Croft Micro Basic 25 Valve Pre Amp
Hi All
I've been living with this new pre-amp for a month or so now so thought I would share my experience of it - please note this is not a 'review' - I do not consider myself qualified to 'review' - it is simply my observations based on the performance in my system compared to what went before.
That said the system in use comprises Cambridge 840c CDP, Systemdex IIXe/Linn Basik Plus/Ortofon MK540 mkII > Croft pre > Linn Lk100 power > Celestion A2 'speakers. (The Croft replaces a Linn LK1).
The Croft is visually uninteresting being a standard width black metal box with a minimum of small white markings and a single green power-on LED, the whole thing doing a good job of disappearing entirely in low light which is a good thing IMHO. Inputs options comprise an MM phono stage and 3 more at line level. There are seperate pots for left and right volume (as I understand this gives better stereo seperation and overall quality) but as there are no calibration markings setting channel balance becomes a slight challenge.
The difference in presentation of the Croft compared to my Linn LK1 was marked from the off. The sound was much more solid and immediate - so much so that it crossed my mind that the Croft was perhaps glossing over fine details and simply spotlighting the main elements of the sound - but as I listened I realised that I was actually hearing just as much detail as with the Linn but with a much clearer, cleaner presentation - as though a whole load of muck that had been present before (but not noticeably) was now gone and only the music was left.
The second improvement over the Linn was 'tonality'. Now I hate hi-fi speak as much as the next man but there is no doubt that some systems/items of kit do a much better job of reproducing believable 'tone', be it from a guitar (electric or otherwise) drums, trumpet or human voice. I do not know how to describe this except as 'tonality'. The richness of the tonality through the Croft was something to behold - in fact I would go so far as to say that on some recordings it was positively 'magical'. For example I was listening to 'Take it Easy' from the Eagles first album (vinyl, original pressing in good nick) - the bass guitar was reproduced with a deep, warm 'thrum' that reminded me of the sound from those old valve powered juke boxes that all the pubs so foolishly junked back in the 'eighties. My original pressing Led Zep II now sounded so 'authentic' it was frightening - like travelling back in time to those old radiogram days - but with hi-fi quality!
I have to assume that this is all down to the use of valves - so now I know what Hi-Fi World have been banging on about all these years!
I do rate good tonality over stereo imaging (if I have to choose) but I do like to have a soundstage that is at least recognisably 'well ordered' if not holographic in nature. Again I would say that the Croft surpassed the old Linn in this respect - and with live recordings in particular; for example the 'Stones 'Get your Ya Ya's Out' on remastered CD had a superb 'live ambience' I have not heard before, although its not a great live recording IMHO).
With a good live recording like Erykah Badu - 'Baduizm Live' the venue, crowd, band, backing singers etc. came across as amazingly 'life like', the back wall of the room just dropping away, 'speakers dissolving, the whole soundstage just hanging in space. Lots of deep bass on this one, and I did think for a while that the Croft was possibly a little lighter in the bass than the Linn but after extensive listening I am fairly certain that it is just 'cleaner' and lacking that distorted 'thud' that often passes for deep bass reproduction in AV systems.
One other aspect of the sound that truly impressed was the 'liquidity'. Yes, another Hi-fi speak term but what other term to use? The sound comes out in a continuous 'flow' that is utterly beguiling. It is as though the Linn was 'stopping and starting' between the breaths (in and out motion) of the 'speaker drive units whereas the Croft just breaths out in one long, continuous stream. I have tried to describe this effect the best I can, I hope at least someone out there understands!
To sum up: a very satisfactory upgrade indeed, especially as the price is extremely reasonable. As I said at the top I am not qualified to write a review so I would hesitate to suggest that this pre amp is great value for money however I would be interested to see if anyone with experience can suggest a better active pre-amp, or a comparable alternative, new or used, for just £350.
I am currently waiting on a Croft series 7 power amp with a view to it replacing my Lk100 - I will report in due course!
Best Regards
Martin
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Originally Posted by hifi_dave
