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Popular Integrated Amplifiers
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Top Ranked Products from Creek Audio.
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Rating
Reviewed by:
Arthur Gorniak(Unregistered User)
(AudioPhile)
Review Date
August 11, 2009Overall Rating
 2 of 5
Value Rating
 3 of 5
Used product for
3 Months to 1 year |
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Review 1 of 41
Price Paid:
$0.00 Summary:
Hello,
I decided to write this review as there is a lot of misconception surrounding this amplifier. Let me start from the scratch - I bought this unit because of the rave reviews it was getting everywhere in US, without even listening to it. When the unit arrived I connected it to my Spendor S5e speakers and left it on for a week. My source was Arcam FMJ CD36 that fed the signal to Creek through Cardas Quadlink 5C interconnects. I listen to a lot of jazz (Miles Davis, Coltrane,Jan Garbarek,Tomasz Stanko,Dave Brubeck, Todd Gustavsen,Keith Jarret etc) as well as female vocal (Norah Jones,Diana Krall,Patricia Barber,Cassandra Wilson,Roberta Gambrini,Tracy Chapman,Christy Baron,Sherly Horn,Ella Fitzgerald,) and rock (Robert Plant,Mark Knopfler,Bjork etc). I expected from Creek to project holographic sound stage with warm-smooth sound that will allow me to listen to it for long hours. Boy I was disappointed !!!!!!!! I have never finished listening to "on the corner" session of Miles Davis without headache - this amp sounded dry and very fatiguing!!!!! I have a special room designated to my hi-fi equipment so I knew right away that there is something with that amp that I just hate! If you like warm,smooth sound with deep, holographic sound stage DO NOT BUY THIS AMP - as you will be very disappointed.
This amplifier is rated just average in European magazines which made me ask question why it is so well reviewed here???? Well I bet it has something to do with marketing!!!!
That is not the end of the story - I thought maybe that if I change my cables something will change so I started calling different audio stores and after explaining the problem with Creek sound they all said that that is NORMAL!!!!!! Nobody really like the way Creek sounds but everybody sells them!!!!
BE CREFUL and do a lot of listening before you buy this amp!!! You can buy way nicer equipment used at audiogon for less.
Just to let you know I got Unison research Unico SE new for $1600 and its sounds is simply amazing compare to this overrated Creek product!
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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 2 of 41
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 3 of 41
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 4 of 41
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 5 of 41
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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