I’ve auditioned CROFT separates (preamp and power amp) at a dealer with the following observations:
Its a bespoke British kit that has its own quirks, strengths and warts,
(1) Speaker matching was comparatively very acute. In my audition, LIVING VOICE Avatar OBX-R2 speakers bested NEATs, FOCAL and all the other contenders on-site. CROFT appeared to be of a higher sensitivity to a proper speaker match.
(2) Cables had a noticeable effect on the synergy alchemy. Curiously again, a higher sensitivity to cables was apparent, with LFD besting the bevy of cable choices. But because of (1) above, it was impossible to emphatically assign a separate distinct factor herein with any great assurance.
(3) The CROFT kit sounded great with a high-end digital source at the top of the system. It was my observation that the CROFT kit is very revealing and will expose any source shortcomings or weak spots graphically.
MY TAKE
it can be lovely indeed, it’s a bespoke high-end kit but it is not one that I rank ahead of a better known and more easily seen alternative such as LFD. The latter is every bit the peer to CROFT and IMO a "better" performer via both performance and flexibility in many system builds.
add to this that
-- the CROFT is an esoteric limited appeal and limited popularity brand here
-- but still $$$$ buy on this side of the pond
AND
-- with the potential high component matching sensitivity issues highlighted above,
(1) it’s a high-risk brand choice that I would never buy blind nor lend any credence to mag reviews accordingly because of these real risks:
(2) your exit choices later, if it does not float your boat, will likely be very limited (and expensive) because of its relative popularity and brand obscurity in North America ;
(3) Having heard it, (and it was lovely but in THAT bespoke system) I would only consider it in an evaluation predicated upstream to its source AND downstream to its speaker mates.
In simpler words, it is a unit to be a contender AFTER I was comfortable with the rest of my gear. It is not one that I would parse out separately as a low-risk keeper first building block .....
Its a bespoke British kit that has its own quirks, strengths and warts,
(1) Speaker matching was comparatively very acute. In my audition, LIVING VOICE Avatar OBX-R2 speakers bested NEATs, FOCAL and all the other contenders on-site. CROFT appeared to be of a higher sensitivity to a proper speaker match.
(2) Cables had a noticeable effect on the synergy alchemy. Curiously again, a higher sensitivity to cables was apparent, with LFD besting the bevy of cable choices. But because of (1) above, it was impossible to emphatically assign a separate distinct factor herein with any great assurance.
(3) The CROFT kit sounded great with a high-end digital source at the top of the system. It was my observation that the CROFT kit is very revealing and will expose any source shortcomings or weak spots graphically.
MY TAKE
it can be lovely indeed, it’s a bespoke high-end kit but it is not one that I rank ahead of a better known and more easily seen alternative such as LFD. The latter is every bit the peer to CROFT and IMO a "better" performer via both performance and flexibility in many system builds.
add to this that
-- the CROFT is an esoteric limited appeal and limited popularity brand here
-- but still $$$$ buy on this side of the pond
AND
-- with the potential high component matching sensitivity issues highlighted above,
(1) it’s a high-risk brand choice that I would never buy blind nor lend any credence to mag reviews accordingly because of these real risks:
(2) your exit choices later, if it does not float your boat, will likely be very limited (and expensive) because of its relative popularity and brand obscurity in North America ;
(3) Having heard it, (and it was lovely but in THAT bespoke system) I would only consider it in an evaluation predicated upstream to its source AND downstream to its speaker mates.
In simpler words, it is a unit to be a contender AFTER I was comfortable with the rest of my gear. It is not one that I would parse out separately as a low-risk keeper first building block .....