One-of-a-kind Carver Silver Signature build

How do I upload some pics I've taken to this thread?

When you're typing a post, below the SUBMIT button there is a section with OPTIONS and UPLOAD ATTACHMENT. Click on the ATTACHMENT button & select the pic(s)

Thanks TNRabbit.

Here are some of the parts that have come in.

The first pic shows the two control circuit PCBs and stepper motors for the Goldpoint stepped attenuator that will be installed at the input of the amp.

The second pic shows the Mundorf M-Cap Supremes. Couple of matched 22 microF caps close to size of a soda can. This will be part of the bias control circuit in the power supply. I think I may have gone overboard on these caps . The twelve 0.1 microF Mundorfs are bypass caps for the large reservoir caps in the PS. Couple matched 0.1 microF caps belong in the circuit feeding the filament center tap of the12AX7.

Soda can sized caps! THIS IS EXCITING!

welcome. i also think there is a specail place in gods kingdom for bob as he is a real, loving, caring, all around great guy. he is my king.....

Soda can sized caps! THIS IS EXCITING!

Wait til you see the size of the PS reservoir caps.

Angelod, thanks for the welcome.

Soda can sized caps! THIS IS EXCITING!

My power amps has em....it is a pre requisite for me too!

Soda can sized caps! THIS IS EXCITING!

My power amps has em....it is a pre requisite for me too!

Soda can sized caps! THIS IS EXCITING!

My power amps has em....it is a pre requisite for me too!

My Vintage Pioneer SX-1250 has 4 of them also.

Those are beefy electrolytic caps in the Pioneer. However, I don't know of any manufacturer who puts FILM reservoir power supply caps in their amps. They are just too big, expensive, and impractical for use in mass manufactured high power amps, unless the amps are custom builds. For example, each of my mono blocks will have 6 film reservoir caps and 3 large nonreservoir film caps (blue caps in pic). The largest reservoir film cap I plan on using in my power supply measure 7.3 x 4.6 inches, weigh about 5 lbs, and has to be specially made. For comparison, the soda can in the pic measures 4.75 x 2.5 inches. So the diameter of the largest film cap is almost the same as the height of the soda can. The next four film caps are only slightly smaller measuring 7.3 x 3.5 inches. The next smallest reservoir and nonreservoir film caps are 5.7 x 3.0 inches. The smallest is the nonreservoir, near soda can size Mundorf cap shown in the pic.

It would be impractical to fit all these caps into one mono block chassis, unless you plan on having a mono block weighing over 100 lbs which would be impossible for me to carry upstairs with my bad back.

forgive me for being a rube here, but just how much of a performance improvement do you expect for all the expense going into building these? I applaud the effort, but won't the Law of deminishing returns come into play at some point?

Great question nooshinjohn. It would be as waste to use all these high quality caps without changing other parts of amp to take advantage of them. First, each of my mono block will have total of 8 output tubes compared to the 6 in the Cherry 180/Black Beauty and thus will output more power. Second, the output transformer will be designed for higher power than the Black Beauty. Third, having close to twice the reservoir capacitance will increase dynamics/head room. Fourth, film caps produce perceptively faster response than electolytic, so the speed or transient response of the amp is increased. Bypassing the reservoir caps with 0.1 microF film caps will further increase the speed, although some will consider this overkill. Fifth, film caps charge much faster and don't need time to "form" like electrolytics, so you don't have to wait an hour to several hours for the amp to sound its best. Sixth, film caps lasts many times longer and are more robust than electrolytics. All you have to do is ask an experienced amp builder who have used film caps in the power supply for the benefits in performance.

As you go on with the build perhaps, but I get the picture for now. Until I built my amps, I had zero experience with anything even close to this. I would like to take the next set I do up a level or two, and have also thought about a twin chassis mono.

I will watch and learn my friend, but I may also ask a few stupid questions along the way.

do you have a BOM for these?

Thank you all for your interest in my project. I will post as much information as possible. Some of you seem to think that I will take on this project all alone. This is far from the truth as I have too much invested in this financially and can't afford to screw this up with these expensive components, and I do not have the time nor appropriate skill to do all the detailed construction. I will have a professional builder do most of the detailed work with my input throughout the whole process in terms of layout of the tubes, circuit, cosmetics, etc. Bob will help fine tune the circuit after the transformer is built to his specification. However, I do appreciate your participation and would like your input. And I will answer any one of your questions as best I can without making a fool of myself .

BTW, what is BOM?