Carvin Bass Gear

grimmbass · Post by **grimmbass** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 7:28 pm

Bass bruthas and sistas,

I want an Eden but I'm currently on a Carvin budget....I've been checking out the B1500 and BX1200 heads and BRX cabs...the specs on these puppies are impressive! The BX1200 has a built in optical compressor and rotary/parametric EQs, not to mention a boatload of other nice features such as Speakon outs and biamp capability. I could build a full stack for LESS than just the Eden head! Granted, nothing sounds like an Eden, but at what price? I know Carvin's had some quality issues over the years (i.e. the ultra-crappy Red Eye series), but I'm very tempted to give one of these rigs a whirl.

Any of you guys using Carvin bass amps? Opinions?

MeYatch · Post by **MeYatch** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 7:37 pm

Jeff Clapper called me last week because he had a BX series Carvin rig he wanted to sell. I don't remember the model number or how much he wanted for it. But you might want to contact him, I would imagine he'd let you go demo it.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 10:08 pm

I have never played any B series amps, but I have heard recording clips of some B1500s.

They fucking kick ass

The tone I'd describe would be fat, but with some stomach punching mids, and very crisp, yet not harsh highs. If I were looking for a high-powered mono-block head that wouldn't have me taking a trip to the bank to get a loan, a B1500, along with some Gallien-Krueger products, would be at the top of my list.

Many guys I've talked to say that they are miles ahead of the Redhead stuff. Some people have even gone as far as to compare them to Aguilar DB750s. I've heard good things about the new Carvin cabinets also. I'll try and find one of those sound clips, Kent. Even if it's really not the sound that you're looking for, I think that you'll be really impressed with the tonal quality of the amp.

With that said, if you really want an Eden, I don't think that you'll be happy until you have that golden faceplate pointing out of your rack. I have always been seriously impressed with every Eden product that I've ever played through or heard. I still can't believe how consistently good my Cx210 cabinet sounds in various different rooms and playing environments.

Also, for you're playing style, I would seriously look into some SWR stuff too.

slink · Post by **slink** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 5:50 pm

I have an Eden WT-550 head I use and I agree they great. I read in the past alot of negative comments on Carvin speakers and amps, but I've seen nothing but good news on the carvin B1500.

If you go on www.talkbass.com, amp Forums and run a search for this head, there has been plenty writen about it.

I think Carvin really did it right this time.

BassFinger · Post by **BassFinger** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 10:28 am

I once owned a R1000 and most recently a B500. They are two amps I should have never sold. I liked them.

grimmbass · Post by **grimmbass** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 12:01 am

My dilemma is one strictly of cost: A new Eden rig with the options I'd want is going to be close to/maybe over $3000 (WT800 and XLS 4x10). I can get a full Carvin stack (BR or B series head, BTX 2x10, and BTX 4x10 cabs) for right around $1500...not to mention free shipping and a year to pay it off interest free! I'm thinking about going the Carvin route and then getting the WT head in a year.

I talked to a Carvin rep (a bass player as luck would have it) who was very upfront in his opinions. He stated that he was an Eden fan, and that he felt the BRX cabs were comparable to the Eden XLS series. When I asked him to compare the BR series head to the WT800, he tactfully responded that he couldn't really make that comparison, other than to say that the BR 1200 was a "lot of amp" for the buck. I'm sure their phone calls are monitored, and he was saying that the BR was NOT a replacement for the WT800. Hey, that kind of honesty is rare in the music biz.

My basses are all neck-thru actives: I guess when it comes down to it, I need clean sound reproduction without a lot of color...which is exactly what Bass Player Magazine claims the B-series amps do.

I'll let ya know what happens....

BTW Paul....I DO like some SWR stuff....truthfully, the low-ticket Workingman's amps were simple tone machines! I won't touch SWR since Fender bought 'em out....I've had too many bad experiences with Fender amps.

Sapo · Post by **Sapo** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 1:02 am

I'd never heard an Eden head until Saturday night. It sounded cool but I like a little dirt in my sound. If you like clean then it would seem like maybe an older SWR would be a good option for you. As far as Carvins go, I think they have a really scooped midrange. If that's your bag it may be a good fit. I am curious how the Carvin 810 sounds and how its power handling is.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 4:05 am

grimmbass wrote:My dilemma is one strictly of cost: A new Eden rig with the options I'd want is going to be close to/maybe over $3000 (WT800 and XLS 4x10). I can get a full Carvin stack (BR or B series head, BTX 2x10, and BTX 4x10 cabs) for right around $1500...not to mention free shipping and a year to pay it off interest free! I'm thinking about going the Carvin route and then getting the WT head in a year.

Kent, again I'm not trying to steer you away from the Carvin rig, because I've heard nothing but positive things about the B series amps. From what I've experienced though, they are a bit of apples and oranges. The Eden stuff, as you know, is very focused and hi-fi. The Carvin B1500s that I've heard are very warm, and have that "Solid-state but can sound like a psuedo-tube amp" vibe to them. That's probably why they get compared to the Aguilar DB750.

I suppose if you're planning on financing a rig, that's one thing. If you can pay cash, here are the averages that I generally see Eden stuff going for on the used market:

- Navigator Preamp (which is pretty much the front end of the WT800, plus all kinds of signal routing options): $600

- XLS and XLT 4x10 cabs: $550 - 600 (shipped).

You've spent a little over a grand there. Use your Yamaha power amp or your Fender as a power source. Then if you feel like spending a few more dollars, rack up a high-powered, low weight switching amp - I'm personally partial to QSC products - and let the the gold-faced tone sing.

Here's Dirk Lance's Guitar Geek to make everyone drool: http://guitargeek.com/rigview/360/

If you do go with the Carvin rig, I'll definitely be at a gig to check it out though. I've considered those amps many times, and since the hype's died down, they really seem to be well-respected amps.

grimmbass · Post by **grimmbass** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:20 pm

Sorry for the delay in posting, but I went and bough myself a Carvin rig! The first field test was this past Wed at the Lost and Found, and the second will be the Grimm/Lies Inc. double bill this evening....if this show doesn't make the rig wince, nothing will!

WARNING: LONG, RAMBLING GEAR REVIEW AHEAD!

What I bought: BX1200 head, BRX 2x10 and 4x10 cabs.

First impressions:
Head: The BX1200 head is flipping amazing. Two separate 400 watt (into 4 ohms) amps that can be run full range, biamp (built in crossover) or bridged into 1200 watts (again, 4 ohms). I haven't even begun to fool with the parametric eq, but even the basic rotary knobs, coupled with graphic eq, can produce just about any tone you'd ever want. The drive knob can almost fool you into thinking this amp is an SVT (and I mean that in a good way!). The entire unit is built extremely solid...the chrome knobs are substantial and stiff (i.e. you don't lose your settings) and everything just feels well put together.

Cabs:
BRX 2x10: In a word: Light! If you want a full range cab capable of handling 600 watts, this is your baby.
BRX 4x10: Not so light, but what low end! This thing doesn't so much as buckle with 1200 watts coming into it. Very impressive.
General cab comments: Both the BRX 2x10 and 4x10 look mean! The shiny tolex covering seems durable enough (though I got my first cab "ding" when I had to pull my truck to a sudden stop on teh way home last night), but the lack of corner guards is, well, CHEAP. I'm adding those myself for a total of less than $20. The cabs are incredibly clean, bordering on COLD, but not quite sterile. A little warmth on the eq seems to take the chill off. Clarity is amazing though...I'm hearing stuff out of my basses (especially my Warwick Streamer) that I've never noticed before. Only downside: Fret buzz sticks out like a pair of nipples in January.

General performance review:
I bought the 4x10 and 2x10 cabs with the intention of building a 3/4 stack that I could easily scale up (6x10) or down (4x10 or 2x10) depending on the gig. The BX1200 drives both cabs with ease, though I have to either go biamp or roll back the amp power on the feed to the 2x10 to keep it from popping. There is a drastic difference in power handling between the two cabs. Despite the power mismatch and the need to scale back the feed to the 2x10, this rig produced buckets more stage volume than necessary (which I proved on Wednesdy night). Even with a drop tuned (c tuning) active Spector, I couldn't make the 4x10 distort at volume levels that were rumblling my house! The 2x10, however, takes some tweaking to keep the God-awful speaker "pops" from making an appearance.

Now here's where it gets interesting: Bridge the two amps into 1200 watts and plug into the 4x10 solo and the rig is actually LOUDER than the 6x10! The punch is amazing, even at low volume levels, with this setup. Unfortunately, the BX1200 is only rated in a bridge mode for 4 ohms; both cabs are also 4 ohms, so no 1200 watt 6x10:(.

I will probably continue to use the 6x10 setup; even if I'm not at optimum power/impedance, the volume levels are more than adequate (in fact OBNOXIOUSLY more than adequate), and I like having speakers at ear level. Despite the lack of a little polish (i.e. corner guards), this truly is an incredible rig at a killer price. I got the whole thing shipped to my door for $1500. You can't touch an American-made rig with these features for that price anywhere that I know of, and I'll take Carvin over an import Ampeg any day. The proof is in the pudding, and so far this pudding is SWEET!

Ok, the downsides: Carvin customer service sucks. Any tech worth his salt would have been able to point out the impedance issue with buying two cabs that are 4 ohm with a rig that can't max out any lower than 4 ohms. I still have yet to receive my Speakon cables; I had to call customer service to find out that they were back ordered. The day after I placed my order, I called Carvin to see if the head had shipped; they told me it was backordered, so I upgraded to the B1500 (which would have had no trouble operating at 2 ohms). When the shipment arrived, they still sent me the original BX1200 I had ordered. Ultimately, I'm kind of glad, because I love this head, but that doesn't negate the fact that nobody in customer service processed the order change. Most of the people who work in their call center don't seem to really know or understand things like power ratings and impedance issues, and you are likely to get tossed around on the phone until they can find the one guy who knows anything.

Bottom line: This is a FANTASTIC rig at a great price. With a few tweaks (i.e. the addition of corner guards on the cabs), I will be happy with this gear for years to come. That being said, know exactly what you want before you call customer service and do your research on your own. Once an order is placed, good luck changing it.

Let me know what you think of my tone if you're out to see Lies, Grimm, or the British Invasion in the near future!

metalchurch · Post by **metalchurch** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:57 pm

Great review man! I think that it sounded great, and it cut real nice. You have a very distinct style and sound, and I must say, that Carvin really lets your playing shine through.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 11:02 pm

Kent, I'll be out very soon to check out this rig. I really wanted to check it out tonight, but I have a gig. My curiosity has been piqued about the B series amps for quite a while, and your review really has me curious. The B1500 looks like a beast of an amp, and the BX1200 I imagine is very close in sound. I think that Carvin really redeemed themselves after the "Red Series" amps with this new line. I've heard great things about the combos too. I always struggled with deciding which imepdance I should get cabinets in. Generally, I have a rule of thumb I like to use now: If a cab is rated more than 1000 watts, then I want it in four ohms. If it's rated less than 1000 watts, then I'll get an 8 ohm cab. It sucks that you can't bridge down to 2 ohms though. Most amps can't; though I think some of the Crown "M" Tech power amps can handle 2 ohm bridged loads.

Would you describe the sound as being quick, transparent, and hifi like an SWR or Eden or more fat and warm like a G-K or Ampeg?

I have heard a lot of horror stories concerning Carvin's customer service. Luckily, I bought my LB75 used, so I've never had to deal with Carvin on the phone.

grimmbass · Post by **grimmbass** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 10:17 pm

Paul,

I'd honestly describe this amp as being "all of the above." Bass Player's review was dead on when it described the BX1200 as not "coloring" an individual bass guitar's sound. That being said, the controls, most notably the drive knob, give the user a WIDE variety of possible tones. I was dialing in some SVT growl during the last few sessions; backing off just a bit gives you a nice warmth....so far the amp has done everything I've asked it to do!

The funny thing is that this amp is actually challenging me to know my own basses better! With my Spectors, I've typically run all the controls flat out and used the amp for any eq needs. My Warwick Streamer demands that I experiment with the onboard controls, most notably the neck/bridge blend, to dial in the right sound. Sorry to ramble, but the BX1200 is so clean (and full of sonic detail) that the adjustments I make to the Streamer's onboard preamp make drastic differences in my overall sound.

Fuck, this damned amp is turning me into a tweaker. Dax will be so pleased:).

I haven't even learned how to use the parametric eq yet...all hell will probably break loose when that happens! I never realized what shitty amps I've been using all these years until this Carvin took the "gook" off of my sound! I have a feeling that the next Lies/Grimm recordings will have a whole new series of bass sounds!

Sorry to ramble. I love this amp. If it holds up to the show schedule for next year (24 gigs with Lies Inc alone, and Grimm/British Invasion are starting to book, not to mention fill-in work) I'll be a believer!

BTW Paul: If you make it to a gig in the near future, I'd be happy to have you try it out!

Sapo · Post by **Sapo** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 5:40 pm

An interesting review. I remember years ago when I was in Bashful I saw a band playing the Brewery in State College. The bass player was using a Thunderbird through a Carvin rig and to me, it sounded amazing. They were playing stuff like Rush's Freewill and it just cut through so well.

I actually got really interested in getting a Carvin setup for myself and even corresponded with them about doing an endorsement (I was broke!) as the band had one with Peavey at the time so I figured, what the hell. It didn't happen and I never got the rig but now I'm curious to go check out some Carvin gear again.

Keep us posted on how it holds up.

Post by **Ron** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 7:20 pm

Kent, parametric EQ's friggin' RULE. If you're happy with your sound now you are in for a treat when you start tweaking that parametric.

grimmbass · Post by **grimmbass** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:09 am

Update 1/20/2008:

I've been gigging steady with my Carvin rig since November and so far no problems at all! Even in just 2x10 half stack configuration, this thing is friggin' loud, clear, and will do anything I ask it to do. I've been having a blast tweaking the parametric to do justice to the surprisingly different midranges of both my Spectors and my Warwick Streamer Stage I (all maple neck thrus). Ask the guys in any of my bands...this amp is a dangerous tool in the hands of a loud bassist.

Sole complaint: the finish on the cabs. It is far from "scratch resistant" and, in fact, marks-up very easily. I had Terry from Guitars N Stuff throw on some snazzy chrome corner guards to keep the sharp edges from shredding...but the lack of these REALLY inexpensive pieces is a really low-blow to what would have been a pretty well-thought out speaker cab design.

So far, so good....I'll keep you in the loop with this extended evaluation (I'm stuck with this puppy until she's paid off).

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:20 am

I've been playing though a Carvin R1000 for approx 5 years now and it's been nothing but great. I use 2 Carvin 4x10 Cabs (More convenient than a single 8x10). I've heard that others have had problems with the Redline amps but mine has performed flawlessly every weekend for 5 years! I've also used Carvin monitors, Mains, Cables, Power Amps, and processors for years and not once has any of this equipment failed (Knock On Wood).