric brand that needs special attention, except for the cassette decks. It just seems original parts (mostly laser assembly’s and original output trans) are very hard to come by. I put off buying a CA-7A preamp because the solenoid relays it uses for switching (very cool) are extremely hard to come by. Did they do a good job?

As far as your audio questions I’ll chime in later when I’m not at work. Lots of ground to cover there.

H9

[munk]

A Nakamichi CR-3A tape deck. New transport motor which they got from Dennon.

It's called Strattens and it's in Misoula MT. There's enough yuppies and high end folks in Kalispell, Bozeman, Flathead etc to warrant there being such knowledge here. There's only 750 thous folks in MT so I'm lucky.

I found a place that sells Carver and Crown amps cheap. Under a thousand. I'm having trouble determining if the Carver amps are meant for home application, though, as many of them say for production or PA system.

Some day, I'd love to update my Polks and get a new set. I was raised in the generation that measured success by watts and height of speakers. Forgetting that silliness for a moment, it would be wonderful to have clean strong sound at a low volumn setting on the amp without a strain.

My carver and the two sets of Polks I've owned over the years have been lovely.

Am I wrong for still liking Polk? Frankly, their products have stood in my home for so long, and performed, and they helped me with replacement cones when i needed them, that Polk will always have first crack at any new speakers in my home.

Geeze- when you think about it- Polk stands a good chance of being in two generations of munk houses- when my sons grow older and have their own stereos.

munk

[heiney9]

Carver does make a series of amps for PA use only. If that’s the case I’d tend to stay away from those for home use, unless you get them really really cheap. Crown is the same way. Most, if not all PA amps just aren’t musical enough for home use. They are designed to drive large stacks of speakers. More about quantity over quality.

Personally I like my 2-channel system. Never really understood the surround for pure music listening. My advice is to look at a 2-channel set-up if it’s primarily music you will listen to. What older Polks do you have? You mentioned replacement cones when and how did that happen? IMO, the older Polks as a group tend to be better than newer models. Lsi’s are the exception, there are others that I’m sure will get mentioned by other members.

H9

[ND13]

I believe that the Carver that does the pro amps is not related to the Carver we all have come to know and, for the most part, love and respect. Don't quote me on that , though, I just seem to remember reading that recently.

[Porter]

Bob Carver sold his company years ago.


His current venture is called "Sunfire". Check them out.

http://www.sunfire.com/

[munk]

I had a pair of Polk monitor type speakers that were 4 ohm. They are with a friend now and doing fine. My LS 50's blew a few cones when I insisted upon turning up the volumn despite poor signal quality and distortion. Replacing the speaker cones was easy and Polk helped me.

I would love a power amp and speakers that could handle it. My Polks are 250 watts, I believe. 400 would be nice.

Whatever Polk makes today that is worthwhile, then that is what I'd go to.

I don't wish to shock anyone on this forum- but to do this, I'll probably have to sell some of my prized firearms collection. I live in Montana and do a lot of hunting and shooting. I know many people do not understand the shooting sports.

Fine Mountain Bikes, stereos, firearms; these are the material things which are valuable in that they remind us of the good thing life can be.

Otherwise, they are just things. It is the moments they give we cherish.

munk

[ND13]

Originally posted by munk
I had a pair of Polk monitor type speakers that were 4 ohm. They are with a friend now and doing fine. My LS 50's blew a few cones when I insisted upon turning up the volumn despite poor signal quality and distortion. Replacing the speaker cones was easy and Polk helped me.

I would love a power amp and speakers that could handle it. My Polks are 250 watts, I believe. 400 would be nice.

Whatever Polk makes today that is worthwhile, then that is what I'd go to.

I don't wish to shock anyone on this forum- but to do this, I'll probably have to sell some of my prized firearms collection. I live in Montana and do a lot of hunting and shooting. I know many people do not understand the shooting sports.

Fine Mountain Bikes, stereos, firearms; these are the material things which are valuable in that they remind us of the good thing life can be.

Otherwise, they are just things. It is the moments they give we cherish.

munk

If you think you offended anyone with talk about firearms then go over to the clubhouse and read the Home Defense thread.:D You should fit in just nicely, hell you might even get to trade guns for speakers. I might be interested in doing that myself.

[munk]

That is great to know. I've actually lost some of my old hippie friends because of firearms ownership.

I really need to trade some of those for a amp/preamp combo.

Most likely, I'll just start saving money.



munk

[audiobliss]

Originally posted by munk
are the material things which are valuable in that they remind us of the good thing life can be.

Otherwise, they are just things. It is the moments they give we cherish.

munk

Great words, friend! And, welcome!