View Full Version : Carver Line Array Speakers
We all know Carver made some good stuff because it's what Ferris Bueller used.
Check out these new line array speakers he's doing now:
http://www.bobcarvercorp.com/als
Ali Tait
26-07-2018, 12:51
Better be good for eighteen and a half grand!
well yeah, you would hope so!
The concept has always interested me. On paper it is a good solution. I seem to recall Paul Haynes built himself some.
A true vertical line source, will have a superbly wide angular dispersion (i.e. very low directivity) in the horizontal plane, but a lousy angular dispersion (i.e. very directional) in the vertical plane.
So the 'letter box effect' complained about with similar speakers (such as the tweeter panels of the Quad 57s) will, IMO, be exacerbated with the Carver designs. Unless, that is, he introduces a phase delay to the feeds of the units moving away from the centre unit.
Ferris who????
Someone who had a "day off" or it might have been an off-day.
Ferris who????
On yer bike.
A true vertical line source, will have a superbly wide angular dispersion (i.e. very low directivity) in the horizontal plane, but a lousy angular dispersion (i.e. very directional) in the vertical plane.
So the 'letter box effect' complained about with similar speakers (such as the tweeter panels of the Quad 57s) will, IMO, be exacerbated with the Carver designs. Unless, that is, he introduces a phase delay to the feeds of the units moving away from the centre unit.
I thought the delay was pretty much essential to make them work?
Would have thought so, but then Carver's comment that reflections from the ceiling and floor turn the 'finite' line source into an infinite line source won't hold true.
Apart from listening to Quad 63s with their annular electrode structure being sequentially fed by a delay line, I haven't heard any line-source speakers, such as the Infinity Reference designs, or Apogees, so I can't really comment.
I like Bob's crazy high power KT88 valve amps.
I didn't like his The Amazing speaker. It tried to look like an Apogee planar but used dynamic drivers.
I don't like the marketing bullshit on the linked webpage much. Too over the top.
He's always been a bit of a showman. You've got to get yourself noticed these days, it isn't like he is short on competition.
He's always been a bit of a showman. You've got to get yourself noticed these days, it isn't like he is short on competition.
I would agree with that. Carver offered the challenge that he could make his SS amp sound like any other amplifier (valve or SS) nominated. I believe Stereophile suggested the Levinson ML-2 (or it might have been the Conrad Johnson) design for him to 'mimic'. Can't remember the outcome, but I think Carver did a pretty good job.
Would place Bob Carver along with Nelson Pass as designers who like to "think outside of the box". Some would say Dan D'Agostino (Krell) does the same.
I would agree with that. Carver offered the challenge that he could make his SS amp sound like any other amplifier (valve or SS) nominated. I believe Stereophile suggested the Levinson ML-2 (or it might have been the Conrad Johnson) design for him to 'mimic'. Can't remember the outcome, but I think Carver did a pretty good job.
Would place Bob Carver along with Nelson Pass as designers who like to "think outside of the box". Some would say Dan D'Agostino (Krell) does the same.
Rumour had it that it was a Conrad-Johnson but I don't know if they ever actually said. The outcome was that the panel agreed that he had done it.
I'm prepared to bet serious dollar against myself that if I ever heard a pair I would not think they are as good as the description.
Anyway, Bob did hear and own some Scintillas back in the day, so he does have some saving graces LOL.
On first audition he declared them the best speakers he had ever heard. So I have to forgive him for The Amazing. Which I expect wasn't. Probably fairly decent, though.
Well no-ones' going to shell out the thick end of twenty K without a listen so as always the proof is in the pudding.
hornucopia
26-07-2018, 19:25
Max Townshend made something similar, I seem to recall, about....20?30? years ago.
oh and the 'on yer bike' comment should surely be 'on yer Ferrari!'?
Wisdom make great loudspeakers. I heard a pair at Munich years ago and I was impressed. World class no question I thought.
I will post a pic if I remember, but it was basically a very tall super narrow affair with a huge corner sub.
A speaker system I will never forget. Therefore it must have been half decent, I reckon.
Here we go:
https://youtu.be/d6jBCaNyFXA
Sounding a little sharp here maybe but in the flesh impressive. Junk the DCS and use some decent amps should probably sort that out. The company is quite AV focused. The sub is huge shame you can't see it.
Expensive stuff unfortunately.
Not much bass on that recording they were using. I can't tell anything of consequence from these videos anyway, but I'd still rather they played something that's more difficult to reproduce well.
But you've heard them for real so I'll believe they are pretty capable.
It could be the camera mics videos are meaningless really.
Anyway yup they are good. Very good.
Here's what I thought at the time with some pictures. The driver looks really curiously made. I'd really like to know what was going on with those. They are truly excellent.
http://www.martinloganowners.com/forum/showthread.php?12255-Munich-Hi-End-2011-Hi-Fi-Show&p=136891&viewfull=1#post136891
Here's what I thought at the time with some pictures. The driver looks really curiously made. I'd really like to know what was going on with those. They are truly excellent.
http://www.martinloganowners.com/forum/showthread.php?12255-Munich-Hi-End-2011-Hi-Fi-Show&p=136891&viewfull=1#post136891
I love that rack of kit they have driving them. I want one of those professional racks but they are silly money.
They look very engineering lab. OK in a dedicated AV room in a corner, I reckon.
Ah but my living room is a dedicated AV room. There's an alcove I could hide it in.
hornucopia
29-07-2018, 11:56
"Hide IT in"? or "hide (away from wife) in"?
The corner of my living/listening room can, at times, look a bit like the corner of a laboratory. And yes, I would love a small (say 60cm tall) 19" rack to put my electronics in.
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