The M500t is from 1988. I had one at that time and sold it - money shortage. I wish I never did. I have my choices of amplifiers out there, but I want to find a used M500t. This has but loads of crystal clear power!

Effortless power to drive just about anything. Ultra quiet when driving it hard or at idle. Very dynamic and what can I say...it looks good!

Could have better quality binding post, but otherwise not a damned thing I could determin as a weak point.

I'm the type of guy who loves to buy and sell home audio electronics just so that I can have the opportunity to hear and experience the destinctiveness of different componets. I make it a point to avoid the mass market stuff. I was a big Carver fan until Bob's divorce from his wife and giving her the company. It went down hill from there! One day I was in a Salvation Army to brouse around and I found this 500-T power amp. Could'nt believe it!!! They had a 90 day warranty on it which meant that they bench tested and it checked out. For 149.50, I snagged it in a heartbeat and rushed it home. I was a little dissappointed at first because it was misbehaving with some occassional distortion with one of it's channels. Took the cover off and low and behold, a loose wire on the circuit board output stage. Didn't like the binding post on this amp anyway so I went to my local electronics store, bought some heavy duty 5 ways, fixed the loose connection on the board and all was beautiful! I use Energy C-2's for my main speakers...a 4.5 ohm dip on the bench. Sounded great with those speakers! I took my new find (500-T) over to my brother's $30K system and hooked it to his Thiel C-6's speakers and I must say that we were both impressed with it's ability to drive the load without much effort. Not as dynamic and detailed as his $5,000 Ayre V-1 power amp, but the differences were very subtle that left us both in positive disbelief. I could always turn and make a killing if I wanted to sell this on EBAY, but 1.) I really developed an attachment with this amp for the first time and 2.) My girlfriend is really getting tired of me doing all this buying and selling stuff. "Build one good system and keep it" she always tells me! Is that practical? I must say, that this amp is not only very satisfying to me, but it's been the best performing amp I've ever had. Probably a keeper!!!

Similar Products Used:

Rotel 980-BX, Denon POA-8200 and Carver TFM 15 power amps.