Creative Audio

Tight budget? Don't compromise. An immersive surround experience awaits you in the Denon AVR-X1800H! 💥

Look, we get it. You've got a lot of things to spend money on. And yes, we do understand that food has to come before audio. It's why we love the Denon AVR-X1800H. In the crowded space of inexpensive AV receivers and cheap sound bar systems, this amp forges its own awesome sounding path.

It's the junior sibling of the AVR-X2800H, which garnered a 5-star review AND Product of the Year designation in What Hi-Fi?. 🏆 "Mature and authoritative", "coherent, dramatic", "liveliness and clarity", and "breath and expression" are just some of the characteristics they noted in that model. The AVR-X1800H will deliver on those same promises, with just a little bit less power and processing ability.

In our opinion Denon made the right call here - rather than sacrifice sound quality they simply narrowed the AVR-X1800H's scope a bit to bring the price down. 👍

It's a great example of why Denon has been one of our favourite AV receiver brands for over 25 years. At Creative Audio, sound quality is always paramount, and Denon has never failed to deliver a dynamically exciting experience in home theater receivers, one that makes them stand head and shoulders above their peers.

The Denon AVR-X1800H is normally in stock. When you're ready, we're ready. 🙌

📸 Denon

Learn more:
https://www.creativeaudio.ca/product-catalogue/denon/avr-x1800h-av-surround-receiver

Why do some speaker companies update their models so often? To catch up to Focal! Or at least try… 😉

It has been over 10 years since Focal introduced the Aria series. With Aria, the world was introduced to speaker drivers made of flax fibre, an incredibly light and rigid material, perfect for speaker cones. This technology, designed and made in France 🇫🇷 by Focal, would give Aria its signature and award-winning sound.

In their later years, our clients would often ask – haven’t those speakers been around a long time? The answer was yes, because even after ten years they still sounded better than the competition! 🎯

Now, 2024 brings us Aria Evo X, of which the bookshelf model, the No. 1, is pictured. What has changed? The hint is in the name – this is an Evolution of the still awesome sounding Aria series. Focal doesn’t do change for the sake of change.

Aria Evo X introduces refinements developed in recent years by Focal. It also features a trickle-down of cutting-edge technologies from their higher end models.

The familiar Flax drivers now sound even better, thanks to the addition of the Tuned Mass Damper (TMD), which stabilizes the surround of the cone, reducing distortion in the critical midrange frequencies.

The inverted dome tweeter has also evolved, now featuring the M shape which has allowed Focal to deliver a more detailed and dynamic high frequency response without ever sounding bright or fatiguing.

Of course Focal speakers don’t only sound amazing, but they look the part too! It wouldn’t be a Focal without a funky colour option and in this series its Moss Green – we definitely cannot wait to see that!

Expect to see Aria Evo X in our showroom later this month…

📸 Focal

We get requests for great sound every day. Start your hi-fi journey in the Green Room at Creative Audio.

I love this room. It has become a new habit of mine to start every day with a bit of listening in here, where the morning light shines bright.

Our new location features four listening rooms, three of which are on the second floor. The rooms are arranged by price point, and the Green Room is where you will find our entry-level components and speakers.

I love this room because it reminds me of when I experienced my first quality audio system at Creative Audio back in 1993 - 31 (gulp!) years ago. My first purchase was an NAD 304 integrated amplifier. Today I am proud that we still carry NAD, and it's one of my favourite brands for starter systems.

My second purchase at Creative Audio was a turntable from Rega, another brand still going strong (they celebrated their 50th Anniversary last year!). Pictured here is the Rega Planar 1, the king of affordable record players.

I love this room because it proves the point that even a modest budget can get you great sound.

Creative Audio is known for carrying some of the world's best - and most expensive - hi-fi systems, but that doesn't mean we're snobs. Everyone deserves great sound, and we are here to help you get it!

We’ve got what you’re missing. Great sound for your living room with the vintage styled Wharfedale Linton. 🥰

The original Linton was introduced by British speaker manufacturer Wharfedale in 1965. Today’s version maintains the retro design and proportions of the original but the technology inside is bang up to date.

This three-way speaker design features Kevlar cones for its bass and midrange drivers. This gives the Linton the ability to deliver bass depth and speed with a faithfully reproduced midrange for lifelike vocals. The soft dome tweeter reveals fine high frequency detail without ever sounding harsh or bright.

The Wharfedale Linton is one of the most popular speakers in our store. It’s fun to look at and even more fun to listen to! The matching stands look stunning and provide a convenient space for vinyl storage.

You can experience the Wharfedale Linton yourself in the fun retro-styled sound room (one of four!) at our new location at 549 Academy, opening January 3, 2024!

Happy New Year! 🥂

We are getting ready to turn up the volume at our new location at 549 Academy Road in the heart of River Heights! 🥰

It’s been a hectic couple of weeks, what with the usual Christmas festivities and setting up the new store. It’s coming together nicely and, thanks to the help of some very generous folk, I look forward to opening my door for you on January 3rd!

📸 The Marantz PM6007 integrated amplifier in what I’m currently calling the Green Room - one of four sound rooms at the new location! The PM6007 is a fantastic mid-entry-level amplifier and a gateway into the world of Marantz Hi-Fi. Award-winning composer Max Richter said this of Marantz: “…the first time I listened on a Marantz system, which my parents had bought, it was almost like I hadn’t heard music before, a door opening into a completely different space.”

I couldn’t agree more, Max. I bought my first Marantz (from Creative Audio of course!) in 1993. It was a CD-53 MKII and it redefined my expectations when it came to CD sound. Up until then CD, to me, sounded “clean” and free of the pops of vinyl and the hiss of cassette. Yet somehow it still didn’t sound “right”. It was sterile and completely uninvolving. Then I heard the Marantz. It was a key lesson in my hi-fi journey: the importance of musicality in the performance of a hi-fi component. Teach me which keys to tap and I could play a piano, but that wouldn’t make me a musician. To Marantz, music reproduction is an art and I am thrilled to represent this tradition, going on now for over 70 years, as the owner of Creative Audio.

Trade-in your old amp and save on the Marantz Model 40n premium streaming amplifier. Just add speakers! 🙌

Gone are the days when you needed a tall stack of components for high-end sound. Inside the Marantz Model 40n not only do you get a stunningly musical amplifier (thanks to Marantz-exclusive technology like HDAM), you also get hi-res audio streaming as well! All you need to do is add speakers and BOOM - you’ve got yourself an awesome stereo system with a minimal footprint.

One of the many great things about this amp is you can add more if you want to! It has a phono input for your turntable, an HDMI input for your TV, and a USB input for your hard drive of music. There are also a plethora of analog and digital inputs as well.

Most importantly, the Model 40n draws on the heritage of sound quality that Marantz established 70 years ago. This amp sounds rich and musical and engaging. It will invite you to keep listening, to play just one more track until the wee hours of the morning.

It does this while adding a dash of vintage-inspired charm to your listening room; despite being a fully digital device, all controls on the front are analog. This detail hearkens back to the very first amplifier that Saul Marantz built on his kitchen table in 1953.

The Marantz Model 40n is available to audition at Creative Audio in Winnipeg. Come hear for yourself!

Marantz Model 40n | Streaming Amplifier — Creative Audio in Winnipeg A premium integrated amplifier with built-in streaming, phono and HDMI inputs. Available in Winnipeg at Creative Audio.

Vintage on the outside, thoroughly modern inside. The NAD C 3050 LE. Limited to just 1972 units worldwide.

And we have ONE left!

The retro vibes come courtesy of the walnut sleeve, dual VU meters, push-button controls, and NAD’s cursive branding. The modern sounds come from the built-in hi-res music streaming with BluOS, Dirac Live room correction, and of course plenty of NAD watts!

Learn more:

https://www.creativeaudio.ca/product-catalogue/nad/c-3050-le-integrated-amplifier

Luxury in design and sound. A complete wireless hi-fi system in a compact, 8-inch cube. The Naim Mu-so Qb 2.

Learn more:

https://www.creativeaudio.ca/product-catalogue/naim/mu-so-qb-2nd-generation-wireless-speaker

Updating the firmware on a Naim NDX network audio streamer. Even though this piece is 13 years old, Naim was quick on the draw providing a software update after TIDAL made a change to their log-in authentication, locking out millions of users who access the streaming service through third-party devices.

Long- term support is one of the reasons we love Naim products. That and the sound quality, of course. 🙂

Winter isn't done with Winnipeg yet, but we're keeping warm in the showroom today with the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum III tube integrated amplifier.

Right now we've got it powering a pair of MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL electrostatic speakers and does it ever sound sweet!

If you're hesitant about tube amplifiers, let us shatter three common myths:

First - that tube amps don't deliver much power. That depends on the design! Certainly in the case of the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum III, there's no shortage of power, with 100 watts per channel on tap.

Second - that tube amps are finicky. This often refers to the need to adjust the "bias" of the tubes regularly. Without getting too technical, bias is an operating parameter that does need adjustment to ensure the tubes operate at the optimum temperature and deliver their best sound quality. With many tube amps, bias does indeed need to be set by a technician. Fortunately Rogue Audio gives you all the tools and knowledge you need to make the adjustment yourself, and it really is that easy! If you're unsure we are always here to help.

Third - that tube amps run hot. Okay, this one is true. This amp could warm up a small room, there is no doubt. Fortunately today we are not complaining about that!

Come down to our showroom and give the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum III a listen - your ears and soul will be glad you did!

Key features:

100 watts per channel, capable of driving 8 and 4 ohm loads
Phono input with support for both MM and MC cartridges
3 line level stereo analog inputs
1 fixed, 1 variable stereo analog output
Triode mode
Remote control
Preamp tubes: 2x 12AX7, 3x 12AU7
Power amp tubes: 4x KT120
Available in Black or Silver
Built by hand in Pennsylvania

Wireless with soul. 💃 Luxurious hi-fi to transform your music and TV experience. Save $200 until September 30!

The Mu-so 2 premium wireless speaker system from Naim redefines expectations from wireless speakers. This special Wood Edition wraps the award-winning system in a gorgeous and sustainable Ayous hardwood that is treated and lacquered to give the appearance of light oak. 😍

Six highly optimized speaker drivers, developed jointly with Focal, are powered by 450 DSP-driven watts. The end result? Sound like you've never experienced from a single-box system!

Stream wirelessly from Spotify or TIDAL, Bluetooth or Chromecast, or use the HDMI ARC connection to bring an astounding sonic experience to your TV viewing.

Until September 30, 2022 you can save $200 on the Naim Mu-so Wood Edition. In stock today at Creative Audio in Winnipeg! 🙌

Learn more:
https://www.creativeaudio.ca/product-catalogue/naim/mu-so-wood-edition

Naim Mu-so Wood Edition Premium Wireless Speaker — Creative Audio in Winnipeg Naim's award-winning Mu-so 2 premium wireless speaker system is now available in a gorgeous wood finish. Buy it in Winnipeg at Creative Audio.

Prepare for cozy winter nights with this set of Grado GS1000e Statement Series headphones and an extra $420 in your pocket! As part of our Fall Sale we have our mint-condition demos on sale for $979.99 (regularly $1,399.99). They are in superb condition and come with the original packaging and full warranty. Just one of many great opportunities to up your sound game in our Fall Sale, on until October 8!

I am thrilled to welcome MartinLogan back to Creative Audio!

For those who can remember back 20 plus years, you'll remember MartinLogan electrostatic speakers were a staple in our sound rooms. Their distinct look would always turn heads. I can remember this dialog playing out on the daily:

"What's that bit on top?"

"It's all speaker."

"What?!!"

And then we'd play them and, more often than not, the listener was instantly seduced. Yes, that is the magic of electrostatic speakers and they are just as alluring today as they were many years ago. More so, in fact, because MartinLogan has continued to improve them. They also look sleeker, too!

Oh and want to know something else? They're made in Canada! Cool, eh?

I'm just breaking in a set of ElectroMotion ESL and boy do they ever sound sweet! Stop by the showroom some day soon and give them a listen. Your ears will thank you.

This article, written by David Sanderson, originally appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press on December 26, 2021. Reprinted (with kind permission) in our blog, the article offers an insight into this Winnipeg audio institution and its owner.

Blog - An Ear for Sound — Creative Audio in Winnipeg This article, written by David Sanderson, originally appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press on December 26, 2021. Reprinted here with kind permission, the article offers an insight into this Winnipeg audio institution and its owner.