朗泉Creek是英国老牌中低价晶体管放大器品牌，其产品外观朴实，音质优美。
朗泉Creek的产品由Michael Creek领导一个电子工程师团队共同研发，他们采用最新的CAD技术以及精密的测试仪器来实现其创新敏锐的设计。
朗泉Creek的第一款产品，定价99英镑的CAS4040，于1982年在英国市场上发售，并在当时引起了一种有点矛盾的反应。赞赏来自于对其声音品质的认可，怀疑则来自于外界不相信一个刚起步的英国Hi-Fi公司能够在成功建立品牌的同时大幅削减其售价。可是，Creek (朗泉)的第一款功放有处地方并不为评论者们所知，那就是Michael Creek本人在音响行业已经有长期的工作经验。
早在70年代，Michael就已经在其父亲创办的音响企业Wyndsor Recording Co. Ltd (温莎录音公司)内开始工作。最早是做一名仓库管理员，然后是采购员、厂长，直至最后成为一名产品工程师。Wyndsor主要生产开盘式录音机、电动唱机、卡式机以及FM/AM收音机。在Wyndsor的工作经验使得Michael详细了解到在商店层面以上怎样去营运一家电子公司。
在1976年，Michael Creek离开Wyndsor来到了他自己的M R Creek Ltd公司，成为了音响界的一名设计顾问。他主要从事产品开发工作，但同时也为音响生产企业买卖零部件。
到了1981年，Michael开始按照自己的设计来生产产品，他的第一部产品基于优质低价的Wyndsor哲学。设计这款产品并不吃力，可是为公司选一个合适的名字却变成了难题。最后，Creek Audio Systems这一名称成功入选。
输出30瓦的CAS4040合并功放是公司的第一款推出的产品，用的是金属机壳配上木制的盖子，在当时来讲十分时尚。一年以后，Creek (朗泉)发布了一款与之配套的收音机??CAS3040，定价仍然是99英镑，这款产品很快就成为了当时收音机设计的一个基准。最初的成功就源自于Michael Creek在他家中书房以及车库内的一系列工作。
到了1983年，订单已经超过了每?100件产品，所以必须搬到一个更大更专业的地方去才可以。新的生产空间以及启用转包商的策略使得公司的业务迅猛发展。
等到1985年时，朗泉Creek 已经可以在每月销售1200部CAS4040功放和350部CAS3040收音机。就在那一年，朗泉发布了更贵的4140合并功放，这部功放并不带当时流行的Tone Control功能，但是推力更大。于是市场变得更加有竞争力，当时总共有六家英国公司与朗泉展开激烈竞争，但朗泉始终是市场的领导者。并且通过英国政府部门的大力推动，出口需求也开始加速上升，不久之后，4040、4140和3040（很快变为3130和T40）便销往20个国家。
在1988年，英国Mordaunt Short（敏特声，在上一年度已被上市公司TGI音响集团收购，同时被收购的还有Goodmans和Tannoy天朗）提出要收购朗泉的建议，以搭配其扬声器的销售。后来提议被接受，Michael Creek成为了产品总工程师。而他在敏特声的这段时期，Michael协助发布了5050和6060合并功放，同时还设计了4040功放的series 2、series 3版本，新版本使用了完全不同的电路设计。公司还成功发布了Creek品牌的扬声器CLS-20以及后来朗泉的第一款CD播放机产品??CD60及配套的DAC60D/A转换器。在与敏特声3年的合同期满之后，Michael离开并创建了自己新的公司。
1991年Michael创建EMF Audio，就在伦敦北部其家族工厂后边不远的地方开始生产。EMF推出了50瓦的Sequel合并功放和Delta Sigma D/A转换器Crystal。这些都是比初期朗泉更贵价的产品，并在欧洲和远东地区建立了新市场。
1993年TGI决定卖掉朗泉，Michael Creek与来自瑞士、美国和德国的合伙人一起买下了朗泉的商标使用权。
新的Creek Audio Ltd诞生了，新的产品被设计出来。朗泉的销售以及研发部门又搬回到了原来在伦敦北部的工作地点，尽管如此，由于多数生产朗泉产品的熟练技术工人都在汉普郡，所以朗泉又雇佣回了一批离开TGI的朗泉前雇员，生产在位于汉普郡东南哈文特的一处小厂房内进行。首批产品于1993年发布，包括一部40瓦的合并功放4240、一部50瓦的A42后级以及P42前级。CD播放机的研发时间要更长一些，1995年CD42 CD播放机开始生产。
1995年朗泉Creek 的美国代理商Music Hall专门定制了一款微型的黑胶唱放，Music Hall的老板Roy Hall将其命名为OBH-8。从此OBH系列诞生，该系列产品包括前级唱放、耳放、带遥控器的前级以及24 bit D/A转换器。
1997年年初，朗泉Creek 开始发布大获成功的43系列产品以及高端的52系列产品。就在那一年，Michael Creek与美国和瑞士的合伙人联手买下了德国合伙人的份额。
对朗泉Creek 而言，1998年是一个非比寻常的年份，4330合并功放被美国著名的音响杂志《Stereophile》评选获得“年度平价产品大奖（Budget Component of the Year）”。新颖的T43 AM/FM调谐器获得了英国著名音响杂志《What Hi-Fi》8月份颁发的Best Buy产品大奖。在法国，带24 bit DAC的CD43 CD播放机获得了 Diapason D'Or 年度最佳CD机大奖。而P43前级、A52SE功放以及OBH-12前级也分别获得了《Hi-Fi Choice》和《What Hi-Fi》杂志的五星级评价。
朗泉的价值显著提高，产品需求也越来越大，所以必须在保证产品维持高品质的同时也找到提高产量的方法。现有的生产设施已不足以应对这种局面，于是Michael决定搬到肯特郡的转包商那里。这位转包商已有15年为朗泉组装电路板的经验，随后他们自己也搬到更大的处所以提高其生产能力。
到1999年，朗泉的产品已经行销到30个海外市场，并且其国内市场份额也在不断增长。
在1999年时Michael Creek又独立买下了Epos（谱诗）这家以高品质著称的著名音响厂商。大家可以到www.epos-acoustics.com去了解Epos的运作情况。
在2000年时，5250和5250SE合并功放停产。这些产品获得了多项大奖，尤其是在德国。取而代之的5350和5350SE推出后迅速获得了很高的评价。同年CD43 CD播放机也为CD43 Mk2所取代，并同时获得了《Hi-Fi Choice》和《What Hi-Fi》杂志的五星级评价。4330R和4330SE合并功放也升级到了Mk2版本，增加了全面的短路保护功能。同时A43功放也升级到了Mk2型。
2001年全新的CD53 CD播放机推出，这款产品获得了《What Hi-Fi》、《Hi-Fi Choice》和《Gramophone》杂志的五星级评价，同时CD43 Mk2也获得了 Diapason D'Or 年度最佳CD机大奖。在此年间，A52、A52SE功放以及OBH-14 DAC宣布停产。
2002年开年表现良好，在拉斯维加斯的CES大展上，5350SE合并功放获得了《Stereophile》杂志 2000/2001“年度平价产品大奖（Budget Component of the Year）”。同年开始计划生产43系列的替代型号。
2003年50系列发布，展示出了朗泉的全新设计。一改往日熟悉的黑色和绿色外观，替代的是10mm坚固的经拉丝镀银处理过的铝合金前面板。时尚的新样式不仅让50系列更让人留意同时也让该系列的产品与53系列共用了相同的外观样式。同时由于朗泉的一些长期用家只想升级内部部件，所以旧的外观式样仍接受预定生产。50系列包括两部合并功放、一部调谐器和一部CD播放机，这些产品都在全球范围内赢得了广泛赞誉，有些型号还由于出色表现而获得了嘉奖。
由于新式样相当有吸引力，所以OBH系列也经过了重新设计来迎合新的银色面板外观，这也为公司提供了机会来升级这些广受欢迎产品的表现力。2004年初的OBH系列包括一部耳放、两部唱放前级和一部被动式前级。
2004年，朗泉的公司结构也发生了巨大变化，Michael买下了其他合伙人的股份，100%的拥有了这家公司。
2005年推出了朗泉Classic经典系列的第一款产品??Classic 5350SE合并功放，还有集合了朗泉23年发展成就的旗舰产品??Destiny合并功放以及Destiny CD播放机。一年以后一款高品质带插板功能，支持MM或MC唱头的功放产品加入到了 Destiny系列的产品序列。
鉴于在新世纪初的售价和产品成本明显上涨，Michael一直希望能够重新占领朗泉原来做得很好的平价产品市场。因此Evolution功放与CD机正式推出，很快又追加了一部FM/AM调谐器。有了这个激动人心的新系列产品，Michael终于把产品价格降到了与2003年停产的43系列相仿的程度。Evolution系列在为朗泉在国际市场上赢得了许多奖项。
在Destiny和Evolution两个系列被市场广泛接受并取得了巨大成功的直接影响下，Classic经典系列的产品需求开始减少。因此Classic经典系列在2007年8月正式停产。朗泉一直致力于开发两声道市场，无意于进军多声道领域。因此结果无可避免的，Michael决定开发黑胶唱盘。Michael一直认为黑胶复产对Hi-Fi领域有着重要意义。既然他的公司已经生产了一系列受欢迎的、且价格可以接受的独立唱放，能够从黑胶唱片当中读取高品质的音乐讯号，那么接下来生产黑胶唱盘也算是顺理成章的事情。为了纪念父亲的公司Wyndsor Recording，Michael将朗泉的黑胶唱盘命名为Wyndsor并于2007年开始发售。
2008年，朗泉重新推出了平价位的OBH-11耳放，以满足市场上不断增长的对于优质低价耳放产品的需求。2009年Evolution 2功放和CD推出以取代原有型号。
从始至终，Michael Creek都没有改变其产品设计的基本原则，概括起来大致有以下几点：
1) 设计必需简洁美观。
2) 展示出厂方成熟及精密的技术。
3) 提供同级产品中最佳的设计。
4) 为音乐爱好者而打做。
5) 操作需直接不可繁复。
6) 提供一整套完美的家用音响系统。
朗泉Creek Audio官方网站上的品牌介绍：
HISTORY
Creek Audio has been trading for over 30 years!
Creek products are designed by Mike Creek and a team of electronic engineers, who employ the latest CAD technology and sophisticated test equipment to achieve the innovative and astute designs with which Creek is associated.
The first Creek amplifier, the ￡99 CAS4040, was launched on the UK market in 1982 and created somewhat mixed response. Praise for its sound quality was tempered with disbelief that a fledgling British Hi-Fi company could be successful taking on the established brands and undercutting their prices. However, what was not realised by the reviewer of the first Creek amplifier was that Michael Creek already had a long experience in the audio industry.
It was in 1970 that Mike started working in his father’s audio company, Wyndsor Recording Co. Ltd, initially as a stock controller, then buyer, factory manager and finally as a production engineer. Wyndsor made low cost ‘reel to reel’ tape recorders, record players, cassette recorders and FM/AM radios. Working for Wyndsor provided Mike with a broad understanding of how to run an electronics company from the shop floor upwards.
In 1976 he left Wyndsor to form his own company ? M R Creek Ltd ? trading as a design consultant to the audio industry. Hconcentrated mostly on product development, but also bought and sold parts to audio manufacturing companies.
By 1981 Mike started manufacturing products to his own design. He based his first product on the Wyndsor philosophy of high quality at a low price. Designing the product proved less difficult, however, than choosing a name for the company. In the end the choice of Creek Audio Systems proved to be successful.
The 30 Watt CAS4040 integrated amplifier was the company’s first product, built in a metal case with a wooden cover which was fashionable at the time. One year later, Creek launched a matching tuner ? the CAS3040, also at ￡99, which was soon used as a benchmark in radio design. The initial success was achieved working from an unused room in his home and space in his garage.
When demand exceeded 100 pieces per week in 1983, it became necessary to move to larger and more professional premises. The new factory space and the use of a sub-contractor enabled the company to expand rapidly.
By 1985 Creek Audio was selling up to 1200 CAS4040 amplifiers and 350 CAS3040 tuners per month. During that year Creek introduced the more expensive 4140 integrated amplifier that excluded tone controls but was slightly more powerful. The market became far more competitive, with up to six UK companies in fierce competition with Creek. However, Creek remained the market leader. As a result of exceedingly good UK press, export demand accelerated and before long the 4040, 4140 and 3040 (later to become the 3130 and T40) were selling in 20 countries.
During 1988 Mordaunt Short (which was acquired the previous year by TGI PLC group, Goodmans and Tannoy) made an offer to buy Creek Audio Systems in order to add an electronics capability to its loudspeaker sales. The offer was accepted, with Mike Creek agreeing to undertake the role of chief engineer. During his time with Mordaunt Short, Mike helped to introduce the 5050 and 6060 integrated amps. He also designed the series 2 and 3 versions of the 4040 amp, which had radically different circuitry. The company also successfully launched a Creek loudspeaker, the CLS-20, and later the first Creek CD player, the CD60 and the matching DAC60. After his three year contract expired with Mordaunt Short, Mike left to start a new company.
In 1991 Mike formed EMF Audio and started manufacturing in a small way back at the family factory premises in north London. EMF produced a 50W integrated amplifier and a Delta Sigma D to A converter marketed under the names Sequel and Crystal. These were more expensive products than those sold by Creek and new markets were established in Europe and the hi-fi hungry Far East.
In 1993 when TGI took the decision to sell Creek Audio, Mike Creek, together with partners from Switzerland, the USA and Germany purchased the rights to use the name Creek Audio.
A new company ? Creek Audio Ltd ? was formed and new products were designed. Creek Audio’s sales and R&D department moved back to its original office facility in north London. However, since most of the people skilled in making Creek products over the years were now in the county of Hampshire, Creek Audio Ltd initially employed a group of ex-Creek employees who left TGI. The products were manufactured in a small facility near Havant. The first products, launched in 1993, were a 40 Watt integrated amplifier, the 4240 ? a 50 Watt Power amplifier, the A42 together with the P42 Pre-Amplifier. The CD42 CD player took longer to develop and went intoproduction in 1995.
In 1995 Creek’s USA distributor Music Hall ordered a miniature vinyl disc amplifier to be made in a small case. Roy Hall, Music Hall’s president, christened it the OBH-8 and from there the OBH range increased to include phono pre-amps, headphone amps, remote controlled pre-amps, plus a 24 bit D to A converter.
Early in 1997, Creek Audio began introducing the highly successful 43 series products together with the higher-end 52 series. During the year Mike Creek, together with his American and his Swiss partners, bought out their German partner.
1998 was an exceptional year for Creek Audio Systems. The 4330 integrated amplifier was voted ‘Budget Component of the Year’ by the acclaimed U.S. magazine Stereophile. The novel T43 AM/FM Tuner received What Hi-Fi’s ‘Best Buy’ award in August 1998. In France, the CD43 CD Player, with 24 Bit DAC, received the ‘Diapason D’Or’ award for the CD player of the year. The P43 pre-amplifier, A52SE amplifier and OBH-12 pre amplifier received 5 Star reviews in Hi-Fi Choice and What Hi-Fi.
Interest in Creek increased significantly and the product was in great demand. This necessitated finding a way to increase production while maintaining high levels of quality. Existing production facilities were proving to be inadequate and therefore a decision was made to move to a subcontractor in Kent. This subcontractor already had 15 years experience assembling the circuit boards for Creek. Subsequently they themselves moved to larger premises thus increasing their capacity for growth.
By 1999 Creek Audio Systems was supplying its products to 30 overseas markets whilst at the same time working towards increasing its home market share.
During 1999 Michael Creek independently acquired Epos, a company whose legendary loudspeaker systems were renowned for their quality. See www.epos-acoustics.com That company today operates as Epos Limited.
During 2000 the 5250 and 5250SE integrated amplifiers were phased out. These products had been winners of several awards,particularly in Germany. The 5350 and 5350SE integrated amplifiers were introduced, immediately receiving high acclaim. In the same year the CD43 CD player was phased out and replaced by the CD43 Mk2, a product awarded 5 stars by both What Hi-Fi and Hi-Fi Choice. The 4330R and 4330SE integrated amplifiers were updated to the Mk2 versions featuring full short circuit protection. At the same time the A43 amplifier was updated to the Mk2 model.
2001 saw the introduction of the all new CD53 CD player, a product which scored a 5 star review in What Hi-Fi, Gramophone and Hi-Fi Choice. At the same time the CD43 Mk2 was announced the winner of the Diapason D’Or CD Player of the Year. Through 2001 the A52 and A52SE amplifiers were phased out as was the OBH.14 DAC.
2002 began well at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas with the company receiving the 2000/2001 Stereophile Component of the Year Award for the 5350SE integrated amplifier. It was during this year that planning began for the 43 series replacements.
In 2003 the 50 series was released displaying the all new Creek design. Gone was the familiar black and green look, replaced by a solid 10mm brushed silver anodised aluminium front panel. The new sleek styling not only made the 50 series highly desirable, but ensured any of these products could be used with 53 series models, as both product lines shared a similar styling. The company still produced products with the older style front panel to order ? for those long time owners of Creek products wanting to upgrade just ocomponent. The 50 series range incorporating two integrated amplifiers, a tuner and a CD player have all gone on to be highly praised globally, some receiving awards for their outstanding performance.
Such was the appeal of the new styling that the OBH range was re-designed to incorporate the new silver fronted look. This also provided the company the opportunity to upgrade the performance of these very popular products and the range early in 2004 included two headphone amplifiers, two phono pre-amplifiers and a passive pre-amplifier.
2004 also saw a dramatic change in Creek’s company structure when Mike bought out his partners and assumed 100% ownership of the company.
2005 saw the introduction of the first of Creek’s Classic range ? the Classic 5350SE Integrated Amplifier. This was followed by Creek’s most ambitious development in its 23 year history ? the Destiny Integrated Amplifier and Destiny CD Player. One year later a power amplifier was added to the Destiny products together with high quality dedicated plug in boards for either MM or MC cartridges.
As prices and production costs had risen considerably since the turn of the century, it had long been Mike’s desire to recapture that part of the budget market that his products had served so well. With this in mind he had set up an office in China in late 2004, to investigate the possibilities of manufacturing in that country. With his own staff in place, extensive research was undertaken and an allegiance was formed with one of the country’s specialist high quality manufacturers. With extensive Creek input into the designs and Creek’s own Q.C. staff on hand to oversee production, the Evolution amplifier and CD player were released in early 2006. An FM/AM tuner soon followed.
With this exciting new range Mike had been able to release the products at prices to match the 43 series which had been discontinued in 2003. Evolution has gone on to capture many awards in many of Creek’s international markets.
As a direct consequence of the acceptance and extraordinary success of both the Destiny and Evolution ranges, demand for Creek’s Classic products started to wane. Production of this series was therefore discontinued in 2007/08. Creek remained true to the 2 channel market, not being tempted to venture into multi channel. As a consequence it was inevitable that Mike would develop a turntable. He had long held the view that vinyl reproduction is important to Hi-Fi reproduction. As his company had produced a popular range of affordable, stand-alone phono stages able to extract high-quality signals from vinyl discs, it was logical that a turntable would follow. Named in memory of his late father’s company Wyndsor Recording, Creek’s Wyndsor turntable was released in 2007.
In 2008 the budged priced OBH 11 headphone amplifier was re-introduced to satisfying growing demand for a lower priced quality headphone amplifier. 2009 saw the Evolution 2 amplifier and CD released to replace the original models.
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