Silver Amazings for sale in MD/Suburban D.C. - only $375

'Very pleased to have discovered this forum the other day. I have already read lots of posts and have learned quite a bit. Thanks!

I have been collecting Carver/Phase Linear equipment for many years and have owned these Silvers ALSs for a decade. I had expected to upgrade them and keep them, but we are remodeling the house, and these no longer fit. (Not just the size but also the color. We now have darker furniture, and these are in a much lighter oak.)

So, first let me give you the bad news:

(1) The woofers, while still working, will need to be replaced. The surrounds are gradually rotting, as inevitably happens. Fortunately, replacements can be bought for about $35 each.

(2) There are a few small, unobtrusive tears in one of the fabric grills. I bought replacement grillcloth, which I was intending to install, and which you can have.

Now, the good news:

(1) They sound great. The ribbons still work perfectly. No buzzing, etc.; just beautiful, crystal-clear sound.

(2) While certainly not perfect cosmetically, they are in good shape, both in terms of looks and mechanics.

With the investment of a little more than $200 for new woofers, these would once again be a great pair of speakers. I have debated whether to fix them up myself first and then try to sell them for a higher price, but I would probably keep putting that off. (And, honestly, if I did that, I would be much more likely to keep them.) Instead, I decided to give someone a good deal on these as they are.

For obvious reasons, I do not want to ship these, so they would need to be picked up (in Rockville, Maryland, near D.C.). Of course, I would be happy to demo them for the buyer so that you're sure they're in good working order. Right now, they are hooked up to a McIntosh MC-402 amp and a BAT VK-32SE preamp.

Attached are pictures with the grills off to show the woofers, plus a picture of the grill mentioned above.

The bottom line? I was thinking $375 for the sake of a quick sale.

Thanks,
Craig

There ya go, Rodney....

Rod, listen to the rabbit, he knows.

I have a set of silvers and they will sound as good as Skip's plats with your tubes driving them.

FrankieD

Thanks for thinking of me, guys, but I made George a promise and I really don't want oak.

Hmmmm... those are really close to me! Are these one of the "amp killer" variety of Carver Amazings ? Do these have a good/bad/average model of ribbon driver? Inquiring minds want to know !

Hmmmm... those are really close to me! Are these one of the "amp killer" variety of Carver Amazings ? Do these have a good/bad/average model of ribbon driver? Inquiring minds want to know !

Nope GDB, the Originals are the ones that had a reputation as Amp Killers, the Silvers and Platinums are much easier on amps, more efficient and, to many people's ears, better sounding than the Originals. If they are in decent shape, they are a steal at that price, so if you are going for them, make sure you listen to them first. The usual suspects, the woofer surrounds and ribbon buzzing + the finish.

Hi. Someone is coming here from PA today to look at them. I expect they'll be gone this afternoon. If not, I'll let you know. As I said in my original post, I would expect anyone buying them to want to inspect and hear them. I have them hooked up for that reason. I also have the grill off so that they can see the woofers (which, as I indicated above, still work but should be replaced).

It's a terrific ribbon, but it is not an especially easy load. I've run them using quite a range of amps, and they always sound best when driven with more power (e.g., my old Phase-Linear 700 or the McIntosch MC-402 they're hooked up to right now.) Having said that, I've used them with a good but not outstanding receiver, and they were fine, although certainly not performing at their best.

I know that I am selling these well below their market value (and for an awful lot less than I paid for them), but I am working hard on remodeling the house, so it is worth something to me to sell them quickly and easily. By the way, I have other vintage gear I really ought to sell (I have something like seven stereos! Four is probably enough...), so I'll probably be listing more Carver/Phase Linear stuff in the future. In the case of equipment that can be shipped (amps, preamps, etc.), I'll be happy to guarantee that they arrive in working condition. I certainly don't want anyone to feel that they've been cheated.

Thanks for your interest. Once I know the speakers are gone, I'll mark the original header "SOLD."

Best ever,
Craig

He already said they need the woofers replaced but even with that, if the ribbons are in good shape it is an excellent deal.

GDB, if you have the power to drive them you will be pleased to say the least. I LOVE mine!

FrankieD

Thanks to everyone who looked at this listing. The speakers sold in less than 24 hours and are now on their way to their new home in PA. It was fun meeting another audiophile, chatting about our gear, and listening to some music on the Carvers before loading them up.

By the way, I tried to edit the header of my original thread to indicate that they are now sold, but it wouldn't let me. Sorry if you read this far only to learn that they are already gone.