Rating
Reviewed by:
soremongs
(AudioPhile)
Review Date
July 18, 2007Overall Rating
 5 of 5
Value Rating
5 of 5
Used product for
More than 1 year Visitors rate this review
2.25 of 5,
4.00 votes
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Review 1 of 40
Price Paid:
$1500.00
from audio advisor Summary:
I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with anyone that says this amplifier is overrated. For being solid state and in this price range, you just can't beat it. The burn-in time for this amplifier is incredibly long. You'll know when it's burned in. It happens very suddenly. It'll hit you all at once. You'll find yourself listening to everything all over again, thinking "I wonder how this will sound?". I can understand why people can be discouraged with the "out of the box" sound. Strengths:
Has a very warm, detailed,uncolored sound. The remote control volume is very smooth and predictable. Weaknesses:
Very long burn-in time. Runs hot. Cosmetics are mediocre. Similar Products Used:
conrad-johnson, Adcom, Harman-Kardon, Counterpoint
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Rating
Reviewed by:
davidhohle
(Audio Enthusiast)
Review Date
December 22, 2006Overall Rating
5 of 5
Value Rating
5 of 5
Used product for
3 Months to 1 year Visitors rate this review
4.17 of 5,
6.00 votes
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Review 2 of 40
Price Paid:
$2150.00
from Sarah Summary:
Amazing!
It was a Naim CD5X and NAIT5I V.S The Creek and A C.E.C. Tl51X. both systems coming at around $4000 CAN. The Naim being greatly reduced. The Creek CEC combo had it beat hands down! At retail price still a bargain! It is musical, never adding anything the source doesn't send to it. but when the music calls for great highs or deep deep bass, the creek delivers abundently! (On Quad 22L's)
I have listened to many many systems over the years. This system that comes at around $6500 CAN. WILL Without a doubt beat most systems at double or more the price. Thats a fact, and its partly if not mostly due to the amp.
The naim system had one of the top five cdplayers in the world in it's corner. Didn't matter. The cec pulled through and with the help of the creek obliverated it (imo)
It thrives in musicality and seperating instruments. Extreme frequencies, but don't let that scare you mid-range freaks. It's still brittish, and Voices are crystal. Strengths:
Musical, Bass, Seperation of instruments, Neutrality, Treble, Mids, Drive. Weaknesses:
Zero and anyone who says so is a tube freak and should comment on tube electronics, not solid state.
PS, is as sweet sounding as expensive tube amps. Similar Products Used:
Arcam, Naim, MF, NAD, Audio Refinment, NADS300, Cambridge Audio 840, Macintosh, Audiomat, Creek Evo, Byston. and so forth.
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Rating
Reviewed by:
gmartan
(AudioPhile)
Review Date
November 18, 2006Overall Rating
 2 of 5
Value Rating
 1 of 5
Used product for
Less than 1 month Visitors rate this review
1.54 of 5,
13.00 votes
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Review 3 of 40
Price Paid:
$1500.00 Summary:
I had the new Classic version of this amp in my den system for about a week while I was getting a small hum problem in my Unico integrated resolved. I swear this amp made my ears bleed. The Opera speakers that are so musical with the Unico sounded extremely harsh as well as weak. The Uniden powered my Martin Logan Summits pretty well although inferior to my MF TriVista mostly on the high frequencies and detail. The Creek was crap. Build quality was deplorable compared to other amps in this range. Strengths:
Had a headphone jack. Weaknesses:
Weak sounding with harsh sound compared to tube integrated. Poor value. Not even the jacks were copper. El Cheapo speaker binding posts. Similar Products Used:
Copland CSA14
Uniden SE
Musical Fidelity TriVista
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Rating
Reviewed by:
dsdreamer
(Audio Enthusiast)
Review Date
August 16, 2006Overall Rating
5 of 5
Value Rating
5 of 5
Used product for
More than 1 year Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
5.00 votes
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Review 4 of 40
Price Paid:
$1500.00
from AudioVisionSF Summary:
Excellent solid-state amplifier, designed with simplicity and musicality in mind. Tonality is warm, yet detailed and engaging. It is a rare combination of an amplifier that seems to "perform" the music, yet is far from bright or harsh. I fancy the Mosfet output devices give it a hint of 'tube-like' warmth, without masking any detail. The sound is engaging and encourages an emotional connection with the music.
If you get the impression I like this amp a lot, you would be correct. There are certainly better amps out there, but not in this price range, IMO. Strengths:
Simplicity, great mid-range detail, musically engaging, agreeably warm tonality. Plenty of power for realistic dynamics in an average living space. Weaknesses:
Simpler signal routing in the passive pre-amp stage should have been possible. Flat ribbon cable for audio routing has been a point of failure in my case requiring repair. Unsheilded U-bar links from pre- to power-amp should be replaced. I believe the new 5350 Classic has addressed these issues. Similar Products Used:
Marantz Special Edition Integrated Amp. Arcam Diva amps.
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Rating
Reviewed by:
ckazanci
(AudioPhile)
Review Date
July 3, 2005Overall Rating
2 of 5
Value Rating
2 of 5
Used product for
More than 1 year Visitors rate this review
2.82 of 5,
22.00 votes
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Review 5 of 40
Price Paid:
$1200.00
from online - audiogon Summary:
I think the reason people are so fond of Creek 5350SE initially are mostly due to the rave reviews, and the classic style. In adition to the motorized volume control, a fancy motorized input switching mechanism. Arcam A85 was another choice, but it had all digital controls (including digital tone controls) and I thought Creek with its simpler design would sound more natural, musical, less processed...
I bought Creek 5350SE initially. I used it over a year with my Dynaudio Audience 80's. It had good midrange and detail but lacked overall tonal balance and musicality, it felt dry. I wasn't happy, so I sold it at a huge loss, and bought the Arcam A85. I was happier. I kept it until I had to sell my whole system for financial reasons. Now after 2 years, I am looking to by a better system, and I am looking at the FMJ line.
If you are in the market for an integrated, I strongly recommend that you consider the Arcam. Parasound Halo series also sounded good (pre+power) at a similar price. Do not do the same mistake, and assume that 'digital controls degrade the sound'. One of my friends owns a $20,000 Meridian system that has all digital controls and built in DAC's in speaker cabinets, and sounds allmost life-like. Strengths:
Good midrange, detail. Weaknesses:
Not musical enough for me. Overrated. Similar Products Used:
NAD, Rotel, Plinius
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Naim launches XS range
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Having launched the NAIT XS amplifier a while bag added to the range: the CD5 XS CD player, NAT05 FM tuner, and NAC 152 XS preamp and NAP 155 [...]
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4.65 of 5
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