Bob Carver LLC Black Beauty Review

all of the current tube amps do not hold a candle to the king: the conrad johnson mv 125. this was a classic.

no amp that i have heard, and i have heard many, come close to the classic tube sound of the mv 125.

i have been to many ces and other shows.

the only company that is of some interest to me is wavelength..

i would consider most tube amps, closer to solid state. i would not buy current audio research, vtl or conrad johnson.

Mrtennis, while I applaud your enthusiasm for MV125, you do realize that is your opinion of what a tube amp should sound like. Others will have entirely different view. I know the classic CJ sound, very lush and seductive but colored compared to most contemporary tube amps. I enjoy that type of sound as well, but not all the time.

Shame on BC, trying to make better sounding gear more affordable for the masses back in the day.

I think he learned his lesson. Most of his newer stuff seems more akin to what high end audio buffs expect.

hi dracule1:

i agree with your comments.

i have heard the mv 125 driving many speakers, without ever any fatigue. and yes, it is colored, and an acquired taste.

it just seems to me, from what i have heard, that most of the tube amps in production sound more like solid state than tubes. even the current conrad johnson lacks bloom and lushness.

i use a vtl deluxe 120, which is not a lush sounding amp, but at least, it is inoffensive.

I hear you Mrtennis. Sometimes the classic lush tube sound is welcomed compared to some of the newer more "solid state" sounding tube amps. You can make the Carver tube amp sound more lush by tweaking the bias and feedback, but it is still not like the classic CJ stuff. I also like the lush sound of McIntosh amps from the 50's and 60's. They beautify the midrange, especially female vocals, more than real life. But the sound is so compelling you can't escape it.