Price Paid:  $200.00 from ebay

Summary:
I purchased this unit from ebay and at the time I was really excited about it because I heard a lot of good things. When it came I plugged it in, played a few records and I wasn't satisfied at all. I thought something must be wrong or there is a compatibility problem. Overall the sound was too synthetic, not musical and kind of empty. Yes the lows are deep but didn't sound real. The highs were way too bright. I fiddled with the turntable thinking there must be some kind of alignment problem but everything was correct. So I borrowed another preamp from a friend which was a KAB PH-1 which I believe he paid $149. This thing to my surprise sounded a lot better. Finally it was real analog sound. I didn't buy one of those but I was really tempted. Then I purchased a Bellari VP129 tube preamp for $200. Now this thing is musical. The sound is real, realistic, lows are deep, mid is fluid, and highs are not too sharp or bright. I think I am going to keep this one.

Strengths:
Non

Weaknesses:
Sound pretty terrible.

Price Paid:  $350.00 from NY

Summary:
My impression on OBH-8SE has started when I'd decided to switch from an on-board phono preamp in LINN Kolektor to the OBH-8SE. The difference was obvious in terms of dimensional presentation. With the OBH-8SE, music seems to be more musical, notes seems to be more coulorful. Treble is very good and bass is more realistic; the OBH-2 power supply is also an excellent upgrade from the previous version OBH-8 which is equiped with conventional grade PSU. This phono preamp is the best you can buy for your money. It features many upgraded parts from the OBH-8: goldplated connectors, Elna caps, triple power supply caps, etc...which makes the 8SE much better than the older version.

Strengths:
Mean looking in black, open soundstage, good separation and coherence of the music

Weaknesses:
The preamp unit is too light so large interconnects always tilted it and it may not be good to control vibration.

Similar Products Used:
LINN's onboard phono, QED Discsaver

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
What a little box of magic this Creek is,I can't believe a box so small can make a sound sooo big,ok it's not beautiful to look at,but the sound the bubbles forth is just so aluring.

I'm using it with a Rega P25,origin live arm mod,Shure V15mkIII,B&W 804,CJ pre,Bel Canto power.

The sound I hear just captivates you with its begulling sound,that will captivate you and you find more and more vinyl to listen to,it just holds your attention with a none attention grabbing sound.It just gets on the job of presenting music,pure and simple,it's not out to impress,oh no,its just far too good for that,and at such as modest price,a steal second hand,just laughing at what this little beaut can do.

Treble is smooth clean,with no spit or grain,it won't strip the wallpaper off your walls,or send the local K9 population into a mad frenze,oh no,it's to refined for that,just leaves you listening to the top end in a natural unforced fashion.

Moving down the freq range mids are natural,matches well to the kevler of the relaxed B&W804,voices are natural,unforced,and tangable,integrating well with the treble unit.

Bass just boogies,nice and fruity,rich,and not overpowering,just flows to the music,not disjointed,just well presented and in time with the rest of the presentation,not hard hitting,or punchy,again just smooth,relaxed and bubbly,that allows you to enjoy the unit record after record.

Allowing for price,I don't think stage is huge,or very deep,or the greatest serperation,thats not it's forte,it's pure strength is its sheer musicality,listenability,tunefulness,smoothness,
a truly budget wonder!! superb for its price.

Strengths:
musicality,smooth relaxed and bubbbbbbly

Weaknesses:
slightly lacking in depth and seperation

Price Paid:  $269.00 from Music Direct

Summary:
Works very well with my Music Hall MMF-7 Turntable and Jolida 502B tube amp. Beautiful design and musical without any solid state harshness. Perfect for any budget system.

Strengths:
Musical with good gain, high quality design, fast and involving.

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
None

Price Paid:  $325.00 from Almas HI-FI

Summary:
If you are looking for a perfect mate to a Shure v-15, this is the preamp. The Shure has a slightly lower output than most MM cartridges, and this preamp has quite a bit of gain to it. Highs are excellent, deep bass extension, ABSOLUTELY NO HISS! This is very important in phono reproduction, as any noise quickly becomes BIG noise as you crank it up. One suggestion: Never turn the unit on with your main volume cranked way up. There is a surge from the OBH that will give your speakers quite a test. I have now used this unit for over a year, and am quite sure that I will keep it!

Strengths:
Absolutely quiet! Clean flat sound. Decent amount of gain.

Weaknesses:
None that I can hear. An adjustable gain setting would have been nice.

Similar Products Used:
Obh-8, Audiosource phono preamp, many different "receiver" preamps.