my first true hifi product was a Creek 4140 integrated. I loved that amp. Served me well for 15 yrs. Think I bought it at Innovative Audio in Brooklyn Heights.
Wow ... Creek 4140 from 1985 with no tone control knobs. Back at that time I was looking for something to compete with the Radio Shack, Realistic STA-100 of 1980 year and I never did find anything that could begin to measure up. The 1980s were a bad time for Audio compared with the 1970s. I mean comparing a harman/kardon A 402 from 1977 and you know, it might just (might) beat the STA-100 but speakers matter, what we're using. STA-100 used the RS Realistic MC-1201, among others and they're awesome to this day!
Creek Evolution 100a integrated is the workhorse of my office system, it's been fantastic! Very well designed feature set, great OLED screen, and excellent sonics at all volumes in a small room. It's just a great midfi product.
...and whist on Reed/Cale we could mention Joe Jackson with his "I'm The Man" LP on the A&M label, he's very popular in Tel Aviv, has done a few tours.
I loved my Creek 4040 amp!! - Part of my *very first* 'seperates' hi-fi system - Way back in 1982 along w/ a Rega Planar 3 (RB250 arm & ADC Phase IV cart.) - Aiwa 3-head cassette deck + Heybrook HB1's spkrs. on Linn Kan Stands & a Target hi-fi Rack (w/ Naim speaker cable & QED interconnects). Oh boy, I loved that system so much...
Rega Planar 3, wow ... lucky you. I got a Radio Shack Realistic LAB-395 and modified it so there was no rumble, speed drift or howl with disco volume levels and ... it's probably as good as the Planar 3 that always struck me as puzzling, with a glass platter you know, that rings? AMSTRAD of the UK had a Rega Planet turntable, much older than the Planar. So Rega you know, it wasn't high end. So RB250 arm is straight and my LAB-395 is the S-arm version so not suitable for the ADC Phase IV. RS did a straight arm LAB-395 that really ... couldn't use an Audio Technica AT-95.
@@timleelim9930 Me, too! And also, all my friends who were into hi-fi had the NAD 3020, w/ some having a Dual t/table or one guy who had a Michell, you know, the circular deck... and also one friend had a Dunlop System Deck... I saved up for 2 years to get it... Happy days!
Went to England in 1987, preordered a Creek 4040 in 115 volt, brought it back in my carryon luggage, the airport checker let it slide, Had some fun with it. Good for the time. I also brought back a Syrinx tonearm. Remember those? heh. Vintage now.
Wow ... a Syrinx tonearm. Well some internet places credit Technics with making the RS Realistic LAB-395 and it wasn't made by them, it was made by Audio Technica but on the arm it has a Lenco balance and its British influences are awesome, more than many a Technics. The sound of my one compares to the Acoustic Research “The AR Turntable”, that nobody seems to know much about. Radiomuseum says it was launched in the year 1984? But it had a straight arm so it has to have a High Compliance cartridge. I can get that sound with an Audio Technica AT-95 and Herb Reichert is impressed with that model too but just what his turntable or arm are, I couldn't hazard a guess.
When you stopped using this intro for a while I almost lost it because your video is the first thing I watch in the morning and my brain was suffering from withdrawal syndrome. Now things are back to normal 😅
Im a fan of Creek Audio. I have the 4140S2 in perfect condition, love his sound, very sweet, detail retrieval amplifier, easy to upgrade the sound with power cables and fuse. Very simple amp. Creek was the first company with toroidal transformers. Other i have is the Evolution 50A. Is a great modern upgradable integrated amplifier. A lot of capabilities. Class G!. The sound is more detail than the previous generations. The volume is logarithmic, feels very different and you have the impression of no power until you are in the point the amplifier gives you a fast and powerful response. One time I bypassed the preamp with other and the result was a punching power to the RP600, never seen that woofer moved like that before. Ill try other speakers, i don’t feel these are the good match for Creek. IMO Hegel looks similar to Creek, i believe Creek came first with this look with the evolution series. If you have a change to get one, do it.
Hey Steve, always like your reviews, but in this one what happened to the "...so Steve, what do you really think?" section of your usual review format? 😢
I've got a 35 year old Creek T40 tuner in storage, and it was a really musical sounding tuner back in the day. Very easy on the ear, and sounded great with classical live broadcasts. I might dust it off if I can find a new place to live (in the UK housing crisis), but not sure if there's much on FM any more.
Well ... there won't be much on your FM any more with a Creek T40 that was kept in storage. The digital readout won't work and neither will the audio electronics because we have to turn these things on quite often or parts inside die off and getting it repaired you know? Best buy a used one from an internet place. But the T40 had 0.7 sensitivity so was well suited to fringe reception was 10dB noisier than Technics. Actually FM is very good and you can hardly beat TANDY's Realistic STA-100 for FM performance, although the STA-2000 is possibly, the best ever radio tuner of any brand.
@@keplermission It works ok. As I'm moving I've been going through all my stuff to see what I can get rid of, so I tried it a couple of months back to see how it was. Everything worked OK. First time I'd turned it on for nearly twenty years. Then I packed it away again for the impending move.
@@banginghats2 Wow! Well, you must be the luckiest man in England, it has 0.7 sensitivity but is noisy, 10db worse than Technics with a 0.9 sensitivity. Still if loads of buyers in America rate these highly, then good and well. Back in the day the A&R Cambridge A60 tuner had very low sensitivity, it needed 8 uV, not 0.8 but it was for cities and let's not confuse residents of American cities, if you're in a high rise and have to use a 300 ohm aerial then the high sensitivity Creek T40 is best. But low sensitivity is best for city suburbs.
I just returned one of these due to high noise floor/hiss coming from the tweeter, I was using it in a nearfield configuration for a desktop setup so only 2 feet away from my Kef speakers but very apparent while the amo was turned on, shame really as it sounded great and you could use it as a power amp as well.
@@TriAmpMyFi Yeah but ... the power supply you know, Herb's quotes are all very well but when it comes to the NAD 3020 that Steve is comparing to the Creek 4040, the power supply wasn't everything because at the launch the 3020 had a bigger power iron than later on in production ... and power irons aren't what we include in a power supply. But the 4040 had a round transformer and buyers could use the Heybrook HB1 that was 90dB but the HB2 at 88dB was bad news to NAD 3020 owners. However ... 'horses for courses', round transformers and straight arm turntables made different set of audiophiles. NAD 3020 suited different stuff from a Creek 4040.
The great array of interesting products reviewed continues............👍 And the Cuban viewer system? Inspirational. Imagine if he had resources. Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass🔈🔉🔊
This is literally FunFi I believe the $200 SMSL A300 uses this chip or at least the same brand of chip I am not often surprised but I would be surprised at the value proposition of this amplifier as being a deal That it sounds good would not surprise me
*CONGRATULATIONS!!!* 🎉🏆🎉 The Toledo Zoo will be part of your special prize itinerary! You will have free admission for three days, and all you can and drink. Each visit to the Zoo will include a used pair of dungarees for you to wear while you scoop up the hippopotamus enclosure. _(Boots are not included)_
I picked up a Creek 4240 last year. I knew nothing about that brand. I just thought that the green typography looked really cool and the price was right. Anyways, I love my little Creek.
Hypex Ncore sound very pretty by themselves too, I tried them in mono block form and used a passive pre with them and really there was nothing left to be desired, and they were very easy to listen to as well.
There is quite a good review by New Record Day, it made me buy one with the PS. I really like it, it got an analogue relaxed and quite realistic sound.
@@henrym78 so why would you need Steve to do one, you know what he is going to say, you know his round on products he reviews, you can type it up. Beek is an other caliber.
I have yet to try a good class D amp, this one has really peaked my interest. Would love to hear it with my lii song diy open baffles that are high sensitivity
*CONGRATULATIONS!!!* 🎉🏆🎉 On behalf of Audiophiliac you’ve won a plethora of special gifts. This includes an all expenses paid trip to Toledo Ohio. Your transportation will be the front seat of a Greyhound bus, and you will be staying at a slightly refurbished B&B at The Old South End!!! 😅
SMSL has several amps (AL200, RAW-HA1) based on the Infineon Merus class D tech. I have the AL200 and was really impressed with it and was actually the first class D I really liked honestly. It would be super interesting if you got one of those in and see how it stacks up against the Creek since the SMSL amps are all under $300 and are using more powerful Infineon modules.
*CONGRATULATIONS!!!* 🎉🏆🎉 On behalf of Audiophiliac you’ve won a plethora of special gifts. This includes an all expenses paid trip to Toledo Ohio. Your transportation will be the front seat of a Greyhound bus, and you will be staying at a slightly refurbished B&B at The Old South End!!! 😅
*CONGRATULATIONS!!!* 🎉🏆🎉 The Toledo Zoo will be part of your special prize itinerary! You will have free admission for three days, and all you can and drink. Each visit to the Zoo will include a used pair of dungarees for you to wear while you scoop up the hippopotamus enclosure. _(Boots are not included)_
*CONGRATULATIONS!!!* 🎉🏆🎉 Zebra steaks and crocodile loins are out of season at the Zoo. We apologize for that. But during your visit, we are featuring deep fried hummingbird breasts, sauce included! _(limit of two breasts per visit)_
English boutique manufacturers have a lot of respect in their respective fields. Jay Leno gave them a shout out for their work in automobiles. Myself, I am enjoying a Michell gyro turntable from that English boutique manufacturer. It's a stripped to the fundamentals design that has been on the market for over a quarter of a century and still plays with the best top players , when cost is a consideration.
my first true hifi product was a Creek 4140 integrated. I loved that amp. Served me well for 15 yrs. Think I bought it at Innovative Audio in Brooklyn Heights.
Wow ... Creek 4140 from 1985 with no tone control knobs. Back at that time I was looking for something to compete with the Radio Shack, Realistic STA-100 of 1980 year and I never did find anything that could begin to measure up. The 1980s were a bad time for Audio compared with the 1970s. I mean comparing a harman/kardon A 402 from 1977 and you know, it might just (might) beat the STA-100 but speakers matter, what we're using. STA-100 used the RS Realistic MC-1201, among others and they're awesome to this day!
Creek Evolution 100a integrated is the workhorse of my office system, it's been fantastic! Very well designed feature set, great OLED screen, and excellent sonics at all volumes in a small room. It's just a great midfi product.
Blimey! English equipment seems to be on heavy rotation at Chez Guttenburg at the moment! And rightly so!! Cheers from London, Steve!!
Love the way you talk about Songs for Drella Steve. The art of music is really what all this gear is serving.
...and whist on Reed/Cale we could mention Joe Jackson with his "I'm The Man" LP on the A&M label, he's very popular in Tel Aviv, has done a few tours.
I loved my Creek 4040 amp!! - Part of my *very first* 'seperates' hi-fi system - Way back in 1982 along w/ a Rega Planar 3 (RB250 arm & ADC Phase IV cart.) - Aiwa 3-head cassette deck + Heybrook HB1's spkrs. on Linn Kan Stands & a Target hi-fi Rack (w/ Naim speaker cable & QED interconnects). Oh boy, I loved that system so much...
Rega Planar 3, wow ... lucky you. I got a Radio Shack Realistic LAB-395 and modified it so there was no rumble, speed drift or howl with disco volume levels and ... it's probably as good as the Planar 3 that always struck me as puzzling, with a glass platter you know, that rings? AMSTRAD of the UK had a Rega Planet turntable, much older than the Planar. So Rega you know, it wasn't high end. So RB250 arm is straight and my LAB-395 is the S-arm version so not suitable for the ADC Phase IV. RS did a straight arm LAB-395 that really ... couldn't use an Audio Technica AT-95.
Nice amp. At the moment I have a Primäre I 30 which I like.
I had a 4040 too. I couldn't afford the A&R A60, but wanted a similar wood encased unit.
@@keplermissionyou are insufferable.
@@timleelim9930 Me, too! And also, all my friends who were into hi-fi had the NAD 3020, w/ some having a Dual t/table or one guy who had a Michell, you know, the circular deck... and also one friend had a Dunlop System Deck... I saved up for 2 years to get it... Happy days!
Classic Guttenberg.. never tire of the quality of reviews. Always so informative .🎉
Went to England in 1987, preordered a Creek 4040 in 115 volt, brought it back in my carryon luggage, the airport checker let it slide, Had some fun with it. Good for the time. I also brought back a Syrinx tonearm. Remember those? heh. Vintage now.
Wow ... a Syrinx tonearm. Well some internet places credit Technics with making the RS Realistic LAB-395 and it wasn't made by them, it was made by Audio Technica but on the arm it has a Lenco balance and its British influences are awesome, more than many a Technics. The sound of my one compares to the Acoustic Research “The AR Turntable”, that nobody seems to know much about. Radiomuseum says it was launched in the year 1984? But it had a straight arm so it has to have a High Compliance cartridge. I can get that sound with an Audio Technica AT-95 and Herb Reichert is impressed with that model too but just what his turntable or arm are, I couldn't hazard a guess.
@@keplermissionwell more useless info from you
When you stopped using this intro for a while I almost lost it because your video is the first thing I watch in the morning and my brain was suffering from withdrawal syndrome. Now things are back to normal 😅
I know many will agree but we need more herb in our lives this holiday season !
Im a fan of Creek Audio. I have the 4140S2 in perfect condition, love his sound, very sweet, detail retrieval amplifier, easy to upgrade the sound with power cables and fuse. Very simple amp. Creek was the first company with toroidal transformers. Other i have is the Evolution 50A. Is a great modern upgradable integrated amplifier. A lot of capabilities. Class G!. The sound is more detail than the previous generations. The volume is logarithmic, feels very different and you have the impression of no power until you are in the point the amplifier gives you a fast and powerful response. One time I bypassed the preamp with other and the result was a punching power to the RP600, never seen that woofer moved like that before. Ill try other speakers, i don’t feel these are the good match for Creek. IMO Hegel looks similar to Creek, i believe Creek came first with this look with the evolution series. If you have a change to get one, do it.
Thank you Steve for your music recommendations!! Good stuff. :-)
Hey Steve, always like your reviews, but in this one what happened to the "...so Steve, what do you really think?" section of your usual review format? 😢
Looks like Mike got the chassis from the same supplier as Bel Canto. Very nice for the money
Thanks for another great review. A very tidy and compact amplifier. It is good to have a choice of high quality products in this price range.
We like you too! 👍👍👍Thank you!
I've got a 35 year old Creek T40 tuner in storage, and it was a really musical sounding tuner back in the day. Very easy on the ear, and sounded great with classical live broadcasts. I might dust it off if I can find a new place to live (in the UK housing crisis), but not sure if there's much on FM any more.
Well ... there won't be much on your FM any more with a Creek T40 that was kept in storage. The digital readout won't work and neither will the audio electronics because we have to turn these things on quite often or parts inside die off and getting it repaired you know? Best buy a used one from an internet place. But the T40 had 0.7 sensitivity so was well suited to fringe reception was 10dB noisier than Technics. Actually FM is very good and you can hardly beat TANDY's Realistic STA-100 for FM performance, although the STA-2000 is possibly, the best ever radio tuner of any brand.
@@keplermission It works ok. As I'm moving I've been going through all my stuff to see what I can get rid of, so I tried it a couple of months back to see how it was. Everything worked OK. First time I'd turned it on for nearly twenty years. Then I packed it away again for the impending move.
@@banginghats2 Wow! Well, you must be the luckiest man in England, it has 0.7 sensitivity but is noisy, 10db worse than Technics with a 0.9 sensitivity. Still if loads of buyers in America rate these highly, then good and well. Back in the day the A&R Cambridge A60 tuner had very low sensitivity, it needed 8 uV, not 0.8 but it was for cities and let's not confuse residents of American cities, if you're in a high rise and have to use a 300 ohm aerial then the high sensitivity Creek T40 is best. But low sensitivity is best for city suburbs.
Black version has q Hegel feel to it
Yes looks similar to the Evolution series. I believe Creek was first with that look way back.
I just returned one of these due to high noise floor/hiss coming from the tweeter, I was using it in a nearfield configuration for a desktop setup so only 2 feet away from my Kef speakers but very apparent while the amo was turned on, shame really as it sounded great and you could use it as a power amp as well.
All I want for Christmas is some more Herb !!!
Power supply is like............ everything. (Herb quote)
@@TriAmpMyFi Yeah but ... the power supply you know, Herb's quotes are all very well but when it comes to the NAD 3020 that Steve is comparing to the Creek 4040, the power supply wasn't everything because at the launch the 3020 had a bigger power iron than later on in production ... and power irons aren't what we include in a power supply. But the 4040 had a round transformer and buyers could use the Heybrook HB1 that was 90dB but the HB2 at 88dB was bad news to NAD 3020 owners. However ... 'horses for courses', round transformers and straight arm turntables made different set of audiophiles. NAD 3020 suited different stuff from a Creek 4040.
@@keplermissiontouch grass
The great array of interesting products reviewed continues............👍
And the Cuban viewer system? Inspirational. Imagine if he had resources.
Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass🔈🔉🔊
great viewer system! what is the dac in the picture, it was not mentioned, it looks fascinating.
This is literally FunFi
I believe the $200 SMSL A300 uses this chip or at least the same brand of chip
I am not often surprised but I would be surprised at the value proposition of this amplifier as being a deal
That it sounds good would not surprise me
AO200 mk2
@@roryyoung6192 Also the A200. SMSL uses it in a number of their amplifiers.
Imo the A300 and the D300 that uses the ROHM chip are unbelievable value for money.
The D300 is the best bang for buck dac I've heard.
Tube's rule!!!
Great review as always.
What we need is a 12 step program to cure audiophiliacs. We could call it BS ANONYMOUS
Man needs his coin 🪙
Having to pull up a menu to adjust treble and bass, no thanks. Give me knobs.
Steve,thanks for this rewiev
How much is the zoo ticket, please?
Zu DW6? Around $2K/pair
*CONGRATULATIONS!!!*
🎉🏆🎉
The Toledo Zoo will be part of your special prize itinerary! You will have free admission for three days, and all you can and drink. Each visit to the Zoo will include a used pair of dungarees for you to wear while you scoop up the hippopotamus enclosure. _(Boots are not included)_
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Berlin...shipping costs, tax, etc . ,difficult.
@@unclewilbur8976 Thanks, aber der Berliner Zoo ist besser.
@@unclewilbur8976 Do they have zebra steaks and coccidile loins?
I picked up a Creek 4240 last year. I knew nothing about that brand. I just thought that the green typography looked really cool and the price was right. Anyways, I love my little Creek.
Thanks Steve. For class D, how about reviewing the AGD Audions that has generated a lot of buzz...?
Heard one, not my thing.
Hypex Ncore sound very pretty by themselves too, I tried them in mono block form and used a passive pre with them and really there was nothing left to be desired, and they were very easy to listen to as well.
I was disappointed with the hypex ncore. Lifeless sound.
Hello Cuba!
Hello Steve, will the 4040 work well with Audio Physics 25 Scorpio?
Many thanks
Thanks for posting this video=
That’s a great system of the day! It would be interesting if you can do a review on the Merason Frerot.
There is quite a good review by New Record Day, it made me buy one with the PS. I really like it, it got an analogue relaxed and quite realistic sound.
Also by Hans Beekhuyzen.
@@henrym78 so why would you need Steve to do one, you know what he is going to say, you know his round on products he reviews, you can type it up. Beek is an other caliber.
I have yet to try a good class D amp, this one has really peaked my interest. Would love to hear it with my lii song diy open baffles that are high sensitivity
Songs for Drella is a treat.
Hi Steve, is it a neutral amplifier or not? Tks
Warmish
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliacit is the weather issue 😅
wynton/eric/Taj: music Olympians!!!
Steve, can you please raise the volume of this video, as it comes across as much lower in volume than the ads and most other YT videos. Thanks.
So nice listening to old hifi farts!
If its class D its not for me
You should try to get a Rega brio by the way it has a lifetime warranty.
It looks a lot like the audio lab 7000
*CONGRATULATIONS!!!*
🎉🏆🎉
On behalf of Audiophiliac you’ve won a plethora of special gifts. This includes an all expenses paid trip to Toledo Ohio.
Your transportation will be the front seat of a Greyhound bus, and you will be staying at a slightly refurbished B&B at The Old South End!!! 😅
Orchard Audio is much better.
SMSL has several amps (AL200, RAW-HA1) based on the Infineon Merus class D tech. I have the AL200 and was really impressed with it and was actually the first class D I really liked honestly. It would be super interesting if you got one of those in and see how it stacks up against the Creek since the SMSL amps are all under $300 and are using more powerful Infineon modules.
First!!!!!!!!!!!
*CONGRATULATIONS!!!*
🎉🏆🎉
On behalf of Audiophiliac you’ve won a plethora of special gifts. This includes an all expenses paid trip to Toledo Ohio.
Your transportation will be the front seat of a Greyhound bus, and you will be staying at a slightly refurbished B&B at The Old South End!!! 😅
*CONGRATULATIONS!!!*
🎉🏆🎉
The Toledo Zoo will be part of your special prize itinerary! You will have free admission for three days, and all you can and drink. Each visit to the Zoo will include a used pair of dungarees for you to wear while you scoop up the hippopotamus enclosure.
_(Boots are not included)_
*CONGRATULATIONS!!!*
🎉🏆🎉
Zebra steaks and crocodile loins are out of season at the Zoo.
We apologize for that.
But during your visit, we are featuring deep fried hummingbird breasts, sauce included!
_(limit of two breasts per visit)_
Pretty... pretty... pretty... good... (-"
Just can't do class D and if it does sound good it cost you
English boutique manufacturers have a lot of respect in their respective fields. Jay Leno gave them a shout out for their work in automobiles.
Myself, I am enjoying a Michell gyro turntable from that English boutique manufacturer. It's a stripped to the fundamentals design that has been on the market for over a quarter of a century and still plays with the best top players , when cost is a consideration.