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  #1  
Old 09-02-2010, 01:17 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Perth, WA, Australia
Carvin TS100 users?

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Anyone use or have experience with the Carvin TS100 tube power amp? I'm thinking of getting one to use with my SansAmp Bass Driver as a preamp) for some gigs.

I know it's only 100 watts bridged, but I'm hankering for a bit of tube power for some rootsy/Blues gigs and the price is right.
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  #2  
Old 09-02-2010, 11:22 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Alameda, California
I use the older version, the T100, which I believe is the same amp except the presence controls are on the back rather than the face. I have used it in jazz gigs where I ran some very efficient cabinets from each 50-watt channel. It was just enough to compete with a big band playing a room with about 150 people but with no power or volume in reserve. I also use it at church, where volume isn't a problem. There I bridge all 100 watts into an 8-ohm cabinet. It's great for crisp, clean tone, and just starts to get fuzzy and compress when you max it out. It doesn't overdrive much other than the fuzziness and compression I mentioned.

Tubes last a long time. I recently retubed it with a matched quad of Electro Harmonix power tubes and a pair of EH preamp tubes for about $60 total. The tubes I replaced were six or seven years old and still have life but would occasionally pop or crackle.

I got mine used in perfect condition for $100. About the best $100 gear purchase I've ever made. It's limited to smaller, low volume gigs but in those situations it shines. Good luck, Bob







  #3  
Old 09-02-2010, 05:36 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Long Island
RE: TS100

Excellent topic as I often wondered how Carvin's tube amp would work for bass. Good to see someone using an older version. I would be tempted to bridge it though. Love the interior shot.
  #4  
Old 09-02-2010, 06:42 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Alameda, California
I remembered one other difference between the older T100 and the newer TS100's--mine has an input sensitivity of a mere .5V, the highest sensitivity of any power amp I've ever used. The newer ones are a more normal 1.0V input sensitivity. With the T100, I can plug my active Peavey Cirrus directly into the input without a preamp, and with the attenuators dimed I can get full power from the amp.

I find that with only 100 watts, I get more volume from more cabinets than from bridging. The amp will bridge only into 8 or 16 ohms (minimum load is 4 ohms per side). You can't expect huge volume but with two or more loud cabinets you can get a lot out of this amp.
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