Carver TFM-55: Replace or Repair?

Posted by Alan Maier[SysOp] [IP: 129.37.205.109] on December 05, 1998 at 18:37:02:

In Reply to: Carver TFM-55: Replace or Repair? posted by Bob Wanamaker on December 05, 1998 at 05:32:52:

Bob,

I have sent call tags many times over the years and they take a day or two to process. As for Carver and not returning calls, that is a reason why a local dealer has reluctantly dropped Carver... they call and nobody is home.

There is little involved in the care and feeding of the SE-40. The amplifier comes with a alignment tool and a cable (actually a computer drive power cable) to measure your bias adjustments. You plug the cable in, and through the use of a good multitester you set the bias on each of the 3 output tubes per channel.. then go back and do it again. The driver tubes (1 per channel) require no care. Also the 5881 tubes are very low in cost to replace. I had one tube fail and ordered a replacement and a spare from MCM Electronics for $8-$9 each as I recall, and that was the very same spec of select Sovtek branded tube. Mind you the tubes were fairly new and I simply had a rare failure... tube aren't supposed to rattle!

There are a lot of SE-40s on the used market. One theory for this is that people buy them only to find that they do not sound "tubey" at all, but rather like a very smooth solid state amp. Speaking for myself I am between an Adcom '5800 which runs quite warm and has a terrific current draw even at idle - or the SE-40 which produces about the same heat but current draw is less, a consideration as I have a window A/C in the same circuit during the summer, but I do run out of power from time to time with the SE-40. My last Carver amplifier was a M1.0t which I really never warmed up to - but I could play it on a summer day without heating up the room or having to leave the A/C off. I currently have a older Sony ES power amp for summer use... sounds much sweeter yet more dynamic than my Carvers did.

There is something special about that bluish glow of tubes :)

Alan

: Alan,

: Well, might've spoken too soon. Carver claims they issued a call tag, UPS says that call tag has not been entered into their system. Now Carver won't return my calls; of course, UPS hasn't shown. Sigh.

: Golden Tube SE-40---where can I find out more? How much maintenance is involved with a tube amp?

: tia

: Bob

Follow Ups:

• Carver TFM-55: Replace or Repair? SMR [WizOp] 19:22:19 12/06/98 (1)
  • Carver TFM-55: Replace or Repair? Alan Maier[SysOp] 20:59:00 12/06/98 (0)

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