The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Acoustic Amplification

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 02-09-2017, 09:02 AM
capefisherman capefisherman is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,094
Default 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
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 02-09-2017, 09:24 AM
Ed-in-Ohio's Avatar
Ed-in-Ohio Ed-in-Ohio is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Northeast Ohio, USA, Planet Earth
Posts: 3,630
Default

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!

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

2017 Alvarez Yairi OY70CE - Sugaree
c.1966 Regal Sovereign R235 Jumbo - Old Dollar
2009 Martin 000-15 - Brown Bella
1977 Gibson MK-35 - Apollo
2004 Fender American Stratocaster - The Blue Max
2017 Fender Custom American Telecaster - Brown Sugar
Think Hippie Thoughts...
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-09-2017, 02:50 PM
martingitdave martingitdave is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Chicago
Posts: 11,283
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed-in-Ohio View Post
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!

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.
__________________
"Lift your head and smile at trouble. You'll find happiness someday."
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-10-2017, 03:52 PM
Br1ck Br1ck is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: San Jose, Ca
Posts: 6,943
Default

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.
__________________
2007 Martin D 35 Custom
1970 Guild D 35
1965 Epiphone Texan
2011 Santa Cruz D P/W
Pono OP 30 D parlor
Pono OP12-30
Pono MT uke
Goldtone Paul Beard squareneck resophonic
Fluke tenor ukulele
Boatload of home rolled telecasters

"Shut up and play ur guitar" Frank Zappa
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-10-2017, 05:48 PM
Mandobart Mandobart is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Washington State
Posts: 5,424
Default

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.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 02-10-2017, 05:49 PM
gfa gfa is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,726
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Br1ck View Post
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.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 04-20-2017, 05:00 PM
Fatocaster Fatocaster is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 2
Default 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
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 04-20-2017, 06:15 PM
sdelsolray sdelsolray is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 6,951
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fatocaster View Post
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.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-20-2017, 08:57 PM
Fatocaster Fatocaster is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 2
Default

Good advice, Thank you! I had already considered that. Maybe someday down the road, but I will def keep it for parts regardless.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-07-2017, 08:55 PM
LowCBassStudio LowCBassStudio is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 3
Default

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?
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Acoustic Amplification

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:52 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=