View Full Version : Best Power amplifier from Glenn Croft
Hi
What is the best power amp from Glen Croft?
What about the new series 7 or 7r?
And how is it compared against a Exposure IV single.
Best
The monos are his best amps i think!
hifi_dave
12-02-2014, 21:09
7R monos.
No contest.
7R monos.
No contest.
Which one is the sweet one in his range dave ?
hifi_dave
13-02-2014, 18:54
They are all sweet and great value. To my ears they get better as you go up the range but if pushed, I would say the 7R. By doubling up and going mono block, the sound does improve but not as much as when you go 7 to 7R.
Mmm! What is "best".
I think my Croft Series 4s is the "best" especially after having it fettled so as to run TunSol KT120's.
While I can't profess to having heard the 7R or monos I prefer my S4s to the 7 but it really is strokes for folks.
I run it with a Croft 25R and would agree the move from basic 25 to "R" is substantial
Steve
I think my Croft Series 4s is the "best" ...
Yes, the Croft 4SA I briefly owned in the mid 90s is the one bit of hifi I regret selling to this day. Mine ran original GE 6550s and was rather wonderful, although I never did figure out why it needed 15 valves ... or why on earth I sold it :doh:
Surely Glen Crofts new amps must be an improvement on his old ones !
fiddlemaker
19-02-2014, 18:04
just out of curiosity, why no Series 6?
Surely Glen Crofts new amps must be an improvement on his old ones !
Why?
Mmm! Not necessarily. Many who are familiar with the GC amps reckon the series 4 was one of the best and most reliable of the earlier power amps but the later series 5 (? more experience gained) was one of the most unreliable (dry joints and stuff) and poorest. The older pure valve not hybrid amps also allow more user flexibility to "tune" the sound by valve swapping. At the end of the day there is no "best sound" 'cos what I like others may not
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hifi_dave
19-02-2014, 20:13
Earlier Series 5s were totally reliable as you'd expect from Croft. Later Series 5s were built by his 'distributor' and that's when the problems appeared.
Series 7 have been completely reliable and trouble free - all made by Glenn.
Earlier Series 5s were totally reliable as you'd expect from Croft. Later Series 5s were built by his 'distributor' and that's when the problems appeared.
Series 7 have been completely reliable and trouble free - all made by Glenn.
Come on dave spill the beans whats the best sounding croft amplifier :)
rubber duck
19-02-2014, 22:55
Hmm, why no mention of OTLs?
hifi_dave
20-02-2014, 17:25
Glenn's Series 7 are just about the best and far less expensive than the all valve variety. A pair of 7R mono-blocks are, to my ears, superior to the Series 4 SA, which would be far more expensive in today's money.
Glenn's Series 7 are just about the best and far less expensive than the all valve variety. A pair of 7R mono-blocks are, to my ears, superior to the Series 4 SA, which would be far more expensive in today's money.
Not surprised
im using a 7 Amplifier at the moment and to my ears is better than a couple of amplifiers i have owned from Electrocompaniet & McIntosh previously
Quite a bit more expensive i might Add also! :)
The one that intrigued me was the series 3 OTL amplifier. I've only ever heard one once, owned by Martin Bastin (of Garrard fame). He told me that it easily usurped some earlier EAR509 monoblocks. Unfortunately when I heard it, he had a problem with one of his Harbeth drivers, so it wasn't possible to form much of an impression. Anyone else got experience of these unusual amps?
Yep my choice would be a series 3R OTL, that was the amp that first got me interested in OTLs a wonderfully transparent amp with great dynamics and some real grunt
with the right speakers , I saw one on ebay recently and had to use all my will power not to pull the trigger on it:eyebrows:
Paul
hifi_dave
23-02-2014, 09:46
We used to sell the Series 3 OTL quite regularly with a wide range of speakers. A wonderful amp, at a sensible price but it didn't exactly "usurp" the EAR 509s as these are also excellent and have far more usable power for the 'difficult' speakers. Horses for courses.
fiddlemaker
27-02-2014, 22:27
...... The older pure valve not hybrid amps also allow more user flexibility to "tune" the sound by valve swapping. At the end of the day there is no "best sound" 'cos what I like others may not
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Just spent an entire evening trying to decide which input valve I like best on my new (to me) 7R between a 12bh7a, ECC99 and two 5751s. If I had more valves to play with I'd never get any work done!
The 12BH7/ECC99 will be line level input and the 5751's for the phono
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fiddlemaker
28-02-2014, 13:43
The 12BH7/ECC99 will be line level input and the 5751's for the phono
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Hi, these are just alternatives i've been trying for the input valve on the 7R.
I haven't even started fiddling with the preamp valves since GC updated it!
Ah ha! My mistake
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the_doc735
25-04-2017, 22:10
We used to sell the Series 3 OTL quite regularly with a wide range of speakers. A wonderful amp, at a sensible price but it didn't exactly "usurp" the EAR 509s as these are also excellent and have far more usable power for the 'difficult' speakers. Horses for courses.
Sorry for replying to old thread "BUT!" ~ I've just seen a Series 3 R OTL for sale claiming the retail value as £6000!! ...is this possible please?
hifi_dave
26-04-2017, 09:21
It's going back some 30 years but as I recall it was around £1K, perhaps £1200 but no more. A pair of EAR 509 monos was £1400.
Spectral Morn
26-04-2017, 09:35
If anyone needs retail prices from around 1988/89 relating to the more popular audio gear at the time I can provide that. Thinking about it I will publish the price list later today. I will start a new thread in past masters.
Of course it won't change the crazy collectors prices on some of it, but at least you will know what stuff actually sold for pack in the day.
hifi_dave
26-04-2017, 10:12
Vintage stuff is worth what you can get for it. Look at the stupid prices for LS3/5A - bears no relationship to the original price. If people are collecting stuff, they will pay what they feel comfortable with even if it's way over what the product is worth.
the_doc735
26-04-2017, 21:02
It's going back some 30 years but as I recall it was around £1K, perhaps £1200 but no more. A pair of EAR 509 monos was £1400.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CROFT-SERIES-III-R-OTL-VALVE-POWER-AMPLIFIER-/322433877733?hash=item4b128e86e5:g:CHsAAOSwls5Y59K n
prpatricia.cesbron@gmail.com
HELLO PAUL, I WAS TOLD BY A DEALER FRIEND OF MYSELF AND MARTIN BASTIN (garrard), FROM WHOM THE AMPLIFIER WAS BOUGHT, THAT IT COST £6,000 NEW. I DO KNOW THAT OTL AMPLIFIERS TAKE A LONGER TIME TO MANUFACTURE WHICH ADDS GREATLY TO COSTS. REGARDS, PETER.
the_doc735
26-04-2017, 21:05
If anyone needs retail prices from around 1988/89 relating to the more popular audio gear at the time I can provide that. Thinking about it I will publish the price list later today. I will start a new thread in past masters.
Of course it won't change the crazy collectors prices on some of it, but at least you will know what stuff actually sold for pack in the day.
I will check this out when you post it up, many thanks!
...just checked, can't see the Croft on there though?
the_doc735
26-04-2017, 21:08
Vintage stuff is worth what you can get for it. Look at the stupid prices for LS3/5A - bears no relationship to the original price. If people are collecting stuff, they will pay what they feel comfortable with even if it's way over what the product is worth.
I am hi fi user, definitely not a collector of old valves, radios, amps etc. I won't pay vintage prices dave! LOL
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