Bob Carver Biography

[beemers417]

That was great! The book will kick ass!!!

[mbskeam]

cool story,
but what about the amp?
do you still have it?
I have to go on a dicks run soon.....
those things are good....
wish there was one on the eastside.....

[treitz3]

James, maybe we could do another "session" with Bob this year that could bring up interesting topics and we could let Bob personally address some of them. Just a thought.

Dave....first off, welcome to the forum. Thank you for a wonderful post. It is much appreciated.

[TNRabbit]

I have to go on a dicks run soon.....
those things are good....
wish there was one on the eastside.....

You are a sick, sick man~

[TNRabbit]

Dave, thank you for your most excellent memories!

I look forward to more~

[F1nut]

Bob and I also have a chuckle of those expensive cables, what a rip off they are. As I have mentioned in forums, I sarcastically say that the "best" cables are those with the coolest sounding names, usually Grecian, and with the highest price

Pffft

[helicopterpilotdoug]

Very nice read Dave. Thanks for posting.

[Toy Maker]

James, maybe we could do another "session" with Bob this year that could bring up interesting topics and we could let Bob personally address some of them. Just a thought.

Dave....first off, welcome to the forum. Thank you for a wonderful post. It is much appreciated.

I think that would be a good idea !! Everyone seemed to enjoy is last time.
I'll be bringing my video camera again, so we can do it the same as last time. And now that I already have the software on my computer, and know how to use it, it won't take long to get it uploaded this time around.

I guess we should revive a "Questions for Bob" thread for this year.
QUESTIONS TO ASK BOB

[nooshinjohn]

I call DIBS on the movie rights... already have Burt Reynolds on board to play Bob, and Shakira to play the love interest as she agreed to do the nude scenes

[DaveLadely]

I have talked to Bob about possibly doing a biography on him, and am looking for topics and structure to add.
If you have any ideas of what would make an intersting read, post your ideas here, and we'll go through them, and see if we can use them.

A bio would be interesting, probably mostly because of the splash the first Phase Linear amplifier made in the audio world, being so much more powerful than the competition and yet not elitist and being reasonably price, with a very low dollar/watt cost. He is very focused when he has a goal. When he built what wound up becoming the prototype of what became the first superamp, the Phase Linear 700, he set aside his University TV repair business for two weeks, so that he could built it without distraction. He built it on the dining room table, set in the living room of the house. I have read some journalist claim this first "monster" amp was built in a "coffee can", literally. Not true. That term is used by some to describe the open chassis used to build experimental circuit. This was not done with the first super amp. The first "monster" amp was built on three separate chassis, anodized gold. The performance encouraged Bob to start Phase Linear Co. to produce the superamp commercially. At that time, the most powerful amps available commercially were the McIntosh 275 and Marantz dual Mono Model 9s, at 75 watts each. The Phase Linear 700 was conservatively rated at a minimum of 700 watts. For about the same price as the lesser powered amps.
Then Bob came up with innovations, such as sonic holography, and the "cube". Bob's innovations definitely stirred up the audio field. And his lack of elitism extends to his modesty. I doubt Bob thinks his life
is all that interesting. He eschews self importance, has humility; he is mainly interested in extending the parameters of audio while making his products affordable to audiophiles. Bob is big enough to give credit to others for their contributions, as he has done for me, a rare and admirable character trait. Unlike most in his position, ego, whatever the financial status, is far from a priority.
As I once said to him long ago, "Jesus Christ and Albert Einstein were both humble people, so anyone who thinks they are big shots must think they are above either, and so are demonstrating their arrogance and ignorance to all." And Bob seconded that then and I think he would now.
I think a bio would provide some illumination to those involved with audio
Dave Ladely in Snohomish

[BillD]

But, there certainly was a coffee can amp.

Coffee Can Amp.jpg (84.27 KiB) Viewed 4689 times

[frankieD]

Well Dave, Bob is as modest as ever.

At the first fest he attended a member, Marc (Radioengineer) had produced some really beautiful CD's that he gave to everyone.

Bob & I were sitting on a couch when he asked "Do you think he (Marc) will give me another if he has any extra?"

I said "You don't get your status here do you?"

Bob replied "What do you mean 'my status'. "

I answered "You are somewhere between Elvis & Jesus here and any of us will give you pretty much anything you ask for".

He was blown away by that but I believe it is true.

He's also alot of fun too.

How many, many people are able to appreciate (and afford) first rate gear because of Bob's work?

I equate him with Henry Ford & the Car. He took it from a rich man's toy & made it available/affordable for the rest of us.

Frank.

[kingman]

Well Dave, Bob is as modest as ever.

At the first fest he attended a member, Marc (Radioengineer) had produced some really beautiful CD's that he gave to everyone.

Bob & I were sitting on a couch when he asked "Do you think he (Marc) will give me another if he has any extra?"

I said "You don't get your status here do you?"

Bob replied "What do you mean 'my status'. "

I answered "You are somewhere between Elvis & Jesus here and any of us will give you pretty much anything you ask for".

He was blown away by that but I believe it is true.

He's also alot of fun too.

How many, many people are able to appreciate (and afford) first rate gear because of Bob's work?

I equate him with Henry Ford & the Car. He took it from a rich man's toy & made it available/affordable for the rest of us.

Frank.

Couldn't a said it better Frankie!!! Bob is anything but "aloof"!

[stereo_buff]

But, there certainly was a coffee can amp.

Coffee Can Amp.jpg

I thought the 'amp in a coffee can' was the forerunner of the Carver "cube," not the Phase Linear 700.

[F1nut]

I thought the 'amp in a coffee can' was the forerunner of the Carver "cube," not the Phase Linear 700.

That was my understanding as well.