Suggestions for a suitable "temporary" power amp for a Croft 25 RSLS

[worrasf]

One of my Croft 7 Monoblocks has to go off for repair so I'm currently without a power amp for my Croft 25RSLS line stage pre.

I'm looking for a suitable power amp (solid state or valve) that I can use while I'm waiting for the 7 Mono to be fixed. I'm aware of the phase inversion that the Croft's employ and possible inductance issues with mismatched pre and power amps but I have no idea what might be a suitable match although I have read the Quad 606 works OK. My Epos M22i's are easy to drive so it doesn't have to be a power monster.

I'd appreciate suggestions from anyone who has real life experience of partnering a Croft 25 with a non-Croft power amp.

Steve

[zanash]

in a similar position I obtained an smsl sa50 [amazon £50ish] ..............gobsmacked at the performance of this tiny class d I ditched the class ab and now run Nords one up nc 500

[zanash]

in a similar position I obtained an smsl sa50 [amazon £50ish] ..............gobsmacked at the performance of this tiny class d I ditched the class ab and now run Nords one up nc 500

[Macca]

QUAD 303 will work, as will - surprisingly - a Linn LK100.

I also tried a Behringer A100 with mine and that was a disaster, unlistenable.

I'd go for QUAD as a known quantity.

[walpurgis]

Buy a cheap but respectable integrated amp and use that. It'll allow some volume adjustment if you need it too. Something from NAD or Denon should do the job and sound decent enough for the time being.

[struth]

could use a proart amp or a pair if you wanted... cheap but they are good and also have a vc on front.. a lot of folk here have or have had them. ive got 4 lol

[Macca]

It's a question of compatibility, the Croft pre really does not get on with some power amps. I think it might overload those with high input sensitivity or something. I never fully got to the bottom of it. QUAD is a safe bet though and the combo sounds very good.

[struth]

It's a question of compatibility, the Croft pre really does not get on with some power amps. I think it might overload those with high input sensitivity or something. I never fully got to the bottom of it. QUAD is a safe bet though and the combo sounds very good.

would imagine firebottle will know.

[worrasf]

Thanks to all for comments and suggestions much appreciated.

Glenn has fixed my amp and it's on it's on its way back to me. 4 working days turn around! How's that for superb after sales service and support?

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[Firebottle]

would imagine firebottle will know.

Your right, I do.
Most Croft preamps have a fairly high output impedance, though some have been modified to include a cathode follower stage to lower the output impedance.
Glenn does do this if requested.

If the standard output is connected to a low input impedance power amp, of say 10K which is quite common with Solid State, the operating characteristic of the output stage in the Croft is affected badly. The following impedance needs to be 100K or more IMO. It is the classic impedance mis-match.

Put more simply always follow a low impedance output with a high impedance input for trouble free operation.


PS Great news on the amp Steve.