Price Paid:  $300.00 from Circuit City

Summary:
DO NOT BUY, Please do not wast your time with this product. I am not rating the speaker system just the subwoofer as that is all I have but the sub will go bad. Mine is dead now and has been for some time. I recently ordered an amp that should fit in its place. In a earlyer review it said that 2 things got burnt up on mine it was more like 4 or 5. this is not a good sub to buy. However it does look good and that is why I bought it I just wish the inside was as good as the outside.

Strengths:
It sounded really good at first, Looks GREAT, Binding post on back

Weaknesses:
Blows up after about 2 years of use and the speaker goes bad with it. (unless the amp going bad made the speaker sound bad aswell)

Summary:
Well I'm looking to get a second stereo system for my bedroom and have been auditioning speakers. The ONLY ones I have found that have better sound than the Carver Fronts are the Boston Acoustics VRM-50s (and 60s), btu they cost more than my 6 speaker system cost for the carvers. And they will require a sub.

I may just get a nother pair of fronts (someone on ebay has these things for sale again.)

I must say that the system has impressed me more and more as I go listening to other speakers. I feel the highs are warm and subtle compare to 90% of the speakers I have been auditioning. Some include the Boston CR7s, CR8, the Energy XL15 and XL 16, the Poly 35 and 55s, the Bose 401s, The Klisph, Infinity and Mirages that all look the same.

The Boston Acoustics and the Energy XL 16s are in the running still, but I think these speakers are the best bargain of the 1990s.

I'd say get a pair if you can sdtill pick them up.

Strengths:
Home Cinema, Jazz and Rock

Weaknesses:
Rap music. Bass don't sound right.

Summary:
I too got on the Costco boat and have been more than thrilled with these speakers since day one! They look and sound beautiful and have WAY more filling power (especially in the mid-range) than the Energy Take 5's (which was my alternate choice). I'm very happy to have made the choice I did, these speakers will be with me for years to come!

Strengths:
Beautiful speakers, beautiful sound, nice price

Similar Products Used:
Energy Take 5's

Summary:
I got a set of these Costco last Christmas time. They cost $499.
The sound wonderful. In conjunction with my HK AV75 (reviewed on this site) music and movies sound better than any other system I've ever had.

The subwoofer is large enough to make my neighbors cry.

And the subwoofer broke, just like all of them will. I had mine repaired Everett Audio Repair @ 425-339-8404. Costco paid for the repair.

With the subwoofer gone, the system sounded pretty awful. It really depended on the sub for all of the bass.

Now with the sub back, life is wonderful. I would recommend these speakers to anyone.

I would have given 5 stars if the sub didn't break.

Summary:
Those of you whe have a WORKING Carver 5.1 sub, please get it "fixed" before it goes bad...and I'll tell you now--IT WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL! Mine just went out last week. Took the internal amp apart, and there are two components (looks like regulators) that are sitting right smack dab in the middle of the circuit board, no heat sinks at all. There are two brown spots surrounding these (burn marks), and the traces are melted. Since there are holes on these, you could easily attach piece of aluminum to each to act as heat sinks. Use heat sink compound when you do. DON'T WAIT UNTIL IT DIES TO DO THIS!!! I wish I had done it sooner. NOTE: I am not an electrician, nor do I claim to know that this is the solution to this problem...just giving you folks a heads up.
~Aloha!