Creek 4330, Cambridge A3i or Rega Mira

Posted by Dale M [IP: 137.186.177.136] on September 12, 1999 at 22:20:36
Using Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 4.01; Windows 95):

In Reply to: Creek 4330, Cambridge A3i or Rega Mira posted by DavidY on July 19, 1999 at 20:32:52:

: I am just looking opinions or comments on these budget-priced integrated amplifiers: Creek 4330, Cambridge A3i or Rega Mira. Are there any others in this price range?

: In the next year or so, I am planning to improve the music part of my system by adding an integrated amp and a good quality CD player/changer.

: My current music/HT system:

: Technics SAAX710 Receiver
: Technics SHAC500D DD/DTS decoder
: Toshiba SD2108 DVD player
: Sony CDPCE405 CD changer
: Speakers:
: Paradigm Reference Studio/60 V.1 mains
: Paradigm CC-450 centre
: Paradigm Studio/20 V.1 rears
: no sub yet

: Room: 11'x20'x8'ceiling

: Music: Female vocals (S. McLachlan, L. McKennitt, The Cranberries, S. Brightman) and classical (Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Mozart and some pipe organ music).

: With my Studio speaker being a bit bright, I am looking for other components to match with it. Also, some CD players that I am considering are: Cambridge CD4SE, Alpha 7, Denon 370, and Rega Planet.

: Thanks for any input.

: Dave

I bought the Creek 4330SE recently. While deciding I compared it to Cambridge Audio's offerings (A500 and separates P500/C500), as well as the Audio Analogue "Puccini", and later to the Creek 5250SE.

To my ear, the Creek 4330SE produced the best sound - source for all comparisons was a Cambridge Audio D500 CD Player and also the separate Cambridge Audio transport and DAC (S700. Same interconnects and cabling - using Snell E.5's, and then Paradigm Reference Studio 60's for speakers.

My reference CD's are:

Patricia Barber - Modern Cool
JVC xrcd2 sampler - especially track 4 (Ernie Watts' "In a Sentimental Mood")
Chris Isaak - Baja Sessions
The Thin Red Line (the original motion picture soundtrack)
Dick Hyman's "From the Age of Swing"

The Creek 4330SE approaches the kind of sound that you get with a Krell (sorry all you Krell people, but you'll note that I say "approaches") - though a little less analytical. It has fantastic control and presentation of bass and a pleasing, open sound. It really makes music.

You should definitely give it a listen to see if it suits you.

I also just up-graded my CD player - have an old Marantz CD63SE. Took it with me for the above listening comparisons. The Cambridge Audio CD players blew it away. The Marantz produced a much narrower soundstage, almost a "compressed" mid-range, and had an edge on high mid-range that simply wasn't present with either of the Cambridge Audio set-ups. I tried the Marantz as a straight transport, using the Cambridge Audio S700 DAC as well as the Creek OBH-14 DAC (I think that's the model - anyway, it was recommended by Sam Tellig - Stereophile). There was an improvement with the Creek DAC, but the Cambridge Audio S700 is phenomenal. The improvement in the sound was palpable - spine tingling!

The Marantz CD63SE is an excellent transport - almost on par with the "digitally locked" transport that's paired up witht the Cambridge Audio S700. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that the Cambridge Audio transport had a digital clock locking feature with the S700 DAC, and I have a relative who'd like the Marantz to up-grade her own system, I probably would have just bought the S700 DAC and kept the Marantz as the transport.

I wonder how your multi-disc CD-player would sound with the S700 as an out-board DAC? Perhaps something for you to consider, rather than a new "CD player". Would be nice to have the convenience of a multi-disk, with the sound that the S700 is capable of.

Good luck in your search for better sound.

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