Carvin Amplification

[DLT]

Who of you own or has owned a Carvin amp?

I just recently owned a Carvin X100B head and thought it was probably the nicest most versital head I ever played through. I loved the duel channel switching it offered. I did not need anything except a wah-wah between the axe and amp.

I sold it because I am sizing down my equipment. Maybe I blew it...

 

[B2D]

Re: Carvin Amplification

I own a Carvin Legacy halfstack and I'm entirely too happy with it. Love that thing.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Carvin Amplification

B2D, what happened to your signature? hehe

 

[DLT]

Re: Carvin Amplification

I own a Carvin Legacy halfstack and I'm entirely too happy with it. Love that thing.

B2D,
Do you live in California, as to easy access to buy, play and listen to Carvin?

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: Carvin Amplification

Does anyone own a high end amp AND a Carvin and prefer the Carvin?

 

[MDS]

Re: Carvin Amplification

I thought their amps were pretty cool when I played them. Good prices too. The problem is I've never played a Carvin guitar that sounded good, so I can't tell if the things I don't like about the amps are the guitars fault...I've always meant to take one of my guitars in, but I always forget!

 

[Xeromus]

Re: Carvin Amplification

I have a Carvin Legacy that I really like also. I don't like their guitars though.

 

[saladin]

Re: Carvin Amplification

DLT, you blew it! The X-amps (with EL-34's) are one of the best deals going on tube amps right now. I've been using an XV-212 (1993) and I am totally happy with the sound I'm getting. If ever there was an amp that can do "Fender" cleans and "Marshall" distortion, then this IS the amp. Yes, I have owned Twins, Bassman's, Tremoluxes, Supers and a couple of JCM800's and I'd still choose the Carvin!

 

[Bludave]

Re: Carvin Amplification

I own a Carvin X60. I don't use it much. It stays in my friend Cris Mirabellas showroom. Its kind of a Mesa Boogie 50 Caliber clone. From what my amp tech tells me is the plate voltage on theses amps is unusually high and because of it it tends to eat tubes pretty fast. Its channel switching and is a good blues amp. The problem with this particular model is it shares the EQ between both channels and IMO any amp that does this is limiting the tone you can get out of both channels. The clean channel is very Fender like, the Drive channel is kind of dark, but can be used if you take the time to tweak it. Awitching between the 2 is almost impossibe to get good tone as I described. This is a pretty old model at this point I have had this amp for around 10 years. I've used it on a few jams, but to be honest I would not trust it on a GIG.

 

[thucydides]

Re: Carvin Amplification

I have the Vintage series Belair 2x12 combo. I love it. However, that was not the case when I first bought it three years ago. At that time, Carvin put their own speakers in the amp. I liked it well enough to keep it (the cleans were great), but the soak (OD) channel was limited. Last year Carvin started issuing the Belair w/Vin 30s, which prompted me to throw in some Vin 30s that I had laying around. That made all the difference in the world. :smokin: I now love both channels. I also own Fenders, Marshalls, and Hiwatts, so I've been able to compare the Belair to some quality rigs.

But, you people know how it is w/gear...two years down the road I'll be once again looking for that ever elusive ultimate rig!:yeah:

 

[B2D]

Re: Carvin Amplification

B2D, what happened to your signature? hehe

I'm waiting for you to come up with a new one.

What a shame... this would've been SYCH a nice thread to display it on... but since Ive never owned or even bothered to play an X100B, I've no bad things to say about it.

DLT: Yes, I am fortunate enought to live in Southern CA, about 30 miles from the Santa Ana Carvin store. The next closest one is 60 miles away in LA... closer to where Gearjoneser hails from. The FACTORY is 80 miles to the south, in San Diego. It was a real nice convenience to be able to take a short drive and test "fresh" amps that hadn't been tampered with or mistreated.

 

[DLT]

Re: Carvin Amplification

DLT, you blew it! The X-amps (with EL-34's) are one of the best deals going on tube amps right now. I've been using an XV-212 (1993) and I am totally happy with the sound I'm getting. If ever there was an amp that can do "Fender" cleans and "Marshall" distortion, then this IS the amp. Yes, I have owned Twins, Bassman's, Tremoluxes, Supers and a couple of JCM800's and I'd still choose the Carvin!

Thank you for putting it so mildly. :sad:

Oh well...I still have the Super Reverb, Music ManHD-150, Fender M-80 and the Vibro-Champ.

Thanks saladin for your honesty!

 

[saladin]

Re: Carvin Amplification

I really am happy with mine, especially as I picked it up for $225 from the original owner and it is in mint condition. I just replaced the original preamp tubes with a new set of JJ's and they sound great. I'll be ordering a set of Svetlana =C= El-34's next paycheck and this amp should last me for ever.

One thing to remember on these is to get the later models set up for EL-34's. The earlier models had 6L6's and while they sound good clean, the distortion channel is very "buzzy" sounding. Out of the new Carvins, I would go with a Legacy because it sounds closest to the Xamps. The MTS series has diode clipping and is very harsh sounding. I haven't seen a V3 yet to comment on it's sounds.