Actually, if you look at Carver's history, this is par for the course. He has started numerous new ventures and sold out almost immediately.
I don't think this has much to do with lack of brick and mortar sales. This was in the works for a year now.
Major Bob Carver Announcement: now selling direct (Emotiva)
- Thread starter Andre Marc
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Actually, if you look at Carver's history, this is par for the course. He has started numerous new ventures and sold out almost immediately.
I don't think this has much to do with lack of brick and mortar sales. This was in the works for a year now.
True. It might work in a small room. I am driving my Thiel CS2.4s with it now with no issues.
Emotiva moved Carver assembly to Tennesee.
Regarding the dealer/direct debate, I haven't felt the need to use a dealer for the past 5 years. YMMV.
Selling direct, there will be returns. You have to factor the cost of returns into your cost structure. In the old days on the direct marketing side you factored in a 7 to 10 % return rate depending upon the category. Not sure what it would be with audio gear.
I've purchased several pieces of gear (likely evaluation returns) as B-Stock, Refurbs, etc. and pocketed savings of 30% or so. Never had a problem and the gear works as new. Some people aren't comfortable doing that - leaves more bargains for me!
Regarding the dealer/direct debate, I haven't felt the need to use a dealer for the past 5 years. YMMV.
Selling direct, there will be returns. You have to factor the cost of returns into your cost structure. In the old days on the direct marketing side you factored in a 7 to 10 % return rate depending upon the category. Not sure what it would be with audio gear.
I've purchased several pieces of gear (likely evaluation returns) as B-Stock, Refurbs, etc. and pocketed savings of 30% or so. Never had a problem and the gear works as new. Some people aren't comfortable doing that - leaves more bargains for me!
Bob, I have a small room. I am hearing no issues, even at high volumes. But, YMMV with bigger rooms, more demanding music.
These can be used as mono blocks too btw.
Yeah, 40 wpc for $3,400 (add roughly another $400 to that for people like me living in Canada: all the shipping and brokerage fees and all that Canadian/USA free trade jazz). ...And that is without the 12% Canadian GST tax! ...That's another $400 on top of that $400 ($800 total), so that $3,400 is now $4,200 for people like me living in my own peaceful country!
- I can get a much better deal here (a very nice integrated amp) in my own country, with more 'clean' and 'smooth' power, and for much less money; thank you very much Andre. :b
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Very true (Oppo for example), and we live in the year 2013.
{Dirac Live was created for the Internet, and by a young team of Internet people, and from an Internet program easily accessible to all.}
__________________
* All the complaints we had in the past, and still today, regarding overpriced audio gear, are slowly becoming a thing from the prehistoric age.
Everyone's dealing with the cyber space, even the government. ...And that's also how we find out much more than we bargain for, if you know what I mean. ...Our funds are better 'geared' (managed) by ourselves, than by others.
Personally, I luv it! ...I love to be alive in the year 2013! ...Music always keeps spinning. :b ...And we are getting always closer and closer to the true 'essence'.
Tube amps, most of them, have output transformers so that 20 W/8 ohms is also about 20 W into 4 ohms, using the 4-ohm output tap. Pretty sure that is what I saw the last time I looked at Carver's amp as well. Note output imepdance is around 1.5 ohms, not atypical for a tube amp, but that means the speakers better be a pretty benign (flat impedance) load or you will have significant interaction (changes in frequency response, sound).
Rob-I agree 100%. 20 watts is 20 watts even if those 20 watts are coming from the great sounding EL-84/6BQ5 tubes. Usually you only get about 15 clean watts from a pair of EL-84/6BQ5 tubes in push-pull. I have owned a few amps over the years that used EL-84/6BQ5 output tubes and they have a very sweet sound. I'm running my LS50s in the opposite direction using a KSA-250 amp that has tons of power. Given the sensitivity of the LS50s, I would much rather be on my end of the power spectrum than on the 20 watt side.
hhmmm, looks familiar.....
and yes, I have no life.....
I think part of the reason Bob sold was, he wants to enjoy life and not have to run a business.
with the 4 company's he has started, all have been alive for less and less time.
with age comes wisdom.
By the way, earlier today I saw one of them Bob Carver amps, the Black Magic VTA20S, for sale, brand new, but out of his box (never used though), for $1,375 instead of $1,690 ... Sounds fair?
If anyone is interested just let me know and I'll put you directly in touch with one of the very best, if not the very best audio dealer of the entire planet! :b
...And I bet that some of you already know him; his name's Jeff.
If anyone is interested just let me know and I'll put you directly in touch with one of the very best, if not the very best audio dealer of the entire planet! :b
...And I bet that some of you already know him; his name's Jeff.
Today, Jade Design, parent company of Emotiva, Emotiva Pro, and Sherbourn, has completed the acquisition of tube amp manufacturer Bob Carver, LLC. The acquisition includes a long-term intellectual property agreement allowing Jade Design’s brands to utilize Bob Carver’s engineering ideas.
“This is a milestone in audio,” said Laufman, in a press release. “Bob Carver is a legendary name. It’s no exaggeration to call him one of the most brilliant, creative, and innovative designers in high-end audio, and I am thrilled to now call him my colleague.”
Bob Carver said: “Watching Dan and his team create the first truly successful direct-to-consumer high-end audio brand has brought me great pleasure, and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather partner with than Dan Laufman.”
All Carver products will continue to be handmade in the US, but will now benefit from Jade’s larger and more efficient manufacturing facilities and Emotiva’s PureDirect sales model. Current Carver dealers will be able to continue selling through Jade with its PureDirect Partner program—a streamlined, territory-protected model that provides full support and shipping.
While Jade’s brands will still be sold direct via the Web, the company is determined to support existing dealers. “We won’t undercut the dealers,” said Laufman. “And there’ll be no need for the dealer to discount below the website’s advertised prices.” Any discounts advertised online will carry over to the bricks-and-mortar stores, so that the dealers’ margins stay the same.
The retail prices of Carver’s components will decrease accordingly, sometimes dramatically: The Black Beauty monoblock power amp, originally $13,000/pair, will now cost $7999/pair; the Cherry 180 monoblock, originally $9000/pair, will cost $5999/pair; the Black Magic stereo power amplifier, originally $2500, will cost $1690. For current owners who bought through dealers, Jade Design will offer a 50% discount on the direct price for an upcoming Carver Black Velvet preamp.
All of Bob Carver, LLC’s operations will move to the Jade Design facility in Franklin, TN, which in turn is being retrofitted for Carver production. With Bob Carver’s vision and expertise, Jade plans to expand the line to include subwoofers, speakers, and several new tubed products, including a DAC. “Emotive will take these ideas to market in a meaningful way,” said Laufman.
For Laufman, the opportunity to build electronics in the US has “stoked a fire.” He hopes to soon move production of certain Emotiva products to the US, as well.
“US manufacturing is in my blood,” he explained. “We’re excited to get back into it. We’ve got a great team here and we’re going to be successful with it.”
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