mostly Croft

[eksiil]

I've been a very incidental poster over the years, being mostly a browser by nature. seeing as a short burst of posting activity seems to have netted me signature privileges and an upgrade from "new member" to "member," however, the time seems to have come to take things to a new level. what better way to do that I suppose than to offer up a few photos of my system (taken with an iPad, so don't expect too much).

sometime in the previous decade I became aware of the existence of Croft. liked what I saw and read. I'd bought a full set of Alchemist Kraken boxes in 2001 and got sucked into the hobby slowly. my first Croft piece was a Vitale preamp, at some point I acquired a Series 7. then a Micro 25. between the Vitale and Micro 25 came a Fletcher 0.3, which got fleshed out with a Cartridge Man Conductor tonearm and a Music Maker III (I'd had a Rega P3 previously). then I bought a Leak Troughline III GTA (featuring the non-audiophile version of the Graham Tricker decoder). then my last piece of Alchemist, the APD9 CD player, got replaced by a Wadia 121 DAC & a Vecteur D-2.2 transport (which I swapped for my now redundant AudioMods V tonearm).

then a big step forward last year: saw a Mega Micro II on ebay which failed to sell. contacted the seller, secured it, had it sent to Glenn Croft, invested quite a bit of money into its overhaul. a couple of months later bought a 7R and sent it along with my Series 7 to be upgraded into 7R monos. also bought a pair of Usher Mini Dancer 2 DMDs just before I got the 7Rs (had Opera Quintas before). they go low, they go high, they do credit to the valvey midrange.

there's an ineffable allure to playing your music through bespoke equipment. Glenn Croft is everything I've read people say he is and then some more. I've also had some incredibly pleasant experiences communicating with Len Gregory, Jeff Spall, John Wright (& there are others).

end of story.

well OK there's been a fair bit of tube rolling going on at all times. I like what I have in the various machines right now (Brimar & Philips Miniwatt NOS ECC83s, Tung-Sol black plate & Philips ECG NOS 12BH7As, not to mention the Mullards in the TLIII & mostly Mullards in the Mega Micro II PSU).

these days I mostly listen to FM radio. the uncompressed sound coming through a total of 30 valves is something to behold even without a Galaxie aerial. but the party pieces are well-recorded 45 RPM singles played at full blast, which have yet to fail to produce a silly grin on the face of whoever's sat in the listening seat.

to pictures:

the system (the planks have warped, but all the heavy DIY wood has brought a serious improvement to the sound. i'm looking at replacing the planks with 300 year old oak. seriously.):
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg560/eksiil/IMG_0116.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/eksiil/media/IMG_0116.jpg.html)

the Croft Mega Micro II preamp section
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg560/eksiil/IMG_0119.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/eksiil/media/IMG_0119.jpg.html)

inside the preamp:
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg560/eksiil/WP_20160412_14_41_01_Pro.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/eksiil/media/WP_20160412_14_41_01_Pro.jpg.html)

inside the Croft Mega Micro II PSU (12 valves all told...)
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg560/eksiil/IMG_0124.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/eksiil/media/IMG_0124.jpg.html)

the 7R monos side by side
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg560/eksiil/IMG_0120.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/eksiil/media/IMG_0120.jpg.html)

inside one of the 7R monos
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg560/eksiil/IMG_0126.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/eksiil/media/IMG_0126.jpg.html)

the turntable & the tone arm:
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg560/eksiil/IMG_0118.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/eksiil/media/IMG_0118.jpg.html)

the tuner:
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg560/eksiil/IMG_0122.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/eksiil/media/IMG_0122.jpg.html)

the transport:
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg560/eksiil/IMG_0123.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/eksiil/media/IMG_0123.jpg.html)

one of the speakers (the white streaks are specks of dust in a beam of sunlight. really):
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg560/eksiil/IMG_0115.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/eksiil/media/IMG_0115.jpg.html)

forgot the DAC, but it looks the same as all Wadia 121s. mine sits on tennis balls.

OK, a bonus pic with the DAC in it:
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg560/eksiil/IMG_0130.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/eksiil/media/IMG_0130.jpg.html)

[struth]

Great stuff... love the tom fletcher and the use of old hardwood is great.

[eksiil]

Great stuff... love the tom fletcher and the use of old hardwood is great.

very much obliged. also very glad to be on this forum. I should have got all this out of my system much sooner :)

[petrat]

Lovely system .. I particularly like the turntable/arm/cartridge :thumbsup:

I'm curious as to how an Estonian ended up with such a 'British' system?

[eksiil]

Lovely system .. I particularly like the turntable/arm/cartridge :thumbsup:

I'm curious as to how an Estonian ended up with such a 'British' system?

many thanks for the kind words.

if I had to provide one single reason then it'd have to be ease of communication with the hifi "greats." personal touch is a great persuader.

[petrat]

many thanks for the kind words.

if I had to provide one single reason then it'd have to be ease of communication with the hifi "greats." personal touch is a great persuader.

Well you certainly picked three of the best in Len Gregory, Tom Fletcher and Glenn Croft, that's for sure!

[Macca]

Really great system and a great write-up.

[The Black Adder]

Lovely system. I just know that system will sound superb.

I just love the rack... that is smashing :)

Thanks for posting :)

[Jimbo]

A man after my own heart. Fantastic stuff and I am sure it sounds stunning. The very solid equipment supports are great and I am sure the massive size of the wood helps with damping?

Have you thought of sticking a Decca cartridge on that Deck?

[eksiil]

many thanks again for all the kind comments.

the rack does make a difference. there's a palpable firmness to the sound (everything is anchored in its own place against a very dark background is the closest I think I can get to putting it into words) that wasn't there before I installed it (the timber weighs some 50 kilos all told). horses for courses though, especially given the admittedly low WAF factor.

in terms of the writeup -- I used to be a journalist, so there may be an unfair advantage in it somewhere.

re trying a Decca -- I had one (a Classic rebuilt by John Wright). I never got round to installing it though because (1) the MM3 is so satisfying with what I usually listen to & (2) having it preyed on mind a little, like having a Ferrari in your garage -- nice to have, but reputedly a fearsome effort to drive. so I sold it untried (needed the funds). still regret it. it remains an itch unscratched.

[JohnJo]

Cool system, I like it because it's different :)

Those speakers look like they mean business!

[eksiil]

Cool system, I like it because it's different :)

Those speakers look like they mean business!

many thanks. the speakers do mean business. they weigh 59 kilos each counting the cast iron support. for some reason film music coming off my Mac Airbook sounds particularly convincing bass-wise, even if its hifi credentials may be questionable.

[Mark Grant]

to pictures:

the system (the planks have warped, but all the heavy DIY wood has brought a serious improvement to the sound. i'm looking at replacing the planks with 300 year old oak. seriously.):

http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg560/eksiil/IMG_0116.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/eksiil/media/IMG_0116.jpg.html)



Looks great and I really like the rustic rack.

Some really old oak would be great and wont warp.

[eksiil]

Looks great and I really like the rustic rack.

Some really old oak would be great and wont warp.

many thanks again. the planks are ash, which should be no slouch (it's heavy). it was, however, planed too early obviously. the oak I'm hoping to end up with (I've seen it...) was felled in the time of Peter the Great (him of St Petersburg fame which was erected on sunken oak trunks mostly felled in Estonia).

[Frazeur1]

Thanks for sharing your system, very nice! I think system pics are really a great way to see some very interesting setups, words don't always cut it!

[Wrackandruin]

Hi Eksil,

I too was interested in some Croft gear. I'm not far off my fiftieth so I might treat myself.

I experimented with shelving material and had great results with a birch ply and end grain balsa sandwhich.

Sounds lovely under my turntable's especially.

Cheers,

Al

[eksiil]

Hi Eksil,

I too was interested in some Croft gear. I'm not far off my fiftieth so I might treat myself.

I experimented with shelving material and had great results with a birch ply and end grain balsa sandwhich.

Sounds lovely under my turntable's especially.

Cheers,

Al

Croft is perfect for my tastes.

my TT sits on a kitchen worktop cutout (composite oak) so probably not too far from a ply sandwich.

[eksiil]

the whole shebang now sitting pretty on oaken planks cut from a tree planted by Peter the Great between 1718-1723 (got a certificate) and felled (as an act of mercy I take it) 16 years ago. (the speakers rest on classic 20th century chairs)

https://i.imgur.com/v7b1YaY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/QHbKrMS.jpg

[Jimbo]

Woohoo, I bet that system sounds fab. Well done putting together a splendid set up. Like your thinking with wood, it must have some bearing on the overall sound signature of your system?

[eksiil]

thank you for the kind words. I am a convert. what the equipment rests on, I believe, affects the sound more than any cable change I've gone through. obviously the TT is the main beneficiary, but anything containing valves has also benefitted audibly (3D feel & increased weight to the sound are the two things that immediately leap to mind).





Woohoo, I bet that system sounds fab. Well done putting together a splendid set up. Like your thinking with wood, it must have some bearing on the overall sound signature of your system?

[Frazeur1]

Very nice, cool looking space as well! Very earthy-in a good way! Love your Crofts too!

[AJSki2fly]

Looks like a seriously good system and I bet it sounds great. Love the hifi stand using solid lumps of oak, definitely they way to go for some isolation, and not too costly either compared to some audio racks that are around. Thanks for sharing the pics.

[eksiil]

thank you for he kind words. the "rack" actually looks kind of classy -- though I've done nothing to touch up the surfaces. one thing you need is space & another is a sympathetic partner. as things stand, I'm blessed with both. thirdly, the timber cost me nothing, but I am lucky to know someone with a whole shed full of similar planks. and they are heavy... the lowermost slab, I'm guessing, weighs upwards of 50 kilos.

as is evident from the title of the thread, I am partial to Croft amplification. part of the allure is its bespoke nature & the chance to communicate directly with its maker -- but it also sounds better than anything else I've heard (some of it costing two-three times as much, all told).

[Primare]

the system (the planks have warped, but all the heavy DIY wood has brought a serious improvement to the sound. i'm looking at replacing the planks with 300 year old oak. seriously.):
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg560/eksiil/IMG_0116.jpg (http://s1243.photobucket.com/user/eksiil/media/IMG_0116.jpg.html)



Hello Ahto,

I'm not familiar with your electronics but the rack itself is really amazing:thumbsup:

Ivo

[Primare]

the whole shebang now sitting pretty on oaken planks cut from a tree planted by Peter the Great between 1718-1723 (got a certificate) and felled (as an act of mercy I take it) 16 years ago. (the speakers rest on classic 20th century chairs)

https://i.imgur.com/v7b1YaY.jpg


And this looks even better!
Ivo

[Made in 1968]

Lovely system. I just know that system will sound superb.

I just love the rack... that is smashing :)



Dont you just love Yorkshire terminology . I called a to be work collegue 'old cock' the older day, he looked at me gone out :lol: Thing is i use a mixed bag of Yorkshire & Lancashire terms cos i think its got like that now.. Who would have though Lancashire & Yorkshire be sharing a common ground :rolleyes:

[eksiil]

much obliged. i must thank my good fortune.


And this looks even better!
Ivo

[eksiil]

the way it looks right now

https://previews.dropbox.com/p/thumb/AAwuGgdFDL7k7p0Vj0EF-uEDy5dWGm790I64bDXq4Sk9UuV8B_Kjkzb6lOC3NrDPzACbckb 6VG9C441V2PlwLhv6vVMjeGX_m5UFzspTr95clQcpCywHnQtv1 _jxPt5O6qVEtVicjKgED98GYQv7obEJ0pxbJrO-ETPQP9pJZr5keCujYMxDsmaEYKU-NyQ0ej6TxSv2YJ75rR0q1VqudHUJ_TDVNUUs1MstX0rBM_Nraf rlMkK-WY8ZeGzgMiKAzPxKXEU048TxmQS-IWEGwWZdj6aC6SL-aayLquUXH1kLqK6jcHa3BkX0qzNyOGdK5Z96uTFd5h15FclmVb 6LgX1G_GoxxcOfKY1Uar2TU4t_7Q/p.jpeg?fv_content=true&size_mode=5

[eksiil]

the (1st floor) man cave, featuring: Fletcher 0.3 (Hadcock 228, Denon 103R), Croft head amp, Croft Mega Micro II, Croft Series V Mk 2 -- and, last but not least, Mark Audio Alpair 12p in locally sourced BLH cabinets.

https://i.ibb.co/cDkY29m/7-A2-D1-F61-7-C3-E-4250-988-E-E8011-BCA13-AA.jpg (https://ibb.co/PwFD1yS)

[Gazjam]

Wonderful System Ahto, thanks for sharing.

Stealing a few of your ideas about the system rack :)

[eksiil]

thank you, by all means : )

I also see my link has gone dead, so I'm reposting the image.

https://i.ibb.co/VYq1yKb/F7-CE8004-8-ABA-4-E5-F-81-A9-E40-A7993-BE56.jpg

[Gazjam]

Dont you just love Yorkshire terminology . I called a to be work collegue 'old cock' the older day, he looked at me gone out :lol: Thing is i use a mixed bag of Yorkshire & Lancashire terms cos i think its got like that now.. Who would have though Lancashire & Yorkshire be sharing a common ground :rolleyes:

South of Hadrian's Wall it's all madness... :)

[struth]

South of Hadrian's Wall it's all madness... :)

its no better north tbh:rolleyes:

[eksiil]

at very long last: a NOS Decca C4E in the main system. sounding sublime.

https://i.ibb.co/H4vJC7q/AD9566-B2-D849-4-C5-B-B0-FB-15699-F9-C544-F.jpg

[Barry]

An excellent cartridge (probably the best Decca developed before the advent of the London Reference).

[Marco]

I echo those thoughts of Barry's! And it should also work a treat on the Hadcock:)

However, is the turntable level? Maybe it's just the angle of the picture that deceiving, but it doesn't look like it..

Marco.

[Leeken]

More info on the speaker cabinets? They look brilliant!

[eksiil]

An excellent cartridge (probably the best Decca developed before the advent of the London Reference).

I very much like the Blue I have (replaced an MMIII), but the C4E is in a different league altogether.


I echo those thoughts of Barry's! And it should also work a treat on the Hadcock:)

However, is the turntable level? Maybe it's just the angle of the picture that deceiving, but it doesn't look like it..

Marco.

any tilt in the photo is my own, I can assure you. it was a Friday night : )

[eksiil]

More info on the speaker cabinets? They look brilliant!

thank you. they could actually do with a new coat of paint, but I kind of like the way they look now. the cabinets are a German design, called der Geisthorn or BLH 2.0, if memory serves.