Stick with vintage Creek amp or gamble

Pierre The Bear

Wammer
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Sep 19, 2009
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John
Hi all,

I have owned and used vintage Creek amps (4 in total now approx £50 each) for about 5 years. I love them, not hugely powerful but little pocket rockets and enough power for me and perhaps most importantly I like the way they sound driving my focal electras.

I keep my eye out for a bargain and have tried other amplification on 3 other occasions all 3 much more expensive than the Creeks thinking it would be a significant "upgrade" however found them all falling if not short certainly no better than I liked the Creeks.

With this in mind I have pondered buying a more recent Creek amp but that's at least a £600 lower end or £1500 higher end upgrade. So... Has anyone got any experience of older and newer Creek amps? and would they be kind enough to elaborate on if it's worth spending the dosh?

The negative side of me says "your happy with your amps John and they cost sod all just leave it" but the itchy side of upgradeitus is so compelling.

Or maybe just buy another vintage Creek and use 1 for each speaker?

 

SMEagol

Middle Earthed
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Aug 13, 2008
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Chris
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  1. No
Enough of the creeks already! Thing is theres nothing intrinsically wrong with liking them, but for me it's all about the journey and synergy you'd be amazed about. Look at reviews of your speakers, how they like to be driven, and see what ordinary people have driven them with then look for something either second hand or derivative. There are consumers reviews of the 920, I've seen them. Of course the other free and fun options a bake off at yours?

I'd love to have heard my nakamichi PA7-E power amp and matching pre, when I had them on the 920's

I've had a few systems that are truly addictive, and I think that came from being a bit of an explorer. Not for everyone I'll grant you, but for me it's been half the buzz about the passion of this hobby. It's about reproduction of sound, and I'm still chasing the sound if a Rhodes keyboard I had a few years ago on my system. I'll get it! Just have to watch the money as I had to flog it all!

 

Cable Monkey

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Can you afford it? If it all went wrong and your purchase went up in smoke, would it leave you destitute. If not, buy them and try them. Sell them on if not happy

 

tryant

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Mar 29, 2008
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I sort of agree with both pieces of advice above, but I would also add that my 5350SE is a massive improvement over the old 4000 series amps. If you like the Creek sound, you can't go wrong with an upgrade like that. However, there is the law of diminishing returns with upgrades. I think the expense was worth it; but only you can decide if it's worth it for yourself. I have a hunch you might just be happier saving the money. I would also add that the 5350SE isn't in my main system. I have a Bryston in that one. :)

 

Pierre The Bear

Wammer
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Sep 19, 2009
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John
Enough of the creeks already! Thing is theres nothing intrinsically wrong with liking them, but for me it's all about the journey and synergy you'd be amazed about. Look at reviews of your speakers, how they like to be driven, and see what ordinary people have driven them with then look for something either second hand or derivative. There are consumers reviews of the 920, I've seen them. Of course the other free and fun options a bake off at yours?I'd love to have heard my nakamichi PA7-E power amp and matching pre, when I had them on the 920's

I've had a few systems that are truly addictive, and I think that came from being a bit of an explorer. Not for everyone I'll grant you, but for me it's been half the buzz about the passion of this hobby. It's about reproduction of sound, and I'm still chasing the sound if a Rhodes keyboard I had a few years ago on my system. I'll get it! Just have to watch the money as I had to flog it all!
Chris hi,

I'm not sure what you mean by enough of the Creeks already? Are you suggesting they are not a good match for the focals?

Thing is you may well and probably are correct but I'm a different kind of listener to you I would imagine. You, and forgive me if I'm wrong seem to want perfect music reproduction which granted is "hi-fi" if you like. I just want to really like how my system sounds to me regardless of how true to the master recording or live event it is.

I'm a bit of a slag musically and your a bit more of a purist.

Do you remember the massive smile that reached across my face when I first heard the focals at you place? They still do the same thing every day with my old Creeks. I just think it would take a lot of money for me to smile any bigger but I'm happy to be proved wrong.

So....Bake off it is.

I would need the house to myself but that's no big problem as the wife goes to visit family in London often and would take the baby daughter with her.

I'll find out when she's going next and get a bake off organised.

Chris, you have first dibs on a bed if you want to stay over just bring the Naks.

The best curry ever will be provided by me along with drinks and nibbles but anyone attending will be required to bring at least one item of hi-fi.

 

bandit pilot

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Rick
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If you're getting a pleasing sound for little outlay, keep and enjoy mate.

The more you spend, the smaller the return. I know this from many years of painful experience, where you sit all comfortable (or uncomfortable) in the knowledge that you've got 20k+ on the rack, only to wonder why you did it when you hear a few hundred quid car boot clunker give it all a run for it's money.

I bet you're bored, and only thinking about this to give yourself something to do. :D

 

mmar

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mick
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John My mate owns a creek evo but no idea how it compares with the older amps, I can tell you I love it and the mate in question has had his box swapping affliction cured since buying it over 2 years ago

prior to this he owned some pretty exotic kit sugden master class , musical fidelity tri Vista to mention just a couple !

 

Steveh

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I have owned 3 Creek amps, A pre/power combo to which I added an extra power amp and mono'd(bridged) the 2 stereo amps to increase power(and grip of speakers). The sound always impressed me: rich,well controlled bass , superb mid-range, and silky highs. I would still be using these if I had not seen my current amps at a good price and local collection(I don't trust couriers), but have to say that they do better the Creeks( but not by much) in terms of speed and clarity of detail. Soundstaging is similar, something which the Creeks also excel at IMHO. I still have Creek P43 pre and A52SE power amp(the heavy special edition one with 2 transformers) which will be sold in the near future.

 

rabski

Everything in moderation
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Dec 2, 2006
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Richard
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Hi all,I have owned and used vintage Creek amps (4 in total now approx £50 each) for about 5 years. I love them, not hugely powerful but little pocket rockets and enough power for me and perhaps most importantly I like the way they sound driving my focal electras.

I keep my eye out for a bargain and have tried other amplification on 3 other occasions all 3 much more expensive than the Creeks thinking it would be a significant "upgrade" however found them all falling if not short certainly no better than I liked the Creeks.

With this in mind I have pondered buying a more recent Creek amp but that's at least a £600 lower end or £1500 higher end upgrade. So... Has anyone got any experience of older and newer Creek amps? and would they be kind enough to elaborate on if it's worth spending the dosh?

The negative side of me says "your happy with your amps John and they cost sod all just leave it" but the itchy side of upgradeitus is so compelling.

Or maybe just buy another vintage Creek and use 1 for each speaker?
Sounds to me like 'I want to throw some money away, so how should I do it?'

If you're happy with the combination you have, then why change it just for the sake of it?

If, however, you've heard other systems that make you think 'mine is not that good' then that's different.

I suspect the former is the situation.

In which case, expand differently if you really want to chuck money about. Buy a turntable.

 

Pierre The Bear

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Sep 19, 2009
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John
No not quite Richard. I don't have money to throw away by any stretch of the imagination. I simply wanted to know if an upgrade would be worth it and to see if any wammers had any experience of the Creeks.

And I certainly do not want a turntable thank you very much.

 

rabski

Everything in moderation
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Dec 2, 2006
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Richard
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
No not quite Richard. I don't have money to throw away by any stretch of the imagination. I simply wanted to know if an upgrade would be worth it and to see if any wammers had any experience of the Creeks.And I certainly do not want a turntable thank you very much.
:)

then keep what you have, rather than sidegrading.

 

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