2. amps-preamps
  3. 1037965017

Adcom or Creek?

Hello,

I have recently re-started aquiring a budget hifi system...
The last one was in the UK, circa 1997: Pioneer A400 - a Giant killer:

http://www.audioreview.com/Amplifiers/Pioneer+400X/PRD_116076_1583crx.aspx

B&W P4, Pioneer stable platter transport and Cambridge DAC - The A400 sounded very neutral and magically delicate and powerful :)

Now if the Pioneer were available in 120v I would be happy with that, but that's another story...

I now have a Creek 4330R integrated and an as yet untried Adcom GFA 5200 Power Amp (watts are less important that the quality of them).

My question is would an complete Adcom system including say the GFA 450 Pre/Tuner sound better than the Creek on it's own?

I like a neutral and not artificialy "warm" sound which is what I am finding with a lot of gear I've tried.

Any comments will be much appreciated.

Thx,
Josh
San Francisco
joshcloud9

Showing 3 responses by joshcloud9

joshcloud9 OP
46 posts
 
To put my system in perspective, here's my cost so far:
(I'm a cheapskate)

Creek 4330R - $300 (after selling the phono stage :)
Adcom 5200 - $125
Marantz CD-67SE - $140
Minipods (Temporary solution) - $250
Homemade Cat-5 speaker cables
Various interconnects, awaiting a pair of these
http://signalcable.com/analogone.html
arriving from Signal Cable...

I was thinking of perhaps the Musical fidelity X-Pre (tube) any comments on that one?

Thx,
Josh
joshcloud9 OP
46 posts
 
Well I tried the Adcom direct from the CD player using the variable out on the player, sounded reasonable but not terribly revealing?

My main complaint was that the thing was actually too hot to touch (4 ohm speakers?), which is a problem as space is tight - as well as money!.

Since the unit weighs about 20lbs it is really too much to stack on top and too hot to put under anything. Currntly I don't have space for a proper rack. I live in a shoebox in San Francisco..

So decision made, Keep the Creek, and the Adcom goes.

I think a DAC is next on shopping list, the Art DIO at $118 looks like a good canditate. Does need a mod to bring the voltage down from 7+ volts...

Or if I can find one I'd love the Musical Fidelity X-24 DAC...

Thx for the helpful advice and cheers,
Josh
joshcloud9 OP
46 posts
 
Hello All,

Well I have aquired a MSB link dac3 locally for next to nothing!

So now I'm looking at CDPlayer combos...awaiting their arrival...

Discussion is over here now http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ddgtl&1038881731
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