Superb speakers! I have the center/amp and the two front towers. I have so far declined to add the rear surrounds as I feel my current surrounds will be more suitable when I upgrade to DD/DTS hardware. My center channel has very little a/c hum. So little in fact, it is not audible in my listening room from more then 1-2 feet. Thus, I cannot consider it as a legitimate fault. On the good side, this speakers posesses wonderful clarity, and amazingly deep, apartment rattling bass. I can recall times when, although there was little audible output from the speakers, things on the wall behind my head were shaking! This lends credence to previous reviews which note the ability of these speakers to shake the room, without betraying the origin of said bass. The bipolar design of the towers provides a spacious frontal sound stage, one that, if my eyes are closed, makes me question whether or not the center channel is engaged at times (even though it is not).
I find that the speakers are both well finished, attractive, and solidly built. While it is not easy to view the drivers, I have found that by darkening the room, and using a bright flahslight, they can be seen. The tweeters are domes, and all other drivers (subs included) are 'flat/concave'
in appearance, with no bulging covers in the center. There is a small bass
reflex port on the front of the towers, located about 6 inches from the floor.
(I mention this because I don't recall seeing it written anywhere else).

My one significant gripe about this system relates to it's mid-bass, performance, or in street terms, 'punch.' Here I'll echo the review
linked to on the carver web site, I believe by stereo review. I too,
found a lack of distinctiveness in the lower mid-bass region. However,
considering the other virtues of these speakers, this relatively minor
problem. Perhaps, it is the price we pay for having a fairly low crossover
point (100hz) for the tweeter/mid array. But given the superb deep bass of
this system, it's tradeoff I can live with.

Overall, this is a system so good, I believe it would cost me at least $2000
to do as well, and perhaps twice that to do significantly better.

If possible I'd given 4.5 stars (subtracting about 1/2 for the somewhat
mediocre mid-pass performance). This not being an option, I'm more comfortable
with 5 stars as opposed to 4.

I can't believe that none of the electricians on this thread have any suggestions for my center speaker fuse problem. Has anyone successfully changed this fuse? Is it actually a 250 V, 2 A Slow Blow as it says on the back or did the Carver people mess that up too? any suggestions on where to go to get help? the subwoofers worked fine for the first few weeks that I used them so I don't think it's a defective center speaker amp. any help is much appreciated, it's a real bummer not having subwoofers.
thanks for any help,
Jon

First, my problem: The left front speaker's rear-facing driver seems to have broken and creates a badly muffled/distorted sound. It's not that noticeable when watching movies (and most of the dialogue is handled by the center) but makes the system unlistenable when playing two channel stereo. It's especially problematic with piano solos. I called Tech Support, no luck thus far - seems that they're not too familiar with the 5.2s. Anybody know how to fix this?
Now my review: Even with the distorted left front, this system is far better than my the one it replaced (some of Advent's better speakers and an AudioSource subwoofer) for movies. The bass has punch, the center channel is clear, and the sound is crisp. Before the left front died, I loved the definition and presentation of two channel music (I heard notes and tonal flavoring on a John Williams CD that I'd never heard before).

My "center channel hum" is not audible more than a couple feet away, so that's not a problem. If these speakers were still available for under $1500 and were well made, I'd give them 5 stars. But one of my speakers broke (deduct one star), and tech support seems to be a dead end (deduct another star), so I rate my set 3 stars. If Sunfire breathes life into Carver and tech support is rescusitated as well, feel free add a star back.

Just wanted to note an additional issue I had with my speakers in case others have the same problem. I discovered recently that the rear firing driver of my right tower was not working. The problem appeared to be that the electrical terminals on the driver were bent back to clear the small opening in the MDF (back wall of the speaker enclosure). So far back, such that the push on connector was shorting against the magnetic shielding cup over the driver magnet. There was a piece of tape between the two to insulate them, but it appears that the connector pressed right against the sharp edge of the cup, cutting through the tape.
After rebending the terminals slightly and re-orienting the push-on connector with the "loops" up for more clearance, the driver started working again. This brightened up the sound and increased the spatial quality of the speakers significantly. Email me directly if you have this problem and need info on how to remove the cloth to gain access to the rear driver non-destructively.

Still rating 4.5 stars for some of the previoius issues but rescinding my previous comment about the speakers being not bright enough musically.

Here is a fix for the hum in the center channel!!!!!
Problem: 60Hz hum from the center channel speaker when subwoofer amplifier is turned on. Noticable across the room (worst case). Can be heard when low volume signal is being played.

Plan: Need to take out the 60Hz hum.

Theoretical Solution: Sub. power amp. has a transformer and center channel speaker has a cross-over network (which contains inductors/coils). When there two parts are placed very close to each other, you have a inductive power transfer between coils and so you hear a 60Hz hum out of center channel speakers. We need to kill this phycial phenomina or lessen it's effect to unaudible stage.

Practical Solution:
1. Disconnect you Carver center speaker from your system.
2. Unscrew back lid.
3. Carefully slide the amplifier out of the from the speaker enclosure. (BE CAREFULL!!!! On the button of the amplifier there are two potentiometers that can be easily damaged if the lid is not carefully removed.) (INFO!!! If you break the pots. off they are 2KOhm pots and set to 1KOhm, so you can use a resistor of 1K -- 1-4 watts.)
4. Disconnect 2 wires that come from CENTER speaker terminals (red and black).
5. Locate the cross-over network. (It should be glued to the top panel just above the tweeter)
6. Get the heat gun.
7. Turn it on and heat the glue just to the point when you can easily detach it from the top panel. (BE CAREFULL!!!! Don't heat the speakers up. Please use common sense, if it's getting too hot, you ain't doing it right.)
8. Let the glue cool down on the PCB.
9. Now, from where you are, shift the cross-over network PCB to your right as far as it goes. (Pay attenting to the speaker terminals and don't break them off)
10. Network should now be shifted right. (Network should be on right if looking from the back (your current position) and on the left if looking from the front of the speaker (normal position of the speaker when placed on the TV)
11. Use glue gun to glue it to the top panel. (BE CAREFULL!!!! Don't put too much glue, since it may drip down and glue the MID-RANGE CONE. )
12. BE CAREFULL!!! Make sure that no part of the cross over network is touching MID-RANGE speaker enclosure.
13. Wait until the glue cools down and check if everything is tight and nice.
14. Put everything back. (Don't forget to connect RED and BLACK wires to the CENTER channel speaker terminal)

Test the system. First test only center channel speaker with amp. turned OFF. If is works well go to the next step, if not, check the RED and BLACK internal wires for proper connection. Second, check the proper operation of the amplifier by turning it on and playing some nice signal with lots of LFE. If works okay, you should not have HUM anymore, if not, you probably broke the pots. off when the back lid was removed. Open and check.

This is how I fixed my center speaker during these weekends. Cross-over network is now moved just far enough so the induction from the transformer is not affecting its operation. It seems to me that Carver done this modification on some speakers and not on the others, so it's up to us to make this easy change.

I like these speakers a lot, so I had to do this surgery in order to be completely satisfied.


P.S. This procedure requires some knowledge of how to use tools and common technical abilities. I assume no responsobility for any damage that some IDIOT may do during this modification. If you know that you are DUMB don't try this at home, otherwise do it and enjoy the wonders of the home theaters.

Take it easy!!!!

well, luckily I don't have the center channel hum problem. unluckily, however, the fuse on my center channel keeps blowing, and every time I replace it, it blows out almost immediately. any ideas? thanks, Jon.

Can't find them anywhere

Hi Guys,
Just need you help.Does anyone know where I can still buy 5.2 or AL-III, if possible at all.

Had problems with the amplifier.

I am interested in getting another pair of the 5.2 surround speakers, if you are willing to sell, email me at frontendsys@msn.com

I recently purchased the Carver 5.2 system and had a JVC 884 to powerthem and was content with my setup but not ecstatic. I took back my
receiver and am now needing some recommendations on a receiver that
will bring out the best in these speakers. I'm looking to spend around
$1000-$1200 max and would really appreciate any comments that I could
get. I've looked into the Denon 3200 or the Rotel rsx965. Any thoughts
on these receivers or possibly a better alternative? If it matters,
I have a JVC XVD2000 (no dts). Thanks again for any comments!

If you want to see the drivers in the Towers all you have to do is pull back (or forward, can't remember now) on the top wooden cover. They are designed to come off and go back on easily. Then loosen the drawstring and lower the cloth cover. The sub is very impressive as are the two front drivers, I question the quality and cost of the rear driver but the speakers still sound excellent on movies.