DSJR
19-12-2009, 14:21
Apologies if this is in the wrong place and given its own thread, but going back a couple of months, I remember a thread regarding valve life and the suggestion to test your valves before condemning them..
I'm not in a position to test the valves in my preamp, but I was very pleased indeed with the 5841a's which replaced some very suspect sounding ECC82/12AU7's in the line stage.
Fairly recently, I noticed the phono stage was sounding brighter and brighter, making the OC9 totally unlistenable. Eventually, even the Supex 900e went bass light and a frantic PM to our beloved leader gave me a source of possible good replacements..
My Croft is rather more complex than the current Series 25 models, having three valves in the power supply and four in the phono stage, as well as the two line valves. The supply valves consist of a black regulator valve, an EL86 and an ECC 83 which was a "Golden Dragon" type. The four ECC83's in the phono stage were un-named types which looked similar to the Golden Dragon one.
Four CV4004's and NOS Mullard ECC83/EL86 later I was ready to go..
The first thing is that the slightly excessive but likeable brightness on the line inputs has been suitably tamed. "Timing" and clarity seem further enhanced, making the compressed noise from commercial radio stations easier to tolerate and little percussion and phasing effects on the first Ulrich Schnauss CD's more clearly delineated.
The biggest improvement was in the phono stage however. The bass has come back with no bloat at all and the OC9 is now sounding lean but clear and with some measure of bass clarity as originally - as much as the Dual will allow it to anyway..
So, I'm a happy bunny and back to playing records again :) The CD player is still a bit sick but appears to be recovering all on its own, getting better each time I use it..
Here's to some great Xmas choons.........
I'm not in a position to test the valves in my preamp, but I was very pleased indeed with the 5841a's which replaced some very suspect sounding ECC82/12AU7's in the line stage.
Fairly recently, I noticed the phono stage was sounding brighter and brighter, making the OC9 totally unlistenable. Eventually, even the Supex 900e went bass light and a frantic PM to our beloved leader gave me a source of possible good replacements..
My Croft is rather more complex than the current Series 25 models, having three valves in the power supply and four in the phono stage, as well as the two line valves. The supply valves consist of a black regulator valve, an EL86 and an ECC 83 which was a "Golden Dragon" type. The four ECC83's in the phono stage were un-named types which looked similar to the Golden Dragon one.
Four CV4004's and NOS Mullard ECC83/EL86 later I was ready to go..
The first thing is that the slightly excessive but likeable brightness on the line inputs has been suitably tamed. "Timing" and clarity seem further enhanced, making the compressed noise from commercial radio stations easier to tolerate and little percussion and phasing effects on the first Ulrich Schnauss CD's more clearly delineated.
The biggest improvement was in the phono stage however. The bass has come back with no bloat at all and the OC9 is now sounding lean but clear and with some measure of bass clarity as originally - as much as the Dual will allow it to anyway..
So, I'm a happy bunny and back to playing records again :) The CD player is still a bit sick but appears to be recovering all on its own, getting better each time I use it..
Here's to some great Xmas choons.........