Croft or Linn preamp?

[simon e]

Hi all,

New here and hope you guys can help with some preamp advice.

I'm currently looking for a Preamp to match a Leak stereo 20, I have been looking at the Croft micro 25 Basic which for the money looks like a great little amp, but I have also seen a Linn Kairn for sale for a good price. I can't find a huge amount of information on the Linn a couple reviews which say it is very good. From the Linn manual it looks like it is a buffered preamp with a stepped attenuator volume control. With both a MM and MC phono stage.

Any advice or imformation on either of these amps would be great.

Thanks

Simon

[JRS]

Hi Simon,
I have not heard the Linn but I'm a new owner of a Croft micro 25 and series 7 power amp. I have not been disappointed at all. I think Glen Croft used mod Leak Stereo 20 and maybe he still does.
Here's a link to a previous thread on the Linn
http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=7187

[kininigin]

Hi all,

New here and hope you guys can help with some preamp advice.

I'm currently looking for a Preamp to match a Leak stereo 20, I have been looking at the Croft micro 25 Basic which for the money looks like a great little amp, but I have also seen a Linn Kairn for sale for a good price. I can't find a huge amount of information on the Linn a couple reviews which say it is very good. From the Linn manual it looks like it is a buffered preamp with a stepped attenuator volume control. With both a MM and MC phono stage.

Any advice or imformation on either of these amps would be great.

Thanks

Simon

I don't know how the Leak stereo 20 sounds so don't know if the croft would be a good match but i had the basic 25 for a few weeks and it's very good having a more liquidy sound to it compared to the micro 25,but it's not slow and syrypy and has plenty of detail and is quite dynamic and involving.If the leak is neutral or slightly bright and clean then it could be a good match imo.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

I doubt you will find much recommendation for linn products round these parts ... speaking from experience of course :)

you should get your self to the welcome area and say hello before the forum rozzers see you ;)

[hifi_dave]

A Croft pre-amp into a Leak Stereo 20 is a great and cost effective way of getting into tubes.

Any of the Croft pre's may be ordered with an output to match the Stereo 20 for no extra cost.

[Marco]

Hi Simon,


Hi all,

New here and hope you guys can help with some preamp advice.

I'm currently looking for a Preamp to match a Leak stereo 20, I have been looking at the Croft micro 25 Basic which for the money looks like a great little amp, but I have also seen a Linn Kairn for sale for a good price. I can't find a huge amount of information on the Linn a couple reviews which say it is very good. From the Linn manual it looks like it is a buffered preamp with a stepped attenuator volume control. With both a MM and MC phono stage.

Any advice or imformation on either of these amps would be great.


Welcome to AoS :)

But, like Hamish says, before you go any further, please pop into the Welcome area and introduce yourself to our membership, listing your system and telling us about what music you like.

Cheers! :cool:

Marco.

[Reid Malenfant]

But, like Hamish says, before you go any further, please pop into the Welcome area and introduce yourself to our membership, listing your system and telling us about what music you like.
Ooops (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=10628) :whistle:

:eyebrows:

[DSJR]

I have compared an old Croft Micro (the original with Radio-Spares case) with a Kairn (we were Linn dealers then) and in musical terms, the Croft won hands down, clearer and with better resolution. the Kairn was quieter and the remote functions worked superbly though, but the sound, although better than any LK1 which came before, wasn't up to much in the wider market where accurate reproduction of "air and space" was concerned. An original spec AVI S2000 was as good and cheaper and the Quad 77 pre and post 97*** s/n AVI S2000 preamps considerably better - the Croft Super Micro series having the technical competence to compete objectively, but with that indefinable "something" that makes me keep the Croft in the main system.

I know that Kairns are quite affordable now, but Linn's first AV preamp (5103?) was far better on the stereo line inputs than either Kairn variant was (I compared them at the time)..

For a vintage valve power amp that doesn't need a super-fast modern preamp with too wide a bandwidth driving it, the Micro Basic is an excellent match and a superior update on the original "Micro" ideal, which charmed the pants off anyone who heard it back then. If you don't need the remote, the Croft is a no-brainer, but try to save the extra for the "proper" one of you possibly can.

[simon e]

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies, I was already leaning towards the croft so from what I've heard that deffantly sounds like the amp to go for.

Dave, what do you mean by the proper one? what are the differences in sound between the basic and next model up?

[tannoy man]

I bought a Micro 25 basic off dave to use with a ST 20 and its a fantastic combination, dont even consider the Linn m8, my brother heard it last week and said hes buying one. It also responds well to cable and valve upgrades, the solid silver mains cable really lifting performence even higher.

[DSJR]

Components, power supply (I think) and the lovely new knobs ;)

Look on Glenns website. It needs updating with the integrated, but is up to date despite this -

http://www.croftacoustics.co.uk/

[simon e]

I think it has to be the Croft and that Linn went for to much money.