+ Reply to Thread
Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 30

Thread: Croft 85a2 valve

  1. #11
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: A Strangely Isolated Place in Suffolk with Far Away Trains Passing By...

    Posts: 14,535
    I'm David.

    Default

    No wonder I was a bit ambivalent about it - s'cuse the pics..



    Here's the date stamp if anyone can date it..

    Tear down these walls; Cut the ties that held me
    Crying out at the top of my voice; Tell me now if you can hear me

  2. #12
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

    Default

    Nice one, Dave. I thought it would be a Mullard. I'm not up on date codes, so not sure exactly how old it is. I would guess 1960s vintage, as it has the older Mullard 'shield' logo. In the 1970s the logo was changed to a 'diamond' shaped one.

    Thing is, the one you've just bought is a military spec version, and brand new old stock, so given how much use your current one's had, I doubt you'll not hear the difference when popping in the new one!

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

    Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!


  3. #13
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: A Strangely Isolated Place in Suffolk with Far Away Trains Passing By...

    Posts: 14,535
    I'm David.

    Default

    I look forward to it. that means all the supply valves are now updated (other two are 60's Mullards too).
    Tear down these walls; Cut the ties that held me
    Crying out at the top of my voice; Tell me now if you can hear me

  4. #14
    Join Date: Dec 2008

    Location: Denmark

    Posts: 98
    I'm jan.

    Default

    Hi
    I also waiting for some 85a2 valve, to try them in my Croft


    jan

  5. #15
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: A Strangely Isolated Place in Suffolk with Far Away Trains Passing By...

    Posts: 14,535
    I'm David.

    Default

    The valve arrived today, beautifully packed in an outsize box with "hundreds and thousands" poly chips surrounding it.

    Now, I cannot in all honesty say that one valve sounds better than t'other, since the one which was removed has over twenty years varied use behind it and a previous owner from new until three or four years ago, but I can say that I'm glad I did

    For whatever reason, the sound of the preamp's output now more closely than ever mirrors its input, the slight fuzziness that had crept up on it in recent times very much reduced, if not eliminated, and the rendition of reverb and atmosphere is enhanced if anything (this into the old HH VX300 amp too). The LS5/9's sound as if they've had a tweeter transplant

    Thanks for the suggestion Marco. I don't at all mind updates of this magnitude for a tenner's worth of outlay........
    Tear down these walls; Cut the ties that held me
    Crying out at the top of my voice; Tell me now if you can hear me

  6. #16
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

    Default

    Nice one, Dave. I thought you'd be able to hear a difference... All these 'little things' matter because, cumulatively, they all add up!

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

    Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!


  7. #17
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: West Yorkshire

    Posts: 1,796
    I'm Stephen.

    Default 85A2

    I have several of these spare as my S4s uses 3 - 1 on the input and 2 on the output circuit.

    I remember discussing these tubes with Glenn a while ago - he uses Mullards and all my spares are Mullards - BUT, some examples don't "glow" at the required voltage for the circuit to be stable so I made sure all the ones I use (and the spares) were pre-tested by Glenn to ensure they were up to spec.

    Steve
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Always a little further

  8. #18
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: A Strangely Isolated Place in Suffolk with Far Away Trains Passing By...

    Posts: 14,535
    I'm David.

    Default

    These valves really are "valvey" looking in Mullard form. The CV one I've just fitted is silvered and the only way you know it's working is a faint glow at the tip - the silvered bit hides the gubbins inside.

    As I said before, I have no idea of the lifespan of these things or how they behave under different loading conditions, but thanks again for the tip - worth every penny since I love this old preamp and would only change it for the two box Croft RS in all honesty.
    Tear down these walls; Cut the ties that held me
    Crying out at the top of my voice; Tell me now if you can hear me

  9. #19
    Join Date: May 2009

    Location: Stäfa (near Zürich), Switzerland

    Posts: 308
    I'm Richard.

    Default

    Thanks both - just ordered the last one for my Micro II after checking it last night and finding a no-name item in there.

    Richard

  10. #20
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: West Yorkshire

    Posts: 1,796
    I'm Stephen.

    Default

    Richard
    As per my post above not all these are created equally - regardless of the manufacturer they need to "glow" at a specific voltage in order to allow the relevant circuit to perform to spec and some just dont. You might want to D/W Glenn and perhaps get some direct from him that he has tested.

    Steve
    Last edited by worrasf; 25-10-2012 at 10:46.
    Always a little further

+ Reply to Thread
Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •