Croft 25R + RS external PSU upgrade [Archive]

IHP

25-10-2019, 16:59

Received my 25R back from GC this afternoon having had the RS PSU upgrade and just had a couple of hours with it. I was happy with my 25 for the two years I had it, happier with the 25R for the last five and even happier with this. Little more detail, finesse & timbre with a pinch more of that magical musicality and a beautifully enhanced soundstage. The chap's a genius.

If anyone is happening to consider this, it's a move I would heartily recommend. And you get an extra box !

Vinyl play feedback tomorrow when I have more time. Nothing's going to get done this weekend ;-)

Jimbo

25-10-2019, 18:05

Did you have the phono stage upgraded aswell Ian?

IHP

26-10-2019, 06:04

Hi Jimbo, No, just went for the PSU with any future mods to be considered as and when. Might sound daft this, but I find myself being very hesitant indeed about changing anything further as all sounds so lovely (now thre's a word you don't see in reviews !)

joolz

26-10-2019, 09:11

Never understood why only a MM phono stage was offered as standard with Glen's amps. Anyone ever had him upgrade to MC, is it even an option ?

hifi_dave

26-10-2019, 09:15

Not an option. Glenn is a Decca man.

Bigbird

28-10-2019, 20:58

I shall be sending mine off next year for the full monty treatment. Better coupling caps, resistors etc

Does yours now have the 12bh7 valve in the linestage. If so then you have to try a NOS RCA from the 50-60s. They add a wonderful richness and more detail to an already wonderful amp. [emoji1360]

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Jimbo

28-10-2019, 21:11

Never understood why only a MM phono stage was offered as standard with Glen's amps. Anyone ever had him upgrade to MC, is it even an option ?

I believe the answer is there are no valves in sufficient quantities quiet enough to implement a pure valve MC phono stage.

Bigman80

28-10-2019, 21:22

I believe the answer is there are no valves in sufficient quantities quiet enough to implement a pure valve MC phono stage.The amount of gain needed for a MC signal means that there is no real cost effective way of making a phonostage, with good enough performance.

I have heard one, it was glorious but the noise floor was alway audible. Even during the track!

montesquieu

28-10-2019, 22:23

I had an Audion Quattro preamp at one point, and at one stage an Audion valve head amp onto it ... it was audibly hissy even with a reasonably high gain MC cartridge but it sounded pretty good regardless. Preferred a good SUT though.

IHP

29-10-2019, 07:04

I shall be sending mine off next year for the full monty treatment. Better coupling caps, resistors etc

Does yours now have the 12bh7 valve in the linestage. If so then you have to try a NOS RCA from the 50-60s. They add a wonderful richness and more detail to an already wonderful amp. [emoji1360]
Ok

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No, I have a Brimar ECC83. Tube rolling does tend to do my head in so I just stick nice stuff in there ! 😉