Bob Carver Crimson 275

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Twinsfan007, Jul 14, 2019.

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  1. Twinsfan007

    Twinsfan007 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    So I'm looking into getting these as my first tube amp. I was talking to my cousin who is also a two-channel freak about the Crimson 275's. He said that when he was looking at tube amps he was talking to one of Conrad Johnson's techs and he asked him about the Crimson 275's. The tech said that he would like to see what a Crimson 275 looks like inside because he can't understand how the Crimson 275's can run their tubes so cool without it having some sort of circuitry in the device, making it not a true tub amp. He also said that Bob likes to color his tubes, making it not a real tube amp (my words not his). Has anyone else heard anything like this before? Or has seen inside the Crimson 275? I'm really interested in them and heard them at RMAF and thought they'd be a great entry point to the tube world. I just don't know how Bob could do what he's been doing if they weren't an actual true tube amp.
     
  2. CoolJazz

    CoolJazz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eastern Tennessee
    They are true tube amps.

    Bob hasn't, that I know of, ever had a tube in anything that wasn't active.

    He achieves the cool running through his bias circuits and where he places volts and current draw.

    Only SS devices are diodes as rectifiers and shunt VR in those amps.

    CJ
     
    Tim 2 and HiFi Guy like this.
  3. rebellovw

    rebellovw Forum Resident

    Location:
    hell
  4. F1nut

    F1nut Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Mars Hotel
  5. Eaglesfan9

    Eaglesfan9 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Huntsville Texas
    Not sure about any of the questions raised here but I also heard this amp at RMAF 2018 and bought one based on that demo.
    No regrets at all. It replaced a sim moon W7 solid state amp and is amazing me every time that I listen to it. Bass is excellent and if there are tube “inaccuracies” I don’t know what they sound like.
    Great amp and amazing value for money.
     
  6. Soundsense

    Soundsense Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado USA
    I like the fact that it runs cool. Having excellent bass is a big plus too. Heat, tube failure and maintenance costs were the main reasons I got out of tube amplification, despite admiring the sound.
    This one might get me back into tubes.
     
    sushimaster and Dominator like this.
  7. head_unit

    head_unit Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles CA USA
    Crimson, of course. Red circuit boards. :p
    Bob is a super smart maverick of a guy. Having said that, his designs have not stuck around, maybe due to reasons of sales and related company finances (??). If you are interested and can afford them and there is a reasonable return policy, I'd try it out! Tubes can indeed sound really nice.
     
    SandAndGlass likes this.
  8. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    So are you still considering this Carver Crimson 275 amp?

    I have owned a Carver tuner and a Carver preamp/tuner from the 80's but never any amp ...
     
  9. KT88

    KT88 Senior Member

    The tech was probably assuming that the 275 was some sort of wpc figure or that it was a KT88 design. No magic about getting 75w from a pair of KT120 as that is a minimum figure for those tubes.
    -Bill
     
  10. Bathory

    Bathory 30 yr Single Malt, not just for breakfast anymore

    Location:
    usa







    Ouch dude.
    I love my sunfire signature 600. Great sounding amp, gobs of pure class H power.
    Bests many other amps which have stayed for a year or less only to be beat up by the sunfire.


    On topic: those new Carver tube amps are great! If only I had a better job,,,,,,,,,
    They would be mine. The crimson 350’s are in my sight.
     
  11. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Bob Carver - Model 350 Monoblocks (Pair, KT120)

    Only $9,500 ...
     
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  12. Eaglesfan9

    Eaglesfan9 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Huntsville Texas
    I am still enjoying the Crimson 275 in my system. It is very musical.
    Not quite sure why there are no reviews out there. The mainline audio magazines are just not giving it a listen.
    Maybe if Bob Carver could change his name to Wilson he would get a rave from TAS.
    Just kidding.
     
  13. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Perhaps the not so insane price has deterred the TAS to review since the latter always wants to review $50K tube amp ...
     
  14. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Is the amp quiet on idle? I am looking for a new amp for my study/computer room and do not need an amp that is not quiet on idle ...
     
  15. Eaglesfan9

    Eaglesfan9 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Huntsville Texas
    Not quite sure what you mean regarding “idle”.
    In my system it is either 1)Turned on and playing music, 2)Turned on and muted via the preamp while I am changing the LP or CD, or 3)Turned off.
    If I take the mute off and am not playing music the only “tube rush” that is in any way audible comes from the phono stage and it is negligible.
    Total silence with the digital source unmuted.
    Appreciate that this response may not answer your question.
     
  16. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    With the Crimson 275 being quiet on idle, I really meant if it is making any appreciable noise when no music is played. As you know, some amps do give you a low hum even on idle ...
     
  17. Eaglesfan9

    Eaglesfan9 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Huntsville Texas
    Thanks for clarifying. Personally I have never left tube amps turned on for any period of time when not being used based on tube life and generation of heat. As far as I am aware the amp is silent when not actually playing music.
     
  18. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    I've always been intrigued by his amps. I never picked any up as I went with CAT instead.
     
    SandAndGlass likes this.
  19. Twinsfan007

    Twinsfan007 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    Yeah i am but i might wait as I kinda want to upgrade speakers or turntable 1st
     
  20. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    My Study/computer room needs a new amp but that is not my main system. I would like to try either a Class D amp or a tube amp since the many amps I have owned over the years were all Class AB, though I am leery of the high maintenance of a tube amp. I am retired and have no interests in doing any tube rolling. I will be happy if I can enjoy great music without much effort ...
     
  21. Twinsfan007

    Twinsfan007 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    I don't believe you'll have what others call a "high" maintenance price for tubes with the Carver. From reading the info on them the tubes are meant to last longer than conventional tubes and will run cooler so you should get longer life out of them I believe.
     
  22. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I was more intrigued by his tuner and the sonic holography that came with his preamp back in the 80's, right after the era of monster receivers had ended (i.e. those 300 watts/ch receivers pumped out by Marantz, Pioneer and Sansui, etc. until 1980 or so) and was a bit leery about monster amp since I did not need one ...
     
  23. vinylbuff

    vinylbuff Forum Resident

    Location:
    North Port Florida
    I saw and heard the demo at the Tampa Audio Expo and the 275 was impressive. When Bob's partner rested his arm on the tubes, everybody in the room gasped. Then he blurted out "I told you they run cool, did you think I was lying?"
    I'm trying to figure out how to afford the 350's.
     
  24. F1nut

    F1nut Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Mars Hotel
    Bob's....ummm partner reminds me of a cheesy used car salesman.
     
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  25. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    IIRC, Bob was forced out of Carver Corp. Then he founded Sunfire and at some point, he bought back the rights to Carver Corp. Then Sunfire was taken over by another company but subsequently became insolvent or something like that. He switched to tube amp and I first saw an article mentioning the new tube amp company had started production at a factory in Kentucky, not at his old address in Snohomish, WA ...

    https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1999/08/30/story8.html

    This is a very convoluted story. At any rate, most Carver products were highly regarded from the mid 70's until 2000. I almost bought a Sunfire amp until a now defunct dealer in my home state tried to sell me a used Sunfire as new ...
     
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