Carver Sonic Hologram Generator C-9 Initial Impression Review

[@kenishida7146]

I paired the C-9 with a Carver receiver in a symmetrical square room. I used some vintage Polk satellites with a sub. The speakers sat on a cabinet 5.5 ft off the floor, slightly toed in, 4 ft apart and two feet from the back wall. The soundstage was incredible, extending beyond the corners!

[@navydiving]

I invite you to watch here (starting ~28 min 56 sec) as Bob Carver himself explains how this technology works: kzbin.info/www/bejne/goKchoanpcifjcU

[@kenishida7146]

👍

[@Axis_Of_Evil]

I remember when I first got mine in '83, there was a sticker on the back saying you weren't allowed to make recordings with it. Now if I hadn't seen the sticker I wouldn't have likely made the recordings...lol Once you have it on tape you don't need the unit and I still have a couple of the tapes. Not sure if they can be played anymore, been 25 years or more since I listened to them. Wouldn't mind getting my hands on one of these again! Nice vid!👍

[@jeschuitema]

I have the entire Carver suite, the Amazing Platinum Edition dipole speakers, the TFM35 amp and the C9. I also have the controller for the amazing loudspeakers which has a weaker version of the holographic generator built-in. As stated, when you set things up as recommended and you have the right source material, the results are simply satisfying- to say the least. I picked up my Carver equipment in Miami in 1992 at a high-end stereo shop that had just endured hurricane Andrew. My lucky day for sure.

[@peach495]

I have this & yes you do need to arrange the speakers as the manual suggest to get the effect. However, in my opinion, even when you can't, it still does a great job enhancing the separation of left & right channels when speakers are not in correct protocol.

[@davidcox1951]

When this first came out, a local radio station used the better version (C5, I think) to pre-emphasize the Dark Side of the Moon prior to broadcast, so I recorded it on cassette. I perceived, without drugs, sound emanating from areas outside the physical boundaries of my room. The train announcer seemed to come from 20 feet up and the running person sounded like they were six feet beyond the wall. This is an amazing product. I wish it wasn't so setup picky. I later used it with the movie Predator and it is unnerving to hear a growl and twigs snapping from a singular location to one's right side.

[@donwest5387]

I had the 33/303/fm3

[@BTom16]

Thanks for the video. Love the brass canon.

[@fish1255]

Found this video on accident but it rocks so I give it a thumbs up

[@8bitwidgets]

I saw one of these for $30 at a local shop and I was interested in it for recording purposes. I have a Sonic 362 Maximizer I got for experimenting with and mastering.. and I just wonder if this would be something that might be usable for recording music / mastering. I wouldn't be looking to hook this up to a home stereo.

[@navydiving]

Caleb Garner Not for recording. It is simply a playback only device.

[@8bitwidgets]

well let me explain better. I understand these devices don't "Record" I mean that how do they influence the sound of something going in / out? I'm imagining using something like this as an effect. Imagining what it would do to alter the sound of something. If I ran a voice or a guitar or stereo synthesizer through it, how would the sound coming out be different? That new altered sound (if it's anything noticeable) would be what i would be interested in recording.

[@navydiving]

Caleb Garner The answer is still a no. The device is meant to enhance stereo imaging. It is not an effects processor for mono instruments. Sorry

[@navydiving]

Caleb Garner There is a manual available online that explains exactly what the Carver C-3 Sonic Holography device does. Suggest you read it and you will understand why it will not work for you. Cheers

[@8bitwidgets]

sorry for the double post.. removed the 2nd one.. heh.. not a fan of how youtube likes to hide comments.. i send a 2nd one thinking the first never got posted. and not to beat a dead horse but i'm not talking about mono instruments. yes a guitar is mono, but many synths and effects processors I have are stereo.. so it makes me wonder if it wouldn't create some extra pizazz to a signal and then record that.. but maybe the nature of the effect cannot be captured in a stereo recording? perhaps the nature of recording something diminishes the effect.. just imagining something like this making stereo instrument sound better than without the effect.

[@TTykwer]

Hi. Need a little help with connecting the C-9 to a NAD C320BEE integrated with Pre Out and Main In. Would this be correct? Integrated Pre Out to C-9 Inputs; then C-9 Outputs to integrated Main in. Would I still keep Volume control from the integrated?

[@navydiving]

Personally I would plug it into a tape loop if you have one. You can still use it with any source in your system so no worries there. That way you can bypass routing the sound through the C-9 if you wish....

[@TTykwer]

@@navydiving Thank you for taking the time to help. If I could just bug you with one more question, please. So, the NAD C320BEE integrated has a Tape in and Tape Out. Then the connection would go as follows: Tape out to C9 Inputs; then C9 Outputs to NAD 320BEE Tape in. Is this correct? And is volume still controlled via the NAD volume with this type of connection? Lastly, would it still work by connecting via the method (NADC320BEE Pre Out to C-9 Inputs; then C-9 Outputs to integrated Main in) and still have volume control with the NAD? Thank you. This is the first time I'm connecting a processor to an integrated, and I certainly don't want to make a mistake and make a connection that might damage anything.

[@josephputnam2964]

I own one these. Could high humidity inhibit the production of sonic holography? I'm confused. Sometimes, later at night the sonic hologram will basically disappear. What could be wrong here?

[@navydiving]

You do know that this unit does not work well with all program material right? It wholly depends on how it was recorded. Some say it works best with live recordings and certain studio recordings (but not all)😉 Very much depends on how the recording engineer place mic's and determined how the imaging is created and whether or not it would have a live feel to it or not?🤔 Given the agr of these units now I also did a rebuild of mine as documented here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKvVamSbq82krsk

[@navydiving]

Home Theatre Geeks that I mention in my video is located here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/goKchoanpcifjcU The explanation of sonic holography starts at: 28 minutes 50 seconds in

[@neonfreon1316]

Do you know which of these Carver units have the best Sonic Hologram. C-1 preamp, C-4000 preamp or the C-9 itself?

[@navydiving]

I used to sell them all back in the day. Same circuit would be my guess - they all worked equally well to me but I never did look under the hood of the other two units besides the C-9🤔

[@coplandbr1]

I have the C-4000 (in addition to the hologram, it has the exceptional "peak unlimeter" and the "auto-correlator", both very good features) and I have the C-9 too. I notice that there are differences between the C-9 and the C4000 hologram. For me, the C4000 is better, more pronounced effect, but more difficult to adjust speaker positions.