hi I currently have a creek evo amp had it for two days and I find it to bright thinking of returning it ive seen an arcam A90 for £500 would this give a more valve like sound I had I fatman 182 but had problems so returned it but loved the sound any advise please guys thanks
Help needed smooth rich amp for £500
- Thread starter macipod
- Start date
John Duncan
Well-known member
What were the problems? I think you'll be hard pushed to get a valve-like sound from anything that doesn't have valves in it - they're very different presentations.
Id say to match up with your Arcam Alpha 6 CDP (which is a fine player still i might add) i would say go for either an Arcam Alpha 9 integrated or an Alpha 10 integrated amp.
Neither are bright but they are both smooth and warm with well controlled deep bass, smooth and well timed midrange and crisp/clear treble.
Neither are bright but they are both smooth and warm with well controlled deep bass, smooth and well timed midrange and crisp/clear treble.
Yeah...sounds like you'd be into the Arcam sound if the Evo didn't do it for you. That said, you need to look at tube amps if you love that sound...you'll never be fully satisfied with solid state,
[quote user="macipod"]hi I currently have a creek evo amp had it for two days and I find it to bright thinking of returning it ive seen an arcam A90 for £500 would this give a more valve like sound I had I fatman 182 but had problems so returned it but loved the sound any advise please guys thanks[/quote]
If you dont want to go down the route of the fatman/roth audio etc I'd try and source an Audio Innovations Series 700 integrated s/h.
Its a very good valve amplifier that'll have no trouble with most speakers. Ignore the power rating, its capable of going very 'loud' partnered correctly but plays amazingly punchy and detailed even at low volumes. No soggy bass, grain free mids/highs and very together sounding (coherent). Looks nice too.
If you dont want to go down the route of the fatman/roth audio etc I'd try and source an Audio Innovations Series 700 integrated s/h.
Its a very good valve amplifier that'll have no trouble with most speakers. Ignore the power rating, its capable of going very 'loud' partnered correctly but plays amazingly punchy and detailed even at low volumes. No soggy bass, grain free mids/highs and very together sounding (coherent). Looks nice too.
Gerrardasnails
Well-known member
[quote user="Gerrardasnails"]
Seriously mate, the Evo is so not a bright amp.
[/quote]
Agree in SS world but compared to the fatman it is. Problem is, you can veer to far to the other (warm) side and regret it equally. There are amplifiers in both camps that do most things well such as the AI I mentioned earlier or Copland hybrids.. The closest I've heard transistor amplifiers sound like a half decent valve ones is John Shearne's Phase range from the early nineties. I had the Phase 1 but found it lacked detail, played around with the pre-power shortly but to no avail so it had to go and I went thermionic not that long after. It was difficult to re-adjust to solid state post/valves so I can understand his conundrum. There's a lot that valves can do right if chosen sympathetically but the same goes for everything and these days badly distorting transistor amplifiers are thankfully rare. Still, I still think some high feedback amplifiers (arcam?) lack a certain musicality.
Seriously mate, the Evo is so not a bright amp.
[/quote]
Agree in SS world but compared to the fatman it is. Problem is, you can veer to far to the other (warm) side and regret it equally. There are amplifiers in both camps that do most things well such as the AI I mentioned earlier or Copland hybrids.. The closest I've heard transistor amplifiers sound like a half decent valve ones is John Shearne's Phase range from the early nineties. I had the Phase 1 but found it lacked detail, played around with the pre-power shortly but to no avail so it had to go and I went thermionic not that long after. It was difficult to re-adjust to solid state post/valves so I can understand his conundrum. There's a lot that valves can do right if chosen sympathetically but the same goes for everything and these days badly distorting transistor amplifiers are thankfully rare. Still, I still think some high feedback amplifiers (arcam?) lack a certain musicality.
Just buy tube. Are Jolida available in the UK? They've got the absolute best cost-value in tube power.
Have you looked into the Exposure 2010s amp? its available for £549 at classic hifi, think this may be well worth an audition.
The Exposure is a fine amp, but it probably wouldn't be any warmer than the Creek Evo, imo.
Have you looked at the Creek Classic?
Have you looked at the Creek Classic?
Boring amp for 500? hmmm... yeah the Arcam would be good.
No, seriously, try another fatman. Arcam have a very warm sound, but it's far from natural, or exciting, or anthing really...
No, seriously, try another fatman. Arcam have a very warm sound, but it's far from natural, or exciting, or anthing really...
I don't understand why solid state is still on the table here. He's had a fatman (not the best built electron valve amp by any stretch of imagination) and liked the sound but it broke. Now on the creek which to my ear isn't very harsh at all he's not liking it. I'm not just saying this as a new tube amp owner, but don't let the fatman sour you. I've seen/held it, it's a bit of a tinker toy. Don't think tubes are unreliable based on one unfortunate incident.
I sincerely advise you to go tube, it seems to me like you're just built to enjoy that type of sound.
I sincerely advise you to go tube, it seems to me like you're just built to enjoy that type of sound.
John Duncan
Well-known member
[quote user="brock_boogie"]
The Exposure is a fine amp, but it probably wouldn't be any warmer than the Creek Evo, imo.
Have you looked at the Creek Classic?
[/quote]
I have one, and it's no valve amp. I'm with previous poster - I think he needs to find another tube one that works.
The Exposure is a fine amp, but it probably wouldn't be any warmer than the Creek Evo, imo.
Have you looked at the Creek Classic?
[/quote]
I have one, and it's no valve amp. I'm with previous poster - I think he needs to find another tube one that works.
It can be done easily.
NAD Silverline S300 used.
Or a Copland CSA8, 14 or 28.
All in budget second hand.
I've owned most of these and they are much better than stuff mentioned above. The NAD is maybe all you'd ever need.
NAD Silverline S300 used.
Or a Copland CSA8, 14 or 28.
All in budget second hand.
I've owned most of these and they are much better than stuff mentioned above. The NAD is maybe all you'd ever need.
hi guys thanks for your input I think I will try to get a tube amp around the budget if I can any ideas thank again
[quote user="Captain Destructo"]
Boring amp for 500? hmmm... yeah the Arcam would be good.
No, seriously, try another fatman. Arcam have a very warm sound, but it's far from natural, or exciting, or anthing really...
[/quote]
I don;t agree. Arcam are very natural sounding.
Boring amp for 500? hmmm... yeah the Arcam would be good.
No, seriously, try another fatman. Arcam have a very warm sound, but it's far from natural, or exciting, or anthing really...
[/quote]
I don;t agree. Arcam are very natural sounding.
This place does a lot of new and used valve kit. Based in Peterborough...
http://www.hifitradingstation.com/
http://www.hifitradingstation.com/
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