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Thread: Considering Croft RIAA RS phono stage. Any alternatives?

  1. #21
    Join Date: Jan 2016

    Location: Shenfield

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    I'm Slav.

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    [QUOTE=Firebottle;993751]Both can be bettered with judicious modification, as I have done on both of them.[/QUO

  2. #22
    Join Date: May 2015

    Location: Greece

    Posts: 249
    I'm Panos.

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    Quote Originally Posted by WESTLOWER View Post
    ..Do you use the Isolator with it?
    No, as a matter of fact, I do not use the isolator.
    System1: Lenco L75 with custom plinth, SLAT, sph bearing, SG4 external power supply + Alfred Bokrand AB-309 tonearm + Denon DL103R (aluminum body) + Well Tempered 12" tonearm clone + Denon DL103R (wooden body), ASR Mini Basis Exclusive HV, Marantz CD6005, LAB12 DAC1 SE+, Hattor BIG passive + active pre, Lab12 Suono power amp, Falcon LS3/5a Gold Badge, LAB12 Gordian, Belden 8428, Black Cat Red Level Triode, LAB12 Knack MkII

    System 2: Roksan Xerxes original (HiFi Inspire plinth) with Maxon ReMax motor + Audiomods Series6 + Ortofon Cadenza Black microridge retipped, ASR Mini Basis Exclusive, Marantz CD6003, Croft Micro25R + Series7R monoblocks (110W/ea), Harbeth SHL5 Plus 40th Anniv.

    System 3: Marantz CD6003, Croft SuperMicroII ('R' spec by Croft, Tesla E83CC in phono)+ Series7, Snell Type EII (with bypass caps, new internal wiring, WBT nextgen 0703Cu), Mark Grant HDX1, Atlas Hyper 3.0

  3. #23
    Join Date: May 2015

    Location: Greece

    Posts: 249
    I'm Panos.

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    Quote Originally Posted by WESTLOWER View Post
    Have you actually had experience of the MusicMaster from The Cartridge man (Len Gregory)
    I have and I assure you No bottle neck!
    Although I am aware of the MusicMaster, I have not tried it in my system or auditioned it anywhere else. In terms of cost, it is not inexpensive and finds itself in the area of quite some reputable LOMC cartridges, e.g. Lyra Delos (+ SUT). So, how would the MusicMaster compare with such cartridges (e.g. the Delos)? No clue. Both require a leap of faith.
    Last edited by pankon; 12-07-2018 at 09:00.
    System1: Lenco L75 with custom plinth, SLAT, sph bearing, SG4 external power supply + Alfred Bokrand AB-309 tonearm + Denon DL103R (aluminum body) + Well Tempered 12" tonearm clone + Denon DL103R (wooden body), ASR Mini Basis Exclusive HV, Marantz CD6005, LAB12 DAC1 SE+, Hattor BIG passive + active pre, Lab12 Suono power amp, Falcon LS3/5a Gold Badge, LAB12 Gordian, Belden 8428, Black Cat Red Level Triode, LAB12 Knack MkII

    System 2: Roksan Xerxes original (HiFi Inspire plinth) with Maxon ReMax motor + Audiomods Series6 + Ortofon Cadenza Black microridge retipped, ASR Mini Basis Exclusive, Marantz CD6003, Croft Micro25R + Series7R monoblocks (110W/ea), Harbeth SHL5 Plus 40th Anniv.

    System 3: Marantz CD6003, Croft SuperMicroII ('R' spec by Croft, Tesla E83CC in phono)+ Series7, Snell Type EII (with bypass caps, new internal wiring, WBT nextgen 0703Cu), Mark Grant HDX1, Atlas Hyper 3.0

  4. #24
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex

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    I'm Dave.

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    The Music Maker appears to retail at £740 or so, whilst the Lyra Delos is £1195 + a step up if needed, so not really in the same price bracket.

  5. #25
    Join Date: May 2015

    Location: Greece

    Posts: 249
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    Quote Originally Posted by hifi_dave View Post
    The Music Maker appears to retail at £740 or so, whilst the Lyra Delos is £1195 + a step up if needed, so not really in the same price bracket.
    Dave, I was actually referring to MusicMaster (not MusicMaker III) vs. Lyra Delos + SUT. Which one to choose? Or perhaps consider a high output MC instead?

    As we all agree, cartridge matching with the phono stage is paramount. Synergy is key.
    System1: Lenco L75 with custom plinth, SLAT, sph bearing, SG4 external power supply + Alfred Bokrand AB-309 tonearm + Denon DL103R (aluminum body) + Well Tempered 12" tonearm clone + Denon DL103R (wooden body), ASR Mini Basis Exclusive HV, Marantz CD6005, LAB12 DAC1 SE+, Hattor BIG passive + active pre, Lab12 Suono power amp, Falcon LS3/5a Gold Badge, LAB12 Gordian, Belden 8428, Black Cat Red Level Triode, LAB12 Knack MkII

    System 2: Roksan Xerxes original (HiFi Inspire plinth) with Maxon ReMax motor + Audiomods Series6 + Ortofon Cadenza Black microridge retipped, ASR Mini Basis Exclusive, Marantz CD6003, Croft Micro25R + Series7R monoblocks (110W/ea), Harbeth SHL5 Plus 40th Anniv.

    System 3: Marantz CD6003, Croft SuperMicroII ('R' spec by Croft, Tesla E83CC in phono)+ Series7, Snell Type EII (with bypass caps, new internal wiring, WBT nextgen 0703Cu), Mark Grant HDX1, Atlas Hyper 3.0

  6. #26
    Join Date: Apr 2009

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    I'm Dave.

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    OK. In that case I would go with a Delos + step up or an Audio Technica of your choice.

  7. #27
    Join Date: May 2015

    Location: Greece

    Posts: 249
    I'm Panos.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RothwellAudio View Post
    If the hum is at about the same level as hiss from the valves, it's not bad at all. Before going to the trouble of removing the mains transformers I would recommend verifying that the hum is definitely from the transformers. The first step - and it's easy - is to unplug the turntable from the phonostage and insert a pair of shorting plugs into the phonostage's inputs. If you still have hum, it's coming from the phonostage. If the hum disappears it was coming from the turntable. No point in removing the mains transformers from the phonostage if they're not the problem.
    Would a mains filter or a battery power supply improve the sound of a valve phono stage, which happens to have its mains transformer in an external box?
    System1: Lenco L75 with custom plinth, SLAT, sph bearing, SG4 external power supply + Alfred Bokrand AB-309 tonearm + Denon DL103R (aluminum body) + Well Tempered 12" tonearm clone + Denon DL103R (wooden body), ASR Mini Basis Exclusive HV, Marantz CD6005, LAB12 DAC1 SE+, Hattor BIG passive + active pre, Lab12 Suono power amp, Falcon LS3/5a Gold Badge, LAB12 Gordian, Belden 8428, Black Cat Red Level Triode, LAB12 Knack MkII

    System 2: Roksan Xerxes original (HiFi Inspire plinth) with Maxon ReMax motor + Audiomods Series6 + Ortofon Cadenza Black microridge retipped, ASR Mini Basis Exclusive, Marantz CD6003, Croft Micro25R + Series7R monoblocks (110W/ea), Harbeth SHL5 Plus 40th Anniv.

    System 3: Marantz CD6003, Croft SuperMicroII ('R' spec by Croft, Tesla E83CC in phono)+ Series7, Snell Type EII (with bypass caps, new internal wiring, WBT nextgen 0703Cu), Mark Grant HDX1, Atlas Hyper 3.0

  8. #28
    Bigman80 Guest

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    The cleaner the mains, the better. Doesn't matter where the supply is IMO.

    Quote Originally Posted by pankon View Post
    Would a mains filter or a battery power supply improve the sound of a valve phono stage, which happens to have its mains transformer in an external box?

  9. #29
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 6,767
    I'm James.

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    The hum and tube rush are about the same level and not an issue. But I expect moving the transformer out into a separate box (Croft 25RS) would definitely be beneficial giving the valves a quieter environment to operate in.
    Main system : VPI Scout 1.1 / JMW 9T / 2M Black / Croft 25R+ / Croft 7 / Heco Celan GT 702

    Second System : Goldring Lenco GL75 / AT95EX / Pioneer SX590 / Spendor SP2

  10. #30
    Join Date: May 2015

    Location: Greece

    Posts: 249
    I'm Panos.

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    Are there any SUTs that from experience go well with Croft valve phono stages, and what would their cost be (either new or s/h)?

    Thanks.
    System1: Lenco L75 with custom plinth, SLAT, sph bearing, SG4 external power supply + Alfred Bokrand AB-309 tonearm + Denon DL103R (aluminum body) + Well Tempered 12" tonearm clone + Denon DL103R (wooden body), ASR Mini Basis Exclusive HV, Marantz CD6005, LAB12 DAC1 SE+, Hattor BIG passive + active pre, Lab12 Suono power amp, Falcon LS3/5a Gold Badge, LAB12 Gordian, Belden 8428, Black Cat Red Level Triode, LAB12 Knack MkII

    System 2: Roksan Xerxes original (HiFi Inspire plinth) with Maxon ReMax motor + Audiomods Series6 + Ortofon Cadenza Black microridge retipped, ASR Mini Basis Exclusive, Marantz CD6003, Croft Micro25R + Series7R monoblocks (110W/ea), Harbeth SHL5 Plus 40th Anniv.

    System 3: Marantz CD6003, Croft SuperMicroII ('R' spec by Croft, Tesla E83CC in phono)+ Series7, Snell Type EII (with bypass caps, new internal wiring, WBT nextgen 0703Cu), Mark Grant HDX1, Atlas Hyper 3.0

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