Dreamer
Classified Forum Moderator
Yes, on the Carver forum I'm also on, we've been noticing a lot of Carver gear being bid WAY too high lately. I've seen Silver 9t's go for as high as $2800/pair, which is $600 more than they were new, 10 years ago, and that pair didn't even have the original boxes...
Either 1) there are a lot of hard-core Carver-heads out there who are just coming into their trust funds, or 2) Carver gear has become as collectable as vintage Marantz tubes, or 3) a lot of "boomer" high-end audiophiles with the requisite deep pockets are realizing that 5 figures for big name audiophile amps that only put out 50-100wpc is just silly and the Carvers are not only a comparative steal at these inflated prices, but they actually sound GREAT (contrary to what the folks like Lew Lipnick and his Stereophile cronies think). And unlike a lot of the "Pure Class A" solid state amps (like Levinson, etc.) Carvers run REALLY cool, and the output transisters last for decades, and you can actually get them serviced by third party techs if something does go wrong...
My theory is #3.
But no matter how you slice it, there are a LOT of us die-hard Carver folks who are getting really cranky with EBAY, because it used to be you could pick up Carver gear there for a song. Things have gone insane on Ebay recently with used audio gear. There are suspicions of "shilling" on some of these auctions, on the Carver forum, and a few members over there have been watching the bidder lists, and noting some dicey trends.
That's why I try to buy "high ticket" items on EBAY only from "certified mega dealers" with good track records, or local folks, so I can look them in the eye and shake their hand when I pick up the goods.
--Richard
Either 1) there are a lot of hard-core Carver-heads out there who are just coming into their trust funds, or 2) Carver gear has become as collectable as vintage Marantz tubes, or 3) a lot of "boomer" high-end audiophiles with the requisite deep pockets are realizing that 5 figures for big name audiophile amps that only put out 50-100wpc is just silly and the Carvers are not only a comparative steal at these inflated prices, but they actually sound GREAT (contrary to what the folks like Lew Lipnick and his Stereophile cronies think). And unlike a lot of the "Pure Class A" solid state amps (like Levinson, etc.) Carvers run REALLY cool, and the output transisters last for decades, and you can actually get them serviced by third party techs if something does go wrong...
My theory is #3.
But no matter how you slice it, there are a LOT of us die-hard Carver folks who are getting really cranky with EBAY, because it used to be you could pick up Carver gear there for a song. Things have gone insane on Ebay recently with used audio gear. There are suspicions of "shilling" on some of these auctions, on the Carver forum, and a few members over there have been watching the bidder lists, and noting some dicey trends.
That's why I try to buy "high ticket" items on EBAY only from "certified mega dealers" with good track records, or local folks, so I can look them in the eye and shake their hand when I pick up the goods.
--Richard
