Can this budget CD player compete with high-end alternatives?

A serious headphone amplifier for the discerning audiophile with an individual tonal balance

The Destiny 2 amplifier is a worthy contender in the upmarket stakes and a sublime performer to boot

Creek's Evolution comes from a long line of respected value-for-money electronics

Creek's flagship CD player is a star performer

It's been a while since we reviewed the matching amplifier and CD player that accompanies the Creek Evolution tuner. But our enthusiasm hasn't waned one bit.

Creek's range of OBH units is intended to serve simple functions conveniently. This small, but smart and robust phono stage certainly fits that bill and offers compatibility with both moving coil and moving magnet cartridges, amplifying the signal from each with discrete transistors and op-amps.

Creek has long been a stalwart of affordable and compact electronics, so it was something of a surprise to come across a turntable in the company's booth at the Munich show in May. This wasn't just an entry-level job either, but an acrylic beauty with multiple drive belts and an outboard power supply.

When we first reviewed this amplifier, with its partnering CD player we commented that Creek's no-frills reputation hardly fits with the super-smart appearance of Evo

Creek's new entry-level CD player and matching amp kept us glued to our listening seat!