2. amps-preamps
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Creek, Arcam, Cambridge - fullness and body

Hi everyone,

I'm currently running an Exposure 2010s2 amp. It's a nice amp but I am longing for a bit more fullness and body to the sound. My local dealer has Creek, Arcam, and Cambridge as options. I'd be looking at the $1,500 range (probably the Creek Evo 5350, Arcam A28, CA 840A). I'm not sure if I'll be able to actually listen to all three, so I'm hoping to get feedback from all of you experienced listeners.

Do any of these amps bring some body and fullness to the mix? I'm not looking for anything excessive, just a decent amount more than my 2010s2 would probably do. If they are all on the thin sounding side then I might have to keep looking.

I will be moving to floorstanding speakers from my Quad 12L2, which should give me some greater scale and probably fullness as well. Which speakers I don't know yet, I am in the process of auditioning. I'll decide on an amp after I know which speakers I'll be using. I suppose it's possible I might even keep the 2010s2, but I think that is unlikely as the amp really is on the leaner side and I'm just finding that isn't what I enjoy. For now I'm just planning and hoping to get some idea as to how each of these contenders might compare.

Thanks!
fusion10

Showing 2 responses by loomisjohnson

loomisjohnson
1,974 posts
 
1. if you don't feel obligated to your dealer, check out sound by singeer, which is blowing out all the makers you're considering.
2. having owned various cambridge, nad and (currently) arcam, i'd opine that in general arcam tends to a fuller, heftier presence, while cambridge sounds more transparent and neutral; nads are also very dynamic and "full", though to my ears not as refined (and certainly not as reliable) as the others. as others state, you'll want to start with the speakers and perhaps have some sort of exchange right if the synergy doesn't work.
loomisjohnson
1,974 posts
 
fusion, your loyalty is commendable. if you're guy's done right by you, stick by him--a few bucjks won't change your lifestyle.
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