Carver C 4000 Brochure

Page 2

Underall the buttons and knobs is. first and
foremost. one ofthe flnestaudlo preamplifiers In the
world. Although the C-4000 can combine upto five
separate functions to recreate the vivid reality of live
sound. its primary role is that of a fine "straightwire"
preamplifier, dedicated to perfectlyamplifying real-
world musical signals without a trace oidistortion.

Its phono stage lets you match virtually any car-
tridge to the ultra-sensitive phono preamp stage
where the infinitesimal impulses from yourcartridge
are raised to line level and equalized Not only does
the C-4000 allow capacitance matching between itself
and the cartridge/cable load. it treats the signal to
state-of-the-art ultra low noise. high current transis-
tors in the first critical stages. eliminatinga main
source of noise and distortion As the signal passes
through successive stages it retains fidelity to the
point where one watt of real-world output results in
iust 0 000000251 watts ofdistortion Zero normalized
phase shift. Zero group delay. Noise performance
within IdB of the theoretical limit of real-worldcar-
tridges. Noslew limiting, No overload

Put simply, the specs features and performance
ofthe C-4000s preamplifier section alone place it
in the $1000 to 53000 price range its use of precision
goldband laser-trimmed resistors. 24K gold contacts
G-IO glass epoxy circuit boards machined metal
parts. and lifetime lubricated. fully sealed switches
further prove it.

A superb range ofcontrols, There are separate tone
controls foreach channel plus a choice ofturnover
frequencies with a defeat for instant comparison. A
iZdB/octave infrasonic filter helps eliminate speaker
woofercone flutter and distortion caused by warped
records. acoustic feedback. tonearm resonances and
floor movement Adiscrete headphoneamplifier is
included. A speaker mute switch allows you to cut
sound momentarilywithout changing master volume
control setti ng, A stereo-mono switch lets you in-
stantly check for cartridge and speaker phasing errors.
You can dub between two tape decks interchangeably,
Additional external processors may be added at any
time and switched from the front panel, While the
antithesesof"straightwire" thinking. these human
engineered controls let you truly enjoy your music.
And ofcourse ALL sound processingcircuitry is in-
stantly defearable forcomparison and Iorthe pursuit
ofeternal flatness. may it exist in all our hearts and
longings

Yet we think there is more to reality than flatness

Conslderthe nature of music. MuSIc arrives at our
ears in-phase. alive with all nuances ofthe reverber-
ant room. the crisp dynamics of instruments. the
poSition. sound quality and even natural spectral
frequency responsesall vivaciously present. it was
this challenge of reproducing reality which set Bob
Carver to creating the complete 04000.

The miracle ofSonic Holography. Considereach
sonic event of a musical performance. For example.
when a drum strikesa note in front ofyou. each ear
receives a sound arrival which tells it just where that
drum is in space by comparingthe two sou nds. One
sound source: two sound arrivals. A stereo speaker
simulates this effect by beaming sounds from two
points ahead ofyou. For a split-second. your ear is
deceived by the two sound arrivals. rust like in real life
But then each ear getsanother sound arrival from the
opposite speaker No sound sources. four sound
arrivals. The ear-brain local izmg center is confused
With multiple sound arrivals and can barely perceive
a center" to the sonic event.

Sonic Holography generates another set ofsignals
which exactly cancel the spurious second set of sound
arrivals. Thus unconfused, yourearagain hears true
sound lust two sound arrivals as in real life. once
again. instead of merely imaging" between the
speakers. sound suddenly bursts forth wider than
your speakers

Higher [and lower) than your speakers, Closerand
farther back- even to the sides ofyou. Instead ofa

it" No! All rights reserved Carver Corporation

tinywindow the imageofsound is a giant panorama
freeing you from the room's dimensions

Popular Electronics said '. the result was posi-
tively breathtaking! when the lights were turned out
we could almost have sworn that we were in the
presence ofa real liveorc'nestra."

Omni Magazine noted that "Instruments and per-
formers are located where they belong whether to the
front of. between. beside or behind the speakers - in
in short anywhere in a 180 degreearc facing the
listener"

iulian Hirsch said The effect strains credibility-
had I not experienced it I probablywould not believe it
myself."

Example: "Time" from Dark Sideofthe Moon by
Pink Floyd Each clock is individuallydiscernible. Did
you know that they were set up in rows?

Example: Suite in F by Holst You can discern the
position ofthe first and second trumpet sections and
even the three saxophones. The tuba's valve sounds
are discernibiy below the sound emanating from
his bell!

Example: Your favorite music no matterwhat your
tastes.

Note that the Sonic Hologram Generatorcosts iust
under$300 separately

Restoring the hall: Built-in Time Delay. Now that
the sound field in front of us has been made real
again. it istime toconsider the total listening envr-
ronment including reflected sounds received from
behind us.These place us within the listeningenvr-
ron ment. giving depth and dimensionThe emotiona!
impact of music is increased, yielding the impression
that yourbodyis immersed in sound ratherthan
simply being present near the source

The time delay system built into the Carver C-4000
is designed to re-createthe larger feelingoiacoustic
space. Delayed sounds are reproduced by small sec-
ondary sound sources olfifteen watts each. freeing
the main front channels to reproduce the direct sound
of music This requires just two inexpensive speakers
which may be unobtrusively placed behind the lis-
tener. Adlustments allow you to control the "size" of
theenvironment you wish to simulateand match the
output to the needs ofyour listeningspace. A line
level output is provided should more than fifteen
watts perchannel be desired.

Such an integrated unit wouldcost from $300 to
$800 if bought separately.

Putting the punch back In: The Peak Unlimiter
Circuit. Recording tape simply cannotcapture the
dynamics ofsound Soft passages mix with tape hiss;
loud passages saturateand distort the tape Record-
ingengineers compensate with electronic devices
that "limit" loud sections and boost or "com press"
soft sections The result is a dynamically neutered
sound unlike the delicate pianissimos and thunder-
ing forte's of live sounds. The C-4000's Peak Unlimiter
circuit automatically senses when the dynamics have
been "squashed" and restores their punch. quickly

and without distortion, Thus you hear louder louds
and softer softs; in short. a sound dynamicallycloser
to reality.

A dynamic expandercosts a minimum of $200 when
purchased as an outboard device.

Eliminating the medium: The Autocorreiator
Noise Reduction System. Tape inevitably adds hiss to
recordings. Vinyl adds surface noise So do yourcar-
tridges. electronicsand turntable Eliminatingthis
final veil between you and reality is achieved by a
specral circuit which discriminates between random
noiseand musrcal information. removing hiss over
the range of 2kHz to 20Khz Non-random. low fre-
quency noise such as hum and rumble are removed by
a levelssensitive dynamic filter that operates below
200Hz You get as much as lodB less noise so that
music emerges from an almost silent background

Units which approximate the Autocorrelator start
at $450.

A superb combination. The C-4000 offers you
at least fifteen hundred dollars worth ofvaluable.
reality-heightening add-on sound enhancement
devices Yet you probably set out just to buy a
preamplifier, and the C-4000 is worth its full price as
a "straightwire" preampaione.

Think ofthe 04000 as a control CONSOLE. Avit-
tual keyboard of sound enhancement devices IN
ADDITION to preamplification. Listen to what the
C4000 can do to your favorite records.

With Sonic Holography to restore the image

With Autocorrelation to eliminate the medium.

with Peak Unlimitingto put backthe punch.

And with Time Delay to immerse you in the sound

Then compare it to any other mere preamplifier.

And opt for the world of sonic reality.

SPECIFICATIONS

Phonostages. Frequency response: within t
0.25dB extended R1M.Phono I: moving magnet.
Phone 2: moving coll. Frequency response: 20Hz
to 20k Hz $0.25d8. I5Hz to 60k Hz +0. ~3d B.
S/N ratio iIHFA"i: 86:18 re 0.5V. Distortion: THD
0.05% at rated output. Typicail y 0.003%. 5M PTE
[M 0.05% at rated output, Typically 0.003%. T.I.M.
immeasurable. Infrasonlc Filter. -3dBat I5Hz.
IIdB/octave. -22d B at 5H2. Autocorrelation,
High-frequency noise reduction. -3dBat l.5k Hz.
reaching -8dB at 2.5 k Hz. extending to 20k Hz.
Low-frequency noise reduction -3dBat ZDOHZ.
reaching -lOdB at l00Hz extending to 20Hz. Peak
Unlimiter. Total dynamic range recovery approx-
imately 5.5d B. Sonic Hologram Generator. Image
resolution: betterthan 5° arc In the horizontal
plane. betterthan 20° arc in the vertical plane
li-Iolograhlc inlection Ratio set to Theoretical i.
Time Delay, Delay: I5 or 25 ms, switch selectable.
Echo recirculation: variable from 0 to I00%. Dls-
tortion: less than 0.25%. Dimensions
l9 xo-Y. xal/x'iwelght: ll lbs.l5 kg),

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