The Carver Corporation Profile

1. The Carver Corporation profile

Our past, products and principles
How we created an audio revolution
in a can of Folger's coffee.
In the late 1970's, high-powered audio was two things: something
everyone wanted, and something few people could afford. While a
decade of advances such as applied feedback, complementary circuitry,
PET's and differential design all helped improve the sound of
transistorized amplifiers, there was no corresponding breakthrough in
amplifier efficiency. As long as amplifiers depended on a lot of output
The little amp that shook the audio
devices- and the clunky power supplies, chassis and enclosures required
world. Carver's revolutionary
to support them- clean, high audio power would remain something most
M-400 delivered high-end
enthusiasts would dream about instead of own. Ironically, with advances
peiformance for a price
in loudspeaker design and improvements in musical sound sources (such
considered impossible.
as records, tapes and FM) high power was becoming more important
M-400 Power Amp than ever.

It was during this conflict, between

amplifier perfonnance and price, that an
emerging audio company from the Pacific
Northwest came up with a better way.
Visitors to the 1979 Winter Consumer
Electronics Show looked on and listened in
amazement as an experimental 200 Watt per
channel amplifier in a Folger's coffee can
was used to drive a high-end loudspeaker
system- at a quality level indistinguishable
from the best conventional designs then
available. The secret of this extraordinary
new amplifier was a regulated power supply
capable of "smart" operation- in other
words, it anticipated musical power
demands and adapted to them by making
more efficient use of the power available
from the wall socket itself. Regulated
power supplies were already being used in
aerospace electronics and laboratory
( measurement instruments.

h e ( -'
.~ a r \l e r B () o k
 The Carver Corporation ProfUe

Carver turns radical technology into best-selling

consumer products.
What the new audio company had accomplished was the successful
identification and application of a promising electronic technology with
the goal of making high-end audio more practical than ever. Many
companies would consider themselves lucky to experience one such
breakthrough. For the new Carver Corporation, it was just the start of a
pattern of audio innovation that continues unbroken to this day.

The company followed-up with the introduction of the M-400

production model, a nine-pound cube amplifier with an unheard-of
price/power ratio: 400 Watts of clean, dynamic power for just $399.00.
Audio dealers and consumers responded by making the M-400 the best
selling amplifier in history- a record which, according to the Electronics
Industry Association, was finally broken in the early 1990's by another
Carver amplifier, the TFM-3S!

Recognizing that there was room for improvement throughout the audio
( chain, Carver also introduced the equally-innovative C-4000
preamplifier. Along with being the first high-end audio product to offer
surround-sound, the C-4000 also introduced the audio world to Sonic
Holography, a patented circuit that re-creates the depth and ambiance of
a live perfonnance from two speakers. Here is how a leading audio
magazine of the time described the C-4000:

"It was with a great deal of anticipation that

we awaited the first production samples of
Carver's original approach to more believable
sound reproduction... The Carver preamp is the
sum of more parts than any model within
memory... the C-4000 is the most fascinating
hands-on preamp we know of."
C-4000 Preamp
High Fidelity, January 1980
With its Sonic Holography
preamplifiers, Carver Corporation
Sonic Holography was the foundation for today's Cinema Holography -
established itself overnight as a
as well as the "inspiration" for a number of audio imitations. Most
leader in signal processing and
important, it broke ground in audiophile circles for the role of active
advanced audio design.
signal processing, and established Carver as a leader in sound re-
creation instead of just reproduction. This principle still guides the
development of Carver products today.

h e ( 0'
.~ a r v e r B o o k
 The Carver Corporation Profile

The 'new technology leader'

becomes a leading brand.
From the beginning, Carver enjoyed a unique position as a research and
development innovator, instead of a marketing and sales company like
most of its competition. In fact, during much of the first decade at
Carver the biggest challenge was filling backorders as demand for the
brand surged. Carver's success was based on its ability to:

1.) Identify and adapt new technologies that showed the

potential to dramatically improve the audio experience (starting
with the magnetic field amp and Sonic Holography, and later
expanding into innovative circuitry to improve PM reception,
CD playback, home theater and much more).

2.) Combine its own domestic resources with selected global

resources to effectively translate those technologies into
affordable high-end audio products.

( The Carver philosophy had such an industry-wide impact during its first
few years that one leading Japanese manufacturer even rushed out an
imitation Carver line (complete with "X Power Supplies" and "Spatial
Expanders") just to stay competitive with dealers who were fighting
over the Carver franchise!

Today Carver is one of the most recognized brands in consumer audio,

one that is synonymous with high-performance amplifiers and separate
audio components. More than any particular product or technology,-
Carver's real strength is in its brand equity.

T h e c a r v e r B o o k
 T..~e Carver CoqJOration Profile

The Carver value story:

high-end audio without sticker shock.
Nowhere is Carver's unique combination of performance and value
more visible and noteworthy than in the consumer and audio press:

" ... you really start to wonder how some companies can charge
so much for so little, and you start to wonder where the nearest
Carver dealer is."
The $ensible Sound, preamp/tuner review, 1996

" .. .its price is ridiculously low for what it does and considering
what comparable products cost."
Stereo Review, ribbon loudspeaker review, 1993

" ... you get a 250 wpc bargain at 150 wpc prices .. .If the Carver
sounds as good in your system as it did in mine, grab the
bargain and don't worry."
( The $ensible Sound, amplifier review, 1993

" ... virtually unchallenged in its power/price class."

Consumer Digest, amplifier ratings, 1985

At Carver, we don't think that high-end audio has to be above the

majority of listeners in cost or complexity. Our mission has always been
to make high end audio more ownable and understandable. That's why
Carver is a popular "step-up" from receivers, and a very sensible one
considering that a set of Carver separates need not run substantially
more than a single high-power receiver! Carver even developed a new
amplifier design theory, called Transfer Function Modification (TFM),
to make it possible for a relatively inexpensive amplifier to sound
identical to one selling for many times its price.

TX-U Thner
Carver FM tuner circuit design made it possible to receive even the weakest stations with high-
\ fidelity sound quality.

(continued)

T h e a v e r B o o k
 The Carver Corporation Proflle

Almost anyone can achieve excellence when price is no object. This is

why the aptly-nicknamed "lunatic fringe" of the high-end audio industry
is dominated with multi-kilobuck preamps and designer poweramps-
useful for getting on magazine covers, perhaps, but with little relevance
for the rest of us. But true engineering is when one achieves that same
level of performance in an affordable, practical
design. True engineering is behind
every Carver product. That's why
Carver products, in every
category, have a long track record
as "best buys" with dealers, end-
users, and most important with
leading consumer pUblications:

Consumers Digest Best Buys in Stereo Components.

The Carver Receiver
As Carver refined and Best Buy: The Carver Receiver
integrated its advanced audio "Still a stellar performer, this handsome unit is top-notch ... "
technologies, its products-
Best Buy: The Carver 900 Receiver
such as The Carver Receiver-
"The Carver receiver is the most powerful modestly priced
were awarded with "Best Buy"
receiver we've found ... "
ratings by leading
consumer magazines. Best Buy: Carver M-200t amplifier
" ... virtually unchallenged in its power/price class."

Consumer Guide Best Buys and Discount Prices.

Best Buy: Carver M-l.St amplifier

" ... an incredibly compact amplifier considering how much
power it can deliver."

Best Buy: The Carver Receiver

"It is a superb engineering achievement. .. This receiver
performs every bit as well as more expensive separates ..."

Best Buy: Carver M-500t amplifier

" ... distinguished by its very high power output capability and
small bulk and weight."

Best Buy: Carver TX-ll tuner

" ... a remarkable tuner... in addition to special circuits, the tuner
is outstanding in its own right... especially recommended for use
in weak-signal fringe areas."

T it e a r \) e r B o o k
 The Carver CoqJOration ProjUe

Carver today.
While Carver pays careful attention to its traditional business in power
amplifiers and control centers, the product line now includes source
components such as CD changers and cassette decks, multi-room
components, and even full-range ribbon loudspeakers. Carver has even
redefined the standard system control center with a line of preamplifier!
tuners, a component integration that gives the listener the full benefits of
separate components in an extremely cost-effective format. The
expanded line concept applies Carver design and engineering values to
every part of the audio system. Each product offers technical innovation
and performance that is unprecedented in its price class.

Most important, Carver is. at the forefront of the revolution in home

theater. Carver multi-channel amplifiers and Pro-Logic™ preamp!tuners
frequently appear in showcase custom home theater installations, and
enjoy a considerable reputation in both high-end and consumer
publications. Proprietary Carver technologies such as Power Steering
and Cinema Holography, derived from company's considerable
Lightstar Amplifier
experience in active signal processing, are combined with formats such
Even with its current amplifiers
as THX to create a home theater listening experience that
ranked as industry best-sellers,
outperforms any conventional ........r.I'~,
Carver continues to advance the
presentation- and rivals even the
field of electronic design. The
new digital surround systems in
awesome Lightstar amplifier from
realism and accuracy.
Carver Research is both a
technical triumph and blueprint
for the future.

AL-III Plus Speakers

When Carver first introduced its Amazing
Loudspeaker, Stereo Review magazine said it
all: "Its overall sound is spectacular, its
stereo imaging is outstanding, and its price is
ridiculously low for what it does. "

h c a r v e r B () o k
 Carver Technology

2. Carver Technology
We don't just reproduce sound- we re-create it.

The basics.
Until Carver came along, audio designers were obsessed with creating
preamps and amps that did little else except preamplify and amplify.
The long-held theory was that an amp should be nothing more than "a
straight wire with gain." And then Carver threw them a curve.

We worked off the idea that rather than reproducing test signals, an
amplifier should be competent at reproducing complex musical
wavefonns. And a preamplifier should be able to take a stab at re-
creating the live event, and not simply passing it along. Any doubts that
dyed-in-the-wool purists might have had disappeared with the
appearance of the first critical Carver reviews- a process that continues
( to this day:

"But the overriding question raised by the unit is how its

holographic generator sounds ... Our answer: Terrific .... the
stereo image- even with recordings that, because they are multi-
miked, depart from Carver's theoretical ideal- generally is
crystalline in a way that almost beggars normal stereo
reproduction."
High Fidelity, January 1980

" ••• the results of Sonic Holography were often startling.•. it is

a spectacular feature, and with the right recording, really does
enhance the location of singers and instruments."
The $ensible Sound, Spring 1996

(continued)

T h c a r v e r B o o k
 Carver Technology

Since 1979, Carver has developed more innovative audio technologies

than any dozen of our competitors. Basically, Carver's inventions can
be divided into four categories:

1. Power management technology- Lightstar, Magnetic Field

and Power Steering amplifier designs, which make far more
effective use of available power, voltage, current and other
electrical parameters.

2. Sound presentation technology- Sonic Holography, Dipole

ribbon speakers, Headphone Recorrelation and Transfer
Function Modification amplifiers. All these elevate the
listening experience beyond system and room limitations.

3. Sound restoration technology- Digital Time Lens and

Asymmetrical Charge Coupled FM (ACCD). Both
compensate for deficiencies in their respective areas (compact
discs and PM broadcasts).

4. Home theater technology- Cinema Holography, Vocal Zoom,

( Power Steering (because it dramatically improves imaging by
eliminating audible "seams") and Infinite Decorrelation. These
techniques work together to bring home theater listening to
full-theater proportions.

Carver has a program of continually refining existing innovations in

addition to developing new ones. Part of the exceptionally high value
inherent in Carver components comes from the fact that these technical
innovations don't raise the price of our products- in some cases (such as
Magnetic Field and Transfer Function Modification [TFM]) they
actually lower prices while raising the level of performance!

,.
\

T h e c a r (' r B o o k
 Carver. Technology

Carver amplifier technology

Overview.

By 1970, solid-state amplifiers had reached the point where they rivaled
their tube predecessors in power output capability, and surpassed them
in total harmonic distortion specifications. Since that time, amplifier
development has concentrated on areas other than power and THD-
such as efficiency, circuit topology, and (most important!) perceived
sound quality. Carver's own role has been to bring amplifier design
beyond the "brute force" school with smart electronic devices and
smarter engineering, and in the process breaking all the traditional
amplifier price/performance barriers.

While the past 25 years have seen nearly that many amplifier design
and hardware fads, there are still just four parameters governing
performance: current output, voltage output, power output, and
frequency response at output. Regardless of the amplifier's "class," or
( type of output device or power supply used, overall sound depends on
these factors and how they interrelate. In fact, amplifier "controversies"
such as MOSFET vs. bipolar transistors, or even tubes vs. transistors,
are really distractions in comparison.

Merely achieving good measurements in one of the critical factors is

useless- an important point to remember given the overuse of the phrase
"high current" these days! Every Carver amplifier is engineered with all
these factors taken into careful consideration, brought into precise
balance in exceptionally efficient, cost-effective designs.

Simultaneous high current and high voltage

=undistorted, 'real world' high power.
Six years ago, a Carver white paper on amplifier design observed that
the phrase "high current" was "starting to show up as a 'buzz word' in
our competitor's literature." Today, the phrase has become almost
meaningless through overuse by enthusiastic marketers and misinformed
salespeople as they attempt to make the most ordinary electronics sound
like something special.

(,

(continued)

T h e c a r v e r B o o k
 Carver Technology

Carver amplifier technology (continued)

High current does matter- but only if voltage and impedance are taken
into consideration as well. Current without adequate voltage results in
low power, especially at lower impedances. And a high current rating
at low impedance often means the amplifier can't perform at higher,
real-world impedances (between 4-8 Ohms) because it can't maintain
both high current and high voltage. Considering that the impedance of
a typical high-performance loudspeaker might "swing" between 2-30
Ohms (depending on operating frequency), the interdependency
between current, voltage and impedance is obvious.

This problem was solved by Carver in its very first amplifier, using a
"smart," or regulated power supply to achieve simultaneous high
current and high voltage. Regulated power supplies are familiar in
aerospace and test equipment applications, where precision and
balance are preferable to the "brute force" approach of huge
( transformers and capacitors. A Carver regulated power supply can
produce up to 5 times as much pow.er as a conventional power supply
of the same size and cost! Carver's patented smart power supply
technology (and associated circuitry) is the main reason why Carver
amplifiers are famous for performing as well, or even better, than
amplifiers many times their size and price. It also satisfies the
conditions of current, voltage and power output.

Transfer Function Modification (TFM).

The critical factor of frequency response is addressed by yet another

Carver innovation: TFM design. Audiophiles and equipment
reviewers have long been aware that high-performance amplifiers
sound different from each other, even if they possess identical
specifications. Carver was the first company to fully explain amplifier
differences in a mathematical relationship based on the differences
between an amplifier's input and output characteristics (its transfer
function) and the energy imbalances that result.

TFM design starts with an amplifier platform that already excels in

current, voltage and power characteristics, and uses a meticulous
testing process to calibrate that amplifier's transfer function toward
that of a laboratory reference standard. This combination of high
current/voltage/power and a reference-standard transfer function is the
Carver formu!a for achieving state-of-the-art performance in an
affordable, practical design.
(contirmed)

T h e c a r v e r B o o k
 Carver Technology

Carver amplifier technology (continued)

Lightstar- the ultimate Carver amplifier.
Lightstar is the term for Carver's most advanced expression of applied
.electronics technology. While the Lightstar amplifier differs in
appearance from its predecessors, it shares a foundation of high-
current, high voltagelhigh energy storage, and a breakthrough power
supply (in this case Carver's radical Digital Transformer™). Lightstar
is based on a power system that amplifies the audio signal independent
of reactive currents "kicked back" from the speakers. In other words,
instead of fighting reactive loads like a conventional amplifier,
Lightstar works with them. This effortless energy flow within the amp/
speaker system allows input signals to be reproduced with all their
natural qualities intact- pure, accurate response regardless of changes
in the loudspeaker load.

Lightstar's power supply has 5-10 times the usable energy storage of
( conventional amplifiers, accomplished through high-speed regulation
within the Digital Transformer and by storing energy at more than 3
times the voltage of a conventional amplifier. Musically, this translates
into remarkable bass extension and precise control of low-frequency
transients, regardless of any complex load impedances at output. The
Lightstar combination of high-energy power supply, high-current load-
independent design and Digital Transformer delivers the most
powerful, neutral listening experience achievable today.

The know ledge learned in developing the first Lightstar amplifier is

now finding applications throughout the Carver line. As Carver
develops new audio technologies, Lightstar-Ievel products will serve a
vital role as proving ground for their research, development and
ultimate introduction into the marketplace.
Output Device CUrrent Capability Comparison of Bass Performance Comparison 01 Peak Voltage Levels
When UMd In lIGHT$TAR ~S. 8 ConvenUooaJ Amp and Usable Energy
300 V 1 - - - ---,----
300W £ ~
~ 200v l -- - - · ....

'OW7{1'-- 1 l00v l -....,..-----;

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70V

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. .>:... , 15W~ 10 Hz 20 Hz 100 Hz 200 Hz
Convenliol'\8l
3DOWaHAmp
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Technology
300 Wan Amp
ConventJonal LIOIftS'Y LIOMnl.R Usable Energy Reserve
Amplillar Produces Full Power at All Bass Frequencies
_ Output Votlage Required lor 300 Wa"s

Comparison of Lightstar Amplifier to Non-Carver Amplifier.

T h e c a r v r B o o k
 Carver Ttxhnology

$I Sonic HolographyTM
The short form: Sonic Holography extends the soundstage far beyond
two stereo speakers by adding signals that convince the ear the sound is
coming from a live source. The listener is transporled into a three-
dimensional soundstage, with all the sound realistically placed in front
of, to the side and even behind the listener.

This fundamental Carver innovation was the result of a wide gap

between stereo audio reproduction and the sound of a live performance.
While system components and sound sources- even in the late 1970's-
had reached the point where they were theoretically capable of re-
creating a live performance, the perceived soundstage was not very
convincing to the human ear. All the sound seemed to come from the two
stereo loudspeakers and the area between them, while in live
performances each musician or singer would produce a sound image not
confined between two speakers.

After investigating the problem, Carver discovered that conceptual

flaws had been introduced through the whole sound recording chain,
from microphone to monitor. The problem arises because each ear hears
two sound arrivals, one from each speaker. But in a live performance
each ear hears only one sound arrival from that original singer allowing
the brain to process the one arrival per ear to pinpoint the location of
the sound.

When each ear hears two arrivals (one from each speaker) the brain now
has to process four signals, which results in the sound appearing to
generate somewhere in-between the two speakers. To fix this, Sonic
Holography adds yet two more signals, specially designed to cancel out
the two unwanted signals. The effect is startling! Suddenly instruments
and singers have a three dimensional reality. The audience applauds and
the listener hears clapping even behind them.

In addition to launching Carver Corporation and serving as the

technology platform for one of its most successful products- the
C-4000 preamplifier- Sonic Holography has contributed to the
performance of preamplifiers, pre-amp tuners, outboard processors,
receivers and even televisions. Almost two decades after its introduction,
critics are re-discovering and raving about the virtues of this legendary
Carver invention.

T h e a e r B o o k
 Carver Technology
(

@i Cinema HolographyTM
The short form: using the same principle as Sonic Holography- but
completely re-engineeredfor today's complex multi-channel surround
systems- Cinema Holography extends the audio/video soundstage far
beyond individual speaker locations, resulting in a seamless, panoramic
soundfield. Special effects "pan" effortlessly across the soundstage, and
the surround experience exceeds the quality heard in the best theaters.

The goal of home theater surround such as Dolby and THX is to

reproduce the panoramic sound experience heard in the theater. While
these techniques have come a long way, some weaknesses still exist.
Five speakers may each individually reproduce the correct portion of
sound, but what happens as the sound moves between the speakers often
compromises the total effect. Many sound sources simply don't "pan"
well across the speakers. And depending on how the steering cues are
done, much of the time the sound is still confined between the two front
loudspeakers even with a center channel. Music videos in particular
( suffer from the confined effects of a limited apparent soundstage
between the speakers.

It was to solve this problem that caused Carver to re-engineer its stereo
Sonic Holography for audio/video applications. The result is an entirely
new system: Cinema Holography, an entirely new design for 3 channel
logic, 5 channel Dolby Pro-Logic™ or 5.1 channel use. As with its
stereo predecessor, the effect is dramatic and decisive. The most
complex special effects pan convincingly across the soundstage, with no
"seams" or gaps in the sound presentation. Music videos are reproduced
with pinpoint accuracy.

Like Sonic Holography, Cinema Holography works by playing

directional signals to eliminate the unwanted additional sound arrivals
from loudspeakers. The result is a soundstage widened to true theater
proportions, well beyond the confines of the listening/viewing area.
Better yet, imaging along the side and rear is actually superior to that
experienced in even the best theater surround systems. Cinema
Holography is compatible with all home surround-sound formats, from
3-channel Dolby to THX, and can actually "upgrade" 3-channel Dolby
to sound more like 5-channel Dolby Pro Logic.

h e c a r v e r B o o k
 Carver Technology
\

Power Steering™
The short form: Power Steering redistributes an amplifier's unused
power capacity to the channel asked to play the loudest at any given
moment. The result is an amplifier that can precisely "track" the
audio signal.

In a movie soundtrack, the sound has much more mobility between

channels than in music reproduction because it must follow the action
on the screen. During the sound mixing or "dubbing" stages of film
production, these panoramic (or "pan") effects are created by raising
or lowering the level of sound as it moves from one channel to the
next. During playback, the level of power needed in each channel
constantly changes, with one channel usually dominating the others at
any particular instant.

The ideal amplifier would be able to follow the process by constantly

redistributing its power. However, conventional audio amplifiers-
even multi-channel designs- are still designed like stereo amplifiers,
which means that while one channel is being driven to full power the
other channel (or channels) sit in a wasted "idle" state.

Carver saw this unused amplifier power as an opportunity to radically

re-think: amplifier design for surround-sound systems. The technique
is Power Steering, which allows the amplifier to focus a greater
percentage of its continuous power toward the channel working the
hardest at any given time. With this innovation, a 130 Watt per
channel amplifier with 5 channels driven can deliver over 200 Watts
to the one channel requiring the most power at that instant. The
power is "steered" around the 5 or 6 channels by the soundtrack itself.
Because Power Steering "tracks" the audio signal, it reproduces
sound effortlessly as it moves from one channel to the next. When
combined with Cinema Holography, the effect is a total movie
experience at home.

T h e c (f, r v e r B o o k
 Carver Technology

Infinite Decorrelation ™
The short form: rear channel surround information is a mono,
correlated signal, which often lacks depth and width. Infinite
Decorrelation expands the rear soundstage past the listener by
manipulating the signal, creating a more lifelike and dramatic
soundfield.

Much of the home theater experience depends on surround-sound for

realism, usually as played through a Dolby Pro Logic system. Dolby
Pro Logic works by extracting a signal difference (left minus right)
from the program source, delaying it and sending this fully
correlated, mono signal to the rear surround channels and speakers.
Because the same signal is coming from both surround speakers, it
lacks the left/right spaciousness of stereo, and can have a headphone-
type "centered" sound.

The situation is serious enough that LucasfilmfTHX uses a

decorrelation circuit just to re-create some sense of rear channel
spaciousness. Carver has applied its psychoacoustical research
experience to the problem and developed the next generation: Infinite
Decorrelation. The Carver system generates the maximum number
of surround space and directional cues possible by inverting the
surround signal difference at critical frequencies above 200 Hz. The
effect is quite realistic as the rear surround field takes on greater left-
right proportions and properly fills-out the room.

A historical footnote: In 1979, Carver introduced surround-sound and

an early version of Infinite Decorrelation in the revolutionary C-4000
preamplifier.

T h e c a r v e r B o o k
 Carve,: Technology
(

Headphone Recorrelation
The short form: This innovative Carver circuit eliminates
"headphone sound" through advanced psychoacoustics, by playing
corrective signals along with the primary audio signal. The listener
hears a natural, balanced soundfield on music and video.

Just as fundamental problems exist with stereo recordings played over

two (or five) speakers, equally severe problems exist when stereo
recordings are played on headphones.

Through sophisticated circuitry, Sonic Holography and Cinema

Holography both address the problem with speaker listening by
playing additional signals to cancel unwanted directional cues. The
results are outstanding.

Headphones were designed originally as monophonic work tools for

communications and broadcast, and have always represented
something of a compromise for spatially-accurate high fidelity
listening. When stereo hi-fi became popular in the 1960's acoustic
engineers discovered that headphones only reproduced the soundstage
correctly when recordings were made binaurally, which unfortunately
never caught on. It wasn't until Carver developed Headphone
Recorrelation some three decades later that headphone listening
finally came into its own.

Headphone Recorrelation adds corrective signals back into each

channel in manner similar to Sonic Holography, but uses different
style corrective signals in different frequency spectra. The technique
moves the soundstage beyond the headphones and into the listening
room. As an added bonus, Headphone Recorrelation does an excellent
job of reproducing surround-soundtracks on headphones for late-night
home theater listening!

T h e c a r v e r B o o k
 Carver Technology

Ribbon Dipole Technology

The short form: The ribbon is as close to an ideal loudspeaker as
present technology allows. It responds faster and more accurately to
music, and is a seamless line source because it has no woofers, tweeters,
midranges or crossovers. Carver has made ribbons practical and
affordable- and in the process created an audiophile classic.

"The AL-ill loudspeakers provide spectacular musical pleasures

with transparency, vivid definition, extraordinarily fine imaging
and soundstage, and great, defined tight bass. Given plenty of
power, the Carver AL-ills perfonn with great tonal integrity
and so much clarity that it is difficult to walk away from the
musical experience at the end of a listening session. These
speakers are highly recommended."
High Performance Review, Winter 1992/1993

" .. .I expected effortless transparency, and I was not

disappointed. Whether I was a foot from the speaker or across
the room, the highs were always crystal clear and unstained ... It
is a very addictive qUality- difficult to describe, but once
experienced, never forgotten!"
Stereo Review, July 1993

Audiophiles and loudspeaker engineers alike have long appreciated the

potential advantages of the panel membrane category of loudspeakers.
Sometimes called planar loudspeakers, they use a large membrane
surface with embedded conductors set into motion either with a large
electrostatic charge or by being suspended in a field of magnets. Planar
sound is more open and natural, partly because these speakers opearate
in two directions as a dipole. However, the practical difficulties of
planar loudspeakers (including their fragility, driving difficulties, limited
bass response and inherently high cost) have relegated them to a
footnote in loudspeaker design- a situation that Carver Corporation
resolved to change through extensive research into new fields of planar
speaker design.

(continued)

T h e a r v e B () o k
 Carver Technology

Ribbon Dipole Technology (continued)

The solution revolves around our patented dipole ribbon drivers. The
Carver ribbon is a seamless linesource using lightweight aluminum
conductors embedded in space-age Kapton®, a temperature resistant,
stretch proof material borrowed from the space program. The ribbon
membrane, suspended in a 22 foot magnetic structure, has a lower
mass/surface area ratio than any conventional cone and dome speaker
design. In the Carver speaker, the full-range ribbon is mated to a built-in
subwoofer to reproduce the bottom musical octaves with full impact.
The result is the best of both worlds: true full-range planar speaker
performance at a price competitive with conventional designs.

The Carver ribbon speaker's low-mass Kapton diaphragm responds to

music faster and more accurately. It is the ideal line source- there are no
seams or gaps in the music, because there are no crossovers, woofers,
tweeters or midranges in the critical range! The ribbon speaker is more
immune to room reflections and resonance, and its non-reactive resistive
( nature makes it an ideal match for high performance amplifiers.

An interesting fact: Carver manufactures its own ribbon assembly, and

supplies this very same ribbon to other speaker companies for use in
"esoteric" audiophile speakers priced at up to $90,000! At under $2,000
the pair, the Carver ribbon is a bargain in every sense of the word.

T h c a r v r B o o k
 Carver Technology

Vocal Zoom
The short form: Home theater systems often sound wrong when
playing back music. Carver's Vocal Zoom allows the listener to adjust
the center channel relative to left and right. On audio/video sources,
Vocal Zoom enhances dialogue presence.

" ... while I half expected the VOCAL ZOOM feature to be a

gimmick, it worked surprisingly well. Rotated about halfway
up, it did an unexpectedly good job of making dialogue more
intelligible at low volume settings- a great convenience late at
night."
Sound & Image, Summer 1994,
review of CMV-1185 integrated amp

Vocal Zoom is featured on selected Carver preamp/tuners and

preamplifiers, and is designed with today's 5-channel surround speaker
systems in mind. A signal enhancement that operates in the human
voice frequency range, Vocal Zoom serves three purposes:

1. Dialogue enhancement- in a movie theater, dialogue

reproduced through behind-the-screen loudspeaker arrays is
part of what "locks" the image onto the screen as far as the
viewerllistener is concerned- it tightens the sound image on a
larger-than-life screen. Home theater systems provide a center
channel and speaker to mimic the effect. However, some
parameters are reversed in the home. Here, the center channel
speaker is rarely located behind the screen, and the screen is
much smaller than life. Vocal Zoom can compensate, by
increasing vocal presence and re-establishing a strong center
image on critical dialogue passages.

(continued)

T h c a r v e r B o o k
 Carver Technology

2. Level matching- on a 5-channel system, often the tonal match

between left, right and center speaker is incorrect due to
speaker differences and plac.e ment variations. Vocal Zoom can
be used to adjust the center channel relative to its two flanking
counterparts, resulting in a more coherent soundfield. Vocal
Zoom also permits the listener to increase intelligibility without
increasing volume - a very handy feature for late night and
family viewing.

3. Stereo listeni;ng- on music-only listening, most people notice

some unnatural tonal balance when they switch from a
2-channel to 5-channel system. Vocal Zoom enables the
listener to re-tune the ftont channels for music-only listening
and restore the unique tonal characteristics of live music.

T h e c a v e r B o o k
 Carver Positioning

3. Carver Positioning

Carver in the audio market.

Carver's market segment is separate components. Carver's market
position is that of the company making audio technology and
performance available at price points previously considered impossible-
a position Carver has owned (in all audio product categories) from its
first magnetic field amplifier in 1979 to the latest version of its
acclaimed ribbon loudspeaker. Leadership in this area bends the rules of
competition somewhat, as many competitors also become imitators.
Since 1979, Carver has been imitated many times by the Japanese
companies dominating the popular hi-fi market.

The receiver era.

Whether stereo or home theater, the all-in-one receiver remains a
popular point of entry for audio consumers. Developed in the 1950's as
an alternative to purchasing a separate amplifier, control center and
tuner, receivers became very popular during the 60's and 70's with the
growth of component stereo. While the receiver's common chassis,
power supply and enclosure dictated performance compromises, they
weren't all that noticeable with the speakers and sound sources typical of
that era. And the very high cost of separate electronics kept receivers as
an attractive alternative.

All that changed in the 1980's with two technological revolutions. The
first was a giant leap forward in audio source quality with the compact
disc (and subsequently the laser disc as home theater took oft).
Suddenly, the need for electronics with better dynamics was obvious.
The second were advances in electronic design- exemplified by Carver's
own radical magnetic field amplifier- that broke the "dollar-per-watt"
barrier and brought separates sound quality within the reach of a wider
range of listeners.

T h e a r v e r B o o k
 Carver Positioning
'l

The separates edge.

Many first-time buyers consider today's typical receivers good enough.
People used to think that console stereos, all-in-one compact stereos and
later rack systems were acceptable as well. The role of an audio
specialist- then as now- is to demonstrate that next level of
performance, the one that transports the listener close to the
original event, and upgrade the experience by professionally
matching different components. Today, that means taking the
customer past the receiver entry level and into Carver's realm of
separate components.

Here are the 5 essential reasons to own audio separates:

1. Better performance. This is the most important advantage of

separate components. After all, every receiver is really a
( preamp, poweramp and tuner in one box. Every audio
specialist is familiar with receiver brands supposedly "known"
for their PM quality, or abundance of features, or high power
for the money, or "purist" design- but never all-of-the-above.
This is because receivers must hit certain price points, and a
receiver with "separates" performance in each of its three sub-
functions would carry far too much sticker shock to remain
competitive.

Separates let the buyer have it all: the best power amp, preamp
and tuner they can afford, each chosen for its excellence in its
particular area. Separate power amplifiers have the highest
voltage and current capabilities, and separate preamplifiers
combine state-of-the-art audio specifications with the ultimate
in control flexibility. Most important, separates always have
the most honest, conservative "real-world" specifications. A
well-planned separates system literally has no weak links.

(continued)

T h e c a r v e r B o o k
 Carver. Positioning

2. Future ready. As they hear all about emerging technologies in

audio and home theater, today's buyers are increasingly
concerned about obsolesce. The fact is that from digital FM
tuning to THX, new technologies traditionally appear first in
separate components. [Carver buyers have an even greater
advantage here, as Carver is famous for offering advanced
audio technologies not available elsewhere in its separates.]
Equally important, it's much easier to integrate new
technologies- such as Dolby AC-3- into a separates system, as
one does not have to replace everything or start over.

3. More flexibility. Separates allow the buyer to take a building-

block approach, and upgrade their system in power and
features as their needs require and budget permits. One can,
for example, start with an excellent two channel stereo system
and later expand into five-channel home theater. Separates
also offer the maximum in system control flexibility as well.

( 4. Superior overall ''build quality." Separates engineers design

to performance standards instead of price points. As a class,
separate components feature discrete electronic components in
the audio signal path, usually selected from the highest grade
parts available. That's why separates can drive high-
performance loudspeakers better than even the best receivers
on the market. Receiver designers often must resort to power
IC's for amplifiers for reasons of economy, and the difference
can be easily heard even by the uninitiated! Separates also
have the advantage of isolated power supplies which reduces
noise.

5. Better investment. Superior construction means better

reliability, and the use of top-grade electronic parts means that
separate audio components will meet or exceed their
conservative specifications for many years- even decades.
Separate components also command higher prices at trade-in
time because they are more desirable.

h e r'
c. r v e r B o o k
 Carver Positioning

The Carver separates advantage.

When Carver introduced its revolutionary magnetic field amplifier in
1979, the company established a new price standard for separate
component excellence. Carver maintains a position squarely between
the mass-market Japanese companies (who practice "price point
engineering") and the so-called "esoteric" companies (whose technical
excellence few people can actually afford) through the following:

1. Local and global resources. Carver engineers all of its

components and builds many of them in the U.S.A. Through
its unique combination of domestic manufacturing and global
resources, Carver can offer true separates quality at a price
closer to the premium receiver level.

2. Value-adding technology. Patented Carver technology is

dedicated to making components perform better without
increasing their overall cost. TFM amplifier design, for
example, enables Carver to offer a true high-end power
amplifier at "mid-fi" prices. The Carver ribbon speaker is
comparable to esoteric designs costing from 5 to 50 times as
much. From radical FM reception circuitry to Cinema
Holography, every Carver technology is developed for the
purpose of making high-end audio more affordable than ever.

T h e (..~'' a r v e r B (.} o k
 Carver Positioning

If separates are so great,

~ why does Carver build a receiver?
If you read the advertising copy for supposedly "high-end" receivers,
you'll note that they claim to offer "separates" performance. Carver
thought it important to establish a benchmark for valid consumer
comparison and make it possible for those who simply must, for either
budget or space restrictions, own a receiver, to still enjoy
uncompromised audio performance. The difference is that Carver has
one or two receiver models rather than a price-point driven line, and that
each Carver receiver is designed to the performance standards of
Carver separates. Carver's receivers also include hallmark technologies
such as Sonic Holography and ACCD FM.

Perhaps the most meaningful difference is the respect Carver receivers

are given by audio critics and consumer magazines. Consumer Guide
rated three Carver receivers as "Best Buys." The audiophile publication
The $ensible Sound, when comparing two A!V receivers (including
Carver's latest model), against far more expensive separates, called them
( so damn good they ought to be outlawed.. .1'd be tempted to buy one just
for the tuner/preamp! If you're truly $ensible, run, don't walk, to your
nearest store and buy one of these units. "

T h e c a r v e r B o o k
 Carver Positioning

Carver Value Comparisons- amplifiers

Brand Model 8 Ohm Power Suu. Retail CoslperWaU

60 Wattl2-channel
Carver TFM-6cb 65x2 $399 $3.07
Adcom GFA-5200 50x2 $350 $3.50
Rotel RB-970BX 60x2 $380 $3.17
Parasound HCA-600 60x2 $395 $3.29

100 Wattl2-Channel
Carver TFM-15cb 100x2 $549 $2.75
Adcom GFA-5400 125 x 2 $700 $2.80
Rotel RB-980BX 120x2 $600 $2.50
Parasound HCA-1000 1l0x2 $575 $2.61
NAD 216THX 125 x2 $699 $2.80

200 Wattl2-Channel
Carver A-40Ox 200x2 $685 $1.71
Adcom GFA-5500 200x2 $1000 $2.50
Rotel RB-990BX 200x2 $1000 $2.50
Parasound HCA-1200II 205x2 $975 $4.64
NAD 2700THX 150 x2 $829 $2.76

250 Wattl2-Channel
Carver TFM-35x 250x2 $899 $1.80
Adcom GFA-5800 250x2 $1600 $3.20
Parasound HCA-2200II 250x2 $1795 $3.59
NAD 208THX 250x2 $1649 $3.30

350 Watt/2-Channel
Carver TFM-55x 380x2 $1249 $1.64

5-Channel frontlcenterlsu"ound
Carver AV-405 100/110/50 $849 $2.07
Adcom GFA-6000 100/100/60 $900 $2.14
Rotel RB-985 10011 001100 $1000 $2.00

6-ChannelTllJr-cennjied power x 6/bridged

Carver AV-806x 133/360 $1750 $1.62
Parasound HCA-1206 135/300 $1950 $2.40
·
I
Carver prices effective January 1996; all others effective Fall 1995.
Sources include manufacturers'literature and industry buying guides.

T h e "",,
['
a r v e r B o o k
 The Carver Product l..,ine
('

4. The Carver Product Line

Multi-channel audio/video'amplifiers.
With its room-shaking special effects, incisive dialogue requirements
and overwhelming surround presence, home theater sound reproduction .
places demands on amplifiers that were unheard of even just a few years
ago. This is exactly the type of amplifier performance on which Carver
built its reputation.

Carver multi-channel amplifiers use true mono-block architecture where

each channel is actually a complete sub-amplifier right down to its heat
sink. All-discrete circuitry ensures absolute signal purity and full
dynamic punch. All specifications are extremely conservative- typically
"worst case"- and all power ratings are for all channels driven.
(
AV·806x· the "Magic" amplifier

AV·70Sx Premiere amplifier (NEW)

AV·40S amplifier

(continued)

T h e C' a r v r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line
Multi-channel audio/video amplifiers.

A V-806x- the "Magic" amplifier.

Flagship of the Carver line, the 6-channel AV-806x is a THX-certified
powerhouse that exceeds even those stringent requirements. In its fIrst
full production year the AV-806x has earned more critical acclaim than
possibly any other multi-channel amplifier design. It is built at Carver's
manufacturing facility in Lynnwood, Washington.

What the critics have to say:

"The AV-806x ... is, to put it mildly, a power
amplification monster... the AV-806x was
implacable when asked to drive the estimable
Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy V speaker system. *
never evincing the slightest hint of strain."
Tom Miiler, Sound & Image, AprillMay 1995
*reference speaker system

" ... on a dynamic basis, the amp pumped out 610 watts! When I see a
( product that beats its spec by this wide a margin. I know that
conservative engineers. not freewheeling marketers. are writing the
specs! .. .I attribute this exceptional performance to an exceedingly
well designed layout and excellent component selection."

"Every now and than, we come across a product that is egregia cum
laude- one that stands apart from the flock of basically good but
otherwise indifferent products. AV-806x is such a product, and it's
simply superb... this US-bullt amplifier is well worth its suggested
retail price of $1,750 in my book."
Edward Foster, Home Theater, July 1995

" ... may well be the Clark Kent of multichannel amplifiers ... I was
expecting competent performance; what I got was magic..."
" ... I nearly ran out of positive things to say about the Carver in my
listening notes. It had a natural warmth and palpability that served all
music well but was particularly disarming on vocals. Its top end was
wonderfully subtle and self-effacing .. .it had all the detail and delicacy
I could wish for...the bottom end of the Carver was amazingly potent
and full-bodied. It never ran out of steam, and it kept pace with other
amplifiers having significantly more power."
" ... if you've seen my three recommended system in this issue. you'll
note that I chose to use the AV-806x in two of them- including the
highest-priced system. That, I believe, says it all."
Thomas 1. Norton, Stereophile Guide to Home Theater, Fall 1995

(continued)

T h e c a r v e r B () () k
 The Carver Product Line
Multi-channel audio/video amplifiers.

A V-B06x- the "Magic" amplifier. (continued)

• $1,750 suggested retail

• Certified for use in Home THX audio systems
• Six channel 133 watts @ 8 ohms, rated full power bandwidth 20-20 kHz
Six channel 180 watts @ 4 ohms, rated full power bandwidth 20-20 kHz
• Two channel 400 watts @ 2 ohms dynamic headroom power
• Bridgeable mono operation of 360 watts @ 8 ohms
(Tests on the bench confirm over 500 watts @ 8 ohms)
• DB-25 data-grade connector for THX controller interconnection
• RC-5 remote control bus for remote turn-on
• Discrete output circuitry
Separate monoblock amplifier modules for maximum channel separation
and minimal cross-channel interaction
• THD at 1 kHz is typically less than 0.01 % into 8 ohms
Signal to Noise A-weighted, referenced to full power, is greater than 115dB
• High-speed triple diffused bipolar output devices
• Discrete heat sinks for each amplifier channel with pressed fin open-frame
construction to maximize surface area and reduce internal heating
• Double shielded dual power transformers with thermal protection for
superior magnetic field isolation
• Distributed AC power system using filter storage capacitors designed for
audio applications
• Three way protection circuitry
• Dual-redundant speaker relay contacts for maximum reliability

(continued)
0,
T h e ( o~ a r v r B o o k
 The Ca.rver Product Line
Multi-channel audio/video amplifiers.

·W
l. Premiere A V-705x (NEW).
Inspired by the AV-B06x, the new 5-channel AV-705 is sure to be a
benchmark in its own right. The unique Power Steering feature directs
unused extra power capacity to the channel being driven the hardest at
any given moment. Like the AV-B06x, this THX-certified amplifier uses
true monoblock architecture for maximum independent channel
integrity.
,.--,--------
CARVER
...-.-.-...--..- ..--------r---.
J'~mlert l~l' 0. ..",,, ~, "'"P''''v

~ D ~
~~~~-------.--~~.-=_=.~:.:.----------~u

Preliminary specifications:
• $1,200 projected retail
• Certified for use in Home THX audio systems
• Five channel 130 watts @ 8 ohms, rated full power bandwidth 20-20 kHz
• Discrete output circuitry
• Power Steering circuitry directs extra amplifier capacity where most needed
• Separate mono block amplifier modules for maximum channel separation
and minimal cross-channel interaction
• THD at 1 kHz is typically less than 0.01 % into 8 ohms
• Signal to Noise A-weighted, referenced to full power, is greater than 115dB
• Triple-diffused planar high-current output devices
• Massive discrete heat sinks for each amplifier channel with high aspect ratio
fin open-frame construction to maximize surface area and reduce internal
heating
• Oversized power transformer with thermal protection
• Three way protection circuitry

T h e c a r v e r B (.} o k
 The Carver Product Line
Multi-channel audio/video amplifiers.

AV-40S.
This 5-channel Carver power amplifier is probably the most powerful
argument in existence for choosing separates over a receiver. Matched
with a Pro-Logic™ preamp/tuner, it easily competes in "high-end
receiver territory" while offering true separates perfonnance.

• $849 suggested retail

• LeftlRight channel 100 Watts @ 8 ohms. rated full power
bandwidth 20-20 kHz
• LeftlRight channel 150 Watts @ 4 ohms. rated full power
bandwidth 20-20 kHz
• LeftlRight channel 200 Watts @ 2 ohms dynamic headroom power
• Center channel 110 Watts @ 8 ohms. rated full power bandwidth 20-20 kHz
• Rear channels 50 Watts @ 8 ohms. rated full power bandwidth 20-20 kHz
• Stereo power (left/right operation) 150 Watts @ 8 ohms, rated full bandwidth
• Power Enhancement circuit for rear channels with optocoupled attenuators
prevents the rear channel from hard clipping
• Discrete output circuitry on all 5 channels
• Separate mono block left. right and center amplifier modules for maximum
channel separation and minimal cross-channel interaction
• THD at 1 kHz is typically less than 0.05% into 8 ohms
• Signal to Noise A-weighted. referenced to full power is greater than 95dB
providing a dynamic range suited to digital signal sources
• High-speed triple diffused bipolar output devices
• Discrete heat sinks for left. right and center amplifier channels to maximize
surface area and minimize internal heating
• Self-shielded toroidal power transformer with integral grain-oriented
shielding strap for superior power supply regulation
• Four-way protection circuitry
• Five-way thermal protection system
• Separate rear channel power supply section to better isolate
front and rear channels

h e c a r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line

Two-channel stereo amplifiers.

Carver is, first and foremost, famous for amplifiers- not surprising for a
company that started with introduction of a radical amplifier design
which completely rewrote the price/performance ratio rules for
amplifiers. The fact is that many companies have been trying to catch
up to Carver since the original M-400. The four tw<rchannel models
shown next demonstrate just how wide that lead remains.

Two-channel amplifiers are no longer jUst "stereo" amplifiers. Many of

them become building-blocks for ultra high-end home theater systems,
some become part of custom-installed multi-room systems, and still
others provide service as monoblocks when enormous amounts of clean
power are needed. Whatever the application, Carver has the right
amplification tool for the job.

TFM-55x amplifier
(
TFM-35x: "A 250 wpc bargain" amplifier
TFM-15cb amplifier
TFM-6cb amplifier

(continued)

T h e c a v e r B o o k
 The CanJe r Product Line
Two-channel stereo amplifiers.

Arguably the most powerful THX-certified amplifier on the consumer

market, the TFM-55x is powerful enough to ron a full-sized motion-picture
theater- and more than a few are in professional service doing just that! The
epitome of high voltage, high current excellence, the TFM-55x is Carver's
finest two-channel design yet and a reference point for the industry-at-large.
In fact, when Carver's competitors rip apart samples to learn our "secret,"
more often than not this is the model they use.

The TFM-55x incorporates the latest refinements in

Carver's hallmark Magnetic Field Technology.
The amplifier's six distributed power supplies and
associated control circuitry directly responds to
moment-to-moment peak power demands imposed by
the loudspeaker and signal source. This Carver technology places less stress
on output devices, resulting in a cooler, more powerful amplifier. In addition
to it six distributed supplies (also found in the TFM-35x), the TFM-55x
( also has an advanced Magnetic Field Power Supply with AC power control
circuitry for exceptionally stable operation.

• $1,250 suggested retail

• Certified for use in Home THX audio systems
• Two channel 380 watts @ 8 ohms, rated full power bandwidth 20-20 kHz
• Two channel 500 watts @ 4 ohms, rated full power bandwidth 20-20 kHz
• Two channel 1100 watts @ 2 ohms dynamic headroom power
• Bridgeable via rear panel switch for mono operation of 1000 watts @ 8 ohms
• Discrete circuitry through critical signal path (high gain precision front end
incorporates a state-of-the art operational amplifier)
• Precision, user-friendly meters: taut band movements and custom-designed
meter drive circuit provides wide-range musically responsive ballistics; meter
light on-off switch to provide romantic distraction-free operation in the evenings
• THD at 1 kHz is typically less than 0.03% into 8 ohms
• Signal to Noise A-weighted, referenced to full power, is greater than 115dB
• High-speed triple diffused Motorola bipolar output devices- the same type used
in most professional amplifier designs
• Separate heat sinks for left and right amplifier channels for ideal heat transfer
• Double-shielded power transformer for superior magnetic field isolation
• Triple over-temperature protection
( • Five way protection circuitry per channel (this amplifier is virtually bullet-proof!)
• Manufactured in Lynnwood, Washington

T h e c a r v r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line
Two-channel stereo amplifiers.

~j' ''' TFM-35x: "A 250 wpc bargain."

The TFM-35 is the first amplifier to break the sales record set by
Carver's own M-400, and the best-selling amplifier in America according
to sales figures from the Electronics Industry Association. The TFM-35x
is a purist audiophile amplifier capable of meeting the dynamic
requirements of home theater, and has achieved almost a "cult" status in
the industry because of it.

What the critics have to say:

" .. .1 can certainly recommend the Carver TFM-35 for a listening
evaluation by anyone seeking a power amp. Build quality is solid, the
power supply is clearly the equal of other amps in this price range even
without Carver's design claims- and if it's right you get a 250wpc
bargain at 150wpc prices ... If the Carver TFM-35 sounds as good in
your system as it did in mine, grab the bargain and don't worry."
GK, The $ensible Sound, Winter 1993/1994
(

• $899.00 suggested retail

• Certified for use in Home THX audio systems
• Two channel 250 Watts @ 8 ohms, rated full power bandwidth 20-20 kHz
• Two channel 350 Watts @ 4 ohms, rated full power bandwidth 20-20 kHz
• Two channel 800 Watts @ 2 ohms dynamic headroom power
• Bridgeable via rear panel switch for mono operation of 700 Watts @ 8 ohms
• Discrete circuitry through critical signal path (high gain precision front end
incorporates a state-of-the art operational amplifier)
• Precision, user-friendly meters: taut band movements and custom-designed
meter drive circuit provides wide-range musically responsive ballistics;
meter light on-off switch to provide romantic distraction-free operation in
the evenings
• THD at 1 kHz is typically less than 0.01 % into 8 ohms
• Signal to Noise A-weighted, referenced to full power, is greater than 115dB
• Motorola bipolar output devices
• Manufactured in Lynnwood, Washington

T h e a r e r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line
Two-channel stereo amplifiers.

TFM-lScb.
Built like a tank and with the sound of an amp costing many times its
price, the outstanding TFM-15cb is just business as usual for Carver.
Audiophiles, audio critics, custom installers and audio salespeople are
unanimous in ranking this one of the most versatile audio components in
the market today.

This status was noted by Audio Video International magazine, when it

gave special recognition to the TFM-15cb in its 17th annual Hi-Fi Grand
Prix awards for its "combination of output power and special features. "
The features the magazine referred to are mono bridge ability and input
level controls, unusual for an amplifier in this price/performance class.

What the critics have to say:

"In general the sound conveyed by the Carver was so open, musical,
and seductive that more often than not I found myself getting lost in
the music instead of reviewing ... Am I going to miss that open,
spacious sound and amazing bass extension when I have to send
the amp back to Carver? You better believe it!"
" ...The listening panel down here was impressed that a relatively
inexpensive amplifier could sound so refined overall.
Add to the good sound the fact that the
amp comes with features such as volume
pots and speaker switching ... and you
have the best under-$400 amplifier*
that we have yet encountered."
GDB & KWN, The $ensible Sound, Fall/Winter 1991
*Review of earlier TFM-15
• $549.00 suggested retail
• Two channel 100 Watts @ 8 ohms, rated full power bandwidth 20-20 kHz
• Two channel 140 Watts @ 4 ohms, rated full power bandwidth 20-20 kHz
• Two channel 300 Watts @ 2 ohms dynamic headroom power
• Bridgeable for mono operation of 300 Watts @ 8 ohms
• Discrete circuitry through signal path
• Dual analog power meters
• Input level controls
• AlB speaker selector
• THD at 1 kHz is typically less than 0.02% into 8 ohms
• Signal to Noise A-weighted, referenced to full power, is greater than lOOdB
( • Bipolar output devices

T h ( -'
.~ a r v e r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line
Two-channel stereo amplifiers.

TFM-6cb.
An unusually low-profile amplifier physically, the TFM-6cb is a high-
current powerhouse and a stock item for the high-end custom installation
market. It also has a strong following among consumers, as the ideal
power building-block for multi-channel home theater systems. The
amplifier is designed around a precision torodial power supply and
incorporates all of Carver's considerable expertise in packing high
power and performance into an exceptionally efficient package.

• $399.00 suggested retail

( • Two channel 65 Watts @ 8 ohms, rated full power bandwidth 20-20 kHz
• Two channel 100 Watts @ 4 ohms, rated full power bandwidth 20-20 kHz
• Two channel 200 Watts @ 2 ohms dynamic headroom power
• Bridgeable for mono operation of 180 Watts @ 8 ohms
• Discrete circuitry through signal path
• Input level controls
• AlB speaker selector
• THD at 1 kHz is typically less than 0.02% into 8 ohms
• Signal to Noise A-weighted, referenced to full power, is greater than 92dB
• Bipolar output devices

h e c a r v e r B o o k
 171e Carver Product Line
Pro-Logic™ Control Centers

Pro-Logic™ Control Centers

(preamplifier and preamp/tuners)
Carver's separates reputation was built as much on innovative
technology to control and manage the audio signal as well as amplify it.
Starting with its first preamplifier- the renowned C-4000- Carver
established itself as a leader in sound re-creation as opposed to simple
reproduction. As one critic after another noted, the C-4000 brought new
levels of sonic realism to the living room, with stereo imaging described
in one review as "crystalline in a way that almost beggars normal stereo
reproduction." This tradition thrives today in Carver's preamplifier and
line of preamp/tuners.

Every Carver control center reflects the state-of-the-art in preamplifier

design and execution. Carver has taken the concept an important step
further with the preamplifier/tuner, an integration of two very compatible
components that creates value without compromising performance. In a
system consisting of a preamp/tuner and power amplifier, the primary
beneficiary of an independent chassis and power supply- the amplifier-
remains isolated. Only the preamplifier and tuner, with their relatively
modest power supply needs, are combined. The preamp/tuner concept
delivers it all: the dynamic, clean power of a separate power amplifier,
and the savings associated with integrated components. In fact, some
audio magazine reviewers have noted that the Carver preamp/tuners
would be highly competitive just on their preamplifier strengths alone-
the high-end tuner is an "audiophile's bonus!"

The Carver preamplifier and preamp/tuners marry purist audio

specifications with the ultimate in control flexibility and features.
Selected models offer Advanced Dolby Pro Logic and THX processing
for home theater applications, augmented by Carver technologies such as
Cinema Holography for a perfect soundstage, Infinite Decorrelation
for heightened rear-channel realism and Vocal Zoom for clear, incisive
dialogue reproduction.

CT-30 Director (NEW) Pro LogiclTHX preamp/tuner

CT-28v Pro Logic preamp/tuner

CT-26v (NEW) Pro Logic preamp/tuner

CT-23 stereo preamp/tuner

( C-15v Pro Logic™ preamplifier

(continued)

T h e c a r v e r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line
Pro-Logic™ Control Centers
(

r'~
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w~>>.f· What the critics have said about Carver's preamp/tuner concept:
" ... a somewhat unusual but highly effective core component
for a music system- a modest midprice system, a high-price,
super-power system, or anything in between."
Stereo Review, November 1990, Carver CT-6

"This preamp will do just about everything except serve you

your morning coffee ... Whew! I am impressed... I have to say I
think this product is on the edge of the future ... All in all, a
marvel of an audio product and a gift from the heavens for
the buyer who is looking for the ultimate control center or
audio electronic gadget."
$ensible Sound, Summer, 1992, Carver CT-17

"Great blend of features and performance .•• "

Audio, December 1990, Carver CT-17

( Director CT-30x (NEW)

Pro Logic/THX preamp/tuner.
Carver's new control flagship, the CT-30x is designed with the future of
home theater technology in mind. Along with offering advanced Dolby
Pro Logic and THX processing, the CT-30x can also upgrade to Dolby
AC-3 with an external processor through its rear-panel DB-25 data-
grade connector. Carver's exclusive Cinema Holography re-creates an
absolutely seamless soundstage. Dual-Zone capability enables the
CT-30x to run a complete, custom-installed multi-room system.

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Preliminary information:
• $1,500 projected retail
• THX-certified
• Cinema Holography
• Dolby AC-3 compatible with DB-25 data-grade input
• 7 surround modes
• On-screen display
( • Dual-Zone capability
• Remote control

T h e a r v e r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line
Pro-Logic™ Control Centers
(

CT-28v Pro Logic preamp/tuner.

This is Carver's finest Advanced Dolby Pro Logic control center, and a
remarkable value: a state-of-the-art preamp, a high-end tuner, and a
surround-sound processor comparable to costly outboard designs in one
package for just under $1,000. Vocal Zoom adds new clarity and
brilliance to dialogue, a critical feature for home theater listening. In the
Carver tradition, the CT-28v combines audiophile performance with a
full complement of audio/video control features.

What the critics have to say about Carver's Vocal Zoom:

" ... while I half expected the VOCAL ZOOM feature to be a gimmick,
it worked surprisingly well. Rotated about halfway up, it did an
unexpectedly good job of making dialogue more intelligible at low
volume settings- a great convenience late at night."
Sound & Image, Summer 1994, review of CMV-1l85 integrated amp

• $999 suggested retail

• Advanced Dolby Pro Logic DSP surround processor with 7-mode surround
and adjustable delay
• 5 surround-sound outputs
• 7 audio inputs, 3 composite video inputs, 3 S-video inputs
18dB/octave adjustable subwoofer output
• EQ/processor loop
• On-screen display
• Vocal Zoom for enhanced midrange presence on dialogue
• Full function RC-5 remote control
• Signal-to-noise, llIF A-weighted: greater than 85dB
• Maximum output level: 7 Vrms

T h e c a r v e r B o k
 The Carver Product Line
Pro-Logic™ Control Centers

4 CT-26v (NEW) Pro Logic preamp/tuner.

The CT-26v is Carver's new entry in preampltuners, one designed for
both high-value and high-end audio perfonnance. Crafted from the
same standard as Carver's CT-28, the CT-26 enhances the home
theater experience with Infinite Decorrelation, an exclusive
technology that actually widens the rear channel soundstage. A full
complement of audio/video inputs and outputs make the CT-26v
future-ready and an ideal investment for those planning their first
separate component system.
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Preliminary information:

c • $649 projected retail

• Dolby Pro Logic surround with 5-mode adjustable delay
• Infinite Decorrelation widens rear soundstage
• 3 audio inputs
• 2 audio/video inputs
• Composite video outputs
• EQ/processor loop
• Subwoofer output
• Remote control

T h e c a r v e r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line
Pro-Logic™ Control Centers

"""m
"J CT-23 stereo preamp/tuner.
Since its introduction, the CT-23 has earned considerable praise from
audio reviewers and consumers alike for its unique combination of
"audiophile" performance and control versatility. Competitive on the
basis of its preamp section alone, the CT-23 's high-end tuner makes it an
outstanding value-literally an audio bargain. The unit's Advanced
Sonic Holography is the highest expression of one of Carver's hallmark
technical developments, and provides the critical listener with a startling
level of realism.

What the critics have to say:

"Its excellent performance and exceptional price make it a very
Sensible buy! When you stop and really think about getting a well-
made and good-sounding preamplifier that includes a phono stage,
plus the Sonic Holography circuitry, plus an excellent tuner, and all of
this for well under a grand, then you really start to wonder how
some companies can charge so much for so little, and you start to
( wonder where the nearest Carver dealer is."
The $ensible Sound, Spring 1996, Carver CT-23 preamp/tuner

• $649 suggested retail

• Advanced Sonic Holography
• 7 audio inputs, 3 composite video inputs
• Full function RC-5 remote control
• Signal-to-noise, IHF A-weighted: greater than 85dB
• Maximum output level: 7 Vrms

T h e c a r v e r ; ::>
")
() o k
 The Carver Product Line
Pro-Logic™ Control Centers

(4,, ~j~ C-15v Pro Logic™ preamplifier.

An advanced control center for a state-of-the-art home theater system,
the C-15v is also ideal for custom installation with its multi-room Dual-
Zone feature. The unit features both Advanced Dolby Pro Logic
surround decoding and Carver's unique Vocal Zoom feature for
enhanced theater realism. Full audio/video inputs and outputs, along
with expansion provisions for external processors and subwoofers,
ensure that the C-15v owner is always fully compatible with the future
of home entertainment.

(
• $849 suggested retail
• Advanced Dolby Pro Logic DSP surround processor
• Dual-Zone for multi-room application
• 8 audio inputs, 3 composite video inputs, 1 S-video input
• Subwoofer output
• EQ/processor loop
• Full function RC-5 remote control
• Signal-to-noise, lliF A-weighted: greater than 85dB
• Maximum output level: 7 Vrms

T h e c a r v e r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line
Carver Receivers

Carver Receivers
As primarily a separates company, Carver created quite a stir when it
entered the receiver business in the mid-1980's. But the challenge of
seeing just how much "separates" performance could be engineered into
a receiver was irresistible. Carver's traditional audio values quickly
proved themselves at home with the receiver format. The very first
model, known simply as "The Carver Receiver," earned a Best Buy
rating from both Consumers Digest and Consumer Guide magazines, the
latter describing the unit as "a superb engineering achievement." For
those who simply could not move up to separates for whatever reason,
Carver performance and value had arrived.

Unlike typical receiver companies, Carver does not have a model at each
price point. Rather, Carver engineers strive for a performance standard
set by Carver's own separate components. That performance threshold,
and not a sales & marketing department, is what determines the price of

c a particular Carver receiver. If it were done any other way, Carver

would have little reason to be in the receiver business!

Almost every company likes to describe its top-of-the-line receiver as

having "separates" performance. At Carver, we agree that this is the
level to which a receiver should aspire. The difference is that we set the
separates performance standard to begin with- and in a Carver receiver,
that performance isn't just wishful thinking!

HR-895 Dolby Pro Logic Cinema Receiver

HTR-880 (NEW) Home Theater Receiver

T h a r v e r B o o k
 l1ze Carver Product Line
Carver Receivers

HR-895 Dolby Pro Logic Cinema Receiver.

The ultimate receiver by anyone standards, comparable only to Carver's
own separate components. The HR-895 is not the most expensive
receiver on the market- but it is arguably the finest. Along with a high-
current 5-channel power amplifier and Dolby Pro Logic, the HR-895
offers Carver's exclusive Sonic Holography for spaciousness as well as
ACCD FM circuitry. The latter, introduced in Carver's landmark TX-ll
tuner, actually improves reception of weak stations by restoring their
sound quality back to hi-fi levels. Pre-outlmain-in connections on all 5
channels enable the HR-895 to function as the control center of a
radically upgraded system or even a multi-room custom-installed
system.

What the critics have to say:

"The Carver HR-895 and Marantz SR-92 receivers are so damn

good they ought to be outlawed ...!' d be tempted to buy one just for
( the tuner/preamp! If you 're truly $ensible, run, don't walk, to your
nearest store and buy one of these units."
$ensible Sound, Fall 1993, review of Carver HR-895
and Marantz SR-92 receivers

• $1,399 suggested retail

• Dual-Zone for multi-room application
• 110 Watts x 2 front, 75 Watts center,
35 Watts x 2 rear channels at 8 ohms, 20-20kHz
• Less than 0.01 % THD at 1kHz
• 7 audio inputs, 4 composite video inputs, 3 S-video inputs
• Sonic Holography
• ACCD FM tuner circuitry
• Pre-outlmain-in on aIlS channels
• Multi-room kit provided
• Subwoofer output
( • RC-5 remote control

T h e c a r v (' r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line
Carver Receivers
(

HTR-880 Home Theater Receiver (NEW).

At first glance, the HTR-880's clean functional appearance seems a
direct contrast to the typical front-panel light show found on Japanese
AN receivers. The HTR-880's real difference is inside, where it makes
full use of Carver technology and performance to provide its
competition with a real run for the money! This receiver is built around
an all-discrete design 5-channel high-current amplifier capable of
driving virtually any surround speaker system to cinema realism.
Carver's exclusive Infinite Decorrelation delivers a wider, more lifelike
rear soundstage. For those who have longed for the performance of
audio separates but have had to put them off, the HTR-880 is a solution
without compromise.
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Preliminary information:
• $799 projected retail
• Dolby Pro Logic surround with 5 modes and adjustable delay
• 80 Watts x 3 front channels, 30 Watts x 2 rear channels
• Discrete high-current amplifier design on all 5 channels
• Infinite Decorrelation for a wider rear soundstage
• 3 audio inputs, 2 audio/video inputs, 1 composite video output
• EQ/processor loop
• Remote control

h e ( ..-'' a r v e r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line
Carller Source Components

Carver Source Components

More than anything, Carver is a technology company. It was applied
technology that made the first Carver amplifiers and preamplifiers
overnight best-sellers, as these products achieved performance levels
seemingly impossible for their price. Since then, Carver has turned to
developing advanced technology to achieve similar breakthroughs in FM
reception, digital disc playback, and anywhere else there is room for
improvement. Each of the following Carver source components reflect
the company's technical contribution and commitment to that particular
area of audio. Combined, they enable the discerning listener to assemble
a system with no weak links.

SD/A-360 CD changer

TDR-1550 Cassette Deck

TX-SR FMlAM tuner

(

T h e c a r v e r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line
Carver Source Components

~~
t; SDIA-360 CD changer.
Look carefully at the typical CD changers on the market, and you'll find
two striking similarities: they have an over-abundance of features and
average perfonnance specifications. Carver took the opposite approach
with the SD/A-360. This machine is a high-end single player at heart,
with essential convenience features and carousel operation carefully
engineered back in. The result is a no-compromise unit with exceptional
performance and the most requested features.

• $599 suggested retail

• 5 disc capability
• Dual bitstream DIA converters
• Single bit decoding
• Analog/digital output filtration
• Optical digital output
• 3 random play modes
• 3 repeat modes
• Remote control

T h e c a v e r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line
Carver Source Components
(

TDR-1550 Cassette Deck.

Some companies have used digital as an excuse to stop refIning the
analog cassette fonnat. The TDR-1550 is Carver's statement about
remaining committed to its customers. This is the best cassette to wear
the Carver name, which nominates it as one of the best cassette decks
ever made. The TDR-1550 is capable of near-digital perfonnance
through its combination of advanced electronics (including Dolby HX
Pro circuitry) and superb mechanical precision. The TDR-1550 is quite'
able to make a recording indistinguishable from the source material- and
with today's sound sources, this is a true engineering feat! It is a fItting
partner in an all-Carver system.

• $599 suggested retail

• Dolby B, C, HX-Pro
• 2 DC servomotors
• Hard Metal alloy record/playback head
• 40-19kHz frequency response, 73dB SIN with Type IV tape (metal)
• Audio reverse with full logic control
• Synchro record with SD/A-360 changer
• Music search & Quick Reverse
• Remote Control

T h e c a r v e r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line
Carver Source Components

TX-SR FMIAM tuner.

When Carver introduced its first tuner on the market, the field was
already crowded with good designs. The reason the Carver tuner
became a best-seller - even rated a "Best Buy" in consumer magazines-
was because it achieved new levels of performance at a price well below
the "audiophile" models. That tradition is carried on in the Carver TX-
SR, a low profile, modestly-priced design with outstanding capabilities.
Like other Carver source components, the TX-SR is engineered first for
audio performance and is equipped with essential features. Ideal for use
in custom installations as well as in high-end component systems, the
TX-SR incorporates Carver's considerable tuner expertise in an
exceptionally efficient form.

• $449 suggested retail

• low-proflle design
• auto/manual scan selection
• FM stereo/mono selector
• 20 presets
• analog signal strength meter
• Full function remote control
• IHF sensitivity mono/stereo dBf: 12.8/22
• 50dB quieting sensitivity mono/stereo: 17.2/40.7
• Capture ratio: 1.5 dB
• SIN stereo: 70dB

h e C' a r v e r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line
Carver Ribbon Loudspeaker AL-Ill Plus

Carver Ribbon Loudspeaker

AL-JJJ Plus
Not that we've saved the best for last, but the Carver ribbon is an
achievement in which the company takes considerable pride. The
benefits of planar speakers have long been known to the audiophiles
willing to invest the many thousands of dollars they typically cost, and
willing to restructure their living area to accommodate them. By
developing the full-range ribbon approach, Carver achieved both a
manufacturing and performance breakthrough. The result: a true
audiophile loudspeaker for under $1,000, one that actually works better
in the average listening room than most conventional designs!

The dipole ribbon radiates sound from both the front and rear, creating a
sense of ambiance presence surpassed only by live music itself. The
full-range ribbon reproduces the audible music range seamlessly, with
no woofers, rnidranges, tweeters or
crossovers to interfere with the
presentation (extreme low bass is handled
( by the AL-llI Plus built-in subwoofer).
The single Kapton® diaphragm has a
mass/surface area ratio far superior to any
conventional tweeter/midrange array,
enabling it to "track" complex musical
details much more accurately. Because the
ribbon is an ideal line source, it is far less
affected by room interaction.

Carver also supplies ribbons for audiophile

speakers made by other companies selling
for 50 times as much as the AL-III Plus.
Every product in this book is an
exceptional value. At $995, the AL-III
Plus is a steal.

'[ h e c (I r v r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line
Carver Ribbon Loudspeaker AL-Ill Plus
(

Carver Ribbon Loudspeaker AL-III Plus (contintued)

What the critics have to say:
"Its overall sound is spectacular.. .its price is ridiculously low for
what it does and considering what comparable products cost."

Stereo Review, December 1986,

Carver Amazing Ribbon loudspeaker

"A speaker system that is accurate, coherent, musical and which

packs a load of bass that is well-defined and literally room-
shaking. The more power you give them, the better the sound gets .. .In
all, the Carvers illuminated the back of the hall in a way we have never
heard before."
"The AL-Ill loudspeakers provide spectacular musical pleasures with
transparency, vivid definition, extraordinarily fine imaging and
soundstage, and great, defined tight bass. Given plenty of power, the
Carver AL-ills perform with great tonal integrity and so much clarity
( that it is difficult to walk away from the musical experience at the
end of a listening session. These speakers are highly
recommended."
High Performance Review,
Winter 1992/1993

"The AL-m really shines when it comes to price and practicality... .1

expected effortless transparency, and I was not disappointed. Whether
I was a foot from the speaker or across the room, the highs were
always crystal clear and unstained ... It is a very addictive quality-
difficult to describe, but once experienced, never forgotten!"

Stereo Review, July 1993

• $995 suggested retail (each)

• 48 inch dipole ribbon driver with 22 foot-long magnetic circuit
• 10 inch downward firing subwoofer in Quasi-Butterworth 3rd order
alignment
• Subwoofer crossover point: 150 Hz
• Impedance: nominal 4 Ohms
• Sensitivity: 86 dB ref. 1 Watt, 1 meter
• Available in black and natural oak finish

'[ h c.' a r v r B o o k
 The Carver Product Line
Carver Controllers and Adapters

Carver controllers and adapters

Z-5 Power Expander

The Z-5 Power Expander makes it possible to upgrade a low-to-mid-
powered 5-channel AN receiver to component audio standards by
enabling it to function as a preamp/tuner driving a separate power
amplifier. It is a most cost-effective start toward a separates system, and
an excellent alternative to starting over with completely new
components.

An impedance-matching interface that essentially converts a receiver's

high-level speaker outputs into Class-A line-level preamplifier outputs,
the Z-5 transforms virtually any receiver into a surround-sound preamp/
tuner with good specifications. Each channel has a separate passive
level control for optimizing balance, headroom and signal-to-noise
performance. A precision component designed to be used with any
separate power amplifier, the Z-5 is designed to dock directly to the
Carver AV-405 5-channel amplifier for added convenience.

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• $85 suggested retail

• Input impedance: 2 kOhms
• Output impedance: 600 Ohms nominal
• Separate precision passive level control for each channel
• Maximum input: 40 Volts/channel (equivalent to 200
Watts/channel into 8 Ohms)
• Input connections: 5 pairs spring-clip speaker terminals
(gold plated)
• Output connections: standard RCA phono (gold plated)
• Provided with 5 gold plated RCA male/male adapters for
amplifier docking

T h e ( -'
.~ a r v e r B ,
( .." o k
 5. Carver Audio System
Home Theater Receiver

HR-895
Cinema Receiver with Dolby Pro Logic™
The HR-895 Receiver represents a totally integrated approach to Home
Theater. It contains a preamp/tuner with audio and video switching, a
Dolby Pro Logic surround sound processor and five amplified outputs.
Just add speakers and you're ready to go!

HR-895 Key Features

0 Seven audio inputs, four 0 Exclusive Carver ACCD 0 Sleep timer automatically
composite video inputs and for improved reception of turns off the unit after a
three S-Video inputs FM signals with multipath specified time period
0 Five amplifier channels: interference (up to 2 hours)
2 x now Front 0 Preset up to 30 AMlFM 0 Multi-room selector for
2 x 35W Rear Surround stations with user-entered playing different sources in
1 x 75W Center 5-digit station names different rooms
( (8 ohm ratings)
0 Carver's patented Sonic simultaneously
0 Built-in Dolby Pro Logic Holography® for improved 0 Programmable Remote
surround decoder with stereo imaging Control
digital delay provides
theater-like sound 0 Built-in program timer with
ONCE and DAILY timer
0 Equipped with subwoofer functions for unattended
line output operation of connected
0 Digital frequency-synthesis components
AMlFMtuner

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T h e C' a r v e r B o o k
Carver Audio System

About Home Theater Surround Sound

The heart of the Home Theater Hookup Instructions:
experience is the Dolby Pro 1. Connect the Left and Right Front binding post speaker
Logic surround decoder. A outputs from the HR-895 to the Left and Right Front
Speakers.
direct descendent of Dolby
Note: There are two sets of Front Speaker outputs - System
Stereo used in movie theaters, A and System B. These can be switched on
Dolby Pro Logic recreates the and off individually from the front panel. Use 8 ohm
big screen experience in your speakers if only one System is to be used at anyone time.
Use 16 ohm speakers if they are both to be used
living room. When at the same time.
soundtracks are encoded with 2. Connect the Left and Right SURROUND speaker terminals
Dolby Pro Logic surround to the Left and Right Surround Speakers.
sound (as indicated by this logo 3. Connect the CENTER speaker terminal to the Center
IXIIDCIUIY-1 ), the left and Speaker.
right channels can be decoded Note: Use heavy gauge speaker wire as recommended in the
HR-895 Owner's Manual.
into four channels (Left Front,
4. Optional Connection: Connect the SUBWOOFER OUT jack
Right Front, Center and to a powered subwoofer using a standard RCA type
Surround) and played back interconnect cable.
over six speakers (Left Front, Hints:
Right Front, Center, Left
o Allow space around the HR-895 Receiver for ventilation.
Surround, Right Surround and
o Connect the AC linecords from source components to the )
Subwoofer). You are switched and unswitched AC outlets on the back of the
surrounded with sound as you HR-895 Receiver.
experience the drama unfolding 0 Switch on the Sonic Holography processor for added
ambience and depth to stereo or surround sound encoded
before your eyes and ears. programs.

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To Center Speaker - - - - - - , .
To Right Surround
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To Left Surround
- - - Speaker

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Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. ©1996 Carver Corporation
All rights reserved

It. e c a r e B o () k
 Carver Audio System

Multiroom IJome Theater Receiver

with additional Stereo Power Ampl~fer
HR-895 Cinema Receiver with Dolby Pro Logic™
• TFM-35x THX Power Amplifier (2 x 250 watts)
The HR-895 Receiver has line level outputs for all five channels
which allows you to upgrade to more power if desired. This feature-
laden receiver also provides a stereo speaker output for a separate
room (multiroom) and a methodfor infrared remote controlfrom the
secondary room.
HR-895 Key Features
o Seven audio inputs, four 0 Exclusive Carver ACCD 0 Sleep timer automatically
composite video inputs and for improved reception of turns off the unit after a
three S-Video inputs FM signals with multipath specified time period (up to
o Five amplifier channels: interference 2 hours)
2 x now Front 0 Preset up to 30 AMIFM 0 Multi-room selector for
2 x 35W Rear Surround stations with user-entered playing different sources in
1 x 75W Center
(8 ohm ratings)
5-digit station names different rooms
0 Carver's patented Sonic simultaneously
o Built-in Dolby Pro Logic
Holography® for improved 0 Programmable Remote
surround decoder with
digital delay provides stereo imaging Control
theater-like sound 0 Built-in program timer with
/'
.( ONCE and DAlLY timer TFM-35x Key Features
o Equipped with subwoofer
functions for unattended
'" line output 0 250 watts per channel into
operation of connected 8 ohms
o Digital frequency-synthesis components
AMlFMtuner 0 Dual analog lighted meters
with range selection switch
0 Meter light ON/OFF switch
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T h e c a r v e r B o o k
Carver Audio System

About Home Theater Surround Sound

The heart of the Home Theater Hookup Instructions:
experience is the Dolby Pro 1. Remove the U-shaped jumpers from the Left and Right Front PRE OUTI
Logic surround decoder. A MAIN IN jacks. Keep them in a safe place in case you should need them
again.
direct descendent of Dolby 2. Connect the Left and Right Front PRE OUT jacks to the Left and Right
Stereo used in movie theaters, Inputs on the TFM-35x using standard RCA-type interconnect cables.
Dolby Pro Logic recreates the 3. Connect the Left and Right binding post speaker outputs from the TFM-35x
to the Left and Right Front Speakers.
big screen experience in your
Note: This procedure disables the internal Front amplifiers in the HR-895.
living room. When sound- The A and B Speaker Switches on the front panel of the HR-895 will also be
tracks are encoded with Dolby disabled.

Pro Logic surround sound (as 4. Connect the Left and Right SURROUND speaker terminals to the Left and
Right Surround Speakers.
indicated by this logo
5. Connect the CENTER speaker terminal to the Center Speaker.
), the left and 6. Connect the MULTIROOM speaker terminals to the speakers
right channels can be decoded in the secondary room.
into four channels (Left Front, Note: Use heavy gauge speaker wire as recommended in the
HR-895 and TFM-35x Owner's Manuals.
Right Front, Center and
7. Connect the IR-R8 Infrared Receiver to the MULTIROOM RCA jack on the
Surround) and played back HR-895. Use the cable supplied for this purpose.
over six speakers (Left Front, 8. Optional Connection: Connect the SUBWOOFER OUT
Right Front, Center, Left jack to a powered subwoofer using a standard RCA type interconnect cable.

Surround, Right Surround and Hints:

Subwoofer). You are
Q Allow space around the HR-895 Receiver and TFM-35x for ventilation.
surrounded with sound as you Note: The HR-895 and TFM-35x will generate heat, the amount of which is
experience the drama determined by how much power is required for the application. Therefore,
it is not recommended that the HR-895 and TFM-35x be stacked directly on
unfolding before your eyes and top of one another.
ears. Q Connect the AC linecords from source components to the switched and
unswitched AC outlets on the back of the HR-895 Receiver. DO NOT
connect the TFM-35x linecord to the
HR-895 AC outlets.
Q Switch on the Sonic Holography processor for added ambience and depth to
stereo or surround sound encoded programs.
To Right Sunound 1":\
4 To Lett Surround
Speaker :\.:11 Speaker

@
~~;;;;;~~~q:==TOl.on M&JJ1&oom. Speaker
IF To Right Multiroom Speaker

Dolby and the double-D symbol are

trademarks of Dolby Laboratories licensing
To P....19d 5 _ o rl 8 \
\:I
(Optional Connection) To IR-RS
0 7
Corporation. ____. ",....------,::---.....::~.__--======:;::==::..;I~
nfr~.I9d~-~Ivo
=__r

1129/96 Rev.A
©1996 Carver Corporation
f
THX is a trademark of LucasArts Entertain- I
~"tC'mp...
.
I
• =
=~~...
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0

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0

. '(:"0.:).
;.= 6- ' 0j.~1D~1I~ltf:> ...::_-=-~_
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All rights reserved \.._U~~
-~·:·:..,i0
L:::":;:·:=!: :": "':-=::=-=.".~0~'~=~~_~~~0~____~~1==r:...L....1....--"
To left Fmnt
Speaker

T h e c a r r B o o k
 Carver Audio System

Nonnal Stereo
CT-23 Stereo Preamplifier/Tuner
TFM-55x THX Power Amplifier (2 x 380 watts)
This system is very flexible and easy-to-use; an ideal match of
components with the power to fill a large room with clean,
accurate sound.

CT-23 Key Features TFM-55x Key Features

0 Carver's patented Sonic 0 380 watts per channel into
Holography 8 ohms
0 Seven audio inputs and 500 watts per channel into
three composite video 4 ohms
inputs o Dual analog lighted meters
0 Digital frequency-synthesis with range selection switch
AMlFMtuner 0 Meter light ON/OFF switch
0 Tape 1 to Tape 2 dubbing 0 Certified by Lucasfilms, Ltd.
switch for use in Home THX Audio
0 Bass and Treble tone Systems
controls with Source Direct
( switch
0 Headphone jack
0 Full function remote
control

·00
L-=-.~~.

T h e c a v e r B o o k
Carver Audio System

Normal Stereo (Continued)

CT-23 Stereo Preamplifier/Tuner
TFM-55x THX Power Amplifier (2 x 380 watts)
Hookup Instructions: Hints:
1. Connect the Left and Right Q Allow space around the
AUDIO OUT from the TFM-55x power amplifier
CT-23 to the LEFf and for ventilation.
RIGHT INPUTS on the Q Connect the AC linecords
TFM-55x using the from source components to
supplied RCA patch cords. the switched and nswitched
2. Connect the LEFf and AC outlets on the back of
RIGHT SPEAKER binding the CT-23 preamp/tuner.
post outputs from the DO NOT connect the
TFM-55x to the input TFM-55x linecord to the
terminals on the CT-23 AC outlets.
loudspeakers using heavy
gauge speaker wire.

r ]

To Right Loudspeaker '--- - To Left Loudspeaker

1/29/96 Rev. A
THX is a trademark of LucasArts ©1996 Carver Corporation
Entertainment Company. All rights reserved

h e a r , ' r B () () k
 Carver Audio System

Hom,e Theater Prealnpffuner

with 5-Channel Power Anlplifer
,~~ CT-28v Preamp/Tuner with Dolby Pro Logic™
AV-405 5-Channel Power Amplifier
(2 x 100 watts; Ix 110 watts; 2 x 50 watts)
This system represents an ideal compromise between the integrated
approach of a receiver and the quality and reliability of separates.
The CT-28v Preamp/l'uner has a built-in Dolby Pro Logic Surround
Processor and provides line level outputs for Left and Right Front,
Left and Right Surround, Center and Subwoofer. The AV-405 has five
channels of amplification, and is a peifect match for the CT-28v and
most Home Theater applications.

CT-28v Key Features AV-405 Key Features

0 Seven audio inputs, three 0 Movie, 3 Channel Logic, 0 Front Channels
composite video inputs and Halll, Hal12 and Matrix 100 watts per channel (x2)
three S-Video inputs Surround modes with DSP into 8 ohms
0 Five outputs for Surround and adjustable delay from Center Channel
Sound operation: Left and 0-90mS 110 watts (xl) into 8 ohms
Right Front, Two Surround o Digital frequency-synthesis Surround Channels
and one Center AMlFMtuner 50 watts per channel (x2)
( 0 18dB/octave Subwoofer 0 Preset up to 30 AMIFM into
\-
output with independently stations 8 ohms
adjustable volume control 0 All discrete output stages
0 Vocal ZoomTM control for
0 Advanced Dolby Pro Logic enhancing vocal or dialog for the best possible
Surround decoder with presence performance
adjustable digital delay and o Full function remote 0 Power Enhancement™
auto-input balance provides control circuit on the surround
theater-like sound channels delivers more
0 Two AC outlets, one average power when it's
switched and one
unswitched needed

G ~ I; :;im~:!J :
- Ie .
--- - . -~ -
I I I
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.
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• 0 0 0
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l I I I I

T h e (".~ a r v e r B o o k
Carver Audio System

About Home Theater Surround Sound

The heart of the Home Theater Hookup Instructions:
experience is the Dolby Pro 1. Connect the Left and Right Front, Left and Right Surround
Logic surround decoder. A and Center AUDIO OUTPUT jacks on the CT-28v to the
corresponding AUDIO INPUT jacks on the A V-405 using
direct descendent of Dolby standard RCA-type interconnect cables.
Stereo used in movie theaters, 2. Optional Connection: Connect the SUBWOOFER AUDIO
Dolby Pro Logic recreates the OUTPUT jack to a powered subwoofer using a standard
big screen experience in your RCA type interconnect cable.
living room. When sound- 3. Connect the LEFT and RIGHT FRONT binding post speaker
outputs from the A V-405 to the Left and Right Front
tracks are encoded with Dolby Speakers.
Pro Logic surround sound (as 4. Connect the LEFT and RIGHT SURROUND binding post
indicated by this logo speaker outputs to the Left and Right Surround Speakers.
), the left and 5. Connect the CENTER binding post speaker output to the
right channels can be decoded Center Speaker.
into four channels (Left Front, Hints:
Right Front, Center and o Allow space around the A V -405 Power Amplifier for
Surround) and played back ventilation.
over six speakers (Left Front, Note: The AV-405 will generate heat, the amount of which
Right Front, Center, Left is determined by how much power is required for the
application. Therefore, it is not recommended that
Surround, Right Surround and components be s1l29/96 Rev. A
Subwoofer). You are ©1996 Carver Corporation
surrounded with sound as you All rights reserved
experience the drama unfolding Dolby and the double-D symbol are
before your eyes and ears. trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing

~:;uOWOOTer®

To Left To Left
and Right and Right
Front _ _--' To Center '--_ _ Surround Dolby and the double-O symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories

o
Speakers Speaker Speakers Licensing Corporation.
1129/96 Rev. A

® ® ©1996 Carver Corporation

All rights reserved

T h e c a r v r B () o k.
 Carver Audio System

HOlne Theater Prearnpffuner

with 6-Channel Po~ver Anlpl{fer
CT-28v Preamp/Tuner with Dolby Pro Logic™
AV-806x THX 6-Channel Power Amplijier(6 x 130 watts)
This system provides a very powerful surround sound experience for those
who enjoy window-rattling special effects. The CT-28v PreamplTuner has
a built-in Dolby Pro Logic Surround Processor and provides line level
outputs for Left and Right Front, Left and Right Surround, Center and
Subwoofer. The AV-806x has six channels of equal power, and has the
added capability of bridging channels into a 3 x 360 watt powerhouse.

CT-28v Key Features

0 Seven audio inputs, three 0 Movie, 3 Channel Logic, AV-806x Key Features
composite video inputs and Halll, HalI2 and Matrix
three S-Video inputs Surround modes with DSP a 133 watts per channel into
and adjustable delay from 8 ohms (x6)
0 Five outputs for Surround
Sound operation: Left and 0-90mS 360 watts with 2 channels
Right Front, Two Surround 0 Digital frequency-synthesis bridged into 8 ohms (x3)
and one Center AMlFMtuner a Configurable for three,
0 18dB/octave Subwoofer 0 Preset up to 30 AMlFM four, five or six channel
output with independently stations operation
adjustable volume control 0 Vocal Zoom™ control for a Inverted signal outputs
( 0 Advanced Dolby Pro Logic enhancing vocal or dialog provided on each channel
Surround decoder with presence for bridged operation
adjustable digital delay and 0 Full function remote
auto-input balance provides
a Certified by Lucasfilm,
control Ltd. for use in Home THX
theater-like sound Audio Systems
0 Two AC outlets, one
switched and one a DB-25 "D" connector for
unswitched making input connections
to a Home THX Controller
or Equalizer (as per THX
specifications)
a RC-5 remote control bus
connects to various Carver
components for remote
standby control

T h e C' a r v e r B o o k
Carver Audio System

About Home Theater Surround Sound

The heart of the Home Theater Hookup Instructions:
experience is the Dolby Pro 1. Connect the Left and Right Front, Left and Right Surround,
Logic surround decoder. A Center and Subwoofer AUDIO OUTPUT jacks on the CT-
28v to the INPUT jacks on the A V -806x using standard
direct descendent of Dolby RCA-type interconnect cables.
Stereo used in movie theaters, Note: Carver recommends that the input channels on the
Dolby Pro Logic recreates the A V -806x be assigned as shown in the diagram. This will
maximize the dynamic power available when all channels
big screen experience in your are being used.
living room. When sound- 2. Optional Connections:
tracks are encoded with Dolby A. If the subwoofer is self-powered, connect the
SUBWOOFER AUDIO OUTPUT jack on the CT-28v
Pro Logic surround sound (as directly to the audio input jack on the powered subwoofer
indicated by this logo using a standard RCA type interconnect cable.
), the left and B. Connect the REMOTE CONTROL OUT jack on the CT-
28v to the RC-5 IN jack on the AV-806x. This will allow
right channels can be decoded the AV -806x to be switched into Standby mode via the CT-
into four channels (Left Front, 28v infrared remote control.
Right Front, Center and 3. Connect the binding post speaker outputs on the AV -806x to
the corresponding speakers in the Home Theater System.
Surround) and played back
over six speakers (Left Front, Innts:
Q Allow space around the A V -806x Power Amplifier for
Right Front, Center, Left
ventilation.
Surround, Right Surround and Note: The A V-806x will generate heat. the amount of which
Subwoofer). You are is determined by how much power is required for the
surrounded with sound as you application. Therefore, it is not recommended that
components be stacked di'rectly on top of the AV -806x.
experience the drama unfolding Q Connect the AC linecords from source components to the
before your eyes and ears. switched and unswitched AC outlets on the back ofthe CT-
28v PreamplTuner. DO NOT connect the A V -806x linecord
to the CT-28v AC outlets.

Dolby and the

double·D symbol
8
are trademarks of
Dolby
Laboratories
licenSing l
Corporation. I
THX is a
trademark of I
LucasArts
Entertainment
Company. L
To Right ToLelt
1/29/96
Rev. A
Surround
Spooker (]) Surround
Speaker (]) To Subwoofer
Speaker
f"
©1996 Carver
Corporation To Right To Center To Left Front
All rights reserved Front Speaker Speaker Speaker

.....
T h e C a r l' e r B () () k ~
 Carver Audio System

(
flo117e Theater Preampffuner
with 3 Stereo Power Alnpl(fers
CT-28v Preamp/Tuner with Dolby Pro Logic™
TFM-35x THX Stereo Power Amplifier (2 x 250 watts)
TFM..35x THX Stereo Power Amplifier (2 x 250 watts)
TFM..35x THX Stereo Power Amplifier (2 x 250 watts)
This system demonstrates a no compromise approach to a Home
Theater system, providing maximum power per channel to recreate the
sounds of everything from thunderous special effects to a gentle
summer breeze in the grass. The CT-28v Preampffuner has a built-in
Dolby Pro Logic Surround Processor and provides line level outputs
for Left and Right Front, Left and Right Surround, Center and
Subwoofer. The three TFM-35x power amplifiers provide six channels
of incredible clarity and dynamism.

CT~28v Key Features

o Seven audio inputs, three o 18dB/octave Subwoofer o Movie, 3 Channel Logic,
composite video inputs and output with independently Halll, Hall2 and Matrix
three S-Video inputs adjustable volume control Surround modes with DSP
o Five outputs for Surround o Advanced Dolby Pro Logic and adjustable delay from
Sound operation: Left and Surround decoder with 0-90mS
Right Front, Two Surround adjustabJe digital delay and o Digital frequency-synthesis
and one Center auto-input balance provides AMIFM tuner
theater-like sound o Preset up to 30 AMlFM
stations
o Vocal Zoom™ control for
enhancing vocal or dialog
presence
o Full function remote
control
o Two AC outlets, one
switched and one
un switched

TFM-35x Key Features

o 250 watts per channel into
8 ohms
o Certified by Lucasfilm,
Ltd. for use in Home THX
Audio Systems
o Dual analog lighted meters
with range selection switch
o Meter light ON/OFF switch

T h e c a r ·V e r B o o k
Carver Audio System

About Home Theater Surround Sound

The heart of the Home Theater Hookup Instructions:
experience is the Dolby Pro
Logic surround decoder. A 1. Connect the Left and Right Front, Left and Right Surround, Center
and Subwoofer AUDIO OUTPUT jacks on the CI'-28v to the LEFT
direct descendent of Dolby and RIGHT INPUT jacks 00 the three TFM-35x power amplifiers.
Stereo used in movie theaters, Use standard RCA-type interconnect cables for these connections.
Dolby Pro Logic recreates the
Optional Connection: If the sub woofer is self-powered, connect the
big screen experience in your SUBWOOFER. AUDIO OUTPUT jack on the CT-28v directly to
living room. When sound- the audio input jack 00 the powered subwoofer usiog a standard
tracks are encoded with Dolby RCA type interconnect cable.
Pro Logic surround sound (as 2. Connect the binding post speaker outputs on the
indicated by this logo TFM-35x power amplifiers to the corresponding speakers in the
), the left and Home Theater System.
right channels can be decoded
into four channels (Left Front, Hints:
Right Front, Center and o Allow space around the TFM-35x power amplifiers for ventilation.
Surround) and played back
Note: The TFM-35x power amplifiers will generate heat, the
over six speakers (Left Front, amount of which is determined by bow much power is required for
Right Front, Center, Left the application. Therefore, it is not recommended that the
Surround, Right Surround and amplifiers be stacked on top of each other, or other components be
Subwoofer). You are stacked directly aD top of the TFM-35x amplifiers.
surrounded with sound as you o Connect the AC linecords from source components to the switched
experience the drama unfolding and uDswitched AC outlets on the back of the CI'-28v Preamp!
before your eyes and ears. Tuner. DO NOT connect a TFM-35x linecord to the CT-28v AC
outlets.

Dolby and the double-D

symbol are trademarks of
Dolby Laboratories
Licensing Corporation.
THX is a trademark of
LucasArts Entertainment
Company.
1/29/96 Rev. A
©1996 Carver Corporation
All rights reserved

o o k
 Carver Audio System

Multiroonl
CT-23 Stereo Preamp/Tuner
TFM-15CB Stereo Power Amplifier (2 x 100 watts)
TFM-15CB Stereo Power Amplifier (2 x 100 watts)
TFM-15CB Stereo Power Amplifier (2 x 100 watts)
This system demonstrates how to use the Daisy-Chainfeature of the
TFM-J5CB to distribute stereo sound throughout several different
rooms in a home. The TFM-J5CB includes individual level controls so
the relative volume level can be set for each room.

CT-23 Key Features TFM-lSCB

a Carver's patented Sonic a Bass and Treble tone Key Features
Holography controls with Source
Direct switch
a 100 watts per channel into
a Seven audio inputs and 8 ohms
three composite video a Headphone jack
a Dual analog lighted meters
inputs a Full function remote with range selection switch
a Digital frequency-synthesis control a AlB Speaker switching
AMlFMtuner a Two AC outlets, one
a Tape 1 to Tape 2 dubbing switched and one
a Individual LeftJRight level
switch unswitched controls
a a Left and Right line level
( Preset up to 30 AMJFM
stations outputs for "daisy-
chaining" in multi-amp or
multiroom applications

T h e ( .,'" a r v e r B o o k
Carver Audio System
(

About Daisy-Chaining
Daisy-Chaining refers to the Hookup Instructions:
practice of connecting the same 1. Connect the Left and Right AUDIO OUT jacks on the CT-23 to the
music program source to the Left and Right INPUT jacks on the first TFM-15CB power
amplifier. Use standard RCA-type interconnect cables for these
inputs of many amplifiers, connections.
threading ~e signal in and out 2. Connect the Left and Right OUTPUT jacks on the first TFM-15CB
of each amplifier, yet to the Left and Right INPUT jacks on the next TFM-15CB.
Connect the Left and Right OUTPUT jacks on the second TFM-
remaining unaffected by each 15CB to the Left and Right INPUT jacks on the next TFM-15CB.
individual amplifier. In the Continue in this fashion, chaining together the INPUTS to the
OUTPUTS of the TFM-15CBs.
audio world this is most often
3. Connect the LEFf and RIGHT SPEAKER binding post outputs on
done in multiroom or the TFM-15CB power amplifiers to the corresponding speakers in
distributed sound applications each zone.
such as restaurants and Note: There are two sets of SPEAKER outputs - A and B. These
can be switched on and off individually from the front panel of the
lounges, large office buildings, TFM-15CB. Use 8 ohm speakers if only one set of speakers is to
and room-to-room home audio be used at anyone time. Use 16 ohm speakers if they are both to be
used at the same time.
systems. In these systems, one
amplifier is used for each zone Hints:
or physical area in the building. o Allow space around each TFM-15CB power amplifiers for
Carver provides two unique ventilation.
features on the TFM-lSCB Note: The TFM-15CB power amplifiers will generate heat, the
amount of which is determined by how much power is required for
power amplifier that make tbeapplication. Therefore. it is Dot recommended that the
daisy-chaining both convenient amplifiers be stacked on top of each other. or other components be
stacked directly on top of the 1FM-15CB amplifiers.
and effective. The first is the
o Connect the AC lineconls from source components to the switched
two sets of paralleled RCA and unswitched AC outlets on the back of the CT-23 Preampl
input/output jacks on each Tuner. DO NOT connect a TFM-15CB linecord to the CT-23 AC
outlets.
amplifier. This allows for
immediate daisy-chaining of
the signal without requiring
splitters or "Y" cables. The
second is the adjustable level L_~1~d~~!~~~~;!.~~-~-::"'__~~~~-.JLJ
controls for each of the
amplifier's channels. This
allows the user to tailor the
volume level for each
individual zone or room.

1/29/96 Rev. A
©1996 Carver Corporation
All rights reserved

T h c r v e r B () o k
 Carver Audio System
(
Bridged M ()110

CT-23 Stereo Preamplifier/Tuner

TFM-35x THX Power Amplifier (1 x 700 watts)
TFM-35x THX Power Amplifier (1 x 700 watts)
This system uses two stereo power amplifiers configured in Bridged
Mono mode, to provide two channels of enormous power that can
faithfully reproduce the demanding transient peaks and dynamic range
of today 's digital recordings.

CT·23 Key Features TFM·35x Key Features

o Carver's patented Sonic o Bass and Treble tone o 700 watts into 8 ohms in
Holography controls with Source Direct bridged mono mode
o switch
Seven audio inputs and o Dual analog lighted meters
three composite video o Headphone jack with range selection switch
inputs o Full function remote o Meter light ON/OFF switch
o Digital frequency-synthesis control
o Certified by Lucasfilms,
AMlFMtuner
Ltd. for use in Home THX
o Tape 1 to Tape 2 dubbing Audio Systems

c switch

I 1 1) 0 00 <=::::>
• 0 0 .·0····. tJ"- .·0
····.
L-=-_~. -'"
-

Ei

T h e C' a r v e r B o o k
Carver Audio System

About Bridged Mono:

Bridging combines two Hookup Instructions:
amplifier channels into one 1. Connect the Left Audio Out from the CT-23 to the
channel. In effect, this Left Input on the Left Channel TFM-35x.
configuration provides one 2. Connect the Right Audio Out from the CT-23 to the Left
Input on the Right Channel TFM-35x. Use the supplied
amplifier channel with the RCA patch cords.
combined power (output Note: Use only the Left Input in bridged mono mode.
voltage) of the original two 3. Move the StereolMono Switch on the back of the
channels. This is most TFM-35x amplifiers to the MONO position.
commonly used when 1) 4. Connect the two red binding post outputs on the
left channel TFM-35x to the left speaker, and connect the
driving inefficient loudspeakers two red binding post outputs on the right channel TFM-35x
to high volume levels, to the right speaker. Do this by connecting the Left Red
Speaker Terminal on the amplifier to the "+" or positive
2) driving mono loads such as connection on the speaker, and the Right Red Speaker
subwoofers, or 3) mixing and Terminal on the amplifier to the "_" or negative connection
matching amplifiers in multi- on the speaker. Use heavy gauge speaker wire as
recommended in the TFM-35x. Owner's Manual.
amplifier systems such as those Note: The black binding posts are not used in bridged mono
used in home theater systems. mode.

llints:
a Allow space around the TFM-35x power amplifiers for
ventilation.
a Connect the AC linecords from source components to the
switched and unswitched AC outlets on the back
of the CT-23 preamp/tuner. DO NOT connect the TFM-35x
linecords to the CT-23 AC outlets.

WA_'''KO~_....aYl
~MQf'IDI-..u_~
. . CIfa\A_....uAl. ... _~

THX is a trademark
of LucasArts
Entertainment
Company.

1/29/96 Rev. A
©1996 Carver
Corporation
All rights reserved

To Left Speaker

T h e c a. r r B o o k
 Carver Audio System

Biwiring
CT-23 Stereo Preamplifier/Tuner
TFM-35x THX Power Amplifier (2 x 250 watts)
This system demonstrates a bi-wire connection using a stereo power
amplifier connected to loudspeakers having a built-in crossover with
separate low and high frequency inputs.

CT-23 Key Features TFM-35x Key Features

o Carver's patented Sonic o 250 watts per channel into
Holography 8 ohms
0 Seven audio inputs and 350 watts per channel into
three composite video 4 ohms
inputs 0 Dual analog lighted meters
0 Digital frequency -synthesis with range selection switch
AMlFMtuner 0 Meter light ON/OFF switch
0 Tape 1 to Tape 2 dubbing 0 Certified by Lucasfilms,
switch Ltd.
0 Bass and Treble tone for use in Home THX
controls with Source Direct Audio Systems
switch
0 Headphone jack
o Full function remote
control

..... _
000000000
,--- ... ,._.
.-----........
~------.

o·- ·0····.
.
·00
L-=.._~.
-
-'
-
'!FH-J5;>< Po..., Ana:Jllficr

T h e C' a r v e r B o o k
Carver Audio System

About Bi-wiring:
Bi-wiring involves connecting for each loudspeaker driver electrically equivalent to
two sets of speaker cables from minimizes the reflected signal running a single 15 gauge
the amplifier's output (engineers call this back EMF) cable. The result is much
terminals; one set to the high- from one driver to the other tighter bass control (higher
frequency driver and the other and from each driver to the damping) and a clearer, more
set to the low-frequency driver. amplifier. Second, and perhaps spacious high end. In order to
This configuration requires the more audible, running two gain both these benefits ofbi-
four sets of speaker cables for a sets of speaker cables has the wiring it is necessary that the
two speaker system. This same electrical effect as loudspeaker provide two sets of
performs two important running a much larger single binding posts, one connected to
functions. First, having cable. For example running each of the loudspeaker's
separately wired connections two 18 gauge cables is drivers.

Hookup Instructions:
1. Connect the Left and Right AUDIO OUT from the CT-23 to
the LEFT and RIGHT INPUTS on the TFM-35x. Use the
supplied RCA patch cords.
2. Connect the LEFT SPEAKER output on the TFM-35x to the
low frequency input and the high frequency input on the left
loudspeaker, using two pairs of speaker wires . Do the same
for the RIGHT SPEAKER output and the right loudspeaker.
Use heavy gauge speaker wire as recommended in the TFM-
35x Owner's Manual. r\,
Hints:
THX is a trademark of LucasArts o Allow space around the TFM-35x power amplifier for
Entertainment Company. ventilation.
1/29/96 Rev. A o Connect the AC linecords from source components to the
©1996 Carver Corporation switched and un switched AC outlets on the back of the
All rights reserved
CT-23 preamp/tuner. DO NOT connect the TFM-35x
linecord to the CT-23 AC outlets.

I~I

WAANMG : MItCl' HAZAADOUa EHERGV)

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o lUX!!! ,AO.P£Jt WI,UU COWf(CTIOHIr

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To Right Speaker ------f..J/)-~\.+-----­

Low and High
Frequency Inputs

T h e c a r v e r B (} o k
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018
DIM.NIIONI
1411,: INCHES WIDE. 721~ 'f'\ICHES HIGH. AND
161~ INCH ES DEEP

FlNIIH
GOLDEN OAK OR BLACK OAK

~llIC.
$1.699. PAlO

MANUfACTUI.I
CARVER CORP •. DEPT. SR. P.O. Box 1237.

of a single panel , the ribbon radiates

equally to the front and rear through a
slot about 2 inches wide . A thick foam -
plastic strip protects the front of the
ribbon, and a strip of felt covers the
rear. The audio signal passes through
the ribbon, which is immersed in a
powerful magnetic field from a num-
ber of magnets . The resulting move-
ment of the ribbon generates a pres-
sure wave that radiates equally from
the front and rear of the speaker i.n
opposite phase (a dipolar pattern).
The woofer is more conventional,
consisting of a IO-inch cone driver in a
vented hexagonal enclosure. which is
responsible for most of the system 's
weight. It is attached to the panel
carrying the ribbon and serves as a
stabilizing base, supported Pis inches
above a flat wooden floor plate. The
woofer faces downward, radiating
around the entire periphery of the
base. Its vent (about 2 inches in diame-
ter) is located on the front about a foot
above the floor, behind the foam strip
that protects the ribbon.
On the back of the bass enclosure
are separate fuses and input connec-
tors (multiway binding posts) for the
ribbon and the woofer. The inputs are
normally connected by jumpers that
can be removed for biwired or biampli-
fied operation of the system.
Carver Al-lIlloudspeaker System Also on the rear of the woofer enclo-
sure are three level-adjustment knobs,
marked High Frequency, Upper Mid-
JULIAN HIRSCH. HIRSCH-HOUCK LABORATORIES
Range, and Woofer. They have a limit-
ed range-about 5 dB according to the
HE AL-Ill is the newest member achieve a low-bass extension rarely manufacturer-and the user is encour-
of Carver Corporation's "Amaz- found in conventional speakers of any aged to experiment with their settings.

T
ing" loudspeaker fa mily. Like its size. Despite their impressive perfor- Carver says that the level control for
predecessors, it uses a low-mass, mance, however, the size and cost of the woofer varies its "Q" (bandwidth)
verticaJly oriented ribb0n dipole the Amazing speakers may have dis- and affects only frequencies below 150
as the sole radiating element for couraged some potential buyers. Hz. The middle control, which has
most of the audio range (above 150 In the AL-III, a 48-i nch ribbon is the settings identified as Room Average
Hz). The previous Amazing speakers main sound source. Framed by two Flat and Anechoic Flat, affects fre-
used several special cone drivers to wooden "wings" that give the effect quencies from 2,000 to 6,000 Hz, and
48 STEREO REVIEW JULY 1993
 I
the top control trims the ribbon's out- that point. Its average level below 800 waveform was exceptionally free of
put above 8,000 Hz. Hz was about 3 to 5 dB higher than distortion and ringing compared with
To make most effective use of the from 800 Hz to 17 kHz, with a fairly what we have seen from other speak-
AL-Ill's dipolar radiation pattern, the steep drop above 17 kHz. These mea- ' ers we have tested.
speaker should be kept several feet surements were confirmed by quasi- iSTENING is the only meaningful

l
from any walls, although Carver states anechoic (MLS) response measure· way to judge the sound quality of
that even when it's placed against a ments, which showed a uniform a loudspeaker. From earHer expe·
wall, the depth of the woofer section average level within ± 4 dB from 1.5 to riences with ribbon speakers
keeps the ribbon far enough away to 16 kHz and a to·dB drop from there to (most of them tweeters), I expect-
provide good results . Carver also rec- 20 kHz. ed effortless transparency, and I
ommends that for best sound the front Measuring the ' effect of the level was not disappointed. Whether I was a
of the room (behind the speakers) controls on the speaker's frequency foot from the speaker or across the
should be as acoustically "dead" as response essentially confirmed the in· room, the highs were always crystal
possible, while the opposite end formation provided in the instruction clear and unstrained. There was no
should be relatively "live." manual. The woofer adjustment var- sense that the sound originated from
The AL-Ill's specifications include ied the output over a 4-dB range at 20 these slender towers; instead, the re-
an anechoic bandwidth of 34 Hz to 20 Hz but by only I or 2 dB between 40 flection from the wall behind them
kHz, with a usable lower limit of24 Hz and 60 Hz (the point of maximum added a dimension of depth that is a
in a typical room. Nominal system output shifted between 65 and 75 Hz as hallmark of dipole speakers. But, like
impedance i.s 4 ohms, and sensitivity is the control was adjusted). From 70 to the larger Amazing speakers, the AL-
rated as 86 dB sound-pressure level 200 Hz the adjustment range was 2 to 4 III uses almost a full-range ribbon,
(SPL) at 1 meter with a 2.83-volt input. dB. The upper-midrange level adjust. which extends its spatial effect well
The recommended amplifier power is ment had a range of 4 to 6 dB from 2 to beyond that of a mere tweeter. It is a
575 watts per channel maximum (into 4 kHz, reducing to 2 dB from 4 to 6 very addictive quality-difficult to
8 ohms), 65 watts minimum. kHz. The high·frequency adjustment describe, but once experienced, never
ARVER recommends that the AL- range was 2 dB at 8 kHz and a maxi· forgotten!
III be "broken in" for about 20 mum of2.5 to 3 dB above that frequen· What about the AL-III's woofer,
hours at a fairly high volume to cy. As stated in the manual, the audio then? It worked well and was an audi-

C relieve manufacturing stresses in

its drivers . We followed th is pro·
cedure as fully as possible. al·
though there was no significant change
in the sound as a result. The speakers
ble effects of these controls were very
subtle, and I found no significant dif-
ferences in sound quality over their
full range of settings.
The AL-Ill's sensitivity was 86 dB,
bly "invisible" partner to the ribbon
driver. but it was no match for the
mUltiple bass drivers of the larger
Amazing speakers (which can shake
the room walls at 20 Hz without diffi-
, ... I

were installed as recommended, ex· exactly as rated. We measured woofer culty). Subjectively, it did a solid job
.;ept for.the "live end, dead end" room distortion at a drive level of 4.5 volts, down to 40 Hz or so, and when lower
~reatment, which was not practical for corresponding to a 90·dB SPL at I frequencies were present they could
us to implement. kHz. It was very low and nearly con- often be heard, but at a rather low
The averaged room response of the stant at the bottom of the woofer's level. We also noted that the outside of
two speakers was quite uniform from range, running between I and 3 per- the bass enclosure vibrated quite pal-
about 800 Hz to 20 kHz, with no more cent from 20 to 50 Hz, falling to 0.3 pably when the woofer was reproduc-
than a ± 2.5·dB variation over that percent at 100Hz, and rising to 0.7 ing the lowest octaves at levels well
range. At lower frequencies the usual percent at 150 Hz. within its capabilities. For bass aficio-
room interactions caused greater fluc· The speaker's impedance with all nados a good subwoofer can make a
tuations, mostly within a ±5-dB enve- the controls set to their clockwise lim- genuine improvement in the AL-III's
'ope and extending down to our 20-Hz its (as we had them for most of our sound, but most people will be very
.neasurement limit. listening) was quite low, averaging satisfied without taking that step.
The close·miked woofer response about 3 ohms from 70 to 300 Hz and The AL-lII really shines when it
was strongest from 60 to 90 Hz, falling dipping to about 2.6 ohms at 200 Hz. It comes to price and practicality. A pair
smoothly by 4 dB from 75 to 200 Hz was also 3 ohms from 8 to 20 kHz. of these attractive and (despite their
and at a 12-dB-per-octave rate above Except for brief rises to 11 or 12 ohms height) unobtrusive speakers can fit
that frequency. Below 60 Hz the out- at 40 Hz and 3 kHz, the impedance into almost any room, where they will
put dropped off at a constant 12 dB per averaged perhaps 4 ohms across the look good and sound great. Sensitive
octave down to 20 Hz. Although the audio range. enough to be driven by almost any hi-fi
port output appeared to be quite fiat In pulse power tests, the Carver amplifier worthy of the name, they can
from 60 to 20 Hz, it did not contribute AL-III's woofer cone bottomed at 100 nevertheless handle the output of the
significantly to the total bass output. Hz with 'a single-cycle input of 1,230 most powerful amplifier with ease,
The composite response curve we watts into its 3.I-ohm impedance at and their price is certainly reasonable
constructed from the woofer and room that frequency. At I and 10 kHz, the by today's standards. Even if the AL-
measurements followed the room reo amplifier clipped at power levels of III speakers are not quite as "amaz-
sponse down to 200 Hz and the close· about 1,000 and 2,000 watts, respec- ing" as their predecessors, the name I "

miked woofer measurement below tively. The high-frequency tone-burst still fits. 0
STEREO REVIEW JULY 1993 49
( Carver Corporation's
PRODUCT
REVIEW
CT-27v AudioNideo
Pre-amplifier Tuner

If you're building a home arver's

CT-27v is an
A/V receiver without
theater from scratch and power amps . It provides the
audio and audio/video inputs (includ-
you want to make ing an AMIFM-stereo tuner), switching,
and signal processing for home theater. You add
the power amps, signal sources, and speakers. Need
provisions for future more power later? Just replace the amps. Want to
add an equalizer in the future? No problem, the
expansion and up grading, CT-27v has provisions for one.
The CT-27v accommodates three audio/video
sources - two VCRs and a laser disc player -
a product like the Carver and handles four straight audio sources: a CD play-
er, two tape players, and a conventional moving-
CT-27v AudiolVideo magnet phono cartridge. You can record on any or
all of the four tape decks: two audio and two video
Pre-amplifierrruner (VCRs). And, of course, there's an output for a
video monitor as well. Each video input and output
is available via a composite (pin-jack) connector
may be just what the with S-Video hookups provided in addition for the
monitor and laser disc player. That means you can
doctor ordered. view the high-quality "s" hookup, but you can tape
(and watch prerecorded tapes) only via the compos-
ite (pin-jack) connection.
Think of it as an The CT-27v's Dolby Pro Logic decoder features
automatic input balance and has fixed front-end
audio/video "front end. " gain as is pretty much standard these days. The
Dolby system offers three center modes - Normal,
by EDWARD J. FOSTER
Wide, and Phantom - and includes the three-chan-

Reprinted with permission from the August, 1994 issue of HOME THEATER magazine. Copyright © 1994, Triple D Publishing
excess of ±1O dB at 100 Hz and the Treble control (where it tops out at a minuscule 0.006 percent
offered nearly that much maneuvering room at 10 anywhere in audio band) and with Dolby Pro Logic
KHz. As mentioned previously, the VOCAL decoding. Through the Dolby system, front-channel
ZOOM provided an approximate ±6 dB spread at distortion hits a maximum of 0.071 percent at any
1.8 KHz. The Loudness function boosted 50 Hz frequency between 40 Hz and 20 KHz in the main
response by just over 7 dB and left the treble alone channels, and only 0.055 percent in center-front
- which I think is the right way to go when imple- from 100 Hz to 16 KHz. Again, that's impressive
menting a loudness function. The sub woofer performance! Even in the rear, distortion doesn't
crossover pretty much met Carver's spec: about 18 exceed 0.7 percent from 20 Hz to 6.3 KHz. Chan-
dB/octave at 79 Hz. nel separation is equally
As a stereo pre-amp,
the CT-27v delivered a
As a stereo pre-amp, stellar, for the most part
60 dB or better between
maximum gain of all opposing pairs!
almost 20 dB which is
pretty much standard
the CT-27v delivered a Video response through
the Carver switcher is
and should be more than within ±O.l dB across
adequate to drive normal
power amps. Output
maximum gain of the entire NTSC video
region and exhibited a
clipping level (5 .8 volts slight insertion gain
or more on all outputs)
is more than adequate to
almost 20 dB which of 0.4 dB .

drive any power amp FINAL

into overload so you
won't find the CT-27v
is pretty much standard Undoubtedly, you can
enter the home theater
the limiting factor in arena with a more mod-
your system. Input clip- and should be more est cash outlay by opt-
ping level - always a ing for an AIV receiver
consideration when rather than a Carver CT-
dealing with fixed-gain than adequate to drive 27v AudiolVideo Pre-
Dolby decoders - is a amplifier/Tuner and
generous 4.3 volts. I separate power amps .
know of no CD or laser normal power amps. Carver itself makes
disc player that ap- receivers for that pur-
proaches this level so you needn't fear that your pose. But, you'd be hard pressed to beat the CT-
program source will push the CT -27v beyond 27v's performance and flexibility when it comes
its limits! to upgrading. Viewed in that light, the CT-27v's
In developing decoders, the designer is faced suggested retail price of $850 (actual price will
with a tradeoff between input clipping margin and vary) doesn't seem out of line at all. By the time
residual noise. In my book, Carver's engineers you read this, Carver's AV-405 five-channel
have done an admirable job of negotiating the power amp should be on the market, too. It' s
dilemma. Despite the generous input margin, A- expected to carry a suggested retail price of $750
weighted noise is admirably low: -95.2 dBV or bet- and is a perfect way to round out a system that
ter in front and better than -91 dBV in the rear. will use a powered subwoofer. The A V -405 will
When taken with respect to the high output levels be rated at 100 watts per channel for the left/right
this device can achieve, front-channel dynamic front speakers (110 watts for the center) and will
range is 112.2 dB or more with Pro Logic decoding deliver 50 watts into each of the surrounds .•
and over 114 dB in straight stereo - pretty impres-
sive. Even in the rear channels (which are always Carver Corporation
noisier than the fronts), dynamic range is almost P. O. Box 1237
107 dB. Lynnwood, WA 98046-1237
Distortion is very low, too, both in straight stereo (206) 775-6245