Croft-Decca.

[southall-1998]

I vaguely remember reading that Glenn Croft uses a Decca cartridge. Which one does he use?

And any other particular MM cartridges that work very well with the Croft Micro Basic 25 MM phono stage?

[jon1]

I vaguely remember reading that Glenn Croft uses a Decca cartridge. Which one does he use?

And any other particular MM cartridges that work very well with the Croft Micro Basic 25 MM phono stage?





Just email him:)


Jon

[hifi_dave]

Shane,
What turntable and arm do you use ?

[julesd68]

I vaguely remember reading that Glenn Croft uses a Decca cartridge. Which one does he use?

And any other particular MM cartridges that work very well with the Croft Micro Basic 25 MM phono stage?

Adrian at Audioflair will know what cart Glenn is using.

I seem to remember that Adrian told me that Glenn has used the old Nagaoka MP-30 aswell, but I could be imagining that :scratch:

If you do want to try a Nagaoka, I can highly recommend the MP-50 if you can get one at a good price.

[chris@panteg]

I expect the MusicMaker mk3 to work well with a Croft , I think maybe my current "precept" 550ML might be interesting into a Croft phono stage/pre .

[southall-1998]

Shane,
What turntable and arm do you use ?


Cranfield Elite Rock II.

When I get it all set up, I'll be using an old Shure M3D cartridge. Tonearm will be the old Rega R200 (The RB250/300s ancestor) And the headshell will be a Fidelity Research S/4.

Should be an intersting combo. And I like the R200, I don't care what you guys think:lol:

[DSJR]

I think we ALL rather like the R200 - it's the replacement RB series that some of us dislike with a passion :eyebrows:

Now, what Glenn plays his records with is totally meaningless, since those of us who've known his products from the beginning (1985 or so I think it is), just know how good his preamps are with Deccas.

I can also vouch for the Microscanner I have in the R200 - and this without the damping the Rock will give you too. The Rock/Excalibur/Decca(pod) combination was staggeringly good and, at the time, spoiled only by Linns UK market domination and also the reliability and inconsitancy of the Decca's themselves. Since neither of these issues are relevant today unless you buy a shagged out old wreck of a cartridge, you'll probably end up with a source better than you'd probably appreciate methinks :)

The best Decca's to look out for are probably the higher compliance Golds and possibly the Maroon, which I think was a conical??????? The standard Blue and Export models will have either been re-tipped or will be in dire need of a rebuild by now Ireckon. The GREAT thing is, Presence Audio can re-build and re-tip a Decca to be as good as a current new one, as mine was a few years ago and a rebuilt one doesn't suffer like the older ones did, as well as not having the extreme treble nasties over 15kHz which could cause phono-stage overload and/or ringing..

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q8/DSJR_photos/DSCF1438.jpg

[southall-1998]

I think we ALL rather like the R200 - it's the replacement RB series that some of us dislike with a passion :eyebrows:

Now, what Glenn plays his records with is totally meaningless, since those of us who've known his products from the beginning (1985 or so I think it is), just know how good his preamps are with Deccas.

I can also vouch for the Microscanner I have in the R200 - and this without the damping the Rock will give you too. The Rock/Excalibur/Decca(pod) combination was staggeringly good and, at the time, spoiled only by Linns UK market domination and also the reliability and inconsitancy of the Decca's themselves. Since neither of these issues are relevant today unless you buy a shagged out old wreck of a cartridge, you'll probably end up with a source better than you'd probably appreciate methinks :)

The best Decca's to look out for are probably the higher compliance Golds and possibly the Maroon, which I think was a conical??????? The standard Blue and Export models will have either been re-tipped or will be in dire need of a rebuild by now Ireckon. The GREAT thing is, Presence Audio can re-build and re-tip a Decca to be as good as a current new one, as mine was a few years ago and a rebuilt one doesn't suffer like the older ones did, as well as not having the extreme treble nasties over 15kHz which could cause phono-stage overload and/or ringing..

Cheers Dave.

Never heard the ''Rock/Excalibur/Decca(pod)'' combo in my life! When you heard it, can you describe the sound?

Forgot to say, I will be using the damping trough on my Rock.

[DSJR]

Pretty well as near to master tape as vinyl can get I remember - Yep, I did hear a comparison that Max once did for us. The LP12 sounded more "cuddly" though at the time and our sales director preferred it I think from memory.

A good working Decca will give you as wide or narrow a soundstage as is there on the record, as deep or lean as the cut allows and spacial info into the next street if it's there in the recording. In my opinion, a properly rebuilt, mounted and tipped one just doesn't have a character at all and the comments of "lack of depth" to my ears refer to either the mounting, early examples in need of a fettling, or also the "halo" that some top end favourites of old used to put on the sound - just my view, but I'm sticking to it :)

[southall-1998]

Just looked at the prices. A new Maroon is over 400 quid new, and the Maroon is the entry level model?

[The Grand Wazoo]

I dunno about Glen Croft, but Max Townsend was always a Decca man.

[stewartwen]

Hmmmmmmmmmm The Maroon is indeed a conical tip. Len Gregory uses a Croft pre with all of his carts, mk 1, mk2, mk3 and the Classic.
They are not a cheap cart but then again neither are London Carts. They are both handbuilt in the UK. As to which Glen Croft uses....................I cant tell you, but I am sure that Glen will.
S

[southall-1998]

I dunno about Glen Croft, but Max Townsend was always a Decca man.

I don't think he is anymore. Read somewhere he now uses Dynavector cartridges.

[hifi_dave]

I dunno about Glen Croft, but Max Townsend was always a Decca man.

Not when he had his own range of cartridges he wasn't.

[southall-1998]

Hmmmmmmmmmm The Maroon is indeed a conical tip. Len Gregory uses a Croft pre with all of his carts, mk 1, mk2, mk3 and the Classic.
They are not a cheap cart but then again neither are London Carts. They are both handbuilt in the UK. As to which Glen Croft uses....................I cant tell you, but I am sure that Glen will.
S

Which Croft preamp does Len use? Can't be the basic?

[The Grand Wazoo]

I don't think he is anymore. Read somewhere he now uses Dynavector cartridges.

When he was flogging Mk2 Rocks a Decca was the only cartridge in the equation during the several demos I experienced where he was present.

[RobHolt]

Not when he had his own range of cartridges he wasn't.

Ah yes I remember the Elite MCs.
I had the MCP555 on a Syrinx PU2 Gold.

As for Croft recommended cartridges I remember reading the old croft website a good few years back. IIRC favourites were Decca, Grado and Musicmaker which are of course rebuilt and modified Grados. I think the Goldring G900IGC was also listed.

Rob.

[stewartwen]

Tis a while since I listened to Lens system, I honestly cant remember. But I do know that he uses his own phono stage.
S

[DSJR]

I have an Elite 555 but haven't tried it as the diamond is a bit worn..

After the "Elite Townshend" thing, Max did indeed use Decca's, but when their reliability became a huge issue, he switched to a Dynavector 17D2 I remember, as this, in his turntable, gave much of the "Decca Sound."

I remember that during the 90's, Decca's got bad press and were possibly all but out of production too. There were a couple of individuals who "knew" the designs well and were able to refurbish them I understand, but I don't think it was until Presence Audio came along and put them properly back into production, that London Decca's became regarded as RELIABLE serious cartridges again. - Hope I have all this right.

I'm pushing hifi dave to get a Jubilee on dem, since I reckon that the more solid body will refine further the very "direct" qualities this marque has in abundance :)


P.S. Doesn't Len Gregory get ESCo to do his cartridge work for him???????

[stewartwen]

The only work Len passes on to ESCO is the MONO re-tipping!
All of his range of carts and the rebuilds he does himself.

[jon1]

I vaguely remember reading that Glenn Croft uses a Decca cartridge. Which one does he use?

And any other particular MM cartridges that work very well with the Croft Micro Basic 25 MM phono stage?




Hope that helps?... Hi John,
Garrott Microscanner Decca Blue.
Cheers,
Glenn.


jon

[southall-1998]

Yes, helps a lot :)

Cheers.

[DSJR]

I've used, apart from the Decca's,

AT95E, AT110E, AT120E
B&O SP14 and SP12
ADC VLM II :), XLM III :D, ZLM :D and Phase IV :D
Sonus Blue :D
Shure V15VMR :), V15 IV, V15 III, V15 II :D
Ortofon OM5e, VMS30, M20FL Super :D
Stanton 500AL, 500V3, 681EEE mk1 :) & Pickering XV15-TE
Grado F1+ :)
Sumiko Blue Point mk1
Goldring G800 and 800E
Oh yeah, Linn K9 - cough -

So you see Shane, most modern "MM" types will work well with the Croft phono stage, as long as they don't need fancy loadings..