DCM Time Window 7 - AMP & PREAMP

I don't know what amp to recommend but, the Carver amps your running is being driven to hard, running them in bridged mode.

In stereo mode they can run 4 ohm speakers. In bridged mode, they can only go down to 8 ohms, and that is risky for the amp, and speakers. I looked on the web and found the speakers, and they state 4 ohms. You may be better off running just one amp in stereo mode for now. Those amps are probably running hot and hard now.

That 700 watt maximum for your speakers is most likely for a short term (fraction of a second) peaks. The 400 watts per channel one amp can put out is continuous, and may be more than those speakers can handle. Sometimes a bigger amp sounds better, but just a fraction of the power is normally used. A lower powered amp can sound better in some cases too. [http://www.dcmspeakers.com/manuals/TimeWindowSeven.pdf] [http://thecarversite.com/manuals/files-manuals/Carver%20A-500x%20owner%20manual.PDF]

I remember the Time Windows fondly. I heard the 1As and the later Time Frames, but never your rare TW7s. I remember TWs as being unusually transparent and balanced, getting panel speaker sound out of cones.

Anyway, I think they present a fairly challenging impedance load and you might be better off with a good conventional A/B solid state amp. In fact, since you have some Emotiva gear now, maybe a pair of UPA-1 monoblocks would be in order.

If you want to get a good match from same-era electronics, look for a Heathkit AA-1600. Then have a tech check it over and restore it to spec if needed. It probably won't need much work; they're very rugged. I recently picked one up for $239 and I'm astounded at how good it is. It has just the characteristics the TW's would need--reasonable speed, low distortion, wide bandwidth, high current and damping factor, good extension, transparency, and very stable into reactive loads.

Hifihvn, I did some testing. for starter the THX gain on the back is set to 50%. I turned off the MONO mode but still left the connection in bridge mode style (speakers connected to the positive posts only)...all its happening is the sounds level drops by about 5 clicks on the volume. Right now I've left the Mono button off and am going to listen to it like this for a while.

I dont know about pushing the Amps hard, but these speakers have a thermal light bulb fuse and I've had it kick in and cut off the highs. essentially these speakers are great for listening and running loud, but they are in no way shape or form a party speaker. That thermal protection kicks in llike a tax auditor and shuts it down. I've been thinking about switching over to Tube, but a 100wpc tube amp will set me back 2K at the absolute least for an entry level amp. I guess for now I have to find a tube preamp first.

Johnnyb53, I checked out those Heatkits...eh too vintage. I've been thinking about Emotiva's XPA1's, their Flagship monoblocks.
when I first put my system together I had full matching set, all Carver gear. my Pre and CD broke and had to return them. I've been foundling w/the idea of going all out and getting Full Emotiva set, but the curiosity of Tube sound is stopping me.

Dfgkali, I'm not familiar with the amp you have now. But, I did have a Carver TFM series amp that came out right before that one. It was also bridgeable. When I tried it in bridged mode, it was not as clean and transparent, as it was in stereo mode. It took a couple of tries, but the results always favored non-bridged. This seemed to happen with any other amp I tried bridging that had the option. I don't even bother trying the bridge mode anymore, due to the similar results I've received, no matter what brand amps. The sound does have to go through a lot more parts in bridged mode. My amp looked a lot like yours, but it was made when Bob Carver himself was still there. I don't know if any sound changes were made between the two.

The THX logo doesn't mean too much. They just want an amp to be able to provide enough power for movies. Any good potent amp can pass this. Amps like Krell and others don't bother getting it tested by THX, but I'm sure they would pass. Some cheap amps and a lot of receivers may fail THX standards.

Doubling the power of an amp only gives you about a 3 decibel increase in sound. That's not much. I think if you wanted to actually double the volume, you need about ten times the power (in watts). So in other words, just one amp may sound better, and still give enough power. I guess you'll find out, since you already have everything to compare it. I wish I could recommend you a tube amp that would work, or another solid state amp. I hope you come out happy.

Hifihvn, thank you for all the information you've provided. I understand your logic and make sense to me. I've for now left the amp in non bridge mode and am enjoying it the same. going through some more CD's.
My next smaller system will be all Tube, and by small I mean monitor speakers and possibly an integrated Tube amp vs. separates, but class A/B for sure. I will be introducing a Tube Pre. to this system sometimes this year.
I like..make that love these speakers, and wouldn't want to do anything to harm them.

Thank you again for the information.
Doc.