Bob Carver C-500 worth restoring and/or upgrading??


Hi...
I have a Carver C-500 that I am the original purchaser of back in the 80’s.
It has been stored well, but has not been used for 30 years. I have a need for a good amp with some power to drive some DynAudio Contour 20 4ohm-rated speakers.
Can anyone "with experience with C-500s" tell me if the amp is worth refurbishing/upgrading? Where I should get it done? ...and a guesstimate cost range? I am looking for good work, not a cheap price. I also respect skilled, knowledgeable technicians... The unit has nostalgic value to me, so if it can compete with today’s solid state amps from a performance standpoint, once refurbed...I want to do it up, RIGHT!
At the very least I will need the capacitors replaced.
Any takers??? (Bob Carver BASHERS need not respond, although I am open to knowledgeable criticism of the C-500 with specific evidence! 😎).
Thanks guys!

bobo1000

Showing 5 responses by jasonbourne52

Audio Classics in Vestal, NY can restore/repair any electronic component. I bought a nicely restored SAE Mark XXX amp from them at a reasonable price!
Get a variac and plug the amp into it and turn on both with the variac set at zero. Slowly turn up the variac over a 12/24 hour period until 120 volts are reached. This will let the caps reform without shocking them with a sudden turn on. Next hook up the amp and have a listen. No hum/noise is a good sign that the amp is working fine and can be used without need for new caps.
If it continues working and sounding fine leave it alone! I'm sure the C-500 sounds as good as any of today's overpriced amps!
Audio Classics has been in business since at least 1990. Around that time I bought a nice PS Audio PS IV preamp from them. I bought the restored SAE Mark XXX several years ago - including the nice wood case! They do good work!
Yes, they have been a McIntosh dealer/repair since the beginning. Richard Modaferri (designer of several Mac tuners) worked at Audio Classics.