Very transparent, does not color the music in any way

None

This is an incredible little passive pre-amp. I was previously using a Sony 9000 ES. Associated gear:

Rotel 975 CD
Rotel 991 Amp
NHT 2.9 Speakers
Nordost Solar Wind Cables
XLO interconnects

The difference between the Sony and the Creek is like night and day. The Sony was congested, and the high end was bright.

By comparison, with the Creek it is like I lifted a veil from over the music. The highs are sweet, yet not rolled off. Clean clear mids. There is now so much air around the instruments.

I bought mine from Audio Advisor for $279 (they matched HCMAudio's price). Clearly the best $300 I've spent.

Similar Products Used:

Sony ES

I've had my OBH-12 for six months now and I find it hard to justify spending more on a preamp. It has definitely added new life to my listening experience. Soundstage & imaging are excellent, midrange is as perfect as it gets for me, it has good heft both at the top and bottom, and everything in between is just so much better. Balance is probably a better way to describe this little performer. Compared to my old active preamp, the Creek has lifted a veil that, until now, I thought was part of the music. This is staying in my system for a long time to come.
Criticisms? Small ones: you have to get used to the labelling of sources on the remote, and it seems any other remote will make this thing react.

Thanks to HCM Audio (www.hcmaudio.com) for their assistance (and great price!)& Creek for making a wonderful product I can actually afford!

My modest system:
NAD Monitor 5000 cdp
Musical Fidelity X-10D
Energy C-2, biwired, on 21" stands
Acurus A150 amp
Kimber PBJs, Esoteric speaker cables

My mind about this unit has changed drastically. After I put the unit back together, I finally gave it a listen, and wow, this unit sounds GREAT! Yes, maybe the parts aren't that esoteric, but maybe that isn't necessary. Sorry about my previous post. I guess I should've listened first. You can't go wrong with the little pre.

It lets your associated equipment do what it's supposed to do. It has multiple inputs-nice.

You might not feel good spending such a small amount on such a nice product. Well, I did spend full retail... sometimes you have to support the local audio shops.

First of all, I'm glad the previous post gave this product a different rating than what I am going to give it. This is a message board and readers should see both sides.

It would have been nice to know from the previous reviewer if he didn't like how it paired with his equipment or what qualities were affected.

Now on to the review...

This is an amazing product in my opinion. I really bought this product on a whim to break in my new speakers before deciding on a preamp. Once they were broken in, I tried the VTL TL 5.5, Audio Note M2 and numerous solid states. I didn't realize that I would end up with the Creek. Other than the Creek, I enjoyed the M2. The M2 was nice, but in no way accurate. It had a nice bloom and really gave extension to the vocals, especially chorus. The OBH-12 seemed more open and airy than the other pieces, but I believe this was from the other equipment and not the Creek. In other words, the Creek did not add anything extra to the signal and that is what I want.

The OBH-12 is also very functional. You have a remote, 2 inputs and a tape loop. If you don't plug the unit in, input 1 still works, you just have to manually adjust the volume.

I am looking into the Hovland but like the Creek so much that I may not switch.

I give it 5 stars.

Equipment:

Belles 350A
EgglestonWorks Isabels
Creek OBH-12 (obviously)
Pioneer DV-09 (looking into the Bel Canto DAC)
VPI 19Jr. with Rega RB 300 and Blue Point on the way
Audioquest Viper
Cheapy Speaker wire at this time (Looking at Nordost)
Salamander Archetype with spikes

Music:

Dido and Diana Krall sound fantastic!

open soundstage,small unit,remote control

only one main out put.

I got this unit to see if what other people said about it was true. I now see no need for exspensive active preamps.This thing is clean,lively,just like a passive preamp should be.It cleaned up the bass(more a tube thing)for my sub. Not much to say about it other than it works well with my system.I now use my cj as a phono preamp only.

my system
audio eletronics se811 mono blocks
triangle titus spk.
oracle alexandria
sumiko bluepoint
ASUSA K2003
analysis-plus oval 12

Similar Products Used:

conrad johnson,mac-c26 adcom,

No noise, nothing added to signal path, remote (once you figure it out...) switching capabilities

I can not find any, for the price I paid...

I have used this little thing for about 2 years now, and I can honestly say that I have never been disappointed by it. I have read other reviews, singing the praises of it, as well as some not singing at all. For the money you will pay for this little box, you won't find a better PPA. I am a bit more than a budding audiophile, but I hate that word, because it is usually associated with tweak freaks, and I am NOT a tweak freak. I just know what I like, and I like this pre-amp. My system consists of:

Bohlender Graebner 52" Planar-Magnetics
Threshold s500 Power amp for highs (200Hz and up)
Pair of NAD 216 amps bridged for lows (200Hz and down)
Custom built 48dB Crossovers
Creek OBH-12
Audio Alchemy Ultra-DAC w/ PS3
(something mumbled about a R/S 50+1 disc changer (as a transport ONLY!))

As with any component, and passives seem to be a bit more sensitive, upstream and downstream impedances WILL affect the way a component sounds. With a bit of care in placement and choice of supporting equipment, this little gem will satisfy, and do it inexpensively.

There are NO tone controls in the system, and all cables are as short a possible. My interconnects are quad-shielded, surplus, silver, Mil-Spec, teflon insulated, RF signal wires. All connections are soldered with silver solder, directly to the circuit board whenever possible. I think there are a total of about 4 RCA connectors in the whole mess... The speaker cables are the same cable, just multiple pairs of it in parallel for lowered DCR. I think I have about 3 kilobux in the whole system, and I have not heard MUCH that works as well as it, and certainly not for 3000 dollars!

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha natural sound Pre-amp, home brew passives, home brew actives, carver stuff.

The review below, supposedly submitted by me after I've listened to the preamp, is completely bogus. I stand by my one-star review 100%. Email for details if desired, thanks.

Remote control

Overpriced

I can't stop laughing...had the opportunity to pull one of these apart and examine the guts. It's about $50 worth of parts, and that's a generous estimate. The actual pot is just garbage, looks similar to the "budget gourmet" Alps you can buy for $2 at Radio Crack, but appears to be a budget version of even that with the addition of a motor on the back. All you guys gushing over the sound of a cheap little box with a $2 pot inside makes me positively giddy.

Similar Products Used:

Home-built

Transparent sound. Excellent Soundstage

None

First let me say that I bought this unit based upon reviews read here. I have not been disappointed in the least. I have my OBH-12 hooked up to my Belles 150A amp, which I reviewed elsewhere. (If you're looking for a killer amp, look no further. The Belles was made a class a/b recommended component in April 2001's Stereophile mag.) This little pre-amp was also a recommended component. However, Stereophile rarely gives the nod to such an inexpensive piece of sound gear. If you're in the market for a pre-amp and don't need or want bells and whistles, just stereo music to enjoy, buy one, and you'll be singing its praises.

Similar Products Used:

First Passive Pre-amp.

I have been very pleased with this little passive remote preamp that I got for only $300 about 1 year ago. It has a very clean and non-there sound. However, I haven't had or tested any other preamps for comparison. I upgraded from the pre-outs on my former Sony ES receiver, and the difference was instantly astounding. For this price, I think this level of performance is great.