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Thread: Preamps: Crayon CFA-1/1.2 - Hovland PH100/200 - Croft Micro 25 RS?

  1. #11
    Join Date: Aug 2014

    Location: Aarhus, Denmark

    Posts: 305
    I'm Peter.

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    It is hard to believe that there is a better amp out there than the Herring VTSP, but I am willing to suspend my disbelief. If only I could demo them. One way to demo the Crayon would be to sell off the Croft Riia R and invest the money set aside for the RS upgrade. Then I could listen to it both as an integrated anp and as a phono stage. The Audiopax is without phono stage, so not really viable.

    A Croft Micro 25 RS could be a possibility. Still I would love to demo first.
    Last edited by Rosewind; 23-07-2019 at 19:56.
    I'm Peter, Denmark: AD Audio Satchmo 3 Line Stage + EAR 516 + Quad ESL 57 + EAR 324P + PTP6 Acoustand L75 + Poul Ladegaard tonearm/Denon 103D + Fidelity Research FR24 mk ii/Decca Maroon + Leak Stereofetic FM Tuner + B&O Beocord 6500 Cassette Deck + Synology DS 415+("upgraded" to 8gb memory) cabled to Win10 PC - JRiver - Paul Pang USB-splitter cable - Linear 5v psu - Nuforce U192s - Line Magnetic 502CA DAC

  2. #12
    Join Date: Jan 2008

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    The Crayon CFA-1 has one problem, it's decent enough but not that special when it's cold.
    Once it's been turned on (not just on standby) for about 6 hours it starts to noticeably improve, after 9 hours it blossoms into an amazingly subtle, transparent and holographic presentation.
    You need to be willing and able to keep it switched on all the time - it's a class AB amp so it doesn't get very warm.

    I wasn't very impressed with it for the first few days. I was switching it off at the end of every evening session.
    Then it was raining and I was at home all day, and the amp stayed on all the time.
    I recall suddenly looking up and thinking "wtf!!" - after just on 6 hours it was like a switch had been pressed and a decent amp had suddenly turned into something very special, it continued to noticeably improve for another 3 hours and then plateaued.
    I keep it on all the time now.
    .

  3. #13
    Join Date: Aug 2014

    Location: Aarhus, Denmark

    Posts: 305
    I'm Peter.

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    I turn my valve kit off when I am not listening.
    Good to know about the Crayon CFA-1. I may try to get one to test against the Herron in a direct comparison.
    I'm Peter, Denmark: AD Audio Satchmo 3 Line Stage + EAR 516 + Quad ESL 57 + EAR 324P + PTP6 Acoustand L75 + Poul Ladegaard tonearm/Denon 103D + Fidelity Research FR24 mk ii/Decca Maroon + Leak Stereofetic FM Tuner + B&O Beocord 6500 Cassette Deck + Synology DS 415+("upgraded" to 8gb memory) cabled to Win10 PC - JRiver - Paul Pang USB-splitter cable - Linear 5v psu - Nuforce U192s - Line Magnetic 502CA DAC

  4. #14
    Join Date: Sep 2009

    Location: west mids, UK

    Posts: 3,268
    I'm Phil.

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    having never heard of crayon audio, i notice winters audio has one

    https://www.wintersaudio.co.uk/ex-demo-part-exchange
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  5. #15
    Join Date: Aug 2014

    Location: Aarhus, Denmark

    Posts: 305
    I'm Peter.

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    Thanks for the heads up! If I take a chance with the Crayon, I can't allow myself to spend that much. So it will be a mk. 1, hopefully one that does not have the faulty board.
    I'm Peter, Denmark: AD Audio Satchmo 3 Line Stage + EAR 516 + Quad ESL 57 + EAR 324P + PTP6 Acoustand L75 + Poul Ladegaard tonearm/Denon 103D + Fidelity Research FR24 mk ii/Decca Maroon + Leak Stereofetic FM Tuner + B&O Beocord 6500 Cassette Deck + Synology DS 415+("upgraded" to 8gb memory) cabled to Win10 PC - JRiver - Paul Pang USB-splitter cable - Linear 5v psu - Nuforce U192s - Line Magnetic 502CA DAC

  6. #16
    Join Date: Jan 2008

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    What faulty board?!?

    ---

    Just out of interest, Peter, what got the Crayon onto your list? As obscure a piece of kit as ever there was, as far as I am concerned!
    .

  7. #17
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,853
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jandl100 View Post

    What faulty board?!?

    ---

    Just out of interest, Peter, what got the Crayon onto your list? As obscure a piece of kit as ever there was, as far as I am concerned!
    Taken from a review of the Crayon CFA1.2 on the 6 Moons website: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/crayon2/1.html


    Tech talk with Roland Krammer. "First of all the PCB is completely new. That's because half the old boards developed an eventual short between VCC and GND. Now our multi-layer board is made by Ilfa of Hannover, final board assembly by Taube Electronic of Berlin. These are two small hi-tech companies I can rely on because they already worked with us at Unitel on boards for Pandora International Ltd. That was a 26-layer PCB with a 1.500-pin ball-grid array Xilinx FPGA and assorted devilish stuff. I have tested five CFA-1.2 prototype boards for a long stress period with zero failure."
    Barry

  8. #18
    Join Date: Jan 2008

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    Ah.
    Hopefully mine is old enough that the fault would have shown up by now!
    .

  9. #19
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

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    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    Yes indeed - but it does say that only half the boards developed faults. Yours must have one of the fault-free boards.
    Barry

  10. #20
    Join Date: Aug 2014

    Location: Aarhus, Denmark

    Posts: 305
    I'm Peter.

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    Jerry. Your signature put me onto it. Simple.
    I'm Peter, Denmark: AD Audio Satchmo 3 Line Stage + EAR 516 + Quad ESL 57 + EAR 324P + PTP6 Acoustand L75 + Poul Ladegaard tonearm/Denon 103D + Fidelity Research FR24 mk ii/Decca Maroon + Leak Stereofetic FM Tuner + B&O Beocord 6500 Cassette Deck + Synology DS 415+("upgraded" to 8gb memory) cabled to Win10 PC - JRiver - Paul Pang USB-splitter cable - Linear 5v psu - Nuforce U192s - Line Magnetic 502CA DAC

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