great looks and good sound

mm section lacking in the deep bass

This is a great looking integrated amp with a sound that matches. Visually, there are two VU power meters that gives it a nice retro look. The 100 watt/ch amplifier is typical Carver''s. Sweet sounding with lush mids and good bass. Add to it a nice MM phono section which is good in details but not excellent in the deepest bass. The holography is a nice feature, best used with the headphone, however you need exact sitting location to get the most out of it. So in short a versatile, pretty looking and sounding unit from Bob Carver (back when he owned the company....now that he is back, hopefully he''ll redeem some of his name from a company that tarnished it when he was ousted.)

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Great power reserves, great clarity, startling 2-channel imaging w/the Sonic Holography. Loved motorized volume.

None at the price.

I bought this piece back in the 80's. This was well before surround sound was prevelant. The sonic holography was startling at times: often, while listening, I would turn with a start at a sound well behind or to the side of me. The CM 1090 possessed great power and dynamics, reproducing any type of music with strength and clarity.

Although it wasn't the first product to incorporate a motorized potentiometer, it was the first remote motorized volume I ever used, and this feature was a source of amazement and amusement for all my friends. The CM 1090 was a very powerful and flexible component for the time. I never did buy (or miss) a tuner: as is the case now, radio was pretty much artistically bankrupt and useless.

In recently perusing various web sites, I saw not only a used Carver CM 1090, but the 150 Watt model above it. I must admit that the larger amp would be awesome in my bedroom system, or any system that didn't require multi-channel output. Unfortunately, in the very near future HIFI without multichannel will be extinct (that is, unfortunately for those with 2 channel gear, but great for those of us wishing to embrace the 21st century!).

Highly recommended if one can find one. Please note that the model year is actually from the 80's. This product hasn't been made for nearly a decade, but this sites form requires that one select a model year from among its few choices. Happy listening.

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Power, retro meters

no mono switch

I bought this at the PX when I returned from the Gulf in the early '90s. It was a great deal, someone had returned it and so it was marked down to $299. Since then It's been with me everywhere. I've ran ARs, Polks, Bozaks and now Wharfedale MFM-7s with it and it's never had a problem supplying power.

They are very hard to get now, every once in awhile you'll see one on ebay. Luckily, Everett Audio in Washington state is comprised of ex-Carver employees who can repair it if it ever goes down. Also Bob Carver is back in control of the Carver name and will be reintroducing new products.

Great component, and I don't foresee giving it up anytime soon.

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I am actually looking for a Carver 1090 Integrated Amp..if anyone knows of someone selling one,,please email me...thanks

none

I would like to buy a Carver 1090 Integrated Amp from anyone selling one,,please email me on any and all info..thanks

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luxman

very good sound

no

I've bought it from my friend.I used it about one month.But now I meet a problem that I can't find the reason.
When I turn on the power I hear the big noise in the speaker.After about 1 hour( the power is still ON) when the amplifier is been hot,I don't hear the noise. It sounds normally. The sound quality is very good.When I turn off the power about 2 hours and turn on again, the noise appears.
It means : Hot amplifier is normal but "cold" amplifier appears the noise.
I consider that the reason is from some IC or some items inside my Amlifier doesn't work well. They work well at the hot state.
I would like to receive the help from friends around the world who had CARVER CM 1090 or from manufacturer.

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This is a follow up to my earlier review. I purchased an old Carver 6200 reciever at a pawn shop for $119 and thought it was cheap enough to take a risk with. Anyway, I hooked up my Wharfedale MFM-7s to compare it with the CM-1090. Results? Absolutely no comparasion. The 1090 was noticably superior to the 6200. CDs sounded warmer and with less "noise" in the background. The 1090 is a great amp, and while they are both rated at 100wpc the 1090 seemed to deliver the power with more ease.

I suppose I'll put the 6200 in the bedroom and hook them up to my old Bozaks. Of course it's not fair to put a reciever up against an integrated amp, but I was curious as to how much difference there might be. I also compared the 6200 against my 30 year old Mac MR73 tuner. But that's another review. Suffice it to say I'm keeping the Mac and the 1090 as my primary system.

Like-pro looking,old-styled analog level meters ,
High power,a lot of inputs,remotable selections ,
direct input

Speaker sockets're hard to accept fat cables

Actually here's no required to say something for those who
knows Carver products.The only exception for Carver Hi-Fi
products met a problems was TFM-55 P.A. CM-1090 i think
is one of the best integral amps of this famous american
engineer .The only thing that i changed to this amp -
replacement of power cable to Acrotec.This makes some more
soft highs.All other is excellent .I even don't see now
any replacement for it -CM1090 is very good for full
home complex -you can plug all audio sources ( up to 5
ordinary sources ,2 recordable monitors , 3-way recording ).
Speaker A-B pairs are very useful for bi-wiring speakers
connection .And this amp has "insert" possibility between
pre-amp and P.A. sections , what can be useful for working
with "Shelf" acoustics ( you can insert Aural Exciter with
Big Bottom of Aphex to improve sound perfomance ) and for
using more powerful P.A.But for ordinary living square
it's enough and CM-1090 P.A.- it makes "live perf.image"
with shaking windows even on 3-5 Watts on Tannoy 635 !
I'm very sorry about sad story with Bob Carver and Carver
corp.,which was sold to Phoenix Gold , which actually is
Car Audio manufacturer.Of course, new Sun Fire products
of Mr.Carver are OK too, but...It's absolutely different
money .

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