Let the fun begin Building Lightstar amps from the ground up

Toy Maker · Post by **Toy Maker** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 3:35 pm

Thanks ALLOT !!! I hope you don't mind my picking your brain once in a while, once I really start getting into these puppies ??
Thanks for joining our forum, and posting !! It's always great to have another Carver tech on board.

By the way guys... Anatech is/was a Carver Tech in Canada (from what I have read on the other forum)

I bought all the parts from our resident Carver Service guy, Roland.
http://www.carveraudiorepair.com/

He acquired Carver/Sunfire's full inventory of parts a couple years ago.
I guess he and a buddy built a pair of these amps themselves, and these are the last of the remaining Lightstar parts. I know he is still holding onto a few boards for repairs later, but this is it for the transformers. I don't know exactly what he has left as far a boards. But it was HARD getting the set of 4 I got

I got the feeling he didn't want to give up this many parts, as it will cut into his repair inventory later.

Phantom602 · Post by **Phantom602** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 3:59 pm

James,

The Transformers are EI core? (IE looks like a blcok of steel with a tube with copper turned around it? I thouhgt they are toroidal core. like the one in the Lightstar 2.0. I have never looked inside my Lightstar reference so I was not sure. If you need IE transformers made talk to this company

http://www.vf-transformer.com/

Talk to a Fran F. tell him Cherian referred you.

Toy Maker · Post by **Toy Maker** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 4:58 pm

Here are the photos of the transformers I have.

Toy Maker · Post by **Toy Maker** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 5:30 pm

anatech wrote:Hi everyone,

If anyone knows where Vic Richardson is, talk to him. He is the engineer who finished this design and put it out the door. I'd love to say hi to him again.

-Chris

It's a long shot... but a found a Vic Richardson in WA, and left him a voicemail... we'll see if it's the right guy ?!? Would he be around 65 years old now ?

Thanks man.

treitz3 · Post by **treitz3** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 6:14 pm

Toy Maker wrote:Thanks for joining our forum, and posting !! It's always great to have another Carver tech on board.

No kidding. Welcome to the forum Chris!

We are still "missing" some transformers from the original order of 100. Approximately 13 or so of them. Any clue where they might be or who may have them?

This information is based on 87 or so Lightstars out in the world once James is done with these. If Rolland does not have them, who might? Or does anybody know what happened to them? R&D maybe for Sunfire's use? Bob himself?

He's correct James. Not all x-nsfrmr's have to be destroyed in order to find out the juice. About <5% of the ones we ran across with no availability had to actually be taken apart and that may have been because of an open. I never did find out why they just couldn't rebuild the guinea pig, though. Just wanted to prepare you "just in case".

Toy Maker · Post by **Toy Maker** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 6:24 pm

$\:D/$ WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO !!!! $\:D/$
$\:D/$ Anatech is the man !!!!!!!!! $\:D/$

$\:D/$ Just got off the phone with Vic... he gave me the names of the 3 comapnies that made most of Carver's transformers. $\:D/$

Gotta wait till tomorrw to call them, they are all closed.
Vic said, there's nothing magical about these transformers, and any good tech should be able to copy them pretty easily without taking it apart.

$\:D/$ $\:D/$ $\:D/$ THANKS Anatech !!!!!!!!!!!!! $\:D/$ $\:D/$ $\:D/$

Toy Maker · Post by **Toy Maker** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 6:28 pm

treitz3 wrote: This information is based on 87 or so Lightstars out in the world once James is done with these. If Rolland does not have them, who might? Or does anybody know what happened to them? R&D maybe for Sunfire's use? Bob himself?

Oooo, you'll like this answer....

Roland told me (prior) to him getting all the Carver parts.. he was over at Sunfire one day (digging Lightstar parts out of their dumpster)

Writen off man... just a bunch of old junk in the way.

Looks like what I have "IS IT" aside from the repair boards Roland has... this is the end of the line for Lightstar...

treitz3 · Post by **treitz3** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 6:49 pm

Too cool! Anatech [chris], you are the man!

I'm happy for you Toymaker.

"....digging Lightstar parts out of their dumpster".....That's just plain a sin for a Carver fan. Not him getting back parts, but them throwing out!

engtaz · Post by **engtaz** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 7:54 pm

Nice to have you here Anantech. Stay around. Would like to here more about your experiences at Carver.

engtaz

anatech · Post by **anatech** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 10:36 pm

Hi Guys,
Well, I'm glad to help.

Vic is an incredibly nice fellow. I have a TON of respect for him. I am hoping to get in touch with Vic once more.

To set the record straight, I didn't work at Carver. What happened was that Evolution Audio in Canada (distributor) got bought by another company. The service manager there ended up moving into my shop (Micron Electronics in Mississauga, Ontario), we were doing some of the work anyway. As it turned out, I became involved in servicing all the failed jobs and was the "clean up guy" for the Canadian warranty network. When the Lightstars were released in Canada, there were some recalls. I did the final 10 amps. I ended up talking directly with Vic in engineering on most serious issues. The Carver service department was worse than useless to us, and a little hostile. Never could figure that one out. Sorry if there is anyone here from that time. I sold Micron Electronics to the old Evolution service manager about 10 years ago. George turned out to not be trustworthy.

I even had a Lightstar of my own, but had to sell it when I bought my house. Couldn't justify it. It was so cool though! I can still service them however. I did keep my service gear, and added to it.

-Chris

Phantom602 · Post by **Phantom602** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 10:48 pm

James,

Those are EI core transformers. So if you can't find a transformer house to make them for you I can. V&F can build those no problem. I'm in the process of checking out my Lightstar Reference now. I will PM you and let you know how it looks.

bob p · Post by **bob p** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 1:33 am

oops. double post. sorry.

bob p · Post by **bob p** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 1:36 am

anatech wrote:Do not try toroid types. The inrush current will be silly ...

http://www.carverpro.com/2004/xiampspecs.html

http://www.carverpro.com/2004/zrampspecs.html

TNRabbit · Post by **TNRabbit** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 3:58 am

WELCOME anatech/chris!

This is the most exciting thread I've seen in some time....I'm excited for you, James! Have fun..

anatech · Post by **anatech** » Fri Nov 09, 2007 4:08 pm

Hi bob p,
Market pressures.

EI cores have an air gap that reduces the tendency to saturate with any effective DC current. A toroid can not get rid of heat as easily as an EI core either.

So, what do toroid types have going for them (aside from expense in manufacture)? They have the perception that they are better because they are a newer and more expensive product. The real advantage comes in where you need that form factor to make a slimmer case. That and the marketing advantage.

A toroid transformer may be better for tube outputs. They are intrinsically a higher bandwidth device. But hold on here! Don't we want to keep high frequency noise out of our designs? Why, yes we do. EI cores hand us an advantage there too.

Always remember that the use (or not) of some components has far more to do with marketing than suitability.

-Chris

CarverAudio.com

Let the fun begin Building Lightstar amps from the ground up

Re: Hello everyone!

Re: Hello everyone!