Description:
Class-A, push-pull, enhanced triode, self-biasing vacuum-tube integrated amplifier. Tube complement: thirteen 12AX7 and two 12AU7 per channel. Six line inputs, one tape output. Output power: 24Wpc into 4, 8, and 16 ohms (10.8, 13.8, 16.8dBW, respectively). Frequency range: 12Hz-80kHz. THD: 0.5%. Signal/Noise Ratio: 90dB (A-weighted).
Dimensions: 16½" W by 53/8" H by 173/8" D. Weight: 62 lbs.
Asociated Equipment:
Ariston RD-40, Linn Basik LSV Tonearn, Shure V15 type IIIG Cartridge, Cardas Silver wire service to Cardas wire block, Sunfire VTCC(used as source selector only) heavily modded CarverFest 20 watt EL84 Amplifier, Tascam CCC-222MKII, Carver Amazing Loudspeakers Silver Edition, Alesis Monitor One and Dahlquist DQ-8 Loudspeakers, CarverAudio and MIT Interconnects, Monster and Audio Note AN-9 hand drawn silver loudspeaker cables.
PSVane 12AX7 and 12AU7 tubes, RCA cleartop 12AU7s, Lindal 12AX7 Blue/Green dot Blackplates
Room: 24 11/2 ft long 18ft wide (non-parallel side and front walls) 7 1/2 foot ceiling. No acoustic treatments
Considerations:
During the waining days of CF'13 James Sauter and I were having a conversation about tube amp construction and chassis/component interaction. James made the comment that if he were designing the amp the chassis would have an organic look to it. That conversation has stuck with me and when my beloved Lightstar gear was damaged those remarks lead my search for the gear that will replace Lightstar. Lightstar, being the pinnacle of Carver SS gear will be damn near impossible to replace. Until now it has been my reference when I listen. Very little comes even close, I can count on one hand the amplifiers I've heard that sound better....to me.
I found the V20 on the GoN and immediately fell in love with it. I did my research and talked with 3 current owners of the E.A.R. amplifier. Each one of them had nothing but great things to say about it. I made contact with the owner and struck a deal. It had been in auction but the winner backed out and I was able to strike a great deal. Not only do I get the amp with it's current tube compleement of PSvane tubes but the Telefunken and Mullard tube set Robin was running in it prior to his PSvane purchase. Too cool!
Listening Observations:
Ariston RD-40 TT:
At first blush the V20 makes a huge impression. The soundstage is very deep and the imaging is nothing short of amazing. Yesterday I was talking with Ton Reitz and he was curious how broad I perceived the soundstage to be. I hadn't really spent enough time with an ear on the E.A.R. to know. I put FleetwoodMac's 'Rumours' on the Ariston and took it for a spin. Mick's drum kit seemed 5ft wide, WOW!! I could place each instrument and all of the voices in space, some elements of the band extended beyond the speakers then seemed crowded on the edge(read conclusion). I rolled INXS 'Kick', THEFIRM on next and continued to be shocked how good it sounded. I don't think my rig has ever sounded this good. I rolled in some RCA cleartop 12AU7s in and didn't notice but a little sharpening of the imaging. I put Emerson, Lake and Palmer's 'Pictures at an Exhibition on next. This is an original release LP and I was shocked how much each LP weighs. They're heavier than even my 220gm LPs..wow! This is 70s live music but the recording holds up. Bass was tight, not muddy and you can hear the acoustics of the space where it was recorded. Next on was Coltrane at Birdland. freeking amazing. My appreciation of my father's collection is going up as I speand time listening to it. I inherited my Dads' record collection when he passed. It contains the likes of Train, Charley Parker, Lannie Kazan, Nancy Wilson, Miles Davis and others from that era.
I have a copy of Bostons 'Walk On', Tom Sholtz is very proud of this LP. All analogue, start to finish. EAR RTRs to a deParavicini cutting machine too cool. This recording is off the hook good. What analogue recording does for LPs isn't apparent any better than here on this LP. I absolutely adore Carly Simon's' 'Anticipation' LP, she's one of my favorite artists. Guess it doesn't hurt she downright gorgeous either. The acoustics on this album are fantastic. The LP sounds like she's in the room with you. Jeez!!
Tascam CC-222MKII:
I like to use my copy of Dian Shuur and Count Basie as one of my CD listening references. It is a very intimate recording. You can hear foot-tapping, amanda tapping, ice clinking in glasses and such. BET used to play clips from this session everyone looked like they were having a great time listening to a great voice. She did the Carson show periodically. Johnny really liked having her on. HE would walk over and help her to her seat. What's that tell you about what HE thought of the voice? On this recording you can plainly hear not only fingers running up and down on the upright bass but also finger tapping on the hollow body of the bass. Incredible!!
Sherry and I were playing Mark's CF'08 disc when she stopped me and asked to play track 6 over.Track 6 is a Jimmy Buffet cut called Banana Republics. She pointed some things in the recording she hadn't heard before. Sure enough, I hadn't either. They were right out in front. Track 3 on the CF'13 sampler is a Willie Nelson song 'Nobody's Fault but Mine'. The V20 let's me hear the soundscape of the room as well as the nuances surrounding each note of the plucking guitar.
Conclusions...for now:
The V20 is an amazing piece of audio equipment. Clearly it isn't for everyone. I priced the PSVane tube set that came with it and at almost $100 per PAIR of tubes a re-tube is VERY costly at $1500. The technology required to use 12AX7s as power tubes was a re-think of tube conventions. That said, the music come from a background that doesn't exist, I mean it's not black it isn't even there. I can hear further into a recording further than I've ever been able to hear before. The imaging and soundstaging are unlike anything I've heard anywhere, but I think my room is crushing the width of the image or maybe I'm expecting too much.
I'm going to play with speaker placement, moving them along the long wall in my livingroom hoping that extends the image even further.
Last edited by Magnaryder on Sat Mar 01, 2014 8:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Magnaryder
the only good use for silicone is breast implants
Sunfire Tube Pre, Lightstar Reference 2.0 amplifier, Tim deParavicini's E.A.R. Yoshino V20 Integrated Amplifier,No. 50 and 51 Carverfest Tube amps, Hammond M3 tube amp, Carver TX-8 & 11 tuners, Carver TD-12 & 1700 decks, Tascam CC-222mkII CD recorder, Carver C-9 & ECS-U, Carver DPL-33, Carver HR-742 reciever, DBX-3BX & 200xg & 120x, Modded Klipsch Forte Loudspeakers(Obbligato Gold Caps, Mills Resistors) Carver ALV prototypes, Alesis Studio One loudspeakers, Dahlquist DQ-8s, The Carver Research DarkStar Sub.
THIS SPACE FOR RENT...helping the blind to hear, one valve at a time
F1Nut-Not to worry, I can ho-ho-ho and pop a cap at the same time.
