The Croft Epoch - A Tale of developing a MoFo of a pre amp..........
So why the Croft preamp? Well I've lusted after one for some time after sampling the delights of the micro basic which to my ears easily ousted my old Radford preamp. The Croft mated extremely well with my Radford power amp and I now listen most nights to old jazz records, relaxing and passing the night away. The MM stage is probably one of the best I've heard, I would say that it easily beats the £600+ optional extra MM stage on my ATC SCA2 preamp. Your actually getting a bloody good MM PHONOSTAGE and a free preamp when you buy the micro basic! I did consider the £4k Cary 2 box preamp that came onto the market on this forum. I considered the new Radford preamp, I also considered one of Audio Research reference preamps, I decided against icon audio and couldn't be bothered with some of the older preamps available from Quad, Leak, Armstrong etc mainly because everyone is a GURU and has an individual idea on how these classics should be modified. I like the idea of croft because the designer is still alive and well and very open to modifying his designs, additionally he knows how to get the begs out of the amp. I look forward to going on a modification journey with this pre-amp. Initially it will sit in the system for me to assess the "sound" of the Croft and then modifications will start probably after new year.
SS
CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10
VALVE
PRE Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker