Croft phono integrated tube recommendations

andyrlb

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Picked up a Croft phono integrated yesterday, it currently has JJ ecc83s tubes in it ( I don’t use the phonostage ) on some tracks it can sound a little flat with too much bass , will definitely a different tube be an improvement?

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Jazid

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James
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Your experiences of Croft integrateds are very different from mine. Either there is a mismatch in your system, or a valve is on the blink. So yes, a new one (or three) may help IMHO.
 
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andyrlb

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Your experiences of Croft integrateds are very different from mine. Either there is a mismatch in your system, or a valve is on the blink. So yes, a new one (or three) may help IMHO.
It is only on certain tracks that I’ve noticed it , my speakers are not the most efficient either.
I may yet move the Croft to my second system.
 

Sotosound

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Your Croft Integrated should sound wonderful with its original JJ valves, but it is only 45W/channel, and if a valve or two is on the blink then that power will drop noticeably.

I was lucky enough to have Glenn Croft nearly double the power of my Croft Series 7 power amp from the standard 45W/channel to a measured 86W/channel, which allowed me a wider choice of speakers.

Glenn also subsequently upgraded both my Micro 25 and my Series 7 with some better components to enhance sound quality, and those tweaks certainly worked well.

However, the only valve changes that I have made have been to replace tired JJ valves with new JJs of exactly the same specification. No tube rolling required. Those JJ's go together very nicely with the Croft kit.

You can get replacement valves from HotRox UK.
 
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andyrlb

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Thanks , I will order new . It does sound very nice on the majority of tracks .
 

SiF

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I had a similar view on the JJs - just dull and boring. Not wanting to get into the NOS roundabout, I went the slightly cheaper new manufacture roundabout! I tried a few based on the reviews:

TAD RT001: clean, punchy and brighter. I settled on these in the integrated.
TAD RT093: meaty like the JJs, but a bit brighter. Felt unbalanced to me though, an odd reproduction.
JJ 803S: dull. But get good reviews.
PSVane art series: very clean, balanced and even. Nice, but probably overpriced. Use these in the 25LS.

As ever, depends on equipment and ears, but there are a lot of reviews to get an overall impression.
 
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axe

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It's really down to personal preference. I owned a Phono Integrated before I swapped to the 25r/7r combo and having tried a few different tubes, I settled on the Tesla 803s. There's nothing wrong with the stock JJ's, I just find them a bit too bright / noisy.

Take a look at the Croft owners club thread as this is a common topic - https://www.hifiwigwam.com/threads/croft.56593/
 
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andyrlb

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Just thinking I bet this would quite nice through my acoustic research at-4ax speakers.
I think my B&O M100-2’s may not be the best match.
 

Jazid

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I would think you'd need a pretty hefty solid state amp for those B&O speakers. I speak without direct experience but the specs are not Croft-friendly, more Krell-friendly!
 
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andyrlb

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I would think you'd need a pretty hefty solid state amp for those B&O speakers. I speak without direct experience but the specs are not Croft-friendly, more Krell-friendly!
Exactly, I’m used to my Roksan k3 or Restek fantasy II or the Yamaha ca2010 , I think I’ll stick the Croft in the second system with some of my less hungry speakers.
I can hear the potential though and it’s sweet , very happy that I’ve bought it , and only from 6 miles away.
 

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