Carver Amazing Platinums Need Work

Hi everyone, I am going to get some Carver Amazing Platinums early next week for under $200. The piano black cabinets and grills are in great shape. However, ribbons need repair and all 8 woofers need new surrounds. I just posted in the repair board about the status of the surrounds from Toy Maker. I assume just about everyone has to be having this problem with the Amazing at this point and am surprised there isn't a solution to be found yet. I know a substitute woofer was offered but I don't think they are available anymore. Also, I believe one ribbon may be ok, the other has a tear for sure. If I only get one repaired would there be a difference in sound between the two? $1,000+ (due to shipping) for two ribbon repairs is a ton of money for me right now and for speakers that are 20+ years old.

I also don't really have anything proper to drive these, I know they're power hungry. I have an Emotiva XPA-5 for my living room and an Emotiva A-100 mini amp which surprisingly has a lot of drive and reserve for what it is. It certainly drives speakers better than most HT receivers.

As far as I know, the replacement drivers are still available and they are the only solution right now.

If you only get one ribbon done, you will hear a difference. The repaired one will sound better than the other. I would recommend paying to get both ribbons done at the same time. I know you don't have a lot of $$$ tied up in these speakers but they will never sound like they should if you do not do the repair.

You will want as big of an amp as you can get on them as they are not efficient at all and require lots of power. I would try your Emo and see how it does. I never had one so I cannot give you an opinion on them but I would assume that more power will be wanted or needed.

Would you be better off finding a pair that had both good ribbons and just needed surrounds or one that had good ribbons and surrounds from a financial point? Surrounds at $29 a piece you may live with. However, ribbons up the ante considerably.

I'd offer to take them off the guys hands fro $50 since so much needs done to them. Explain the cost of refurb....he might just GIVE them to you~

It seems like a ton of these speakers need ribbon repair. If I get the ribbons done, how long would I expect them to last? Another 15-20 years or is the repair done better than the original?

He was asking $225 and I talked him down to $150. Now that the surrounds are not available I am unsure if that is even a good deal. I'd hate to pass these up due to the rarity but...

Can someone link me the proper replacement woofers for the Platinums?

I just installed new woofers from Dynavox.

They are only $29 each, and are shipped for free!

Look at it this way. If you replace the ribbons and woofers you will have around $1500 in them. I promise you you can't find a speaker made today that will perform as well as Plats at anywhere near that price. You will need a new amp to drive them though. The amp must be able to handle a high current low ohm load. The Plats average about 6 ohms, but can dip much lower in some cases. I'm running mine with monoblock amps that produce 500 watts at 8 ohms. I have had them hooked up to a set of Bob's cherry 180 watt tube monoblocks and the sound was simply stunning. The maximum wattage isn't as important as the amps ability to pump out high current at low ohm loads without clipping.

Ok, I have to ask. Is there a DIY ribbon tutorial repair? I know the Kapton can be had online and the mylar from caps can be used. I am very handy and have my AAS in electronics. The seller told me a previous owner already tried to open up the ribbon that was torn and made it worse so I really don't have a whole lot to lose.

Anyone have the correct model at Dynavox for the Platinum woofer (they're different from the Silvers I heard and there were 3 different models). Maybe I have to wait until I get them and measure the cut out?

Is there a DIY ribbon tutorial repair? I know the Kapton can be had online and the mylar from caps can be used. I am very handy and have my AAS in electronics. The seller told me a previous owner already tried to open up the ribbon that was torn and made it worse so I really don't have a whole lot to lose.

Many have tried, all have failed.

Anyone have the correct model at Dynavox for the Platinum woofer (they're different from the Silvers I heard and there were 3 different models). Maybe I have to wait until I get them and measure the cut out?

Carver Driver WP-1220 12" Paper Cone Woofer

Anyone have the correct model at Dynavox for the Platinum woofer (they're different from the Silvers I heard and there were 3 different models). Maybe I have to wait until I get them and measure the cut out?

Carver Driver WP-1220 12" Paper Cone Woofer

WP-1220 is $90! I thought they were in the upper 20's with free shipping.

http://www.dynavox.com/product_info.php ... ducts_id=5




Carver Driver WP-1220 12" Paper Cone Woofer
[WP-1220]
12" Paper Cone Woofer, Carver Amazing Loudspeaker Woofer Replacement Driver

Features: 12" 20 oz 16 ohm paper cone with foam surround suspension, 180 watts, 1" Voice Coil woofer.

20 oz Stacked Magnet to provide long voice coil excursion
Super light weight paper cone with wide roll surround
Hi-Q performance
1" long excursion aluminum voice coil, 16 ohm impedance
90W rms power handling
Carver Amazing Loudspeaker replacement woofer*, ref: 618-00002-00 / 618-003
Wire 4 drivers in parallel obtain 4 ohm system load

Specifications-

Power capacity: 90W/180W RMS/peak
Frequency response: 20 ~ 3,000 Hz
Nominal impedance: 16 Ω
Voice coil diameter: 1"
Magnet weight: 20 oz.
Sensitivity: 88 dB W/M
Fs: n/a Hz
Re: n/a Ω
Qms: n/a
Qes: n/a
Qts: n/a
Vas: n/a L
Mms: n/a g
BL: n/a
Xmax: 12 mm

Dimensions -

Overall Frame Size: 12-1/16" dia.
Required Cutout*: 10-5/8" dia.
Mounting Depth: 5-1/4"

* Note: Verify cabinet cutout dimension before ordering. We also supply same driver fits smaller cutout hole(10-1/2" dia.).

$89.99
For more information, please visit this products webpage.
This product was added to our catalog on Tuesday 24 March, 2009.


looks like the sale is over...

They were $29.99 yesterday when I posted.

Email dynavox, and they will alert you when the next sale starts. I just missed the last sale, and they let me know when this past sale started. It's well worth the wait.

Well, bad news. I went to pick up the speakers from the seller and one of the ribbons was out of the cabinet, had magnets unmounted, no screws or hardware, the Kaptop was torn in multiple places and the wood frame soaked up water and swelled leaving no way to get a good "pinched" seal. I thought for 20 minutes about it and passed. The black piano frame also had a crack in the top where the ribbon mounts. I am seriously bumming since I have wanted some Amazings for years. Guess I'll have to keep waiting.

Well, bad news. I went to pick up the speakers from the seller and one of the ribbons was out of the cabinet, had magnets unmounted, no screws or hardware, the Kaptop was torn in multiple places and the wood frame soaked up water and swelled leaving no way to get a good "pinched" seal. I thought for 20 minutes about it and passed. The black piano frame also had a crack in the top where the ribbon mounts. I am seriously bumming since I have wanted some Amazings for years. Guess I'll have to keep waiting.

Be patient. You will find another pair in much better shape.