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-   -   Interesting recent experience with Carvin AG-300 (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=459260)

capefisherman 02-09-2017 09:02 AM

Interesting recent experience with Carvin AG-300
 
For the last ten years I've been on a quest to find the most natural sounding amp for small/medium venues when I gig. Although my guitars have changed over the years (various Martins, Taylors, some high end boutique stuff and lesser priced instruments) my basic signal chain has always been K&K pick-ups (retrofitted by a professional luthier) and a Red Eye pre-amp. Of all the amps I've tried - including more expensive models by AER, Schertler and Henrickson - my older Carvin AG-200 and a more recent AG-300 remain my favorites if I don't feel like lugging my Fender Vibrolux tube amp (which still sounds better than anything else, if I'm careful with the settings to avoid feedback). A couple months ago My AG-300 developed an annoying defect: when turned on it immediately started a buzzing sound that would gradually increase in volume of a minute or so, then gradually subside, but sometimes come back over the course of a gig. It also began to sound somewhat distorted at times.

So even though it was out of warranty by a few months I sent it back for repair. It finally came back this week and here's the interesting part. Not only is the buzz gone but overall the amp sounds even better than it ever did before. According to the work order, all that was done was clean some contacts and I was charged $85 for labor, no parts. This is curious. I can't help but wonder if Carvin DID in fact replace some internal component that perhaps they know is an on-going problem with this amp, or???? In any case, I am happy they did whatever they did (although their communication was less than stellar through the process) and continue to feel this is the best sounding acoutic amp out there, giving as close to a natural sound that you can get short of using a mic. Interested to hear if anyone else has had a similar experience with this amp.

Gene

Ed-in-Ohio 02-09-2017 09:24 AM

I play through the AG-200, and completely agree with you regarding the quality of the amp. Breathtaking...It's like playing through a high-end mini PA.

I have had zero issues with mine [he said, firmly knocking on wood ;)].

Have you tried playing your K&K equipped guitars directly into the Carvin without the Red-Eye preamp, and with the amp's "High Z" button engaged? I find the sound quality doing this to be pretty much indistinguishable from going through the Red-Eye and then into the amp with the "Hi-Z" off. So, in my experience, the Carvin not only sounds better than any other amp I've tried, it does so EVEN without the help of the preamp! :eek:

Outstanding amps. I'm glad you got your issue taken care of.

martingitdave 02-09-2017 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed-in-Ohio (Post 5224097)
I play through the AG-200, and completely agree with you regarding the quality of the amp. Breathtaking...It's like playing through a high-end mini PA.

I have had zero issues with mine [he said, firmly knocking on wood ;)].

Have you tried playing your K&K equipped guitars directly into the Carvin without the Red-Eye preamp, and with the amp's "High Z" button engaged? I find the sound quality doing this to be pretty much indistinguishable from going through the Red-Eye and then into the amp with the "Hi-Z" off. So, in my experience, the Carvin not only sounds better than any other amp I've tried, it does so EVEN without the help of the preamp! :eek:

Outstanding amps. I'm glad you got your issue taken care of.

Agreed. I'm using their sister product, the S600, and the tone is terrific. The K&K sounds excellent straight through channel one with a little EQ and some reverb.

Br1ck 02-10-2017 03:52 PM

I too am happy with my AG 300. What else could handle electric bass, acoustic guitar, cello, vocals, uke, and mandolin without a problem? The 12" speaker really supports the lower frequencies with ease.

Mandobart 02-10-2017 05:48 PM

Overall I've been very happy with my AG300. I experienced a different intermittent problem in mine last summer (here is the thread).

Sent it back and they fixed it free of charge though it was maybe a year and a week since I'd bought it. It works fine now, but hasn't gone through the acid test of playing outside in full sun with temperatures in the mid-90's yet.

Aside from my heat-sensitive issue, its a great amp with great sound and features. I also found I don't need the Redeye when I plug into my Carvin with the HI Z button engaged (I use JJB PPS-200 SBT's). I definitely do need the Redeye if playing thru a PA.

gfa 02-10-2017 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Br1ck (Post 5225964)
I too am happy with my AG 300. What else could handle electric bass, acoustic guitar, cello, vocals, uke, and mandolin without a problem? The 12" speaker really supports the lower frequencies with ease.

Agreed. It strikes me as a bit of a hybrid amp/PA, particularly when paired with the extension cabinet.

Fatocaster 04-20-2017 05:00 PM

Same problem with AG300
 
I posted recently in the Carvin acoustic amp forum about this problem and in the course of investigating I discovered Caperfisherman's posts concerning the same problem I was having.
I purchased my amp in July 2014 and it started having issues Sep. 2016 I had taken it to a local amp guru that could find nothing wrong. It had been doing fine until last week when the "white noise" returned!
I contacted A Carvin tech that told me my options but at the end of our conversation he suggested that they may be able to sell me just the module (the "brain" of the amp) since my cabinet and speakers were not the issue.
So I called a sales rep and sure enough... A replacement is on the way for $191 shipped. I probably could have got off with $95 repair by shipping it to them, but I figure I may as well just spend the extra $$ and get basically a brand new amp. Here is a YouTube link where I was lucky enough to catch the problem on video!
https://youtu.be/N2nW1MmIszE

sdelsolray 04-20-2017 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fatocaster (Post 5312575)
I posted recently in the Carvin acoustic amp forum about this problem and in the course of investigating I discovered Caperfisherman's posts concerning the same problem I was having.
I purchased my amp in July 2014 and it started having issues Sep. 2016 I had taken it to a local amp guru that could find nothing wrong. It had been doing fine until last week when the "white noise" returned!
I contacted A Carvin tech that told me my options but at the end of our conversation he suggested that they may be able to sell me just the module (the "brain" of the amp) since my cabinet and speakers were not the issue.
So I called a sales rep and sure enough... A replacement is on the way for $191 shipped. I probably could have got off with $95 repair by shipping it to them, but I figure I may as well just spend the extra $$ and get basically a brand new amp. Here is a YouTube link where I was lucky enough to catch the problem on video!
https://youtu.be/N2nW1MmIszE

You may wish to consider sending the bad amp for servicing anyway. That way you would have a back up amp module. At some point, Carvin will no longer service that component (years away from now) and it might actually have quite a bit more value down the road.

I have had some replacement parts for several items of gear I own and more than once they came in quite handy, e.g., when the replacement parts were no longer available anywhere.

Fatocaster 04-20-2017 08:57 PM

Good advice, Thank you! I had already considered that. Maybe someday down the road, but I will def keep it for parts regardless.

LowCBassStudio 12-07-2017 08:55 PM

Hey if anyone is still here ... I recommended the AG300 to a student Xmas 2016, and here it is Xmas 2017 and Carvin Audio is busted outa business.

This AG300 amp has a little crackle/fizz/AM-radio whine coming out of the speaker even with input volumes and master all the way down...but NOT that loud hiss that fatocaster caught on video.

However, no noise in the headphone output nor the stereo music input jack with my iPod sound fine. So that means the preamp section is OK. So what's the problem? And has anybody found the schematic?


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