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Carvin Subs? [message #321374]

Fri, 09 May 2008 23:22

Josh Billings is currently offline

Josh Billings
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The new Carvin TRX Neo Dual 18s look really good on paper + at a price point of $730 or so the price is right too. The specs look great, about 100 lbs and 134db continuous? Too good to be true? Anybody tried these?

http://www.carvinguitars.com/manuals/TRx218N.pdf

-Josh

[Updated on: Fri, 09 May 2008 23:26]

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Re: Carvin Subs? [message #321449 is a reply to message #321374 ]

Sat, 10 May 2008 11:43

Evan Kirkendall
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Josh Billings wrote on Sat, 10 May 2008 00:22

The new Carvin TRX Neo Dual 18s look really good on paper + at a price point of $730 or so the price is right too. The specs look great, about 100 lbs and 134db continuous? Too good to be true? Anybody tried these?

http://www.carvinguitars.com/manuals/TRx218N.pdf

-Josh

Dont waste your money on anything Carvin. Smile

Smile

Evan

HarfordSound
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"No, It's not too loud. You're just too old."

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Re: Carvin Subs? [message #321502 is a reply to message #321449 ]

Sat, 10 May 2008 16:27

Josh Billings is currently offline

Josh Billings
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i heard they used B&C Drivers though.

Anybody actually heard them though?

-Josh

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Re: Carvin Subs? [message #321506 is a reply to message #321502 ]

Sat, 10 May 2008 16:32

Ivan Beaver is currently offline

Ivan Beaver
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There is a lot more to sub performance than just the drivers alone.

Look at the Lab Sub. It uses 2 Eminance 12" drivers.

Cabinet design and construction-along with the PROPER drivers is what combine to make a good sub.

I have no idea about the particular subs you are looking at, just statements in general.

Many people end up losing performance by taking what they "think" is a better driver and replacing a properly designed driver (for a particular box). It may be better in their mind, because they thought of it, but the performance may not be so.

Can I have some more talent in the monitors--PLEASE?

Ivan Beaver
dB Audio & Video Inc.

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Re: Carvin Subs? [message #321507 is a reply to message #321374 ]

Sat, 10 May 2008 16:32

Jack Gunn is currently offline

Jack Gunn
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Registered: March 2008

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Josh Billings wrote on Fri, 09 May 2008 23:22

look really good on paper + at a price point of $730 or so the price is right too. The specs look great

Ummmm, did you miss the part where it says that this 18" "Sub"-woofer goes all the way up to 2 Khz (-10dB) and 1.5 Khz (-3dB ) Shocked

Shocked

That shouldn't be higher than 250 Hz for a sub.

And a dual 18" subwoofer cabinet should weigh at least 150 pounds... Either the speakers are junk, the construction of the cabinet is junk, or a combination of both to get it that light.

May I suggest the JBL SRX728s which can be had for around $1299 used, or the EV QRX-218s which is a bit more but similar in specs. The SRX728s is the real deal.

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Re: Carvin Subs? [message #321516 is a reply to message #321507 ]

Sat, 10 May 2008 17:40

Al Limberg is currently offline

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I'm not here to defend Carvin - no desire to be on their endorsee/user list either - but on the other hand, the use of Neo drivers (which I'll assume from the model name) would account for a savings in the range of 50 pounds compared to typical ferrite magnet drivers.
I'm also not prone to lend any credence to specs for a sub that include frequencies above 125hz, but using them doesn't automatically disqualfy the cab as an able performer. Let me see the curve in the range from 35 or 40hz on up to that 125hz range and I can get a more realistic feel for its capablities. I don't approve of the specs game they use but if we are going to disqualify a manufacturer for playing that game, the DQ list will be a long one.

?;o)
Al

Some people are like a Slinky.....not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.

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Re: Carvin Subs? [message #321519 is a reply to message #321507 ]

Sat, 10 May 2008 17:49

Scott Smith is currently offline

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Jack Gunn wrote on Sat, 10 May 2008 17:32

...Ummmm, did you miss the part where it says that this 18" "Sub"-woofer goes all the way up to 2 Khz (-10dB) and 1.5 Khz (-3dB ) Shocked

Shocked

That shouldn't be higher than 250 Hz for a sub...

A lot of my subs will play up to over 1.5k. I have some 15's that are quite efficient up there. That's why I own an electronic crossover. Shocked

Shocked

It's interesting how fast people will bash a product they are either unfamiliar with, or is not popular on this forum.

"Percussive Maintenance" - Bang on it until it works!
Scott Smith, South Florida

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Re: Carvin Subs? [message #321520 is a reply to message #321516 ]

Sat, 10 May 2008 17:50

Ivan Beaver is currently offline

Ivan Beaver
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Actually the B&C neo loudspeakers are not that much of a weight savings.

If you compare the ferrite vs the neo for 18" 2000w driver the neo is only 8lbs less per driver.

So in the B&C case, a pair of drivers would only save 16lbs. Other manufacturers are different. I just wanted to do a pretty much direct comparison.

Can I have some more talent in the monitors--PLEASE?

Ivan Beaver
dB Audio & Video Inc.

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Re: Carvin Subs? [message #321527 is a reply to message #321507 ]

Sat, 10 May 2008 18:28

Steve Hurt
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Jack Gunn wrote on Sat, 10 May 2008 17:32

a dual 18" subwoofer cabinet should weigh at least 150 pounds...

Why?

The Carvin amps I've tried were unreliable and the people I know that repair amps don't like the amps, but I don't have a clue whether their sub sounds good or not. I haven't heard them.

Who knows, maybe they got lucky and got this one right? Smile

Smile

(or maybe not?!)

I would like to hear from someone who's heard them.
Small size and light weight are features in my book!

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Re: Carvin Subs? [message #321544 is a reply to message #321527 ]

Sat, 10 May 2008 19:04

Josh Billings is currently offline

Josh Billings
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The graph is great...if it's true. I know you can buy from Carvin and try for a few weeks and bring em back if you don't like em. I just would hate to fry the drivers and be responsible for them.

Somebody buy a pair and take the risk for all of us Smile

Smile

The boxes look nice too, maybe these are the TRX153s that never were (remember we all had such high hopes for those boxes).

-Josh Billings

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Re: Carvin Subs? [message #321545 is a reply to message #321527 ]

Sat, 10 May 2008 19:11

RYAN LOUDMUSIC JENKINS is currently offline

RYAN LOUDMUSIC JENKINS
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Here is my take on it.

I have never heard those subs but....

Carvin Owns TCS. I use TCS boxes, A LOT! I have never had a failure. I am extremely happy with my boxes. They are built extremely well, have a better spray on truck line type coating then just about any other manufacturer. They are way better than "Textured Paint."

The TCS boxes are all B&C. I think that a lot of their drivers in the Carvin boxes are actually Eminence but I am not 100% sure if that is still the case.

They have some awesome CNC woodworking machines so that all the cuts are perfect.

I have only had problems with the very old original "Carvin" TCS 218 subs. I have a pair of them and the original drivers were Eminence Kilomax 18s. Those drivers had an issue with an adhesive that was not Carvins fault. After having an event where the purchaser forgot to have the sprinklers turned off and a bunch of my drivers were water damaged over night I replaced all of the Kilomax 18s with the newer Kilomax 18s that have a higher power handling. These newer drivers seem to have a better adhesive and I have not experienced the problems that I had before.

With the availablility of a bunch of modeling programs, I find it hard to believe that any manufacturer would just throw some drivers in a box and sell them without having a design that should be matched to the drivers and has been tested to perform well for the given applications.

So if you like to blow up 8" drivers you may not want the TRx boxes because they obviouly had an issue with those drivers. They even blew up 8 of them at their 60th aniversary event when a BE turned up the PA all the way. I have met some people that I have worked with that also own the TRx boxes and they blew up the 8" drivers. That wouldn't keep me from trying a different model if it fit my applications.

By the way, I am getting ready to buy another six subs from TCS. I have confidence in them!

And just for kicks look at this driver and tell me if an 18" driver is capable of going higher than 250hz. This is a great B&C driver.

http://www.bcspeakers.com/index.php?sez=1&categoria=1&am p;id_descrizione=2&prodotto=21

So if you get a chance to go to a Carvin store try them out. If you like them then cool but if not then buy something else. BTW there have been issues with the QRX 218 subs blowing too and those are a very well respected driver in those see some recent posts. I have made a bunch of money by renting my subs to a club when they blew up thiers and I have made even more with another club that has blown up their EAW DCS subs several times which are a very well respected sub for EDM and I still haven't had a single failure with my TCS subs.

So maybe gear snobs need to listen with their ears before just making blanket statements about any brand.

Ryan Jenkins
"Two days until the end of when I don't know what to think. Three days until I start the cycle all over again!"

Please visit my website at http://www.murphygirl.com

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Re: Carvin Subs? [message #321555 is a reply to message #321449 ]

Sat, 10 May 2008 19:54

Patrick Tracy is currently offline

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Evan Kirkendall wrote on Sat, 10 May 2008 10:43

Josh Billings wrote on Sat, 10 May 2008 00:22

The new Carvin TRX Neo Dual 18s look really good on paper + at a price point of $730 or so the price is right too. The specs look great, about 100 lbs and 134db continuous? Too good to be true? Anybody tried these?

http://www.carvinguitars.com/manuals/TRx218N.pdf

-Josh

Dont waste your money on anything Carvin. Smile

Smile

Evan

I have a pair of 832s which have been beat on physically and electrically for years with no problems, and they always sounded okay even before discovering and correcting a polarity issue with one of the tweeters. Now they sound great for what they are. I'm selling them right now only because I have something else with a bit more output and some other features I need.

And their bass guitars are pretty awesome from what I've seen. A bass player I know a player who uses one into a Carvin combo which seems at least okay.

That said, I wouldn't pay a cent for any of their mixers and I'd avoid their power amps based on what I've heard.

http://home.earthlink.net/~patrickgtracy

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Re: Carvin Subs? [message #321558 is a reply to message #321555 ]

Sat, 10 May 2008 20:44

Josh Billings is currently offline

Josh Billings
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That B&C 18 is really interesting, really good response up to 2.k khz, i can't imagine what they actually sound like at 2.5 khz, but it's impressive

-Josh Billings

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Re: Carvin Subs? [message #321561 is a reply to message #321558 ]

Sat, 10 May 2008 20:53

Mac Kerr
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Josh Billings wrote on Sat, 10 May 2008 21:44

That B&C 18 is really interesting, really good response up to 2.k khz, i can't imagine what they actually sound like at 2.5 khz, but it's impressive

-Josh Billings

It's supposed to be a sub, what's impressive about it going to 2.5k? That is not usually a good thing in sub, where you are interested in how low it goes, not how high.

Mac

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Re: Carvin Subs? [message #321612 is a reply to message #321555 ]

Sat, 10 May 2008 23:59

Steve Hurt
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Patrick Tracy wrote on Sat, 10 May 2008 20:54

And their bass guitars are pretty awesome from what I've seen.

I have played a number of carvin basses and they all played extremely well. I think they understand the woodworking end of things quite well.

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Re: Carvin Subs? [message #321635 is a reply to message #321558 ]

Sun, 11 May 2008 09:07

Ivan Beaver is currently offline

Ivan Beaver
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WHY? Most front loaded subs will go that high and higher. Now they will sound like crap and be very beamy up there and you would not want to use them there.

Now maybe for a DJ system that had an 18" and a bunch of piezo's it might be about right Laughing

Laughing

Laughing

And if you use 4 piezo's you could call it a "5 way" system like some manufacturers do Rolling Eyes

Rolling Eyes

Can I have some more talent in the monitors--PLEASE?

Ivan Beaver
dB Audio & Video Inc.

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