scored a Carver PM-1200 amplifier

  • Thread starter Thread starter CoolCat
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CoolCat

CoolCat

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This thing is heavy and comes with a lot of great reviews from years back.
Amazing tone, and a tons of power. ..geeez

$2200 retail years ago, and now they're out there at $175 to ...$350 ish.

Bridged Mono its 1200watts into 8ohms! sweeet.

time to sell the 100w x 2 Altec Lansing... :)


Carver pm1200.webp
 
21 lbs- ain't real heavy (or, compared to what..? :D
The PM1.5 I got used went down pretty hard but I still have a Pm350 going strong.
 
as compared to a lot of really light amps I've owned..hahah.. Alesis monitor amp comes to mind and a few Pioneer amps..
the great tone of this amp is really noticeable.

btw , I think I want to run MONO at 1200 watts and will only have 1qty speaker hooked up for a Vocal only PA.

I read the manual and I'm still a bit confused. I believe I press the recessed button for Bridged MONO mode and then connect the speakers + to Right(red) and - to Left (red)?

You ever done this?

mic>yammie mixer> reverb>Carver> 8ohm PA cab
 
thats funny, imo... it says in the Carver manual, about how they made this amp "light", so I guess 21lbs is light! 45lb amps!! My Samsung amplifier/Surround weighs about 1 lbs! (it sounds like ass pretty much tone wise...but oh well for now)

for Bridged Operation, I understand a splitter is needed for the input, so the same signal goes to each input. I can comprehend this easily.
And the manual says set the input levels for equal values, this is no problem either.

But..........for the output , the red jacks are used only, not the black plugs I guess.
And it has a Safety Warning the plug shell is "hot" and if someone touches it and is grounded they'll get shocked?:facepalm:
Left is Hot, Right is Low side for speaker connection...I get that , I think.

I havent done bridged in this application before.
If I decide to drop this "bridged" mode idea, I wonder if it is ok to use only one side of the amp and leave the other side of the amp empty?
Seems I heard some amps need a load attached. I dont seee this in the manual, it explains Stereo mode or MONO/Bridged mode.

(I currently dont have 2 qty PA speakers, which is causing all these questions. But I also wonder is one pa speaker at 1200 watt, as good as 2qty at 450w each?)

Again this is vocals only, no sub level booming bass is plugged in, no drum sets through the pa, really just two Shure SM57's....so its possible 450watts is sufficient for a small venue vocal PA.

Any inputs apprecitaed...


EDIT: hey I just looked up your 350 manual and it has a much better wxplanation, and actually a drawing showing the Bridged Wiring to the speaker...
piece of cake...

Thanks!!! I think that clears this up.

damn...pumped up, ... this thing is the power I was needing.
 
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.. currently dont have 2 qty PA speakers, which is causing all these questions. But I also wonder is one pa speaker at 1200 watt, as good as 2qty at 450w each?
Click to expand...
If I understand what you're asking, no. More coverage, more drivers, more capacity etc with two.
What speaker BTW? 400w for one- doing vocals.. could be anywhere from plenty to more than needed to toast.
 
mixsit said:
(
If I understand what you're asking, no. More coverage, more drivers, more capacity etc with two.
What speaker BTW? 400w for one- doing vocals.. could be anywhere from plenty to more than needed to toast.
Click to expand...
I thought I responded to this 3 times? my pc is acting up....

its a Radio Shack 60watt 15" with tweeter...

believe it or not it sounded better than two small old peaveys...but 95% of the time its practice only.

I did the Carver bridged last night no issue, press in the little hidden button and put Speaker + on Left, Speaker - on the Right.etc...1200watt mode
then tried it with just one channel, 450watt ...
Both were not even past 20% volume and the feedback was overwhelming in that small room.

When I showed the setup it was too complicated for the band. So I moved the Carver over to the Bass Rig which is kind of weak too.

The Carver about blew the Entry line AMPEG bass cab I just got, using only one side of the amp , in stereo mode.

So I think, now the Carver will go to beef up the Bass Rig.

I think for PA it will be a Active+ Mixer+mic two cables, small footprint, and easy loading for the car.

add: I just noticed the gang selling me the Carver amp have some $4000 pa speakers ... Renkus Heinz speakers this amp was working with.
great guys, nationally touring

this amp is like having a Hemi Engine and my car frame is a 1972 Ford Pinto...haha
 
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