Power!Power!Power!

192
REVIEW
TONE AUDIO NO.53
This small amplifier, model designation
VTA20S, is finished in black with a
“silver-fleck” chassis and brushed-silver
trim. It is outfitted with 12AX7B tubes for
the input stage, and a quartet of EL84Ms
for the output stage. According to Carver,
the “M” variant of the EL84 was selected
because it has a higher plate-voltage rating,
allowing for maximum power output
within safe operating conditions.
Setting up the Black Magic is amazingly
simple. There is no need to bias the
tubes, which is done automatically with
one set of speaker binding posts, optimized
for a 4-ohm load. There is, quite
interestingly, a volume pot at the topfront
area of the chassis. (More on that
a bit later.) I drive the Black Magic with
a Rogue Ninety-Nine preamplifier for the
bulk of my listening sessions, and in turn
drive my Thiel CS2.4 speakers.
After giving the Black Magic ample
warm-up time, I’m rewarded with startling
clarity, a liquid-smooth midrange
and, most impressively, floor-shaking
bass. Carver says that the amp is “conservatively”
rated at 20 watts per channel—it
definitely sounds more powerful
than its published rating suggests. For
my review, I go directly from my Audio
Research VS55 amplifier (rated at 50
watts per channel) to the Carver with
no immediately discernible decline in
dynamic performance, power output
or bass quality.
The Black Magic’s imaging specificity
is impressive, with little of the “tube
haze” surrounding the vintage sound of
the EL84 tubes. The Black Magic easily
handles music of any scale, including
orchestral crescendos. (continued)
800-262-4675
BenchmarkMedia.com
DAC1 HDR
Stereo Pre-Amp with Remote Control
DAC / Headphone Amp / USB
“ ...a great all around piece.
Tone Audio
“ Damn close to a perfect piece of equipment.
The Audio Critic
“
“
Made In
Syracuse, NY, U.S.A.
March 2013 193