Bob Carver 180 Mono-blocks perform superbly

Bob Carver tube amp owners should unite and ask for stepped volume control and better output coupling caps as upgrade options. They're easy upgrades that significantly improves the sound.

Hi Dracule. Despite your wholehearted recommendations of upgrading the vol control and output caps I have decided to leave the amps as is mainly for warranty issues. I am still waiting for my upgraded KT88s and a few more input tubes to arrive. Fun days ahead!

I do have a question for 180 users though. If using a CD player with volume control directly connected to the Bobs, who sets the Bobs vol knobs to max and adjusts volume via the CD player? Previously I had the CD player output maxed out and used the Bobs to adjust volume to each channel. But lately I have been having problems with imaging with this approach. Sound quality wise I can't seem to tell a difference. Cheers.

Vmhf, I understand your warranty concern. As far as your CDP volume issue is concerned, it depends on the quality of the the volume control circuit of the CDP. If it is high quality, I would set Bobs vol control to max which will almost effectively bypass the amp's stock pot. If you decide to install the Gold Point attenuator in the future, I would set the CDP vol to max and use the GP to control the volume. Nothing I've tried so far beats the GP installed in the amp.

VmhF, great news! Bob Carver has informed me replacing the stock volume pot with the Gold Point stepped attenuator by a qualified professional will not void the warranty on the amp.

Thanks for the update mate. I'll certainly think about the upgrade in the near future. I ended up getting my pairs of matched sextant Sovtek kt88 tubes and the improvements in sound are vast to say the least! The music is more refined but most noticeably is a tighter, more detailed bass response. My input tubes being Telefunken 12AX7 with ribbed plates and Siemens 12AX7 with ribbed plates. Also have on hand some Trigon 12AT7 and Phillips 12AX7 to play around with!