These amps are really nice sounding. Mine has done a great job ever since I picked one up used in the early 90s. I rated the amp a 4 only because it is made in China. For what these amps cost new and all the raves about Bob Carver I would never had bought a new one.
Now would I consider any high priced China anything. Even Crown and many other once fine products are made cheaply in China and sold at very inflated prices. Ok, I will stop my anti-not made in the USA or Europe tirade. The other reason this amp gets a 4 is the cheap power supply design. The original design used cheap under sized filter capacitors.
The first thing I found when I started to use my amp was it would shut down on my Altec-Lansing 1204Bs I had on my main stereo. So I tried the amp on some Apogee ribbon speakers. Same thing when driven to any decent level. On the bench I found the poorly designed supply. I wanted to beef up the entire supply, but there is no room in the enclosure. I replaced a few of the small electrolytics with better tantilums, some of the cheaper coupling capacitors with a better grade and increased the power value of some of the resistors.
Finally I added good computer grade electrolytics with a better capacitance and voltage rating. I then looked at waveforms for cross-over and THD distortion.
Very well within specs. Looking at Fresponse I found the amp to exceed ratings and Pout (into 8 ohms/C) was flat over the range at better than 100W/channel with each channel being within a few tenths of a percent of each other. How do I remember this? I was searching on line for something and came across this site.
I pulled my folder on the amp and decided to write a review. I kept notes. I even used this amp as a back up on one of my jobs after I made the changes. It did quite good on a pair of A-T VOA A-7As.
Plenty of loud clear audio. BTW, none of the preselect styles fit me. I'm a broadcast and audio engineer with plenty of experience in FOA audio, pro sound, and system design and installation in many different venues. I've also done studios and other facilities though my career. I still use this amp daily as it is on my home listening room stereo.
I also have one in my studio along with other brands and some home made amplifiers and gear. I bought my CM-1090 new in 1992 after my previous integrated amp died.
My key requirement was that it had to sound good, with rich bass, at low volume, since I don't like loud noise at all. The CM-1090 excels at that, nothing I'd ever heard before or after sounded so good, clear and full at lower volume. I used it to listen to a variety of music, from psychedelic rock to death metal to classic rock to Indian classical music to hardcore punk and a bit of western classical and lots of things, and everything sounds good on this.
I like that it has an analog knob, rather than digital increments, since at the volume I listen to music, the difference between one notch on digital increments can be the difference between 'can't hear it' and 'painfully loud'. So this is perfect there. Got this integrated amp from an auction on ebay. This is one of many Carver 'vintage' pieces I got from different sources. I must say it is my favorite so far. It is very well built. The design and layout of the various functions and buttons is simple but very adequate.
The sound is impecable without any coloration or distortion. Absolutely no hum or hiss at any volume levels. Motorized volume knob and 'direct CD' input that bybass the triple tone controls are a couple interesting features. There is also a B speaker setting that makes the second pair of speaker act as ambience sound. As far as looks are concerned, it is very elegant. With it's two analogue 'old fashion' power meters combined to an overall modern look, the result is stunning.
Rated conservatively at 100 watts per chanel into 8 ohms it should be more than enough power for most home applications. I was looking for an amp with umph but with a clear colorless sound.
My limited budget steered me to an integrated amp design and therefore the field started to narrow. When I found this Carver, I remembered that the Carver name often means something. I got my wish.
Carver Cm 1090 Manual
The amp has now been with me through 3 pairs of speakers (presently Pinnacle Classic Gold Towers) and 2 CD players. It is a flat but sweet sound reproducer. It has a CD direct pre-amp to amp stage or it allows you to go thrrough the preamp and adjust bass-midranfe-and treble controls. THrough both types of transport it allows the famous Carver holography imagining to be switched on or off.
There are times I choose the image staging and times I don't, largely depending on the stage of the actual recording. Put another way, this amp is loads of fun to enjoy with its sweetness, smoothness and serious POWER. For the money, you better know how to build your own.
I got this amplifier as second hand in the year 2007. I used to pair it up with my Kef Q15 standmount, sources being Technics SLQ 2 Turntable,( Shure M44 ), Maranttz CD63 SE, and I still use a Yamaha Cassette deck. Previuosly I used a MArantz PM57 AMP. After using the above combination for the last 10 years I had the oppertunity to connect the souces with the CARVER 1090 Amp.
I was blown out by the difference the amp made. The Q15 sounded huge with clarity was excellent.
Lately I had bought Dynaudio Audience 42 again used product.With this speakers I think I have reached the end of my search for a perfect sound. The bass is more than I can bargain and coming to the mid it is that I can touch the singers.The drive power is awesome If I can turn the voulume control to 11 O clock position it will shake my whole listening room( 20 X 18). The Dyn's and this Carver is made for each other. Get a used amp if you can get one. Great listening. Great product.
While 10 years old (built only in 89-90), this integrated amp has the appearance of a contemporary amp and has wonderful sound. Very heavy, too (almost 30 pounds). Holographic sound seems to work on this model better (quieter) that my experience with other Carver Holographic products. Has direct CD and ability to direct ambient sound signals to second set of speakers (B connection). Or use B hookup to biwire speakers.
Traktor scratch pro 2 download gratis. Glad I purchased it (can be found occasionally on eBay if you search long enough). Will be a keeper in my home office.
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