Rebuilding a vintage Croft Mega Micro pre-amp

[Dowser]

In my Croft different valves sound almost exactly the same. That said, I like RFT/RWN/Erfurt (E German state-run electronics conglomerate) and the plates in those are tiny.

There is more than stacks online about identifying valves, but so much is total garbage, you'll end up reading for hours and then suddenly realise that at least 50% of what you've read can only be nonsense. The clasic goof is people talking about Pinnacle, Bentley, Zaerix, TAD, Marshall and loads besides, being good, bad, great or whatever, when they did nothing but sell badged valves from whatever manufacturer offered the best deal.

Your long plate looks to be Philips, reading the silver ink data (usually described as etched by those with no lateral thought process - it is proud of the glass), through the bottom of the glass - flip it round and the code should tell all. If it works, it will potentially be worth a mint, if Philips Blackburn (Mullard).

Thanks - I notice pretty large differences - but all in presentation, I struggle to identify a "best" - the Ultron ECC82 were definitely better than the originals in there, the TADs have more "presence", but are maybe a bit sibilant at the top compared to the Ultrons.

The JJs in the PSU seem to have simply thrown the imaging further behind and in front of my speakers...I need to listen some more.

 

[Vinny]

The major thing I find is how longer listening "feels" - you can sit/sprawl, listening for hours, time passes un-noticed and the pleasure just flows, or after an hour or so you become distracted.

 

[Dowser]

I haven't forgotten BTW, no box as yet

Haha - thanks, no stress

 

[Dowser]

The major thing I find is how longer listening "feels" - you can sit/sprawl, listening for hours, time passes un-noticed and the pleasure just flows, or after an hour or so you become distracted.

Just swapped Ultrons back into line stage to replace the TADs - no comparison, Ultrons better…smoother, more organic, less hash. And that’s listening to radio paradise as background from another room.

I‘ve made loads of changes recently - new Pi4 with digi hat feeding into new vintage Micromega DAC, the Mega Micro pre and then I‘ve lifted up my ESLs up higher off the ground. Best sound I’ve had so far, very happy.