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Creek CAS 4040 vs A&R Cambridge A60.

I believe the A&R A60 was significantly more expensive than the CAS4040 when new. The Creek was highly regarded as being brilliant budget amp which offered a performance which was better than many amps costing much more.

I own a CAS4040 S2 which I love. I've never heard an A60.
 
When the Creek first came out it was £99, the A&R was around £199. I remember listening to both at a dealers at the time and although the A&R was smoother/better, the Creek was nipping at its heels. I bought the Creek as price was a factor at the time and it served me well, this was back in the early 80's. The price rose shortly after its release to about £125 I think whereas the A&R stayed at around £200. A few years ago I bought an old A&R and its matching tuner and its doing sterling service in my second system.

To answer the original question; yes they are similar and yes the A&R has the edge, assuming they are both in good working order.
 
The CAS4040 is very compact if that makes any difference to you. It is full width but only about half depth.
 
The A&R was a very good amp, better than the budget Creek IMO. A properly serviced A60 is still a contender, an amp well worth restoring.
 
The A60 could well be 10 years older than the Creek, not that it matters as both will need a rebuild.
 
Tony L said:
The A60 could well be 10 years older than the Creek, not that it matters as both will need a rebuild.
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Why would they need a rebuild?
My brother bought an A60 new about 35 years ago and so far as I can tell it's still working just fine.
My Dad bought a CAS 4040 just under 30 years ago and it was sounding just great yesterday.
I bought an A60 about ten years ago (for £25) and there were no problems with it for the brief period I had it.

Personally I prefer the Creek as I've always found the A60 a little too warm and emotionless. To get all technical, the Creek has more umph.
 
kitemap said:
Why would they need a rebuild?
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Electrolytic capacitors have a very distinct lifespan, and an amp that is anything up to 40 years old is way beyond any safe threshold. It may “work”, but it won’t be to spec and it could possibly fail fairly catastrophically. Naim users and others who believe in leaving kit of 24/7 will only get a decade or so safe use out of their kit, you can double or maybe triple that if you only turn on to listen for an hour or two a day, but even sitting unused in a box electrolytic capacitors age (in fact they age faster than gentle use, one should always power stored kit up every 6 months or so to reform the caps).
 
I just rebuilt a CAS4040 and the two main smoothing caps measured as having high ESR indicating that they had deteriorated.

It sounds much better after a full recap.
 
Mike P said:
I just rebuilt a CAS4040 and the two main smoothing caps measured as having high ESR indicating that they had deteriorated.

It sounds much better after a full recap.
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Do you have the original one or the S2/S3?
Which is better?
 
I have an S2 as well. Although, I do recall having listened to the original DIN input (and later RCA input) CAS4040, that was via dealer dems a few decades ago now. I do remember greatly preferring the Creek over the NAD 3020, which was the closest market competitor at the time (along with the Rotel RA820 which that dealer didn't carry). When a minty S2 landed on the dealers used shelves some 10 years ago now, I just couldn't resist adding it to my collection of 'The Little Amps That Could'.

I don't recall having had a listen to an S3, however, I do remember the dealer saying that Creek had finally got round to suppressing the turn-on thump.

The link below will get you copies of the 4040/4140 S1 manual, a slightly mutilated .doc version of the S2 brochure, a .pdf of the S3 brochure, an S1 DIN pin in/out map, and S1/S2 vs S3 transformer voltage conversion diagrams direct from Creek.

https://www.creekaudio.com/archive/4040.zip

I have some other versions of the manuals at home if you'd like more.
 
Craig B said:
I have an S2 as well. Although, I do recall having listened to the original DIN input (and later RCA input) CAS4040, that was via dealer dems a few decades ago now. I do remember greatly preferring the Creek over the NAD 3020, which was the closest market competitor at the time (along with the Rotel RA820 which that dealer didn't carry). When a minty S2 landed on the dealers used shelves some 10 years ago now, I just couldn't resist adding it to my collection of 'The Little Amps That Could'.

I don't recall having had a listen to an S3, however, I do remember the dealer saying that Creek had finally got round to suppressing the turn-on thump.

The link below will get you a copies of the 4040/4140 S1 manual and an S3 brochure direct from Creek.

https://www.creekaudio.com/archive/4040.zip

I have some other versions of the manuals at home if you'd like more.
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Thank you Craig...
 
You are welcome.

I should mention that I too like the A60, however, when comparing that model I ended up choosing a NAIT. If a minty A60 came available for Creek 4040 money over here, I'd be having it without hesitation.

The other amp I've been wanting for some time is the tone control-less 4140.
 
I have the pleasure of listening to both. As many on this forum know I am a bit A&R obsessive, however, when the time came to buy my girlfriend a "HiFi" ( now my wife ) for her flat we bought a Creek 4040 as it was cheaper. At the time we paired it with Mordant Short speakers and it did great work for listening in a medium sized living room.

Nearly 25 years or more later, the little Creek is still doing sterling work in my brother in law's home.

Overall I have to say I prefer the A&R - though the Creek holds it's own for sure.

Mind you I also like Arkless's suggestion of the Rotel BX series. They are also great listening.

Happy listening - Julian
 
All nice amps but never heard them in comparison.
Can't remember the retail price but my fave was the Nad 3150. Much better than the 3020 series.
 
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