Need Good Advice

Today I went to pick up a new set of Amazings. The asking price was $800. Guy claims he had a platinum upgrade done. He had them in a storage area with the rest of his furniture. Other that dusty they certainly looked ok. Then I began to see some things that really bothered me. On one of the speakers I noticed he has tucked little pieces foam along the the edges of the ribbon. The other speaker ribbon looked clean. I've never seen anything like it. He said they worked fine and when I asked him why they were there he said he was having some problems and the company who installed them told him to do this. The binding posts in the back are a mess and were wrapped in black electrical tape to hold on a lengh of some kind of wire. There were also a couple of little marets the kind that join electrical wire together in the middle of the wire running from the ribbon to the crossover. Now as far as the binding posts I had planned to replace them and rewire also not really a big deal. But as to the little pieces of foam poked in along the edges of the ribbon that really baffles and worries me. Anyway I told him I wasn't really interested in forking over the $800 not knowing what was up with that ribbon. I guess the guy didnt want to shove them back in storage so he says take them home with you and if evereything is fine send me the money if not bring them back. If you have ever heard of anyone doing what he did to the ribbons I'd really like to know. I have some pictures but am not sure how to post them on this thread. Art

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Tried to ad a picture

Usually the foam helps the ribbon from buzzing . So it sounds like that may be the issue . I have a set of AL-III,s...I had to do that with one of em . But nothing like your pics show .

Man that ribbon must be buzzing like hell! LOL! Just my opinion, I have seen better for sale even cheaper than his asking price. Just my opinion again: I would stay away > to many visual problems.

That 1st photo looks like a "Hack Job" to me....

The foam is 1 single strip, not a bunch of pieces like in the photo.
and should be about 1" back behind the edge of the ribbon. You should not be able to see it at all.

Looks like someone stuffed foam in there... Be sure those ribbons have issues. No one would do that if they didn't

Basicly, with that foam there, the ribbon won't move... it will sound like a dead spot if you fun your ear up and down the ribbon

That 1st photo looks like a "Hack Job" to me....

The foam is 1 single strip, not a bunch of pieces like in the photo.
and should be about 1" back behind the edge of the ribbon. You should not be able to see it at all.

Looks like someone stuffed foam in there... Be sure those ribbons have issues. No one would do that if they didn't

Basicly, with that foam there, the ribbon won't move... it will sound like a dead spot if you fun your ear up and down the ribbon

James , doesn't that look like they put some kind of card board strips on them...?..Or at least on the side of em....?..Not good...I would pass at 800.00....

O.K. here's the deal. All four bass speakers are in great shape. The baffles are in excellent condition. He did tell me he stuck the bits of foam in there on the advice of the guys who repaired them. He gave me these to take home and try and didn't take any money.Would you all agree with me if I tell him that the ribbon will have to be repaired or replaced. It must have sounded lousy for him to do that. I really don't want any of that shit sticking out of the speakers if I'm going to refurbish them. The mess that you see in the second photo will need complete replacement. So if I call the guy back what would be a fair price to offer him. I've had want ads on a local website for almost a year and this was the only answer I got. It was only a 3 hour drive to get them. I could do a lot with these but the $800 is a little much,don't you agree??? Art

First does he have any documentation on the upgrade? And I find it hard to believe the repair tech would say, oh, put this foam in there? I don't know who did the upgrade, but it sounds like he didn't know what he was doing? This is how manufactures get a bad name. Joe consumer buys a Brand all excited and has nothing but problems! It cost him more money to fix than he paid for it and become totally frustrated, an cites; I will Never buy Carver again! what a pile of crap! As long as you know what you are getting into, then that is your decision. I took this off the AugioGon BlueBook, offer him the Low, that is pretty current as of Jan 09. $600.00. Good luck

Carver Amazing : Used Prices
Used $900.00
$1530.00 High
$710.00 Last
$600.00 Low
Jan 00 Jan 09
Carver Amazing released 1989, pr, full range ribbons

Just to clarify. He had them converted to platinum by a company here in Canada called Evolution. They were the main supplier of Carver Amazings at that time. In don,t think that company would advise him to do that . If it were me I would have told him to take them back and fix them properly. I realize there is more to this story than he is telling me. I have another picture which show the binding posts I'm not sure what he did here.

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[DaveS]

Call me at 239 772 9341 or sned me your number I`ve got free long distance.

Dave it's 506-433-4756 Art

I'd start by taking the front and rear grills off to try and find out what kind of ghetto rigging they did with that wiring on the back.
It looks like they tried to BI-amp them, by running the wires through the back plate... I dono. Take the grills off, and get some internal pix.
Either way, the 60" ribbon repair is $465 ea. and you know you will have to do at least one of them soon.

If they are working well, I'd try to ignore the foam for now, and focus on what condition the crossovers, and wiring is in.
That worries me more than the ribbon honestly.

I'd offer $200-400 for them letting him know the ribbon repair is $465 ea, or $900 for both. But you have to be prepared to spend the extra $$ on the repairs later.

Art is that the stock screws on the back holding the frt cover on?

Eddie, as far as I know. What made you ask???? Art

IMO I think that considering there are issues with not only the ribbon that a fair price for those would be no more than $500. There may be issues with the crossovers as well. If it were me I'd be doing a complete overhaul and that means everything. I tend to think that if something is having issues with old parts then a complete refurb makes sense as I like things to perform their best.