Bob Carver LLC Black Beauty Review

Have you seen this review?

http://hometheaterreview.com/bob-carver-llc-black-beauty-305-vacuum-tube-mono-block-amplifier-reviewed/

The reviewer Mr. London talked of shortcomings in the HF and refinement with regard to its midrange and bottom-end performance. He goes on to say:The amount of air, openness and natural sparkle that you naturally hear on cymbals, bells and triangles were somewhat missing with the Black Beauty's presentation of the high frequencies. I don't want to exaggerate this shortcoming. However, regardless of what music selection I used in my auditioning process, the fine details compared to the Pass Labs XA-60.5s were something that I found lacking. The MG-20s use a ribbon tweeter and the Cellos use an air-motion tweeter, which both are highly regarded high-frequency transducers. If your speakers are not as extended on the top end, you might not hear this to the degree that I did.

BTW,I'm taking a Poll on two very influential jazz recording engineers. Please visit my website and vote for your favorite jazz engineer: Rudy Van Gelder or Roy DuNann.

Michael Miguest
http://www.audiocognoscenti.com/blog.html

I've seen that review. Amplifiers will sound different in different systems. I have the Cherry 180 using KT88s tubes, not KT120s, and never found the amp lacking in high frequency extension.

I had an Ayre V1-xe driving my Eidolons when a pair of XA 160.5s came to the house. Even though I preferred the Ayre the XAs were very nice simply a bit different. The highs were a bit glassy and I remember I couldn't stop noticing them. A personal taste thing more than anything else.

The Miguest blog would make almost anybody pop for the Pass unless you have already been there and are looking for that relaxing second harmonic thing that only a tube can provide.

I just popped in the Psvane AX and AT tubes in the VTA180s and, hello. Try that with the Pass class A.

Dracule 1,

I have a VTL Stereo 90 Deluxe Ultra-Linear that plays in tetrode mode only that I mate with a Harman Kardon Citation 1 Pre and the Synergy is Stunning. I run all NOS Telefunken 12AX7's and NOS Mullard 10M 12AT7's in the Citation and New Sensor Corp.KT88's,NOS Siemens 801S's and NOS GE 12AT7's in the VTL and it doesn't sound like SS. This combo makes my Focal Utopia Diva Be Speakers sing and the sound is "ADDICTIVE".

Zenkail, Bob Carver once told me his favorite preamp of all time is the Citation designed by Stu Hegeman. Once you get your tube equipment optimized, no SS can get that "addictive" sound you're referring to. :-)