Bob Carver is Back

How addictive is the audio business? One indication that audio
is more addictive than pistachios is the return of Bob Carver and Bob Farinelli
to the fray. They have launched “Bob Carver LLC” which will be known by its
commercial moniker The Vacuum Tube Amplifier Company.”

Besides being amazed that the company name hadn’t been already
taken during the last 75 years of commercial audio endeavors, you can’t help
but be impressed by the initial offerings’ pricing and the company’s ambition.
Two power amplifiers and one super speaker system have been promised for an
October ship date.  Hopefully we’ll be
seeing them all in person at RMAF.

Early specifications and photographs reveal two fairly standard
looking basic tube power amplifiers and a line-array speaker. The primary
distinguishing characteristic of the amps are the SIX power tubes and three
front-end valves. The specs promise an A-weighted noise rating of better than
110 dB S/N.

The speakers look especially interesting. Here’s what Carver
wrote about them recently, “This speaker will produce 121 dB SPL without distortion. Power handling
is 2,000 watts rms without distortion. Sensitivity is 96 dB SPL @ 2.83 volts
rms. It uses four vacuum tubes, four for the active crossover…It does not need
a sub-woofer because it has so many drivers that the total air displacement is
vast. All it needs is low frequency equalization for the woofers to make the
system flat. That job is performed in the crossover box that comes with the
speakers.

The
imaging and tonal characteristics are similar to my Cinema Ribbons, the
differences being that these speakers possess a majesty, a bigness, and a sound
with sonic and emotional envelopment that normal speakers cannot. They are the
best speakers I ever designed. Les Williams said they may well be the best
speakers EVER! All based on the work so far.”

So, if you’re a big fan of tube amplifiers, line array
speakers, and Bob Carver, October is going to be a good month.