Price Paid:  $1000.00 from used

Summary:
This review is for the Silver 7t, not the 9 as there was no listing for that one here.
Ok, first off these are possibly the worst sounding amps I have ever heard. The bass is as muddy as a river bottom, the highs are rolled off, and the mids as thin as wet toilette paper.
I read a review recently by a stereo magazine editor who was reviewing the Amazing Loudspeaker, which he held in high regard, but also thought these amps were probably the worst effort BC ever put forth, so it wasn't only me that though so.
They do have a cool look, and a lot of power, but that's where it ends.
I've owned several Carvers, and these are without question, so bad I would easliy listen to a $300 Yamaha first. I did think the 1.0t was pretty good, and I love the 4000 and C-1 preamps.
To be fair, every manufacturer produces crud from time to time, no one is perfect, but I wonder why if the 7 was so pathetic he would let the 9 out the door?
Anyway, if you are considering these, listen first before you spend a ton of cash on utter crap-ola. These amps in my opinion are worth about $100 each, and only if the application is for a lot of power that will be used in the venue of a drunken hoard as otherwise your ears will bleed.

Strengths:
Cool look
Tons of power
nothing else, well... the cardboard box and packing was pretty good I suppose

Weaknesses:
10 times to much cost even on the used market for what they give back
The worst sound on the planet at this price point
Cheap build quality

Similar Products Used:
B&K (mediocre, ok if you like warm)
Carver (1.0, 4.0, several receivers and preamps)
Phase Linear (now some of this is really quite good)
Hafler (all the old stuff is great 200, 220, 500)
HK (old Citation is very, very decent for it's time)
Sonic Frontiers (shhyeeeahhh...what else can you say?)
Bryston (ok, a bit bright, good value & insane warranty, somewhat uninvolving)
Conrad Johnson solid state (another fine piece of over rated crap)
Adcom (priced right for what it offers)
BGW (probably one of the best sounding PRO amps and bullet proof)
Sound Valves (as good or better than the Dynaco ST-70)
Yamaha (surprisingly good power amps)
Denon (not bad at all for the cost)
Sherwood (amazing for it's time)

Price Paid:  $1200.00 from Brandsmart

Summary:
I was very enthusiastic when I purchased the Carver 9T's. I paid $1200 for two new units at Brandsmart in 1995. I was using them to drive Snell C IV's (very nice speakers at the time). My brother and I have been listening to jazz, classical, blues, reggae and rock since the early seventies. We like all types of music. That's why I decided to purchase the 9T's; seemed like the best bang for the buck. My front end consisted of a Linn Sondek and a California Audio Labs Transport and separate D/A processor.

My initial thoughts where that these amps were great. However, after listening to many familiar tunes I quickly realized that the amps lacked sound stage depth and mid range quality.
In fact, I did an A/B test with a used Audio Research(AR) hybrid that cost approximately $700.00 at the time. The AR amp simply put the Carver 9T to shame. The 9T seemed to not play music in comparison. The AR amp had a soundstage so deep and wide you thought you could jump in with the musicians.

The 9T's do have power, but that all they have. They have a boomy bottom end and tin like highs. This is not an amp for people that want realistic playback.
They're probably good home theatre or for loud playing.

Anyone about to purchase one of these should take a look inside. Small transformer cheap circuit board. The laws of physics don't change; you need a large transformer to swing current to drive your speakers. You get dooped on this one.


The only good thing about these amps was that I sold them for almost what I paid.

Strengths:
Only power

Weaknesses:
Poor to no soundstage. No separation of musicians or instruments. Boomy bass poor highs. Does not control speakers well. Design circuit trys to mimic tube amp. Simply can't be done.

Similar Products Used:
Krell, Levinson, Audio Research, Cary Audio, Bryston.

Price Paid:  $1200.00

Summary:
I purchased a pair of these monoblocks when I purchased the Carver Amazing Platinum IV speakers. I researched that these speakers would need tremendous amounts of power to be driven well.

Fortunately, my decision was correct. I quickly found that an older Audio Research D-120 and the Mark Levinson 200w/ch amp I was currently using would not drive the speakers beyond average listening levels.

At $1200 each, I was somewhat 'concerned' at the sound quality. I had owned Carver products in the past (M400 amps) and remember liking them however, I was totally dumbfounded when I connected the amps to my speakers. The ability to reproduce the dynamics and lifelike sound I was hoping for was immediately noticed.

The amps continued breaking in over the next few months (so did my speakers) and I have not seen the need to replace either one to this date. The amps have never given me any trouble whatsoever and the speakers are still 'kickin'.

These amplifiers were probably one of the best deals in audio history. Compared to the mega dollars of amplifiers, they cannot come close to the value of the Carvers.

I would have liked buying a 'brand name' high powered amp like McIntosh, Krell, or the like, but their price tags were prohibitive.

I recently saw a pair of these sell on ebay for $2000/pair. In my opinion, well worth it.

Strengths:
Incredible power output (especially for the price.) The 't' designation ensures a tubelike quality to the sound, warm but accurate. Incredible bass, not available in tube amps due to lack of power.

Weaknesses:
Meter lights can be distracting. Provisions should have been made to turn them off or dim them as in other Carver amps.

Similar Products Used:
B&K, Adcom, NAD, Audio Reseach, Mark Levinson, Carver.

Price Paid:  $2800.00 from sund factor

Summary:
My comments are for the older Silver 7t, should sound the same as Silver 9t, but they are different color an the vu meters are not lighted. These amps are not for the faint in heart. They were designed to drive Carver platinum series ribbon speakers, which are notoriously inefficient. Even in today's standards Silver 7t or 9t is a winner. I think they were produced until 1993; it's still possible to find a good matching pair on the used market.

Strengths:
Excellent stereo separation, very powerful

Weaknesses:
None, maybe appearance

Similar Products Used:
Sunfire, McIntosh

Summary:
I have a pair of Infinity Kappa 9 speakers, notorious power hogs that run at very low impedances. The Silver 9t's bring them under very tight authority and makes them sing. All of the dynamics and tight bass these speakers are capable of become apprarent. As ugly as these amps are, I have mine prominently displayed....they are great conversation pieces.

Strengths:
Massive clean power.

Weaknesses:
Ugly and intimidating appearance. Very industrial looking. They look like army tanks. But, this is audio, not visual...they're supposed to sound good, not look good.