Carver Audio C-4000 Preamplifiers
Carver Audio C-4000 Preamplifiers
USER REVIEWS
[Sep 12, 2018]
JJL
Strength:
The endless amount of controls that allows you to tinker with many settings along with the switch on back controlling the Sonic Holography Image Width is intriguing. Sonic Holography is a great sound effect that must be experienced to believe it. Especially Pink Floyd "The Wall" has crazy superb 3 dimensional sound effects. However when listening to most music it colors the instruments and sound clarity which makes it un-listenable for audiophile standards Weakness:
Musically the sound is subpar. Not sure if it is the "Sonic Holography" affecting it or what but instruments sound colored and unnatural. After some months of listening to it I grew weary of the sound and even with the loss of Sonic Holography I preferred the sound of my new Audio Research SP9 MKII. I now own an Audio Research LS25 MKII and have not turned back. But the memories of Sonic Holography will remain forever!! Bob Carver is a genius. Price Paid: $800.00
Purchased: New
Model Year: 1985
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[Mar 05, 2013]
Wilson Boozer
Audio Enthusiast
I am not a rich man, so the selection of audio components has always been with this in mind. I bought the C-4000 over thirty years ago, and then it was a significant outlay, but I have never regretted it!
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[Dec 09, 2009]
gray.scott@live.com
Audio Enthusiast
I purchased my C4000 in 1984 and have been using it ever since paired up with a m500t amp and a pair of DCM time window 1A's. This combination has such a wonderful musicality at the price point. I have friends who can't believe this technology has been around for so long and still sounds so wonderful. Thank you Bob Carver! |
[Aug 24, 2009]
jhaan92
AudioPhile
The Carver C-4000 preamplifier is probably well known by this time, and in line with the other reviewers, it is an outstanding preamp. I bought mine for a song, and have enjoyed it immensely. It has a high level of flexibility, and when you toss in the Autocorrelator, Sonic Hologram Generator, and the Peak Unlimiter (Carver's response to the dbx dynamic range expander), you get one fine piece of equipment.
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[Jan 03, 2008]
O'Shag
AudioPhile
Strength:
Overall Musicality. Very good linestage performance. Decent phono stage performance, especially for Moving Magnet cartridges. A positively brilliant headphone amp. Bi-amp capability. More functions than you can shake a stick at. Beautifully made and great looking. What more could you want especially given the price..
Weakness:
Its all relative. I'm not going to compare to massively expensive preamps (some of which I own) because its irrelevent. The C4000t always sounds good, and is never fatiguing, which is more than I can say for several very expensive preamps Ive heard. I refuse to say it has weaknesses given the absurd price it can be had for today.
Customer Service Doesn't exist anymore. Thank God this preamp is built like a brick __thouse and is virtually indestructable. Similar Products Used: I've heard most of the best preamps, both older and new. |
[Oct 22, 2004]
Bryan Hunt
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Read the other reviews. I agree. Very low listener fatigue. Very musical sounding, with great sound-shaping capabilities. The holography circuit can be amazing--depending on the recording, it can bring the music to life. No exaggeration. No other manufacturer has this. However, it is better with some recordings than with others. Sometimes you'll want to use it, sometimes not. Some of the other circuits on the C-4000 are of dubious value, but again, it depends on the recording. (the Carver C-1 has the holography circuit, but not the others--a stripped-down C-4000, if you will). Some things sound better, some not. If you like to experiment with your sounds and hear your favorite recording differently, this is an AMAZING preamp. If you just like to listen to clear music and not fuss with controls, then this unit is just good. But if you're like me and want it both ways, do what I did!
Weakness:
Not nearly as transparent or clear sounding as a straight line preamp. Great control preamp. Very Versatile. I understand the audiophile's need for total clarity in their music, and I enjoy that, too. But I also need tone-shaping capabilities for those less-than perfect recordings. I believe I've achieved the best of both worlds--read on. I have two fairly high-end two-channel stereo systems. One has a Rotel RC-995 straight line preamp running into a Rotel RB985 mkII 5-channel amp, which I use to bi-amp (I only use 4 of the five channels for this) a pair of B&W CDM 9 speakers. The other system has a crystal clear McCormack ALD-1 straight line preamp running into a Rotel BX880 amp powering a pair of B&W CDM 7 speakers. So where does the Carver come in? I use a C-4000 on the tape-out/in loop of the McCormack preamp (and a Carver C-1 on the tape-out/in loop of the Rotel preamp) for those times when I want to hear the recording differently from how it was originally recorded. (Let's face it--all audiophile snobbery aside--some things are just not recorded well. The recording may be tinny, or bassy, or whatever. Maybe the engineer was drunk that day--who knows? But if it isn't recorded well to begin with and all you have is a straight line preamp (essentially, only a volume control), then you'll never hear the music at it's best. This of course doesn't apply to music that IS recorded well and demands sonic clarity--thus the reason why I have straight line preamps on each of my systems). So if the sound I'm hearing on the straight line preamp isn't what I think it could be, I switch the controls to the tape loop, and the Carver C-4000 is activated with all it's tone-shaping capabilities. It is a noiseless setup, works beautifully, and doesn't compromise the sonic clarity of the straight line preamps at all--it's comletely out of the circuit when the tape loop is deactivated. Similar Products Used: Carver C-1, McCormack ALD-1, Rotel RC-995, Dynaco PAT-4, Sanyo Plus C-55 |
[Aug 03, 2001]
jan cooper
Audiophile
Strength:
reliable,sturdy,minimal heat production
Weakness:
heavy to move the best sound hurray for bob and sunfire corp he's before Similar Products Used: sony,jvc,dennon,mitisubishi dragon |
[Nov 01, 2001]
Jim Tidwell
Audiophile
Strength:
Its flexability, its many inputs, phono stages, power outlets, and signal processing features that made Bob Carver famous!
Weakness:
To today's audiophile, it's somewhat outdated to the state-of-the-art line stage, straight wire preamps on the market. If you've read all the previous reviews before this one, then you're familiar with all the preamp's wide range of features...its Autocorrelator noise-reduction system reduces tape hiss and low-level turntable rumble, its Peak Unlimiter circuit undoes the compression present in broadcasts and older recordings, and its fully adjustable (and bypassable) Time Delay and patented Sonic Hologram Generator change ordinary two-channel stereo into a more three-dimensional you-are-there realism. If you need a more detailed description of the Carver C-4000's many controls, please feel free to read the previous, well-written reviews submitted by Wilson Boozer, Dr. Allan M. Hunchuk, and others (there's no need to repeat their glowing reviews, so I'll move on...) Similar Products Used: Carver Model C-1 preamp. |
[Jan 18, 2002]
Larry
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Versitility, build, sound quality, realiability, ability to shape the sound, a great-looking piece of gear as well
Weakness:
No remote This review is actually for the Carver 4000t which is the " new and improved " version of the classic Carver C-4000. As you well know, the Carver C-4000 is widely considered to be one of the greatest pieces of gear ever built by audio gear masterbuilder Bob Carver....but the 4000t is just that much better. Carver " smoothed out " what little rough spots there were with the C-4000 in improving the 4000t. Adding the separate Surround Sound was just icing on the cake. If you are wanting true control over the sound your gear produces, then I highly suggest you keep your eyes open for one of these beauties. Some might say that there are simply too many audio effects on this piece but I disagree. I think there are two kinds of audiophiles....those that like simplicity in their gear and those that don't. The 4000t is for the latter group. This is the quenticential piece of audio equipment for the person who likes to " mess around " with their settings. Separate tone controls as well as multiple sound-effects invented by Bob Carver simply inhance your listening experience. Not all music was both recorded or meant to sound the same....and the Carver 4000t caters to this fact. If you can find one, get one. It's quite simply one of the greatest pre amps ever built. Similar Products Used: Adcom, Marantz, Carver C-4000, |
[Jul 23, 1999]
CB
an Audiophile
Still sounds great after 19 years.I use now in a 2nd system,but you really can use it with todays high end gear and be very pleasantly surprised.It is a cool piece of hifi history,and probably the best product Carver ever made.If you can pick up a decent used one reasonably,do it,it's fun and really does sound great. |