Just bought a Croft. I'm pumped

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by thesisinbold, Dec 11, 2014.

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  1. thesisinbold

    thesisinbold Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Camarillo, Ca, USA
    I have to brag here. I don't know anyone in "real" life that can appreciate a great amp so I'm posting this here. I just plugged in my Croft Integrated Phono amp. I'm loving it. My dealer is the best. I bought a preamp from him when I first set up my table over the summer and he took it back towards the Croft at 100 percent of what I paid for it.

    Dylan all night!
     
    Ash76, bhazen, KOWHeigel and 7 others like this.
  2. Ntotrar

    Ntotrar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tri-Cities TN
    Congrats! But I'd be spinning something more like music! :)
     
    Vinyl Addict, Dubmart, tim185 and 3 others like this.
  3. Rick58

    Rick58 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eagle, ID, USA
    Congrats! I love getting new gear, especially when it makes a large positive upgrade in sonics. I wonder how long the Croft takes to break in? You MAY actually get mo' better sound over the next couple of days/weeks as things settle in. I just got a Parasound P 7 preamp and was amazed at the increased resolution, and later I noticed a more 'uniformly' deep soundstage (maybe after some breakin? or maybe I didn't play those selections right away). My soundstage has usually tended to be somewhat 'U' shaped (or inverted U): deeper in the center and maybe curving toward the speakers nearer the sides (except for certain very diffuse and deep soundscapes on certain recordings). There's a couple of sections in selected music that illustrate this for me - but now, these sections are more distinctly 'back' and spread across the soundstage. Interesting.
     
  4. ls35a

    ls35a Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eagle, Idaho
    Croft makes great gear, enjoy.
     
  5. tricka

    tricka Member

    Location:
    Sydney
    I had a Croft integrated and eventually ended up with the Pre/Power combo. I remember the Croft integrated was gorgeous, and had a GREAT MM phono (even better when you rolled all the output tubes - if you can get hold of original Mullard M8137 or CV 4004 (Military spec.) or even their standard ECC83s you will be very happy with what you can hear. Mainly the American numbered 12AX7 is used because they are still relatively easy to find (Sylvania, RCA, GE) but the Military specified items are a world apart. I ended up buying 3 NOS Mullard's for £120 each, and never looked back).
     
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  6. tricka

    tricka Member

    Location:
    Sydney
    ps I found Len "The Cartridgeman" Gregory's carts to be a perfect match with the Croft phono's. I think Glenn may use them himself. Very impressive.
     
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  7. econalan

    econalan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Orange County, CA
    Congrats!
     
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  8. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    :righton: Enjoy!
     
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  9. The Good Guy

    The Good Guy Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    What do you exactly mean by that comment?
     
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  10. The Good Guy

    The Good Guy Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Excellent. Well done. Croft gear is some of the best sounding gear out there for realistic prices.
     
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  11. gojira

    gojira Active Member

    Location:
    Kathmandu, Nepal
    I am sure you will enjoy it.......congrats indeed! I want one but will sadly have to wait for awhile......
     
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  12. raferx

    raferx Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    Brilliant! Look forward to your impressions as it breaks in.
    Great choice!
     
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  13. sotosound

    sotosound Forum Resident

    I love my Croft kit as well. Well done.
     
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  14. Linto

    Linto Mayor of Simpleton

    well jel
     
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  15. harmonica98

    harmonica98 Senior Member

    Location:
    London, UK
    Great choice, enjoy your purchase!
     
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  16. Thing Fish

    Thing Fish “Jazz isn't dead. It just smells funny.”

    Location:
    London, England
    I am also a Croft amp user.

    I hope you enjoy yours :)
     
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  17. James Glennon

    James Glennon Senior Member

    Location:
    Dublin, Ireland
    I've been using Croft since 1989... Croft Super Micro A preamp/Croft Series 4 power amp, in 1990 I bought a second Croft Series 4 power amp. Just love the sound! Previous to that I had been upgrading every year, so it is happy days for me!

    I hope you get as much musical enjoyment as I have over the years!

    JG
     
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  18. Raylinds

    Raylinds Resident Lake Surfer

    Congratulations- enjoy it in good health!

    Post pictures and impressions.
     
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  19. Scott in DC

    Scott in DC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    The Croft Phono sounds like an excellent amp. You are a luck guy to have such a fine piece of equipment. I wouldn't mind seeing a few pictures myself.

    Scott
     
  20. sotosound

    sotosound Forum Resident

    Lol.

    You can see shots of Croft kit here

    http://www.decoaudio.com/deco_audio_integrated_amps.html

    Appearance-wise, prepare to be underwhelmed.

    One nondescript black casing, with a few knobs and a switch. No flash stuff whatsoever.

    Being a basic black box means that it's easy to clean but that's all.

    The sound quality, however, is dazzling.

    Me? My pre-power combo has two nondescript black boxes, but who's counting?
     
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  21. bhazen

    bhazen ANNOYING BEATLES FAN

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    Would you describe the Croft sound as "addicting"? :)
     
  22. Scott in DC

    Scott in DC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    I have a DNM preamp which, like your Croft, has separate Left and Right volume controls. It can be a pain in the behind to get the levels to match but I feel that the separate Left and Right volume controls are better sonically than having a stereo volume control along with a Balance control.

    Scott
     
  23. bhazen

    bhazen ANNOYING BEATLES FAN

    Location:
    Deepest suburbia
    COUNT ME IN!!! :wave:

    Just bought a demo Croft Phono Integrated this evening. Loved it in the shop, via little Harbeths. Compared it on-site to a Rega Elex R - a very good sound, but the Croft bested it in the impossible-to-objectively-quantify "this sounds like Music!!!" area. Hooked it up at home - Rega DAC>Croft P.I.>Epos K1's - and cold out of the box it sounds fabbo in a musical/non-hifi way. I meant to go to sleep two hours ago, but …. 3 CDs later .... :)

    Croft owners: do you leave your Phono Integrated on 24/7, or do you power down between listenings? I was advised just to leave it on - preamp tubes not being too stressed about the grid being crossed with electrons. What say you?
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2014
    Rick58, raferx, gojira and 1 other person like this.
  24. gojira

    gojira Active Member

    Location:
    Kathmandu, Nepal
    Congrats Bhazen on your latest acquisition. Hope you both do a short evaluation of the Croft re. sound quality. How would you compare it to the Rega stuff overall? I know its very musical but do tell me more......
     
    bhazen likes this.
  25. Ntotrar

    Ntotrar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tri-Cities TN
    Congrats and happy listening!
     
    bhazen likes this.
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