Yet more amplifier advice

[Haselsh1]

I am currently thinking that between now and Christmas 2015 I should be in a position to change or upgrade my amplification. With that in mind I would like to seek advice from anyone who may be in a position to offer it.

I currently use a Croft Micro 25 Basic preamp into Rotel RB-850 bridged monoblocks and get a sound that is around 90% of what I want but these Rotels must be now over thirty years old and as far as I am aware, they have never been upgraded or reconditioned. Also, they have no protection for the loudspeakers.

So, what to do…?

Purchase a pair of Croft Series 7 monoblocks.

Purchase a Croft Series 7 R stereo amp.

Keep the Rotels and purchase a Croft Micro 25 R preamp.

Back in 1997 I owned a WAD 300B PP triode amplifier that had zero feedback and a sound to die for. It was the ‘airiest’ most spacious amplifier I have ever heard even since then so with that in mind I have also been thinking about an Icon Audio 6AS7 triode amplifier that also uses zero feedback. The Icon Audio, though a triode valve amplifier outputs around 33 Watts so will be OK with my speakers.

Music taste ranges from Brand X to Be Bop Deluxe via Al Di Meola. There is also a good deal of synthesised stuff in there as well.

As always, I remain so very grateful for anyone who chips in.

[Jimbo]

Hi Shaun,

The Croft 7R will easily drive your speakers with clout and I think this would be my preferred route. However you may want to drop a line to Glenn himself as he would be able to advise you if mono's would be more suitable than the 7R?

The micro basic could be upgraded to higher spec but if you really wanted something a bit special I would keep this and add the Croft RIAA R phono stage rather than go down the Micro 25R route.

Best thing to do would be to try to trial a Croft 7R and see if this is where you want to go or trial an RIAA R- Adrian Parsons at Audioflair should be able to help you out.

Personally I would always want to hear what a piece of equipment did in my system before I bought it.:)

[PaulStewart]

Shaun, what is your budget for your upgrades?

[Arkless Electronics]

Amps seem to be giving you some consternation lately Haselsh1! I must confess to not having heard bridged RB250's but my brother used a single RB250 in his system for several years and so I heard it in several contexts of different speakers and sources. I quite liked it and thought it was excellent value for money Whilst it showed no obvious colouration or lack of neutrality, I would say it's ultimate limitation was in it's level of transparancy and depth of soundstage.
At the end of the day you really need to hear any unit for yourself of course. Although we can (and often do :eek:) generalise, circuit topology and layout can mean as much or more as whether it's transistor, mosfet, valve or hybrid, class A, class A/B Class D! I've heard soggy sounding solid state amps and harsh bright valve amps before today;)
Valve amps can sound superb... but so can solid state amps, and I don't think the RB250 is good enough to say "this is what all/most solid state amps sound like and I want something different".... Maybe a valve amp is indeed where you will find the sound you want..... maybe not... What is the area you find lacking and most want to improve on with the Rotel's? and indeed how much do you want to spend!?

[Spectral Morn]

Shaun I think you need to go valve again or a class A Mosfet but realistically to get the sound you want only valves will really do. I haven't heard enough current amps to recommend one, I wish I could but I can't.

My advice is visit dealers and get home loans or buy a WAD 300B PP again, they pop up S/H fairly regularly. Don't rush into a purchase, take your time and get it right.


Regards Neil

[Andrei]

An Intergrated? http://www.rogueaudio.com/Products_sphinx.htm

[hifi_dave]

I would suggest you bring your Rotels here and compare with the Croft power-amps. Then you will know for sure.

[kininigin]

If it was my money,i would change the croft basic for either the 25 or 25R. I've owned the basic 25 and whilst good and i could happily live with it,the 'proper' 25 is a significant step up imo.

The basic has a more 'obvious' valvey sound compared to the 25 which is far less coloured and more realistic.

[trio leo]

I believe a pair of Croft 7R Monoblocks are about £2800, IMHO a pair of Albarry M608 Series 2's at £2495 would be a great one to compare with and HiFi Dave has both I believe.
Be worth a listen. hope you find satisfaction in what you are looking for OP,

Cheers Al

[Spectral Morn]

Shaun

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?40690-Wad-300b-pp

This could be your answer if the selling price is sensible. Sometimes we got it right in the past and going back makes more sense than going forward.



Regards Neil

[Ali Tait]

Or this-

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?40659-Meixing-Mingda-MC805A-SET-Monoblocks-40-watts-a-channel

[Haselsh1]

You know guys, I remember back to 2003, owning an Alphason Sonata with an Alphsaon HR100 S MCS tonearm fitted with an Ortofon Kontrapunkt A cartridge. This all went into a Hart - Linsley Hood two box phono stage which then went into an Audion 300B SE amplifier. The loudspeakers were Audio Note AZ-2's and the sound was truly sublime for me. I agree with Davros on this forum in that I honestly think I have to get back into valves. I am currently looking at Icon Audio MB30 SE monoblocks that I could use with the Croft Micro 25 Basic until I could maybe get the Micro 25 R model and this would give me a completely valve based amplification section. By the way, has anyone heard Al Di Meola's album 'Orange and Blue' through single ended valves...? OMG...!!!

I thank you all so much for your contributions towards solving my indecisiveness. At some point in the near future my finances will take a large turn for the better and then I shall have to make a firm decision. If only this were an upgrade to my Thorens, I'd know exactly what to do.