CARVER C500 AMP

hi carver fans, has anyone heard of the carver C500 amp. if so how many watts is it rated at, and what is the damping factor, thanks everyone.

250 per channel and not a mag field power amp if memory serves. No idea of damping factor. Man that's going way back.

I'm surprised this post went unanswered for so long. Are C-500's that rare? I have one I bought January 13, 1980. Still works great. All driver and pre-driver circuits operate in true class A, so it tends to get a little toasty.

Anyway, the damping factor is over 1000 at 20 Hz. Other pertinents are 250 WRMS per channel into 8 ohms (454/side into 4) with no more than 0.05% THD (typical < 0.003%), IM <0> 100 db S/N (IHF A weighted).

I'm surprised this post went unanswered for so long. Are C-500's that rare?

First off, welcome to the forum, BillD!

Now, to answer your question........I haven't even known of their existence until Carver1.6's post. Could you possibly post a picture of her?

I'm surprised this post went unanswered for so long. Are C-500's that rare?

First off, welcome to the forum, BillD!

Now, to answer your question........I haven't even known of their existence until Carver1.6's post. Could you possibly post a picture of her?

BillD welcome to the Forum. I would love to hear that C-500 some day

treitz3
When I get a chance to scan I have a 1980 two page Brochure with a little wright up about it. It looks close to a Phase Linear 400 with led lights.

TFM-75

I'm re-working my media room, and the beast must come out of its rack, so I'll photograph it then. Maybe I'll make it my avitar if it really is as rare as you say. It is a great sounding amp. Here's what Carver had to say about it in their technical information:

"The Carver C-500 is a dual indpendent channel direct coupled linear power amplifier. The circuitry from input to output is engineered to utilize the latest parts and to integrate their benefits so their sum performance is optimized

At the inputs, ultra-fast FET devices provide very high gain without slew rate limitations. The C-500 has extraordinarily high overload capability and achieves a perfect transfer function without distortion. All driver and pre-driver circuits operate in true class A so voltage amplification is achieved with perfect linearity and without notch distortion of any magnitude.

The critical output stages utilize only ultra linear, ultra-fast power transistors. They are high energy guardband devices whose total power dissipation capacity is 2400 watts, or over 4 times their requirement in the C-500. A slew rate of over 80 v/µsec. provides a similar margin of safetu for eliminating slew induced distortions. Very little negative feedback is utilized which ensures absolute stability and unmeasurable TIM. This is possible because modest feedback is employed to correct residual distortion that is only 0.5% without it. The feedback loop itself has been designed to propogate an error-correction signal in only 23 nanoseconds - faster than any amplified we know of - and more than adequate to eliminate dynamic slew-induced distortion. The C-500 is DC-capable to minimize low frequency phase shift. A very low internal impedence results in a damping factor in excess of 1000 at 20 Hz which assures taut, controlled bass response even where speaker hookup leads are long or utilize small guage wire. The level controls are dual wiper potentiometers whose ratings have no affect on frequency response below 250 kHz.

The C-500 employs massive positive and negative power supplies with tremendous voltage potential for musical peaks. 43 joules of energy are available. Moreover, the two channels are phase locked to the power supply to utilize it in true push-pull fashon. This unique Carver design provides several significant benefits. Crosstalk cancellation is superior to even to dual supply designs which are ultimately joined at the power cord. High power transients of one channel cannot interfere with the other; total power is more readily available to whichever channel requires it. 500 watts mono operation is available without special bridging devices or adapters.

A sophisticated on-board computer analyzes signals that could create damaging stress on critical parts. It monitors the components of voltage, current, power, duration, heat and ultrasonics, and generates digital instructions to the amplifier's input stage and power supplies. It also senses the presence of DC signal components at the input that, if amplified, could cause damage to speakers. There is no effect on full power amplification of musical or environmental subharmonics. It can sense a problem and act on it in less than a millisecond. Because the protection circuits are toggling devices, they are either wholly on or off and they do not create an in between state or "partially on" state that could interfere with the integtrity of the musical signal.

Operation of the protection circuit is indicated by flashing of the last two LEDs in each channels' display."

Anyway, the amp was Bob's first after he left Phase Linear behind. It is like the Phase Linear 400 - mostly like the Series 2, but with more power.

Bill

OK, here are a few BIG pictures:







I don't know why the lettering in some photos looks bad, it is perfect on the unit. I think I need a better digital camera.

BillD

Great pictures. How about one more with a full picture of the faceplate. Its cool to see one in perfect shape. You should feel great like others have said there's not to many of them out there.

Do you mean onemore like picture number 2? I probably should have one along side my C-4000. The faceplates are exactly the same size and shape. They make a handsome pair.

How about this one?

Sorry I needed to move my screen to see Pic #2. Thanks for the new picture with them both. Nice set-up.

Those are both in excellent shape man...