Quality amps

Psycho Bass Guy · March 11, 2014, 10:50:14 AM

BTW, it's off topic, but I'm adding another lawyer to my "good" list. The one handling my divorce is saving my ass.

Tim Brosnan · March 12, 2014, 03:15:48 PM

What do you guys think of Carvin amps? Their selling point is that they're made in the USA, but I'm sure the electronic components still come from Asia.

Hey Psycho-sorry for what you are going through in your life, but I'm glad to see you here!

gweimer · March 12, 2014, 04:07:40 PM

Quote from: Tim Brosnan on March 12, 2014, 03:15:48 PM
What do you guys think of Carvin amps? Their selling point is that they're made in the USA, but I'm sure the electronic components still come from Asia.

Hey Psycho-sorry for what you are going through in your life, but I'm glad to see you here!

I'm sure Carvin has gotten better over the years, but when I was a youngster, I was foolish enough to buy a 100 watt head from them, when they were strictly mail order. It was the worst amp I ever had. It fried 5 times in the first year I had it. Five trips to repair under warranty. Never again.

Psycho Bass Guy · March 13, 2014, 12:35:32 AM

Carvin's electronics have historically been pretty crappy. It wasn't until fairly recently that their amps and bass cabs were worth having at all. Their instruments' onboard electronics are still garbage as far as I know. I have a buddy who swears by them, even though he's had to replace his preamp more than once in a couple of basses. They make some pretty instruments, but those option costs add up mucho fast, even for non-coffee table models.

amptech · March 13, 2014, 03:31:56 AM

Yeah, Carvin makes nice coffee tables at decent prices

rahock · March 13, 2014, 05:35:15 AM

I've got a couple buddies who are big Carvin amp fans and they have tried to swing me that way a few times. Their stuff is not bad. There is nothing about them that I would say I dislike, but at the same time there is nothing about them that makes me jump up and down with joy either. They make pretty good stuff, but there is better stuff to be had. For me , they land in a class with Peavey. Good stuff, and if the price is right they look even better, but if you look a little harder, you will find something you like more

.
Rick

saltymonkey · March 13, 2014, 10:53:27 AM

I've been emailing with Clayton Callaway from Hi-Tone Amplification about their HI-Watt clones. They're recreations of Dave Reeves 70s Hi-Watt designs. Fully endorsed by the Reeves estate. He just sent me this picture. The HT200 DR is an exact replica of an early 70s Hi-Watt DR201. This cab is a 412 but they make a 115 and 410. Pretty sweet looking.

Dave W · March 13, 2014, 01:51:28 PM

Quote from: rahock on March 13, 2014, 05:35:15 AM
I've got a couple buddies who are big Carvin amp fans and they have tried to swing me that way a few times. Their stuff is not bad. There is nothing about them that I would say I dislike, but at the same time there is nothing about them that makes me jump up and down with joy either. They make pretty good stuff, but there is better stuff to be had. For me , they land in a class with Peavey. Good stuff, and if the price is right they look even better, but if you look a little harder, you will find something you like more .
Rick

I've never owned Carvin gear either. But I've known of enough people who have had so many reliability issues with them that I wouldn't put them in the same class as Peavey.

rahock · March 13, 2014, 03:47:03 PM

Quote from: Dave W on March 13, 2014, 01:51:28 PM
I've never owned Carvin gear either. But I've known of enough people who have had so many reliability issues with them that I wouldn't put them in the same class as Peavey.

I'm not familiar with their reliability issues, but what I meant in my Peavey comparison was simply, good stuff but there's better stuff to be had. Peavey stuff was always rock solid dependable. Only Peavey piece I ever owned was a PA and I beat the hell out of it for years. Bang for the buck it couldn't be beat. Were there better PAs out there? Definitely.
Rick

hieronymous · March 13, 2014, 04:00:49 PM

I had bad luck with Carvin stuff back in the late '80s - had one of the bass heads, had to get it fixed a few times - I forget what was wrong with it - finally gave up on it. Had a 1X15" cab, it made a horrible rattling kind of sound - my dad finally figured out it was the metal grille vibrating - so he put in a strip of wood covered with carpeting to dampen it - it worked fine after that but how lame is that??!!! Never bought anything Carvin after that.

Spiritbass · March 14, 2014, 08:07:40 AM

Quote from: saltymonkey on March 13, 2014, 10:53:27 AM
I've been emailing with Clayton Callaway from Hi-Tone Amplification about their HI-Watt clones. They're recreations of Dave Reeves 70s Hi-Watt designs. Fully endorsed by the Reeves estate. He just sent me this picture. The HT200 DR is an exact replica of an early 70s Hi-Watt DR201. This cab is a 412 but they make a 115 and 410. Pretty sweet looking.

That is nice. Does it utilize EL34 power tubes?

saltymonkey · March 14, 2014, 08:35:25 AM

Quote from: Spiritbass on March 14, 2014, 08:07:40 AM
That is nice. Does it utilize EL34 power tubes?

From the Hi-Tone site:

The HT200 DR is the Classic early 1970s Dave Reeves powerhouse.
Conservatively rated at 200w. the HT200 is capable of pumping out closer to 250w, making it a fantastic bass amp or the biggest pedal platform you have ever experienced.
The proprietary Custom Heyboer transformers are pieces of art and the build quallity is unparalled, as you would expect.
Standard with Sozo capacitors but available with NOS Mustard capacitors.

4x 12AX7/ecc83
1 x 12AT7/ecc81
4x KT88

120v, 225, and 240v taps for international use.
4,8,16 ohm settings and four output jacks allow for a wide range of speaker options.

weight: 62.5 lbs
Dimensions: 11.5"H x 11"D x 27.5"L

Granny Gremlin · March 24, 2014, 08:16:36 AM

When I looked at the Hi-Tone site, I thought they mentioned output tube options - as in you could have EL34 or KT88. It's easy enough for them to do, the pinouts are the same, just a matter of biasing. Personally, I'd recommend the KT88s, but if you really want it to sound/behave exactly like an original, it's gotta be the EL34s. I am considering switching my single pair of EL34 (technically 6CA7) head over to KT88s, next time the tubes go (single pair; I end up pushing them pretty hard, and I've been going through my stock of pre-loved EL34s to boot vs buying new so they will go pretty soon).

Psycho Bass Guy · March 24, 2014, 10:13:49 PM

The 200 watt Hiwatts with EL34's ran six of them. Most of the originals ran a quad of KT88's. A 200 watt Hiwatt isn't going to get 200 watts out of a quad of EL34's and live very long.

Granny Gremlin · March 25, 2014, 09:42:25 AM

Only 6 - that's still pushing the tubes pretty hard, no? My point was about tone not power.

I didn't realise that any original Hiwatts used KT88s at all, sorry about that; they are known for their EL43 based sound. I just figured they kept adding EL34 pairs for more wattage; only seen the 50s and 100s around here.

Anyway, now I get what the fuss is about regarding the DR201s vs the other models.