Carvin T100 Tube amp

This Amp was delivered to me in May 1993.....I don't know if that makes it a 1992 or not.

This amplifier has been the call when needed amp.....Love those EL 34's

Prog Rock here.......early and late '80's.......ugly for the most part, but some good stuff in there

Tech = RTFM

Nothing beats the warmth of an EL 34.......LOL

1977 Gibson Les Paul Custom.....aka LED Paul

BLAH!!

AMP = TANK

DUNNO

Best Amp around

2 volume controls with LED, a power LED, power and standby switch. Back, bridge it to 100 watts, play 2X50 watts, 4/8/16 Ohms etc.
4 El34's and 2 preamp tubes (12AX7)
Not enough for me, but the amp is cheap (in the states). I bought it in Europe (paid second hand, what you guys pay for it new....)
I also have a H&K VS 250, which has a lot more options (seperate standby switches for each channel, 2 controllable contour settings for each channel (which can be changed by footswitch) etc.

So, I guess they could have given it a bit more....

Warm, tight, punchy, but no tube saturation. Even all the way up you'll keep a fairly clean sound. Good for people who need a clean power amp. I prefer some tube overdrive.
It's cheaper than a Boogie 50/50 so go ahead and try one.

Seems very dependable. Carvin is a very professional company.

Don't know

Good, but not perfect. The H&K is better. Go for this if you depend om preamp gain. This amp (with the right tubes) will add warmth and punch, just no gain. Quality is great and they are cheaper than most power amps. All in all it's a good deal. I however am selling it and keeping my H&K which sounds better (El84) and hase more options.

This is an addendum to my earlier review. I have since gotten rid of the rack setup for guitar, and this found its way into my stereo setup.

I have it taking the main left/right signals from my Dennon AVT16 reciever, and outputting to a pair of Paradigm Phantom speakers. Both the reciever and speakers are very high-end, and this is the perfect compliment to the system.

This power amp works VERY well for this application for several reasons. 1) it doesn't compress, and 2) most high-end tube amps for home stereo cost thousands, and this delivers the non-compressing quality at low cost and very high quality.

Sounds KILLER!!!! I have a pair of little Bose speakers doing left-rear, right-rear, and center, all amped by the reciever, and the Paradigm/Carvin combo slaughters them sound-for-sound. Delicate swells that solid state CANNOT replicate are present here--powerful classical music (Prokofiav, Ravel, etc.) suddenly has real appeal for me, where it never quite caught me before. Instruments sound REAL, like when I used to run Hendrix through my guitar amp in college and found the guitar suddenly sounded like it was live. With this amp, every instrument from NIN guitars, to cello swells and drums and piping oboes sound like they are actually in the room being played.

For TV, the surround channels cannot compete with the main two channels for realism...the bass sounds thin coming from behind and center, where the main left/right sound spectacular.

I've had this guy for years, pushing it on countless gigs, and treating it like crap. I cannot tell you all the times I've knocked it off the top of speaker cabs onto hard floors, whereas now it sits hidden in a wall buffer under the TV: it never failed me once. The only wear on it is a couple scratches on the top and bottom--even the faceplate still looks good!

This is a 1994 50/50 EL34 bridgable to 100w tube rackmount amp.

The sound and power is clean with lots of headroom. Very quiet.
My set up it this, Tubeworks 9002 preamp, Lexicon g-2, BBe sonic maximizer thru the carvin T100. I've tried the mesa, vht as well as several ss rack amps with my stuff, for the money this is a great value. Sounds as good if not better than most units costing 3x. Warm sounding with no muddy-ness.

Ive had it for a month, the guy I bought it from was the orig owner. no problems.

I've always had good support from carvin.

I would buy another. The price was not really an object for me but the value was. I could have easily went VHT 2/90/2. This sounds pretty good & has a nice punchy-ness to it. Valuewise, I dont think you can get anywhere close to these, if you can find one.

Two volume knobs on the front. Two (little) presence knobs on the back. Ohm load switches on each channel (4,8,16), bridge switch for 100watt mono. Balanced and 1/4" inputs.

Opened it up, nice open design for tubes to breathe, despite not being open at the rear (ala Mesa power amps).

4 EL34s and 2 12AX7 inverters.

Heavy little sucker.

Points off for not having the option I always wanted: a tube rectifier in a rack power amp, or a blend control between tube & solid-state rectifiers.

The sound is warm and clear, does not break up even at SEARING LOUD LEVELS, but does get glassy and liquid at highest levels (too bad I can't get that at lower volume).

I play almost everything so there's a good range of sounds covered: I like tight delta blues, fuzzed-out Trower wah-pedal blues, early '90s Smashing Pumpkins psychedelia (Gish) and glassy rock (Siamese Dream), other early '90s-era alternative/grunge, Clapton, acoustic rock, and miscellaneous jazz guitar.

This covers just about all grounds. Heavy sustain OD sounds warm and natural through these tubes. Cleans are round and full.

Can do really raw, in-your-face sound with the presence up, but I leave it on next to nothing for a mellower tone.

440 steel, very heavy and sturdy.

Gibson Blueshawk and Gibson SST guitars through Carvin Quad X-amp Preamp (nine JJ/Telsa ECC83-S tubes), and an ART Tube Compressor. Sometimes a Colorsound Supa Tone Bender and a wah, and while I love digital effects, but don't own any by choice (they're toys with me). Runs into a solid birch 2x12" cab with Eminence Legend V12s.

This is the greatest power amp I've heard for anywhere near this little. DOES NOT BREAK UP, which some people hate, but even if it did, I'd have to crank the volume, and I'me a home & church player. I like that it feels a lot warmer than most tube power amps (VHT being the exception), and compresses well without breakup.

Beat out the Mesa 50/50 & 2:90, and really heats up effects & fuzz like my old 6550-equipped Sunn Model-T head did.

In the end, it's got a very warm, glassy feel I can really dig. For the price it can't be beat.

All tube power amp, 50 watts per side, but can be bridged (onboard) to 100 watts mono. Volume controls on the front with LEDs and presence controls on the back for each channel. Very loud with a clean tone, not colored at all. I am unsure which kind of power tubes are in it, I havn't had to change them yet, and I bought it used about two years ago! I think the seller said they are el34's... It's a very straight-forward tube poweramp.

I play an Ibanez rg450dx with EMG 80/S/80s as well as a 1999 Carvin dc200 with stock carvin pickups (M22's?). I run them both through a Line6 POD to the amp and out to a closed-back Crate 4x12 cab. I love the sound! Lots of bottom end without the mushy/squishy crap! Smooth clear signal from the POD without messing around with the sound. It's LOUD, baby! I would recommend this sucker to anyone who can grab it under $250. I actually got mine for $150 on ebay. NICE! The best deal I ever grabbed for equip! I play primarily rock music and a little metal.

I havn't had a problem with it, but Carvin is known for taking care of their customers.

Again, never had a problem with it yet.

I have been playing guitar for about 5 years and I would try to get another one if anything happened to it. In my opinion, Carvin is a great company that produces quality equipment for great prices. Their stuff is much sought after (never less then 75 items selling for almost retail prices on ebay at a given time!) and they are a pretty small company as far as the music industry goes! No I am not an employee, I just love their stuff!

Stereo 100 watt amp, 50 per side 100 bridged - loud
each channell switchable 4,8,16 ohms -nice
presence and volume for each channell
XLR or phoneo in. Fan cooled nice and quite.
5881 valves. Front panel output leds - very nice
Very clean and warm sound reproduction.
I dont know if this is a correct operating setup but, try this out...
When in mono mode and set for a bridged output, 2 preamps can be plugged in using channell 1 and 2, they come out the one speaker out.
only one at a time though, two at ounce sounds terrible. use an
A/B box to determine which one is going to the speaker out and you
now have 2 preamps to switch between in mono and can harness the amps full 100 watts instead of being limited to 50 per preamp and a seperate box for each side.

I use a hand made blackwood/ebony guitar with di marzio humbucker from hell pickups and a kitty hawk quattro preamp.
have tried a marshall 9001 in lead mode.and preamp out of a JCM 2000 401. All sound good, clear, ounchy , warm.
I play rock , funk , jazz whatever.
The T 100 is nice and quite warm and seemed to compress rather than
clip at high volumes.It aint spongy though neither is it hard.
perhaps EL 34 tubes would be dirt'ier, the amp allowes for both the bias of 5881 and EL 34 tubes.
Have used it in stereo and mono with a Rocktron Replifex and no problems sounds great.
Have used a Marshall 2 x 12 in mono and stereo, nice and dark, though can be quite bright when preamp and prescence are set high.
Have also used open backed 1x12 also by marshall and is good.
Comparing it to the Peavey classic 50/50 and Boogie 50/50
Not as deep as the peavey, much more transparent and clear.
Of similar quality to the boogie 50/50 in sound and performance.
At 50 watts can sound pushed nicely, 100 watts give's that massive headroom, though no less warm than at 50 watts.

Only one problem, I had to have dry solder joints fixed a fortnight after arrival, warranty sorted this out and no problems since, with regular gig's, performs beutifully. Would give a 10 if it didnt have to be fixed already!

Great

I have played for a long time both live in the covers environ and in other loud situations.
I had a mesa boogie dual calibre 50 and the carvin Is up there in the quality of sound and manufacturer's presentation.\
If it were to vanish I would miss it alot. I believe they are a discontinued item so replacement could be difficult.
I love its tight warm tone and clean simplistic layout.
Its versatile speaker options are a joy.

This tube driven stereo/mono powerhouse is the core of reliability. I have never even had a thought of a problem with it. I bought mine five years ago, and it's the only amp I use now. Great singing tone when clean, screams the metal when pushed.

I run a PRS into this with a Digitech GSP2101 as my pre-I can sound like anything due to the almost complete lack of amp colorization. A great feature when you can get the sounds you want from your pre! This amp does add a warm, singing tone, but you don't lose what you put into it.

A real workhorse.

I have never dealt with them except when ordering. Very nice people to do business with. They make great stuff for low prices.

I'd recommend (and have) Carvin Guitars and Amps to everyone. The best kept secret in the world.

I don't know what year this was made, but it is a discontinued model. 4 EL34 tubes, supplying each channel with 50 watts, inverted by a pair of 12AT7s (12AX7s stock). The presence knobs are very useful in shaping the tone, but unfortunately they are on the rear, which means if I want to switch from a mellow jazz rhythm to a bright and punchy blues lead, I have to reach around back and mess with the knobs, which is quite annoying. Aside from ackward control placement, it's a good stright-ahead unit, lacking the bells and whistles of the VHTs.

I play an Anderson through a Carvin Quad X-amp preamp (4 channels, 9 12AX7As), into a Carvin BR212 cab. I play jazz-rock, folk, and Texas blues, primarily.
I was saddened by the lack of crunchiness--I'd hoped the EL34s would lend a bit of their characteristic color to my tone. They are very warm and rich sounding, however, and compress well at highter volumes. While it doesn't lend power-tube distortion, it really brings out the tone of my preamp, much better than Marshall or Mesa power amps do. Carvin gear works exceptionally well together.

Perfect

I haven't called them, but they don't reply to email.

For the lack of EL34 tone from an EL34 based amp, I grade it down a notch, as for the rear placement of a control so vital as presence. What I give it high marks on is the warm, beautiful tones it brings out of its preamp counterpart. This is the warmest, clearest tube power amp I've heard, next to the VHT fame. Mesa was too cold, and the Marshall too muddy. The Crown was good, but too expensive, where this is it's equal in most respects, offering I think better definition than the Crown, but lacking the Crown's coloration. If you are one of those who and set their power amp's presence and go, this is an excellent piece of gear, and will serve you well. I don't regret its purchase, though I would like to look into getting those knobs moved to the front at some point.

The Carvin Tube 100 is a rack mountable, stereo (50/50 bridge to 100) power amp. I have an American made Strat Plus with Active (EMG) pickups that I run to a Boss GX-700 effects rack and then into the Carvin amp which foes out to a Mesa Boogie 2X12 Recto cab (has two 12" Vintage Celestion speakers)
The Carvin has two master volums in the front with led signal indicators (I like this a lot) Everything else is on the back. Has 1/4" and XLR inputs, impedance selectors on both channels and presence controls. Simple design- has what's needed

The over all sound - Hmmmm well it could be good or bad depending on what you want. This amp does NOT seem to color the sound very much. This is a plus for some people. I actually want some sound coloring from my amp so I don't like this.

It looks to be built pretty well. The layout on the inside is clean. The tubes are well protected. You have to take the top off of the amp to get to the tubes -BAD- I've got this thing racked and to take it out of the rack and to open the whole thing up to change a tube is a PAIN.

Haven't dealt with them.

I think it's a good solid amp. It's plent loud and it's put together pretty good. It's great bang for the buck. Not the best out there but still very good for the price. I put it in a catagory with the Peavey 50/50 amps and most people would probably say the Carvin is the better of the two.

Features previously covered.

EL34 Groove tubes sound warm and clean at any volume.

Believe it or not, mine went back twice in four years. The first was the fan. The second was the bios panel for the tubes.

Customer support is great and went as far as to fix it free once.

If you can't afford a VHT or Marshall 9100 tube rackmount amp,this will take less space in the rack and less out of the bank account with better sound. Best bang for the buck.

I bought this amp based on the reviews on Harmony Central, it has 2 channels as it is a stereo power amp. This my first rackmount tube amp I have bought and I very very happy with it. The tubes that are in it are 5881's and do no break up when driven hard.

This baby is as clean as a whistle on high volumes, no breakup when driven hard. It has Hi and Lo Z inputs only thing that sucks is that the presence controls are at the back of the amp.

I had the fuse blow up when I was fooling around with the power lead, but that was my fault, other than that I have had no problems with it.

Haven't dealt with them. But we have an authorized service center to get it serviced.

If you have a wicked pre-amp (SGS2112) and don't won't to colour you sound get this amp cause it kicks. But for the price it is very very good :)

The TUBE100 is relatively straight-forward to use. There are two level controls on the front and two presence controls on the back. The only thing that could be even the slightest bit tricky is making sure that you have all of the impedence settings correct for the speakers you are using. Not very hard!
The manual is very straightforward and holds your hand right through set-up.

This amp is really nice! Quite warm, and in the bridged 100 watt mono setting, is plenty powerful. It is very quiet, and even the fan is pretty quiet. I did get a weird buzz once, but I think that was one of my cords.
One of the features I really like is the factor that the Tube 100 has balanced inputs, which maximize signal and reduce noise.

Since I just got it, and I heard that strange buzz, I think I'll still take my Marshall to the gigs. At least for a while. Too early to tell.

Salesperson was surly, everyone else was really nice when I called for the status of my order. My order arrived in six days, just like they said. It was shipped UPS.

The only thing I don't like is the fact that the Presence Controls are on the back. That is slightly bothersome. Oh yeah, the thing weighs a ton! Other than that, it is great!

Highly recommended power amp. I bought it March of 1995 and have used it exclusively since. Demoed A/B against Mesa 50/50 and Marshall 9100. Mine uses EL-34, which I prefer. After a year and a half of almost daily use and hard gigging, just replaced tubes for first time. Sounds just like really good Power Amp should, adds a sweet tube compression and warmth. Surprisingly good spank and punch on clean sounds (given the EL-34's) and nice rich harmonics on overdrive and distortion sounds. It never "clogs up" lets the notes all ring clear even with extremely high gain applied. Top marks across the board. Although I will agree the access to the tubes (you have to remove the top) is a bit of work if I ever had to do it before a gig. On the other hand, the tubes are very well protected from bumps and bruises.

Really superior due to the fact that you have low-z and hi-z ins (I actually prefer the hi-z 1/4"), presence controls for each channel, bridgeable outputs, completely seperate channels for stereo outputs. Well thought out and really has the "tubeness" vibe to the tone.

As noted above, one and a half years of daily use and I just replaced the tubes for the first time. In my SKB rack case, it is heavy like a mutha, but makes up for the heft with sound quality and dependability.

Carvin is exceptional in all customer support, I have never had any bad experiece with them and many of my friends who have used them report the same service. One even had some cabinets custom wired for a very weird set-up he had, and they had no problem with it. Thumbs up. One other side note, I do not work for Carvin, nor am I affliated with them in any other way. They just really make great stuff, and I think they should be applauded for it.

Overall, if you don't try this unit and demo it against the competition, you are truly missing out on a super unit that compares favorably with units costing twice as much. There is no comprimise on sound, build quality or features with any other 100 watt tube power amp under a $1000US.

2x50 Watts tube power amp, bridgeable to 100 Watt. 4x5881power tubes (older models use EL 34), 2x12AX7 preamp tubes, 4,8,16 Ohm impedance selectors for each channel, adjustable presence for each channel, balanced and unbalanced inputs, volume control for each channel, power and standby switch, 110/220 V line selector.

Versatile tube power amp. Reproduces the the sought after british tone in combination with a Marshall JMP-1 preamp. It is also able to deliver a very sweet tone in combination with my Soldano SP-77. The setting of presence pots on the back play a very important role. From clean to shred everything is possible.

No problems so far, even during road abuse. Always played without backup. Amp needs to be removed from rack and opened for tube replacement, this could be a problem in a live situation.

No need for support so far.

I would buy one again. It takes only two rackspaces compared to the Marshall 9100 and is less expensive. If the power tubes would be accessible as with the Mesa Boogie 50/50 I would call it the best buy.