Help with pre-amp matching with a new Croft 7 Power amp.

[loonytunes]

Hi all, I've recently heard a Croft integrated and was shocked at how good it sounds - I'm hooked! I'm now looking to buy a Croft power amp (and in future buy the pre when I have further funds).

Anyway the pre-amp I am likely to pair with the Croft 7 Power amp is a Music First Copper with MK2 transformer upgrade - will this combination work well? Will the MF be transparent enough to left the Croft power amp sing unimpeded?

Thank you all.

[hifi_dave]

It will work but the difference in price between the Integrated and a Series 7 is not much in the grand scheme.

[loonytunes]

It will work but the difference in price between the Integrated and a Series 7 is not much in the grand scheme.

Yes I agree, but I thought why the need for the integrated when I can go straight for the dedicated power amp now seeing as I have a Music First which should be a capable pre-amp. I know the MF is a passive, but I notice in Glenn's design for line only integrated - he uses a passive pre in that too - so I'm hoping the MF would work as an alternative passive pre but direct into his power amp - and from the power amp I can system build.

Then in stages when funds allow I could upgrade the 7 to 7R (with Music First still up front) - then last step Croft pre-amp - in that order. Ultimately I want to end up with Micro 25 pre / Series 7R combo. I'm just hoping I'm going about this in a logical way.

[hifi_dave]

If you already have the MF then that is a good way of going about things. I can't see any negatives there other than you will need a good incon.

When you are ready for a Series 7, you might like to PM me.

[loonytunes]

If you already have the MF then that is a good way of going about things. I can't see any negatives there other than you will need a good incon.

When you are ready for a Series 7, you might like to PM me.

Good, so the partnership of the MF and Croft S7 will not stop the Croft playing like a Croft should. I've heard amazing things about the Croft pre, but one affordable thing at a time (and who knows, the MF may be plenty good enough if not considering a phono stage). If a good incon means good interconnect, I would be using a couple of VDH D102 mkIII hybrids - so hopefully that should be more than adequate.

Before my ultimate decision lands on Croft (as a power amp) - are there any other worthy contendors at the same price if anyone with any experience of Croft could enlighten me about? Sorry to have to ask those only with experience of Croft, because only you will know the answer knowing how good the Croft is - especially for projection of vocals and pace/timing!

And despite what Alan Shaw of Harbeth thinks - all amplifiers definately do not sound the same!!

I'm quite excited about the idea of tube/valve rolling in a Croft too for fine tuning to taste :)

[hifi_dave]

I sell more Croft amplifiers than anything else and by a healthy margin. So, if my customers are anything to go by, Croft is pretty good.

[wee tee cee]

I ran a tisbury audio passive pre with a croft 7 power amp. I preferred my temple mono blocks and in the end sold the croft.

I now run the the temples with a capella as an active pre.

I found the croft sounded very good with tq black speaker cable/mark grant wbt 2000 ics.

Horses for courses.

I used the croft in conjunction with 63s and Spendor SP1s-worked well with both.

[loonytunes]

OK thank you for one example where another make (in this case Temple Audio) is preferred to Croft. Coincidently enough I have a pair of Temple Audio mono-blocks from some years ago (when the first Temple audio mono-blocks were introduced to the scene) so I can literally find that one out for myself!

I'll hook them up later to end of the MF, which I believe I haven't done before. I am looking for great qualities like timing, image depth, vocal projection, punch and musical energy from these little Temples so as to compete with the Croft... will try later.

[wee tee cee]

Let me know how you get on....

I found moving to an active pre really assisted with dynamics.

A bit of time taken to match the impedance settings pays dividends-I set my pre to 12 o clock then start with the low output phono working through the impedance settings till I get to the desired listening level.
Using a passive you may well have to utilise the high output phono.

Have you considered battery power/close coupling the amps( short speaker cable and long ICs)?

[loonytunes]

Let me know how you get on....

I found moving to an active pre really assisted with dynamics.

A bit of time taken to match the impedance settings pays dividends-I set my pre to 12 o clock then start with the low output phono working through the impedance settings till I get to the desired listening level.
Using a passive you may well have to utilise the high output phono.

Have you considered battery power/close coupling the amps( short speaker cable and long ICs)?

Useful advice thanks. I should hope the MF is well up to task seeing as this passive is many times more expensive than the Tilsbury pre. The MF has a +6db gain switch if I need to increase the gain to the Temples (as you know the Temples have their own mulit-coloured sensitivity settings too). I was looking for the active pre you were referring to, this looks like a Beresford product, but I only see the headphone amp version?

[wee tee cee]

It functions as a single line active pre-none of the sound tailoring functions work in pre amp only headphone. Sounds very good indeed with a variety of t amps.

I have used it with my kel84 mono blocks...as a pre it is really good.

[loonytunes]

OK thanks, now I see. Incidently I have use of both the Temple mono-blocks, and have the Temple integrated hidden away too. I need to sell a lot of kit so I can start building a new system based on my experience with the Croft. In the process of doing so, I'm giving my old kit another run thorough my system seeing as the context of it all has changed over time. I'm currently listening to a vintage Technics SU-7300 in readiness to sell on later - but this Technics sounds really sweet - I'm surprised how old kit like this can sound so darned good. I was just checking the functionality - but it ends up being more than just functional - it's actually a very very good amp!

To put things in context, my source is Yamaha CD-N500 used as a digital media hub feeding an Arcam irDAC, then into one of these many amps I am sorting through - and finally out via a pair of excellent Role Audio Enterprise loudspeakers (UK imported as 'Acoustic Holograms' at the time - but now Audioflair sell the range).