Creek Audio EVOLUTION 50CD Instruction Manual

EVOLUTION 50CD

DAC / CD Player

Instruction Manual

Rev 1.2

Congratulations on purchasing a Creek EVOLUTION 50CD. Please read this manual thor­oughly as it will explain in detail the features and operation of your EVOLUTION 50CD and
help to ensure a trouble free installation. Unpack the player carefully, as it is recommended
that you save the carton and packing material for future use, should you need to move home
or return it for service etc.

SAFETY INFORMATION

The EVOLUTION 50CD is designed to operate on either 220-240 Volts - 50 Hz AC, or 110-
120 Volts - 60 Hz AC. The voltage selector switch is located on the bottom of the case; to

select a different voltage range, use a small at-blade screwdriver to push the switch from
one position to the other. A mains fuse is tted to a sliding tray inside the IEC socket. There
is a spare one also tted inside and they are designed to work in both voltage ranges. If the
mains fuse fails and the spare fails also when tted, it usually indicates a serious internal

fault and the product should be returned to the dealer or a specialised service company for
inspection and or repair. Do not attempt to effect repairs yourself.

The product has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable pro­tection against harmful interference in residential installations.

TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE FROM YOUR EVOLUTION 50CD:

Install the equipment in a location which is relatively free of moisture and dust, and is well
ventilated. The equipment may not be able to perform at its best in an extremely cold or hot
environment. Do not attempt to use below 5 C / 41 F or above 35 C / 95 F.

Always handle compact discs with clean hands. Avoid using scratched discs. Do not attempt to clean the CD

player or discs with chemical solvents, as this may cause irreparable damage. Use a clean, dry cloth, or spe-

cially designed cleaning materials for discs. If the CD player malfunctions, do not open the unit and attempt

to repair it yourself. This is a highly technical product and requires specialist service – please return it to your

dealer.

Use two batteries (2 x AA) of the same type in the remote control handset. Do not use odd
or different type cells as it may affect the performance.

Keep this manual in a safe place for future reference.

Page: 1

GETTING STARTED

The EVOLUTION 50CD is not just a CD Player; it is primarily a Digital to Analogue Convert-

er and Pre-amplier, tted with a Slot Drive CD transport as one of its digital sources. The
DAC has 2x SPDIF and 2x TOSLINK digital inputs capable of reading digital signals up to
24 bit 192 kHz high-resolution. The USB input is capable of playing 24 bit 96 kHz les from

either a PC or MAC computer, without additional software drivers needing to be installed.

Connect your EVOLUTION 50CD to a suitable audio amplier. Creek Audio recommends
the EVOLUTION 50A or EVOLUTION 100A integrated amplier as a perfect cosmetic and

performance match, but virtually any stereo amplier with a line-level input and volume con­trol should be OK. If you enable the EVOLUTION 50A’s volume control, it is possible to just
use it with a Power Amplier.

Connect the mains supply using the 3-core mains cord supplied. Push the 3 pin IEC plug

into the socket on the rear panel of the EVOLUTION 50CD and plug the other end into a
suitable wall socket. Do not overload the socket with too many connectors. Ask your dealer
for advice if in doubt.

Use a pair of good-quality stereo interconnects to join the analogue output of the DAC/CD
Player to the input of your amplier. There are both un-balanced and balanced outputs avail­able. Although it is possible to use both outputs simultaneously we do not recommend it,

as it can reduce the performance. NEVER use Balanced-to-Unbalanced cables such as an
XLR to RCA cable, as these will give poor performance and could damage the EVOLUTION

50CD.

Note: Balanced outputs can be connected directly to the EVOLUTION 50A amplier and if the distance be-

tween them is greater than 5 metres, this may provide a better quality of sound. Balanced audio, using XLRs is

a professional standard and designed to eliminate unwanted noise or hum over long cable lengths. For shorter

cable runs it may not improve the sound of your system, because of the additional circuitry required, so please

experiment to see what works best. Just as with un-balanced interconnects, cable quality can affect the sound

quality. Ask your dealer for advice if you are not sure.

Output level:

The factory setting xes the output level at ‘Line Level (0dB max)’, by default. If you wish to
change this to become variable, Pre-Amplier Mode must be enabled through the start-up
Menu. To enable ‘Preampler Mode’ start with the EVOLUTION 50CD switched off. Press
the MENU button and hold it down simultaneously while pressing the power button on, to

reveal a hidden Menu.

The Setup Menu will display the following: ‘Analogue Output’ and ‘Factory Defaults’.

To enable the EVOLUTION 50CD to have a volume controlled output - Select Analogue
Output by pressing the Play/Pause button. Press either the Track Back/Forward button until

Page: 2