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

  1. #41
    Join Date: Feb 2010

    Location: Denmark

    Posts: 34
    I'm Lars.

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    Quote Originally Posted by pankon View Post
    Thanks for the great feedback, Lars. By the way, what's the rest of your system, i.e. amp(s) and speakers? Have you tried any MC cartridges with a SUT on the RIAA RS? No, I have not yet purchased a RIAA RS yet. Still getting used to my Micro25RS LS (line only), which is a definite improvement of the previous Micro 25R guise.

    By the way, I have tried several 12BH7A in my Croft preamp and power amps and you can tune the sound the way you like it. 12BH7As are not so expensive either.
    I'm currently debating with myself wether I prefer my integrated Jadis Orc. Ref. amp or an odd Croft Polestar III/maybe IV (bought it from another AoS member). The Polestar I'm testing with a totally rebuilt Meganaut pre-amp that just came from Croft. So we are talking the mid-00's half size boxes. I play through Shahinian Compass speakers.

    I don't like MCs so not a problem for me running the RS only ;-)

    What's your favorite 12BH7a in your system?
    Lars.

  2. #42
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Notts

    Posts: 2,734
    I'm Geoff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by pankon View Post
    Croft SUTs??? That's a first IMHO! Never heard of such a thing before.
    For years I used an Audio Technica AT630 SUT with a Croft valve phono preamp. Worked extremely well. I have my AT630 on sale here at present

    https://theartofsound.net/forum/show...oil-Cartridges

    Geoff

  3. #43
    Join Date: May 2015

    Location: Greece

    Posts: 249
    I'm Panos.

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    Lars,

    I am quite fond of various 12BH7As, that I have, e.g. RCA and TungSol. I also like a Westinghouse. Sylvania so and so. I have to look at the lot again to remember which I like most -))
    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. #44
    Join Date: Feb 2010

    Location: Denmark

    Posts: 34
    I'm Lars.

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    Does anyone know why GC used a ECC99 in the Riaa RS vs the 12bh7 tube? Maybe he used both?
    Lars.

  5. #45
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 6,767
    I'm James.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ElTwang View Post
    Does anyone know why GC used a ECC99 in the Riaa RS vs the 12bh7 tube? Maybe he used both?
    The ECC99 was used because they are available as a tube that is currently manufactured by JJ Tesla unlike most 12BH7a which I believe are all NOS?
    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

  6. #46
    Join Date: Feb 2010

    Location: Denmark

    Posts: 34
    I'm Lars.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jimbo View Post
    The ECC99 was used because they are available as a tube that is currently manufactured by JJ Tesla unlike most 12BH7a which I believe are all NOS?
    That's a fine point, James. As far as I know JJ also makes a 12bh7. Maybe the differences are so subtle that GC just used what he got.
    Lars.

  7. #47
    Join Date: May 2011

    Location: Sheffield

    Posts: 225
    I'm John.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ElTwang View Post
    That's a fine point, James. As far as I know JJ also makes a 12bh7. Maybe the differences are so subtle that GC just used what he got.
    I've never tried a JJ 12BH7 in any of my Croft gear. But I've found that any NOS 12BH7 or BH7A sounds much better than an ECC99. Despite my almost religious devotion to Glenn's work, I could never understand his use of this rather inferior sounding valve in his products.
    (absolutely no disrespect intended).

  8. #48
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 6,767
    I'm James.

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    Quote Originally Posted by fiddlemaker View Post
    I've never tried a JJ 12BH7 in any of my Croft gear. But I've found that any NOS 12BH7 or BH7A sounds much better than an ECC99. Despite my almost religious devotion to Glenn's work, I could never understand his use of this rather inferior sounding valve in his products.
    (absolutely no disrespect intended).
    Glenn used JJ because they were available and could always be purchased where as NOS alternatives varied not only in availability but price!
    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

  9. #49
    Join Date: Jun 2015

    Location: London/Durham

    Posts: 6,861
    I'm Lawrence.

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    Yes I think he was prepared to take a small hit to performance (but he minimised this by design) so that his amps would not become obsolete due to a lack of replacement valves (or effectively so due to cost).

  10. #50
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 6,767
    I'm James.

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    Glenn invariably advocated using NOS valves so you could get his gear to sound the way you wanted with your system. That was the beauty of valves, you can throw the tone/detail/flavour of what you like with the quick switch of a glass tube!
    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

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