Glenn Croft is building amplifiers again! CroftAcoustics.co.uk
- Thread starter matodono1
- Start date
matodono1
Trade: Sonik Kables
Hi Gregor
On the front page of the Croft site www.croftacoustics.co.uk I have outlined the initial five items of the range. The first level pre and power amps will be sold for only £700 each. You can expect them to perform at the level of the Vita and TS One which retailed at £1500 each only two years ago at EA. In comparison to other popular audio brands you may expect to pay even more to get the same performance. So value is available.
In this post I refer to the second level of the range (as yet un-named) which again punch above their weight with the new prototype pre-amp completely outclassing my Epoch SE in a side by side test (which cost me £3000 at EA two years ago). Not to mention how much you would have to spend on other brands to get the same sonic performance!
Not steep at all when you look realise how much bang you get for your buck!
Matt.
matodono1
Trade: Sonik Kables
Hi SQ,
I hear what you say as I do to all of the views that have been expressed. I currently run an Epoch SE with a single pot and enjoy the convenience also, but quite frankly if Glenn were to come round tonight (as he will cos we are going out for a curry) with the new pre under his arm and say to me "here you go put that on". The Epoch would be off the rack so fast that the Siltech G3's would possibly fly across the room with it. And to hell with the twin pots cos quite frankly it sounds so good that I don't care if it is a little bit more fiddly.
Aside from that, Glenn has no problem finding customers and nor will he ever. Supply will always struggle to keep up with demand.
Regards, Matt.
Cav
pfm Member
That is always an issue with niche manufacturers. Will he struggle equally with customer service?
matodono1
Trade: Sonik Kables
Hi Cav,
No I don't think so, the designs and reliability have proven themsleves over the past three years (new designs are not too far away from the transvalve concepts).
Point to point wiring is easy to work on and faults when they develop are easy for Glenn to find. Currently repairs and upgrades are being turned around in one to two weeks.
Regards, Matt.
matodono1
Trade: Sonik Kables
Hi Gregor,
Yes part of the cost saving is the use of the same casework across the range, so the cheaper pre will have dual mono just the same as the more expensive model. Other wise you have two holes in the fornt with one pot (which would probably violate CE codes). And thanks I will!
Best, Matt.
Uncle Ants
I'm a Shop Keeper
As someone who sold literally hundreds of Croft pre-amps back in the day, I can assure the reader that the dual volume thingy never cost us a sale. A couple of seconds familiarisation is all it takes to realise it isn't a problem and that the sound overrides any doubts. I have my order in for demo stock and can't wait, dual volume controls et al.
As for keeping up with service - Glenn's products were amongst the most reliable I have ever sold, so I don't anticipate any problems.
The EAR G88 was the pre with dual volume pots connected by a rubber toothed belt, which worked well in practice.
As for keeping up with service - Glenn's products were amongst the most reliable I have ever sold, so I don't anticipate any problems.
The EAR G88 was the pre with dual volume pots connected by a rubber toothed belt, which worked well in practice.
RustyB
Registered Ginga
Maybe I'm strange but having owned the wonderful Super Micro, and an Audible Illusions Mod IID, the twin-volume control bizz never bothered me.
What no-one's mentioned is that you get balance control without compromise to the signal path. In practical terms, there's a greater variety of pot values available in mono format.
I would say though, that detented pots are a good idea for this application.
What no-one's mentioned is that you get balance control without compromise to the signal path. In practical terms, there's a greater variety of pot values available in mono format.
I would say though, that detented pots are a good idea for this application.
bottleneck
pfm Member
the engineering is here, now, and available to have one 'external' volume pot and a remote control - with no sonic degredation.
Let's consign the two-pots to the history bin of bad ideas.
Let's consign the two-pots to the history bin of bad ideas.
YNWOAN
100% Analogue
The fact that my tonearm doesn't have a lift/lower device never bothered me either - hence, I still own it. However, I know for a fact that this has stopped other people (who were bothered by it) from buying one.
I wouldn't mind if my pre-amp only had one input but it doesn't follow that nobody cares if their preamp can only play one sourde or not - the whole dual mono volume control issue is much the same.
I wouldn't mind if my pre-amp only had one input but it doesn't follow that nobody cares if their preamp can only play one sourde or not - the whole dual mono volume control issue is much the same.
What make of mono Volume pot is being used and which model from the range , I ask this because I posed the question about stepped attenuators and was informed that the Noble pot I had was as good. I cant see that a stereo pot using the same parts as a mono pot will sound any different , maybe I'm wrong???
matodono1
Trade: Sonik Kables
With all due respect, Glenn is well aware what is available as he has built em all. Only eighteen months ago 5 x single potted remote controlled Syntegra S's were being shipped to Germany at £5000 GBP a pop.
Glenn knows what they do and does not want to build them so he isn't going to. For those of you who want expensive chassis with pointy feet and shiny remote controlled knobs should look at other marques.
For those of you who put sonic quality above all else will get bargains.
Regards, Matt.
Robert
Tapehead
Exactly, dual pots are the Croft USP - the one sonic effect that really doesn't exist but claiming it does gets everyone talking and adds 'interesting' paragraphs to magazine reviews. File it with plastic amplifier cases, solid core wire and Beltism.
We really don't need hair-shirtism for the sake of it in 2008.
Other than that, very nice amps.
DSJR
Between us and them
I flinched at the £1400 each price tag until I saw that there will be an "entry" level at £700 each.
As my own (now) vintage Croft has dual input selector switches as well as twin volume controls (!!!!!) the continuation of twin volume controls is perhaps a moot point. I begged Glenn not to, but he seems determined to do it his way (and an external rubber band doesn't work when the pots are at each end of the front panel). Linking them together will only increase the cost.
I'm awaiting funds to be available so Glenn can breathe some further updates into my preamp. So glad he's back and I hope he sells many hundreds of units.
As my own (now) vintage Croft has dual input selector switches as well as twin volume controls (!!!!!) the continuation of twin volume controls is perhaps a moot point. I begged Glenn not to, but he seems determined to do it his way (and an external rubber band doesn't work when the pots are at each end of the front panel). Linking them together will only increase the cost.
I'm awaiting funds to be available so Glenn can breathe some further updates into my preamp. So glad he's back and I hope he sells many hundreds of units.