Matt, I've yet to hear a good all-valve MC stage! I'm not sure it can be done with acceptable noise levels.
Besides, after my recent discovery of the Shure M3D (see my thread in Analogue Art) I say 'hail hail' to the (quality) MM cartridge!
Marco.
Site Owner/Administrator
Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK
Posts: 110,524
I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.
Matt, I've yet to hear a good all-valve MC stage! I'm not sure it can be done with acceptable noise levels.
Besides, after my recent discovery of the Shure M3D (see my thread in Analogue Art) I say 'hail hail' to the (quality) MM cartridge!
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & regulator mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat with Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight. Isonoe feet & boots. Ortofon RS-212D tonearm with Denon DL-103GL, in a Denon PCL-300 headshell, fitted with Funk Firm Houdini and Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp and Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp, fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Trade: The Funk Firm
Location: Birmingham, Midlands, United Kingdom.
Posts: 151
I'm Matt.
Glenn can build them, and hybrid ones which he was building in the dying days of EA. He has a trick whereby he mixes valves with super fancy JFets. (Micronaut series I think). The MC boys were creaming their pants over them.Originally Posted by Marco
Matt, I've yet to hear a good all-valve MC stage! I'm not sure it can be done with acceptable noise levels.
Besides, after my recent discovery of the Shure M3D (see my thread in Analogue Art) I say 'hail hail' to the (quality) MM cartridge!
Marco.
But the JFets were a bitch to match in pairs and Glenn doesn't like MC so they aint coming back. You know the drill.
Matt.
Marco, the early Croft SIP preamp (brown casework) I have in the garage has an MC only phono stage and I think Glenn is doing himself a disservice as it sounds great with little noise. Mind you, I haven't used it in years since going solid state, but I'm sure I can find a good home for it.
Trade: Radlett Audio
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
Posts: 7,357
I'm Dave.
Matt,
I've been so busy listening to the new Micro Basic and the RIAA phono stage that I haven't got around to posting about it. I haven't got a clue about posting pics, so it's best left to you to do the products justice.
Glenn popped in on Saturday afternoon without much warning and left two cardboard boxes. Inside one was the 'RIAA' (as he's calling it) phono stage at £500 inc VAT. It's a stunningly good MM only (Glenn doesn't do MC's) phono, lifted from the Micro 25 pre and if you can find another as good at this price I'd be surprised.
The second box held the Micro Basic pre which sells for £350 inc VAT. Glenn calls this his 'recession busting special' and is a re-working of the original Micro which sold by the lorry (rusty Porsche) load back in the 80's. This was a real eye opener back then, when we used to put it up against all comers. I remember a rep coming round with a new 'super' pre which he enthused about for an hour or so - it was the doggies but, to cut a long story short, we sold him a Micro for his own system.
The Micro Basic is a real winner and I've heard inferior pre's at £2K, so it's no slouch. It comes in the same box as the Micro 25 and the only exterior difference are the plastic knobs - a nod to the original.The phono section is MM only and sounds brilliant - pacey, clean, dynamic,communicative. The wiring is all hand done, hard wired and immaculate.
How does Glenn do it for the money ? Why does Glenn do it for the money ?
Many other designers would put it in a fancy box and charge £1500 for the privalege but Glenn just wants as many as possible to enjoy his wares.
Nice one Glenn.
Alien Entity
Location: North East UK
Posts: 6,358
I'm InSpace.
Hmmm... I think I need one of these.
I was going to build my own but at that price I'm starting to think; "why bother?"
Only thing is, I don't need a phono section as I have one I'm rather fond of already.
But hey, what the hell!
Shian7
--------------------------------------------------------
Kudakutemo
kudakutemo
ari mizu-no tsuki
Though it be be broken -
broken again - still it's there:
the moon on the water.
- Choshu.
Site Owner/Administrator
Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK
Posts: 110,524
I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.
Mikey, welcome to the wonderful world of Croft!
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & regulator mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat with Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight. Isonoe feet & boots. Ortofon RS-212D tonearm with Denon DL-103GL, in a Denon PCL-300 headshell, fitted with Funk Firm Houdini and Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp and Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp, fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Alien Entity
Location: North East UK
Posts: 6,358
I'm InSpace.
But how long would it be till I started meddling with it?
Shian7
--------------------------------------------------------
Kudakutemo
kudakutemo
ari mizu-no tsuki
Though it be be broken -
broken again - still it's there:
the moon on the water.
- Choshu.
Trade: Radlett Audio
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
Posts: 7,357
I'm Dave.
There's like - bugger all to meddle with and that's the joy.
Glenn's designs are wonderfully simple, using good parts and beautifully hard-wired. There's not a lot to tinker with.Though, I have messed about with some bits of wire in the past.
Site Owner/Administrator
Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK
Posts: 110,524
I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.
A nice Takman (Seiden) metal-film stepped attenuator could be good...
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & regulator mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat with Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight. Isonoe feet & boots. Ortofon RS-212D tonearm with Denon DL-103GL, in a Denon PCL-300 headshell, fitted with Funk Firm Houdini and Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp and Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp, fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Trade: Radlett Audio
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
Posts: 7,357
I'm Dave.
I tried that line on him Saturday and between the f this, f'ing that I got the impression that Glenn is not going to be swayed by expensive pots. Anyway, you can't expect that in a £350 phono equipped pre.
As you know, Glenn has always excelled at making superb amps for very reasonable prices and this new range continues that tradition. In fact, these very inexpensive products are amongst the most musical he has ever made and I'm knocked out with the results. However, I'm pretty certain that sometime in the future, we will see amps further up the quality ladder (possibly) with expensive pots et al.
David
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