I purchased my OBH-8, which sold for $200 when new, for $60, from a fellow audioguy, on Audiogon. I did so as a way of re-entering the world of vinyl after having forsaked it in favor of CDs/SACDs some 10 years ago. ( Bad Move: Now, I am building a new collection mainly buying from a local dealer in NYC who sells some nice things for $1 each!)

The little 8 looks like a toy, but sounds better than anything else under $250 I have heard to date. ( I recently purchased a Sim Audio IPS, which listed for $700, when new, for $200,.. and I prefer my little OBH-8!)

Hey! Where is that nasty hum that many people talk about when, in the same breath, they extol the sonic virtues of the cute little OBH-8? I feel as though I've been left out of the "club",because mine is as quiet as a (dead) mouse!

For another $75 I plan to get the upgraded power supply and expect to be very happy for years to come for a total expenditure of $135.( I'm starting to sound to myself like a commercial, so now I'll Cool it!)

nice, clear top end; good bass; transient performance

RFI susceptibility; shallow soundstage; unsubtle, "technicolor" kind of sound

This review is for the SE model of the OBH-8. The SE has two differences from the standard model. The power supply is not a wall-wart, but a separate unit with a larger transformer and filter caps. The preamp itself is a different circuit with low-noise J-FETs in the front end and gold plated output jacks.

Like the other reviewer, I live in a high-RFI area. I'm within 3 miles of about 4 television transmitter towers. The unshielded cable between the power supply and the preamp acts like an antenna and picks up a nice buzz. What's distressing is the complete lack of customer service from Music Hall (the US importer) or Creek. I e-mailed both Roy Hall and Creek for suggestions about dealing with this problem. Hall forwarded my e-mail to Creek. I got no reply from either. I bought this unit second hand from another owner (who lives in a less urban environment), while it was still under warranty. So, only buy this thing from a retailer who will accept a return if it picks up RFI, or be sure you like far away from any strong RF sources.

I have had some luck in reducing the RFI by replacing the power link with a shielded wire, but the problem still needs work. Overall, with a modest 80s vintage vinyl playback system, the sound is very listenable. Transients are a little sharp, but the top end is not spitty. Low bass is very good. Soundstage width is excellent, imaging is very pricise; depth is kind of shallow. The playback quality is kind of vivid, but not subtle -- the aural equivalent of the difference between running hires color on your monitor and 256k color. Which is why I use the term "technicolor" to describe the sound.

Ignoring the RFI, a 3 for sound quality and value. Taking the RFI susceptibility into account and the completely indifferent customer "service" of the US importer and manufacturer, a 2. Most of us live in urban, high RFI environments. People who make audio gear need to deal with that.

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Lux LR 1102; Dyna PAS-3x, Dyna PAT-4

Nice Soundstage, good detail.

Ocasional RF Interference.

I have the obh paired with a nad 533 and am very impressed with the clarity. Construction is solid and packs an impressive sound for its tiny size.

Like most creek products, the OBH-8 is clear and features excellent sound staging and kick ass imaging. Instrument separation on my jazz records is highly articulate while my still maintaining the groove of the entrire group. a thouroughly enjoyable unit that rivals other more expensive and esoteric unites.

The only fault is that it is succeptable to rf interference and hum. this somewhat infrequently and moving the unit around the rack a bit usually takes care of it. The hum could be the fault of the 533's unsheilded rega-made motor.

Great soundstage, firm bass, detailed top end, and a glorious midrange.

None at the price

Having upgraded the original OHB-1 power supply to the much better OHB-2 supply, the improvement was immediately noticable. I concur with previous opinions that there can be some RFI, but thats not a big problem for me :-)

For the money, this MM phono pre-amp is an excellent piece of kit. I have been using it for 3 or 4 years now, with a Rega Planer 3. The RB300 tonearm has been structually modified by Origin Live, and the arm has been completely rewired (internally and externally) with a Cardas home rewiring kit. I use a Reson Reca MM cartridge (a modified Goldring G1042).

Altogether, most impressive...


JH

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Rotel RQ970 (?) Phono pre amp

Sound -- Open, with solid bass and good energy. Price. Size.

Noise

Was able to do a head to head comparison of the Sumiko, NAD, and Creek phono units at an audio shop. Based on that comparison, I went home with the Creek. Some folks will prefer the Sumiko to the Creek. It is definately quieter, but it just seemed to loose too much energy and detail -- made the sound somewhat dull and uninvolving. I don't mind a little bit more noise, just want to make sure I can get into the music. The creek made me want to dance. Base notes seemed more articulate. People who prefer Vinyl to CD will prefer the Creek. Folks who just want an inexpensive phono unit to play their old LPs, but prefer the sound of CD's, will prefer the Sumiko. The NAD was in last place.

My home experience has been the same. No problems at all with the unit itself. Don't even think about it now. I use a Linn table, amp, wire, and speakers. I did demo the Linn phono unit and the Creek at another shop. The Linn is really good (leaves all the detail and energy, but cleans things up a bit), but the cost difference just did not seem justified. If you can find one used, or have the funds and you must have the 'best', you will enjoy it. I am very happy with the performance of the creek.

Similar Products Used:

NAD, Sumiko, Linn, Phono section of Arcam 7.

This is an seriously decent phono preamp. Forget about all
the voodoo gadgets. This is pure value for the $.

None. I'm not experiencing any of the hum others are noting in other posts. Just pure sound.

I'm nothing special. Just an ordinary guy who'w looking for truth in the music. Seriously .... there's a ton of voodoo crap out there that will supposedly improve your sound, but the Creek OBH-8 (not the SE model) does the job and more. All the feedback on this board regarding hum did not play out in my situation, and I live in the center of a city. Geez... from what I read from the other users of this product, I was ready to hear nothing but hum when I turned on my turntable. Nothing of the sort occured. Yes there is a slight hum, but that is related to the cartridge/tonearm and nothing else. Hardly audible, and completly within parameters.
The OBH-8 phono preamp is an excellent buy. I am very hard on products and it takes a great deal to satisfy my scrutinizing ears. I'm not going to sit here and sling out "tremendous bass extension" and "the ultimate transparency and soundstaging". NO, instead I'm going to invite you to order this product from AUDIO ADVISOR and try it out RISK FREE for 30 days. They guarantee satisfaction or your money back. (This is my interpretation of they're guarantee which I believe is accurate). So if you're looking for a beautiful sounding phono preamp at reasonable price...you're on the money honey. Creek delivers as always.

Enjoy..

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Onboard phono preamps in existing preamps. I have been using a variety of preamps.

Nice sound

RFI in power supply (watch inner city dwellers)

CThe OBH-8 is a small, black, metal box with a power switch, green LED and female RCA I/O on the back. Plain but reasonably good looking. Unfortunately, it also sports a wallwart power supply, i.e., the power supply is separate from the box containing the preamp circuits. The sound is clean, with extraordinary upper frequency detail and clarity. The mids are warm and sweet. Bass is clear and extended when present on disk. Imaging is right on and stable. The soundstage is reasonably wide and 3D--I felt like I could reach out and touch the musicians in an old Nonsuch Telemann trio sonata!

This preamp really does require a 24 hour break in period because it really sucked at first--bright, grainy with a flat soundstage. What a difference a few days made!

There is one HUGE problem: RFI. I live in downtown Honolulu, a high-RFI area. There are a half dozen TV and FM transmitters towers within a couple miles of my home. In fact there is one less than two blocks away!

I'll get to the point: the wallwart power supply of the OBH 8 is acting like an antenna. The RFI is not coming in from the turntable or its leads. As I move the connecting cord around the hum, buzz and classic rock radio station (!) becomes louder or softer, but never goes away. At its worst, the hum is louder than the music. I have been able to reduce the RFI noise considerably by plugging into a Monster HDT2000 power conditioner, placing four radio shack RFI chokes on the OBH power cord, and moving the power cord into the least receptive position (connecting/disconnecting the ground didn't make much difference). However, now it is bearable if I sit 5 feet or from the speakers. Any closer it would be audible and distracting (forget using headphones!).

If you live in the sticks or anyplace away from radio/TV transmitters is a great preamp. However, beware inner city dwellers.

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NAD pph-1

great base; excellent midrange; sparkling highs

Very sensitive to hum.

The sound produced by this inexpensive phono stage is incredible.It is far better than anything built into any receiver I have ever heard, including the best flagships. It brings my old records to life in a way I had not imagined possible.

I did have a hum problem when I first installed it because it will amplify any signals picked up by cable. Therefore, it requires really good insulated interconnects. When I connected my turntable cable directly to the phono stage with no other cables anywhere near them, and them ran a quality insulated interconnect from the phono stage to my receiver the hum disappeared without a trace.

I am using the phono stage with a B&K AVR307 receiver, 7 B&W 800 series nautilus speakers, and a velodyne HGS12 sub.

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Phono stages built into receivers such as the Denon AVR-5700
and Yamaha RX-V1.

excellent sound, brings new life to old vinyl

none that I can detect

First of all, I have the OBH-8SE with the power supply from the standard OBH-8 (don't ask), so that's what I am reviewing.

When I finally upgraded my receiver from the old JVC to a Marantz SR7000, I lost the phono input for my Technics SL-1200MK2 turntable. Obviously this is not high-end audiophile gear, but I still wanted a decent preamp to get the most out of my (and my parents') vinyl. I did try the cheapo Recoton SP2 first but quickly determined it was complete junk, so I replaced it with the Creek.

I'd like to echo the positive comments by others here. Subtle improvements were apparent on new vinyl, and the differences were even more obvious with older vinyl. There was less noise combined with greater detail, providing an overall "cleaner" sound. There wasn't a night-and-day difference compared to the JVC, but that leads me to believe the preamp is just doing its job and not coloring the sound.

Unlike the other reviewers, I have not noticed any RF interference. With the ground wire from my turntable attached to the preamp, I can't even detect any hiss even with the volume cranked to the max.

In short, I think the Creek is a great bargain that will serve me for years to come, even if I upgrade to an audiophile turntable. I could probably detect a slight improvement from a more expensive preamp, but I would rather spend that money on a decent cartridge and, more importantly, new records to enjoy.

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Recoton SP2, preamp in JVC RX-803V receiver