Croft Phono Integrated Impressions so Far

[fiddlemaker]

Having a proper listen this evening. Either something is wrong or I don’t get on with this amp. The cymbals are so forward and splashy it’s like trollys crashing together in a supermarket car park! It’s not relaxing to listen to.

Not what I’d expected. Would you say tube rolling will be too subtle to address the sound to make it more to my liking?

Perhaps I just like the old quad sound and that’s what I should stick with.

This doesn't sound right. I really think you should email GC. Although I haven't heard the model you have. I've been a very happy Croft owner for over 30 years, and what you describe just isn't the "house sound" at all.

[beadlesabout]

Opened the amp up just now.

These are the tubes:

IMG_3009.jpg

And this is a small piece of wire I found knocking about inside the amp:

IMG_3007.jpg

[Lawrence001]

Looks like a bit of grounding wire has come off, it's possible some elements are now floating off ground which could affect the sound negatively. If you follow the grounding wiring around from the rear terminals you might spot where it has snapped off. The more technically minded on here would know more than me about the potential effect.

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[Lawrence001]

I think I've seen Edicron valves in later Crofts so nothing untoward there.

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[Jimbo]

If your not absolutely sure its right send it back to Glenn and he will check it out for you.

[hifi_dave]

The description of the sound doesn't correlate with how they normally sound. It might be faulty or 'modified' by previous owners. Seems like it might have been through a few hands. If you bought it from a retailer, you should take it back to be checked.

[YNWaN]

The bit of wire looks like a bit of solder to me.

[Haselsh1]

Ah, if this amplifier has been through countless hands then anything is possible. I always found the Croft pre/power sound to be on the warm side of neutral with an astonishing amount of detail displayed. I never ran into any of the problems you have described here but as I've already said, I just couldn't get on with the almost total lack of precision on the volume control, made even worse by the units having separate L/R pots.

[Macca]

Having a proper listen this evening. Either something is wrong or I don’t get on with this amp. The cymbals are so forward and splashy it’s like trollys crashing together in a supermarket car park! It’s not relaxing to listen to.

Not what I’d expected. Would you say tube rolling will be too subtle to address the sound to make it more to my liking?

Perhaps I just like the old quad sound and that’s what I should stick with.

The Croft has comparatively high levels of harmonic distortion and intermodulation distortion which are going to be audible even at low power:

https://www.stereophile.com/content/...r-measurements

Some people like this as it can give a 'live' feel to the sound. But as you are used to very low distortion amplification I think this is what is too much for you. Changing the valves won't help. I'd move it on if I was you.