I don´t know

I used the 5250 SE for about 1 jear now.
I never heard an AMP that sounds realistic with a
extrem resolution. The AMP sounds very clear. You can
improve this by using this AMP with DNM interconnections.
I used this Creek with Fostex wideband´s (FP 203, FE 203 Sigma, FE 103s). With these LS you can really test this
clear AMP.
You can simply compare this AMP with a lot of other AMP´s
that costs the same.
Test it..

Similar Products Used:

YAMAHA RX.., Sony Receiver, Onkyo...

Smooth, correct timbre, excellent soundstaging, power.

None

I bought the 5250SER from Audio Advisor on a close out deal for $500 off the retail list price. I am glad I did. I really needed a smooth sounding amp to go with the Triangle Titus XS speakers I just purchased, and the Creek is that, indeed. My old Luxman is very detailed and sharp sounding, so not a great match with the ultra detailed Titus'. Too much of a good thing. Now, with the Creek, with the active pre-amp removed and bi-wired into the Titus', those expressive tweeters are as sweet and detailed as I hoped they would be. Also, since the woofies are let to roll off without crossover at 6200hz, the upper mids needed a smooth amp as well. They have it now.

I am using Kimber PBJ's with the WBT connectors and a double run of Kimber 4pr speaker wire. These wires are both excellent with the Creek. So expressive and clean. My only drawback is a small room. So correct,speaker placement is imperative. But, the Creek is so musical sounding, almost emotional, that the Triangle's sing very well in this room.

I would recommend this integrated amp to anyone with very expressive speakers. There is dynamic impact with clarity, without a hint a shrillness. Also, since the Titus' are a 4ohm load, the Creek puts out 120watts a side. And it sounds like it.

Add in the $500 discount, and I feel like I stole this thing. The Creek 5250SER has to garner 5 stars all around.

Oh yes, thanks to all who contribute to this wonderful website. Most of my hifi buys are influenced by you all.

John

Similar Products Used:

Luxman LV-100 integrated amp

I bought a 5250 after reading reviews in the Late "Fi" magazine and after Sam Tellig had mentioned it in Stereophile in a positive tone. The Creek offered what has been described as 'classic British sound," which had meant to me great resolution and clarity, but a lack of bass and dynamics. The Creek succeeded in the former, but fell quite short in the latter. Anyone who purchases the Creek 5250 should be aware that while clarity and resolution are top notch, soundstaging and dynamics leave much to be desired unless one lives in a closet.

The unit simply could not provide any bass or dynamics in my second system. Any purchaser should be made aware of the Creek's clean power but also its limitations: you need very sensitive speakers to get the best out of this amp. I returned it to Audio Waves for check when the switching capability went south, and had the Db switch set to 6 internally, but it still couldn't produce the kind of sound I enjoy. Listening to the unit became akin to listening to a large transistor radio, clean perhaps, resolving, certainly, but lacking in bass and dynamic excitement. For further comments, see my review of the Adcom GFP 555II that ultimately replaced the 5250 in my system, along with an NAD 2400 PE amp, which I purchased together for less than the Creek cost. Smaller British integrateds are being sold as an excellent entry level source for first time audio buyers, and I don't dispute that. But small wattage in these units generally equal a smaller sonic picture than many audio enthusiasts are wont to desire. "Postage stamp" sound is how one of my audiophile friends regarded the Creek. In the end, a disappointing experience.

Be careful with reviews on these pages. I'm getting a feeling that some folks who write in declaring themselves "audiophiles" lack the judgement and discretionary powers necessary to compare different kinds of equipment. A glance at the rewiews of this product certainly makes me suspect that many people simply have no basis of comparision to adequately judge a range of componentry: just because the 5250 may sound better than the Technics receiver that they recently discarded is no reason to judge oneself an expert in sonic parameters.

Similar Products Used:

NAD 317, (deeper and fuller sound than the Creek.) Current system of Adcom preamp and NAD power amp

Detail, timbre, soundstaging, and power

Nada

This is a six month update to my previous review, circa December, 2000. I have since changed speaker wire from the Kimber 4-pr to the much more dynamic Audioquest Type4. The connectors are still Kimber PBJ w/WBT RCA's. Speakers are Triangle Titus XS on Atacama Nexus 6 stands, sand filled and I am using 3 layers of Dynamat sound deadening material between said speakers and stand plate. CD source is a Pioneer Elite PD-65, and line conditioner is a Monster Power HTS-1000. Equipment rack ia a Sanus Euro.

The Creek 5250 SER is still, in my humblest of opinions and in my particular set-up, a beautifully sounding, dynamic, extra smooth, and entirely enjoyable amplifier. Music choices admittedly do not include the likes of Nine Inch Nails or Staind, but with the "Eric Clapton Blues" cd or say William Orbit's "Pieces in a Modern Style", this combo has me smiling in appreciation of it's not so humble accomplishments.

I must also acknowledge Audio Advisor for their great policy of a 30 day trial period. I have purchased many items from them and have sent back many that have not integrated into this system. The Creek 5250SER is not going anywhere. It is the centerpiece around which all revolves. Excellent piece of equipment, in my opinion, of course.

Similar Products Used:

Luxman Lv-100

Exceptional clarity, solid performer, solid construction.

The manual is very brief.

My equipment consists of Klipschorns, an Otari CDR-18 professional cd recorder, and a Denon DA-500 DAC. As you can see from the quote below (which I borrowed from a Klipschorn review on this site), it can be difficult to match a solid state amplifier to the Khorns:

"The only drawback is some solid state amplifiers bring out the worst in the KHorns. Too much top end, shrillness (for
lack of a better description) sometimes overbearing. This will all be noticed when playing digital sources, i.e. CD's..."

Over the past 4 years I have tried 9 amplifiers from different companies, including a SET tube amp, and none of them were completely satisfcatory. The SET amp came closest to the sound I was looking for but left me fatigued after about an hour of listening.

Enter the Creek 5250: I have no reservations in rewarding this amp the highest ratings. It is the perfect match for my specific combination of equipment and not only solved all of my listening problems but also greaty enhanced my overall listening pleasure. The clarity, soundstaging, and resolution of the 5250, combined with its dynamic punch, solid bass, and effortless ability to fill a room at reasonable sound levels, finally let me hear just the music and not the equipment. The 5250 "tamed" my Khorns and turned them into extensions of the musical instruments themselves.

Highly recommended amp at the discounted price of $575.

Similar Products Used:

Amps in the $500 price range.

clean, detailed, musical, neutral sound; pre-ins and main outs; build quality; slim profile; remote

doesn't accept banana plugs (unless you use the binding post holes), price

This does what an integrated amp is supposed to, it provides clean, detailed, musical, neutral sound.

The problem is that at MSRP $1195 with remote, it should blow away my MSRP $699 NAD surround sound receiver on 2-channel listening. When you factor in the tuner, pro-logic ability, and extra channels of amplification, it's more like $1195 vs. $299. The Creek was marginally better, providing more detail but that's about it.

The Audio Refinement Complete integrated amp did blow away my receiver and seems like a better buy to me.

Also, it really should be able to accept banana plugs.

Similar Products Used:

NAD T750 receiver
Audio Refinement Complete

Terrific Soundstaging, Bass Control, Accurate Treble. Sensitive yet Punchy. Very Very Musical indeed.

None Yet...

First of all i would like to thank Mr. Carrasco for the support at Atitude, in showing a lot of patience on my audictions.

Now the Creek...the 5250 is a very, very well balanced amplifier, that goes extremely good with all types of music. It has a great soundstage, with a great control over the lower frequencies, and an accurate (never overbright) treble.
I tested it in Atitude with Van Den Hul speaker cable and Van Den Hul The First Interconnect. The speakers are the Dynaudio's Audience 60.

I hear (just for the record), Jazz, mostly Fusion, Pat Metheney, Herbie Hancock, John Scofield, Chick Corea and so on...but i also listen to a variety of music that goes from Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Mettalica, Classical Music like J.S.Bach, Beethoven...and listening to a wide range of music sometimes causes some trouble on choosing components.

Relating this to the Creek 5250 i can say that this amplifier never sounded restrained even when pushed by complexed pieces of Beethoven, neither did he sounded muffled with Chick Corea's fusion beats, and the instruments like the Piano sound just there, as if they where there in the room.

( Van Den Hul The First Interconnect Cable was also responsible for this, because i tried several cable Van Den Hul and non-Van Den Hul and this precious cable REALLY makes a difference...)

I advice everyone that is interested in any Creek amplifier, even if it doesn't ring a bell (some people don't know Creek yet), should at least audiction it.

If your main concern is music (like me since i'm also a musician and the way i feed my ears is very important), and no Watts, or Ground-Shaking Sound, BUY IT!!!


My System is:

Creek 5250 Amplifier
Creek CD43 24-bit Crystal Semi-Conductors DAC
Van Den Hul The First Interconnect
Qed Qudos Silver Speaker Cable (if you want to hear all the details in the music it's a good option)
Dynaudio Audience 60

Indeed very good...

Similar Products Used:

Rega ELX, Creek 4330 SE, Naim 3R.

I had bought the Creek 4330 and loved the openness and overall sound quality. So when I needed more power I thought the 5250 would be a natural
choice. And I thought the 5250SE would be the best. I was disappointed at
first. The great imaging on the 4330 had gone away. The dynamics had gone
away. I could'nt figure it out. I borrowed amps and pre-amps from VTL, Classe, Rotel, and Rega trying to get the same sound as the 4330 with more power. It never happened. Then I e-mailed Creek and they suggested I might take out the gain stage and use as a passive pre-amp as this is how the 4330 is set up. What a difference ! All you have to do is take the plug off the phono stage and put it on the proper pins under the hood and you have a fantastic amp. I highly recommend this amp in this configuration. If anybdody has been dissappointed with this amp try this before you sell it or return it. You won't believe how good it really is with this "mask" taken off.

clean accurate sound, nice sound stage, doesn't distort or clip

???

I'm extremely happy with the sound of this amp. It's
very clean I can listen for hours.

My only complaint would be the price I paid in 1998, and
that only because of the prices quoted in the previous
reviews.