Creek Classic CD Player

Creek’s Classic CD player has evolved from the CD50mk2. There has been a change in the design of the casework so that it better matches the Classic 5350SE integrated amplifier.

Extracting the digital information from the ATAPI bus, similar to a computer, has enabled Creek to work with a virtually jitter free signal source. To convert the signal to a usable format, the Classic CD player uses a digital buffer circuit (FPGA) that stores the signal for a short time and converts it into a suitable format for feeding to a D to A converter. This creates shock immunity from the player, so that the disc is not playing exactly in real time, but slightly delayed through the dynamic buffer. It also converts the signal into a SPDIF signal to provide a high quality digital output, which is now available via TOSLINK optical as well as co-axial sockets.

Sound quality on the Classic is superb. Using an improved and symmetrical layout with shorter signal paths, the player has much better measured performance than Creek’s original CD50, with much lower signal to noise and THD figures. This is due to the Classic having distributed power supplies with 7 digital and 5 analogue low noise voltage regulators and low noise resistors. A higher frequency clock oscillator is used in this player and is synchronised with the micro controller and buffer clock to minimise internal interference.

Two separate high current mains transformers are used in the Classic player. The voltage to the digital and analogue circuitry, display and ROM drive are kept completely separate, for maximum interference immunity.

Front panel controls include Play, Stop, Pause, Open/Close, Skip Forward, Skip Back, Search Forward, Search Back, Shuffle,Repeat and Standby functions. They are supplemented by an attractive full feature Creek system remote control handset utilising RC5 type codes.

The rear panel has a mains switch, together with the usual fused IEC mains inlet. A pair of gold plated Phono/RCA sockets is provided for un-balanced analogue output and (SPDIF) digital outputs are via a transformer coupled Phono/RCA socket.

The Classic CD player has been designed to read all known ‘Copy Protected Discs’ that currently exist. In future, copy protected discs with revised copy protection algorithms may cause problems, but with its upgradeable software and firmware capability, the Classic can be easily upgraded by the dealer or importer to play such discs.