AUDIOLAB 6000A REVIEW! THE BEST INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER YOU CAN BUY UNDER £1,000?
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- čas přidán 26. 09. 2019
- Audiolab 6000A Amplifier Review
To buy an Audiolab 6000A amplifier click below:
BLACK
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SILVER
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THE VINYL WALL
Wondered what the vinyl is sitting on the shelves behind me? Here's a list in full. I've included links in case you'd like to purchase too. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you.
Various - What Lola Wants
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Frank Sinatra - Sinatra & Strings
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iTunes: apple.co/2pLkGT7
Ian Anderson - Walk Into the Light
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iTunes: apple.co/32HjUoI
Robert Fripp - God Save the Queen/Under Heavy Manners
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To read the in-depth, structured, 6000A review on my site...magazine style! Click on theaudiophileman.com/6000a-in...
Facebook Group: / theaudiophileman - Věda a technologie
I bought this amp 6 months ago really pleased it sounds lovely and really enjoying it.
Thank for the review!!! I have bought the 6000 A some weeks ago and I am absolutely in love with the amp. It is superb!
Gustavo Anaya thanks for the feedback Gustavo. Nice to hear that you’re enjoying it.
What speakers are you using with it?
I have just, this morning taken delivery of the 6000a and the 6000cdt. Connected to my recently purchased Monitor Audio Bronze 5 speakers, I am so far blown away on initial hearing. I have spent far more time than usual researching my purchases and wanted to thank you for your extremely helpful reviews. Yours was for me, the deciding factor.
Can i ask you if it pairs well with Audiolab? I am a happy owner of a pair of Mourdaunt Short Avant 906i, but the idea of an eventual upgrade start to tease me a bit. What would you recommend??
@@gm1521 I'm not sure what you are asking! Does what Pair well with Audiolab?
I was asking about your speakers, the bronze5. Thank you!
@@gm1521 yes, they pair very well indeed. May upgrade to the Silver's at some point but can highly recommend the Bronze's.
I also have bronze 5 speckers & looking to buy 6000a amp. How you experience both as a set
Great review!!! I love that it can also be just a preamp if you want to add a power amp. Getting one of these tomorrow. Already have the CDT. Thanks for the review. Cheers from Canada 🍻🍻
I have a 6000a. It’s a wonderful amp. What makes it wonderful is how it expands the sound, how it separates tones to allow an expansive floor. And thank you for your review, it’s exactly what I experienced
Agree wholeheartedly. It is a superb amp for the money and anybody looking for a value-for-money integrated should give it a go.
They did the separation thing on purpose. It was their objective. The STARK Sound AD4 was intended to mi ic a tube amp and young Jay said he could nearly confuse it with a tube amp! It's a 400 w class D power amp with two transformers. For a slimilar price as my Audiolab and I am tempted to get the STARK but I would not need it often enough to warrant the extra cost.
Hi Paul just grabbed an Audiolab 6000A the Bluetooth is very good as you said. Thanks for the recommendation.
Great review! I've had one for a few months now (actually the 6000A Play) and love it. I find your comments spot on with my own experience.
Thanks Jeremy.
@@TheAudiophileMan hello sir, first up, how are you sir? Second, i realy love what you are doing here on youtube !! Third, here it comes (sorry, it might be a silly question!?) But i want to buy the audiolab 6000a and the audiolab 6000cdt set with the audiovector qr1 speaker set(with good cables!!!) Because of my low budget and small room, my question to you sir is: is that a good set to buy!? Stay healthy god bless! Gr Peter
Hello Paul. Cracking review, to which I have gone and bought one. You actually described everything I have been looking for in an amp. Thanks 🙏
And thank you for watching.
Great review and after hearing the 6000A you have nailed it
Thanks Peter! Very kind of you to say.
Very competent review, give a great amount of details to allow anyone to make an educated decision. Good Job
Funny how you heard what I heard. I was blown away by how wide the soundstage was and how good the separation detail was. It reminded me of a McIntosh integrated amp I had heard.
I found the tonality exceptional as well. The snare sounded real. May be a tad bright on some tracks so will try the slow filter next.
An informative review. It does occur to me that if you aren't fussed about buying new, and if you don't need the digital facilities, methinks you could buy a second hand 8000Q/P combo for the same money. For a little bit more, even a Q with 2 x 8000M's. This is where I ended up, I don't see me ever changing them. Genuine high end amplification, for peanuts.
Thanks for the nice review.
Planning to get one, just waiting for the black model to be in stock again here in Denmark.
Will try to leave a note on my experience here, when i finally get my hands on it.
spaciak and thanks for posting your comment. Great to hear from you. I would love to hear from you when you get your amp up and running. We all have different ears and priorities. Mine is just one opinion. The more people who report back on their user experiences, the closer we will get to the truth of the product.
Finally got my amplifier.
My first impression is that it sounds really good, and that the bluetooth is implemented really good. I have difficulty hearing any quality difference between my chromecast music, set to HDR sound and connected via a RCA cable, and the BT connection, using the slow roll off filter. Really good sound quality, so I tip my hat to the designer, and wonder if my chromecast music is obsolete now. I'm going to upgrade with a toslink cable, so I can go directly through the DAC, maybe that will make it even better in sound.
The RIAA is better than the one built-in in my AT LP-5, and overall I'm impreased with the way my LPs sound on the new amplifier.
Think I'm going to buy the CD player, if the first impressions hold up. Gave up on CDs 15 years ago, but now it's time to give my old collection a new spin.
👍😊
Had this amp about a year, i don't want anything else . For me it's that good. The Audiolab CDT is insanely good . Speaker's I use triangle br02 with Yamaha 150 sub, for rock music I use Acoustic Energy 120's . I have had many setups in my life time and I still run a JVC ja-s44 for phono .
The Audiolab is the best thing since sliced bread . Thankfully it was an, incredibly priced unit .
Everyone is different but this amp will appeal to many music listeners old and young .
I can't afford ultra high end gear not many can .
Like I said almost a year now owning this amp and it's simply superb . For any genre of music .
Great review and this is something that I would definitely be interested in.
About to buy this amp to pair with my dali Oberon 3s thanks for a great review mate 👍
Last summer I bought the audiolab 6000A and the audiolab cd transport and treat myself to some new speakers to pair them up in with in the Acustic Energy AE300. Together they sound amazing. I have starting buying cds again and finding new music to listen to. Definitely feels like it should be more expensive to buy. The AE300s sound outstanding with the amp and CD player.
If you havent already I think you need to take a look at the AE300s and review them there are in the same league as the audio lab in terms of what you get for your money.very pleased with them all.
I’m transforming my wine room into an audio lounge and decided on the 6000A based upon your review! I’m pairing it with Q-Acoustics 3050i loud speakers and a Fluance rt-83 turntable. I should have the room completed by next Friday and looking forward to the experience! Thanks for your review of the 6000A and guidance through this journey!
Glad I could be of help, Jack. Hope you find a good home for the wine.
Can i ask you if QA 3050i pairs well with Audiolab? I am a happy owner of a pair of Mourdaunt Short Avant 906i, but the idea of an eventual upgrade start to tease me a bit. What would you recommend??
Thank you very much for this review, great stuff
Its an amazing amp indeed .. You can keep on changing external gear and it gets better and better... BIG soundstage , Power, Delicacy, Warmth
Hi there I'm about to get one of these and wondered what speakers are you running it with? Thanks Rob
How do I build the power?
@@Sean-me4fv i mean sound quality wise the amp will let you hear the front end equipment and cables. What are you using and what do you miss?
@@comiplaynow4624 I’m using Pro-ject Speaker Box 5 and Pro-ject Maia DS and I feel no joy
I had one 6000A, and i don´t plan to buy anithing else, i am with you
I’m really tempted to get the 6000a, I used to have the 8000S back in the 90’s and that was fantastic.
It did suffer from transformer buzz/hum which is probably more to do with my mains supply than a fault of the amplifier (DC on the mains can cause buzzing from the transformer). I have read numerous reports that the 6000a also suffers from this, but even more happy people who have not mentioned it.
I’ll just see how it goes and pair it with the CDT.
Audiolab now also sells DC-blocks separately for about a 100 bucks
It does have an intermitent hum but its not detrimental to the sound. I bought the DC blocker discounted, some have mentioned but didnt notice an improvement on sound as some mentioned but it did remove the buzz/hum. I might give it another go as ive recently partnered it with the CDT which has a much improved sound stage and clarity over my CDP's ive been using via the coax input/output. Im glad to say the 'scratching CD's' stigma hasnt been relevant to myn either. Pauls (and a few others) review made me feel it was worth giving the 6000's built in DAC the best chance of musical performance and it seems to have paid off nicely.
You paint with words Sir ,thank you.
Very good informative review!
Walk into Light and Under Wraps, my favourite musical era, I still haven't outgrown it. Cheers.
And, in relation to what you're saying about the cost to build, if it retails for $600, that means the dealer pays $300 for it, which means that the manufacturer sells it for $150, and that $150 includes their profit margin, so that includes the total cost of the product to make, not just parts cost, but engineering, advertising, payroll, insurance, taxes, etc, and all other ancillary costs, and the profit margin too. So, when you think of it like that, it's really amazing that we get the sound quality we get for such low cost gear.
You're review just gave me the extra push to choose this over the rotel tribute and a Denon DRA800 HA. I was concerned it would be too cool sounding for my bro3's but from what I can hear, they've really taken to the amp (and the filter for a more analogue sound can help with anything too bright sounding, great feature). Early days but it found the double bass drum on Sabbaths 'tomorrow's dream'. This being a just above par production really made me realise its got something special and transparent about it even with older recordings. 🍻
I also have a Triangle Borea BR03 and I am thinking to buy this amp or an Atoll IN50 Signature.
Super explanation ...love it
I am auditioning a demo unit at home with my PMC Twenty.21 speakers. I like it so much that I have asked the shop to order in a silver unit. They only keep black in stock. I also received a Wiim Mini today. Fantastic, using the optical output I get an amp and streamer with excellent sound quality. Measurements show that the 6000A has a very even frequency response with declines at each end where human hearing starts to cut out. I only wish some of the rock albums I listen to were recorded better. Classical and more recent rock music is brilliant, very natural sounding. Very impressed. I also auditioned a Bluesound Powernode Edge. I thought it would be identical, but no. I found it tiring to listen to, and the music did not sound natural. It was as if the treble and upper mid had been boosted, but without measurements I cannot be sure. I also like the design of the 6000A, the silver unit is attractive enough to sit on my Ercol cabinet, unlike the Bluesound plastic bricks. Plus it has nice turny knobs machined from aluminium, not cheesy buttons. Yes the nice simple build increases the price a bit, or reduces a bit what they can put inside for the price, but I’m not complaining.
Great Review.Great amp, love mine. Not a great 'looker', its certainly no 8000a. Sounds like a dream though. I do miss the lack of tone controls, not that there is anything wrong with the overall tone with the 6000a, it's just some recordings can be a little lack lustre in tone, we all know that all recordings aren't born equal, some can be excessive, just the option to curtail these recordings would be nice, but as correctly pointed out here in the video, compromises have to be made.
Thanks for this review & convincing me to get a current decade amplifier Paul! Even though my ears no longer go above 10k (fine at 20 up though) the differences between filters are clearly discernable. Jon Anderson's vocals & voice changes to a more rounded "human" & realistic timbre on And You And I, & the upper bass (100-200 hz) seems more pronounced than the "fast" option, yet this varies between digital inputs/cd players - my venerable pioneer pd7300 sounds better on the slow via coax while Denon 600NE sounds slightly better on fast via optical. Either way the clarity, soundstage & placing of instruments is massively improved on my old stuff. You see having moved to mid Portugal there aren't a lot of hifi dealers to test equipment in so I collected various items & did my own. An assortment of old Pioneer & JVC super A stuff sounded pretty good until this arrived. Talk about lifting a veil...! All these improvements obvious on my budget Magnat 1002 towers which were another new millennium leap from my very nice looking but flat Marsden Hall relics....
Got mine for an unbelievable €629 from HiFi hut in Ireland & free delivery! & now I read your review of the CDT .... oh dear I sense cd player redundancy next & more sonic revelations.
Your reviews are excellent - many thanks & regards Andy
& listening tests : a 14 day return period allows that in the best place - my room! Return it? No chance!!! ; )
Thoroughly enjoyed your in depth explain of the 6000A. Please shed some light on the 6000A Play. I am looking to replace my old amp.
I've yet to review the Play so please take my advice with that in mind. In broad terms, the Play should be an ideal purchase for convenience sake, value, to reduce footprint, etc. In sound terms, I'd always lean towards separating the digital section from the amp to lower the noise floor and increase sonic quality.
Have both the 6000a and 6000n streamer and I think for the money it would be hard to beat, I thought the 50 watts per channel maybe wasn't enough but the amp has great control running my ls50 kef's at a good sound level without sounding strained. I do have it complemented with a powered sub for the extra low frequency response. Generally very happy with the combo for both devices for the money. Only wish the amp had a usb input for the on-board sabre dac for that extra connections to a laptop , but I guess getting a separate dac connected would just give you the options of a better sound in the future. Sound quality I would give it 8 out of 10 as sometimes I feel it could do with a little better warm to the music but overall very good and worth the money. Not sure what you would gain by doubling the cost for a better amp maybe higher SPL but this thing is loud and smooth enough for any normal size room
Thanks for your observations, Carlos - appreciated.
Very good review indeed. I am considering this amp or an Atoll IN50 Signature for my newly purchased Triangle BR03.
Yamaha tata.
Great to see the album “Walk Into Light” by Ian Anderson behind you.
Was about to say the same thing, brilliant album!.
Great review... id love to compare one to a PS Audio Sprout
Want your review about comparison.
Thank you for posting your views (in plain English) on an amp I am seriously considering as an upgrade to my old Arcam Alpha gear (8R amp with 8 Power amp and 7SE CD player). Have a subscription & merry Christmas from me.
Bonzodogdick Thank you! Hope you had a great Christmas and have a peaceful New Year.
Is it better than my old Arcam 8 P with Yamaha cx50 pre amp?
Nice review, hopefully having one on a home demo along with some KEF LS50 Meta with an aim of purchasing.
How did it pair up- I have the Metas too, and I am looking at a new amp?
@@SatanDynastyKiller I ended up going in a different direction room, my dealer gave me some ATC 7’s to demo which were awesome, I kept those and bought a Hegel H95 to drive them, they sound great together.
Bought the 6000a + CDT after seeing your reviews and loving the sound, much bigger soundstage than my old marantz system.
I'm playing my music through a pair of monitor audio BX1's but got my eyes on the spendor A1's, I notice you use the A1's alot in your reviews and was wandering how the 6000a sounds with them and what filter you use.
I listen in a small to medium size living room which is well furnished and just wandered if they might be a good choice.
I listen to a range of music from jazz to rock, thanks.
Enjoying your reviews.
Thanks Peter - in short, the filter as per the review and the A1s sound lovely with the 6000A.
The 6000a is an amazing AMP and DAC. Regarding the DAC I found useful its filters: for good quality recording from before 80s the FAST FILTER can be very pleasant and revealing, on the other hand the PHASE FILTER can control the siblings very well on early digital recordings from 90s ... and for everything else, the SLOW FILTER is the most balanced sound overall in my setup.
Tried all three using a good digital recording and my fairly revealing Monitor Audio Platinum 100 II speakers, didn’t notice any difference. 😅
You must always control your siblings!
Great review wondering how it would pair up with Kef LS50 metas..... ?
I had this amp a while back and sold it on after 3 Months, while it is very good for the money especially if you use a turntable but I felt the DAC and bluetooth were pretty poor, but if you don't care too much about those its great as an amp, the bass is a little lean but tight and detailed (better than the Cambridge CX60 though) The treble response is similar to the CX60 being a little on the lively side but not in a bad way and the mids are nice and clear. If you are trying to choose between this and the newer Cambridge CX61 then the Cambridge is a better all round amp in my view especially if you want to use the digital inputs and bluetooth both of which are way better on the Cambridge.
I have a Roksan k2-bt Amp, bought it 2nd hand very quickly realised it was faulty so it went off to Roksan for a service £300 🤦🏼♂️ had it running a year now and the Bluetooth has just packed up so that’s it’s last chance! Have just ordered this Amp! Hope it’s not disappointing! 😊
Thank you for the great review. It was the first video I viewed about this amp a few months ago and since then I searched, viewed and read almost every single video and article about it on the web. Finally I took a decision to buy it. Living in Tunisia I aways bought my audio gear in Europe for the last 45 years. Not only you do not find this kind of equipment here but also and comparing the cost of living and the rediculous customs taxes it represents a fortune and requires careful thinking, let alone the worry in case of a malfunctioning unit you just get stuck here without any return or repair possibility.
Nevertheless the love of music outweighed any other concerns and I will soon be the proud owner of a 6000a (in Germany for €800 and carried as hand luggage on the flight back to Tunisia) which should be for me an end game acquisition as an amp.
It will, in a first period drive my 30 year old Mission 760i recently refoamed that survived many amps including a NAD301 and a Marantz SR7000 and a couple of cheap class D chinese little ones.
Since I know those Mission speakers so well I will first appreciate the Audiolab through them before I decide which way to go for new speakers next year. I will then be looking for small standmounts. I have earmarked, amongst a short list of the most popular speakers on the net the small Acoustic Energy AE100² almost identical size as the Mission 760i.
My question is, what do you think of the combination 6000a / AE100² ? Or what other small speakers would you recommend?
I listen to all genres of music but mainly Jazz, classic and oriental, sometimes on vinyl but mostly on CDs, DVDs and I also do a lot of streaming through both the Blueray Sony player and the TV set, Spotify, CZcams, Netflix and Radio.
Speakers should be moderately efficient although I do not listen at high volume and the 35m² room is reasonably furnished without any major acoustic issues.
Keep up the good reviews and thanks again.
I'll answer this one in tomorrow's video - watch the skies!
Thank you
Very good interesting review ,iam thinking of getting the 800 series cd/pre amplifier and the amplifier ,do you think think this would be a good match with spendor speakers A1,or A4.or something in the spendor classic range
This is a great review, as many of your other are, Thankyou.
Just a quick question please.
Currently have a Marantz Pm 6007 amp paired with a couple of different speaker sets, Monitor Audio Bronze 5's and a newer pair or wharfedale Evo 4.1s.
In your honest opinion would there be any noticeable upgrade if I replaced my current amp with the 6000A?
Regards
Chris.
Hi Paul. Been very happy with the 6000a that I bought on the back of this review. Thanks! I'm now looking to start upgrading other components to get a bit more out of it. Tricky question I know but... which of cartridge (Bias2 through P2), phonostage (internal) or speakers (MA Bronze 2) would you look to upgrade first? Was thinking about ATVM95 cartridge, Rega Fono, and MA Silver 100's as replacements eventually but can probably only afford one at a time. Thanks for any advice.
So. How long have you been working for Audiolab? 😀 Just kidding. Thank you for a great review
it is brilliant indeed
Thanks for that, Geoff!
I don't have a 6000a but do have the fab 6000CDT paired to a Cambridge Audio AXR100. I did think about the 6000a before I bought the Cambridge but couldn't stretch to the additional £100. Before that I had a Rotel A11 Tribute but despite pretty decent sound (although perhaps a bit restrained in places), the thing developed a fault. In fact two of them did, hence the purchase of the Cambridge (I was, however, told that it was rare that they developed issues). Now the AXR definitely delivers a powerful punch with maybe a bit of compromise with the highs and midrange. However, it's still a cracking amp/receiver and pretty much plays, well, anything thrown at it. My dilemma, though, after seeing your review and experiencing the wonder of the CDT, I'm now finding myself drawn to the 6000a. It would also look good matching the CDT! I may well go and have a listen to one but I'd like to know whether it allows for tone adjustment as I like to play around with settings and am not keen on minimalist amps that don't allow this. I hope to hear from you. And keep up the sterling work with the videos - they are most entertaining and informative - Thank you, Tim.
I guess I'm pretty late to the party but this amp requires some further consideration as I am currently "looking".
To be honest, I didn't know anything about Audiolab until I discovered their CD transport of which I will be
purchasing very soon. Good review of seems to be a bit of a bargain. You got me on the sound stage aspect
and the overall quality of balanced full range frequency integration. I am very curious!!!
Yes, well worth a close look Charles.
I bought a Rogue Sphinx and shelved my 6000a for a few months. Recently, I gave the 6000a listen with my JBL L100s, and boy, let me tell you something, the 6000a sounds excellent with those speakers. And the DAC sounds fantastic with my Elac server running Roon. For less than 1k USD, it's a bargain.
I know it is very individual and slightly different price but would you prefer Audiolab 6000A over Marantz PM8006? And second question what would be your preferred stand speakers with budget of approx up to 1,000€ for those two amps? Thank you for great review👌
Driving my dynaudio emit 10s with Cambridge audio cxa60, get slightly forward sound at times. Looking for a replacement, a tone tilting towards a tad warmish sound. Is audiolab 6000a a good match for my power hungry emit 10 speakers. I mostly listen to jazz, rock, blues, country, indian classical both vocals and instruments. Thanks.
The Cambridge amp can be a little clinical to some ears - that was my own conclusion when I pitched it against the 6000A which is tonally balanced. You should be fine with this amp. If your budget is limited to the price of a 6000A, that is...
@@TheAudiophileMan thank you so much. Best.
I have the Emit 20s and they rock with this amp - very neutral. I have a sub too tho.
Audiolab makes Emit10s sound like transistor radio : a very detailed luscious transistor radio. Wifey couldn’t stand that amp. Also, Class D amps are constipated with Emit10s. Of the two class A/B amps Arcam had muscle but was veiling all the frequencies. Rotel a11 did the best job, at this price range, when I boosted bass and treble by 7db. I think Dynaudio ultimately might like a pricier amp around $1500, but we stopped at Rotel a11 that was sufficiently entertaining.
Hi Paul thanks for your excellent reviews. Could you recommend a good quality Phono amplifier to add to the Audiolab 6000A using a Rega Planar 2 turntable with Rega Bias 2 cartridge.
What a great review. I have been looking at this amp for some time. The price has been reduced so I will be making the purchase. I had two sets of speakers in mind. They are the Klipsch RP5000F and the SVS Prime Tower. I am a little concerned with the SVS because of the low 87 db efficiency. I welcome your thoughts
I think the SVS will be fine with the 6000A.
@@TheAudiophileMan I am a happy owner of a pair of Mourdaunt Short Avant 906i, but the idea of an eventual upgrade start to tease me a bit. What would you recommend?? I have to stop at around 90cm max of heights unfortunately, so with this limit, for a 40msq room, listening area around half of it and 1.500eur budget limit. Thank you in advance if you'd share some ideas! Best!
Hi Paul just purchased a pair of Wharfedale Denton 25th Anniversary speakers which match the Audiolab 6000a perfectly.
Hi Andrew did you mean to say the 85th anniversary? I am really interested in this pairing but am worried that at 88db they are too ineffecient for the amp. Let me know if u can, cheers.
I’d like to know as well as I’m thinking about doing the same pairing.
Excellent review as always. Wondering if you have any thoughts on the 6000a Play? Thank you.
Yes, good product - not as 'low noise' though because you've stuffed more digital kit inside the chassis but still very nice indeed, sure.
Very nice review!! Amplifier section alone, how it would compare with the Naim 5si for SQ and musicality? Which would be a better match for a pair of ProAc Studio 100 speakers?
I see the Naim as a higher-priced bracket item, to be honest so I'm not sure if the price comparison is wholly fair. Nevertheless, the 6000A competes well with it. I like Naim but I wonder if the Audiolab might be a bit more balanced tonally? I haven't compared each directly and I haven't tested the Naim 'formally', as it where, so take my views with a slight pinch of salt :)
Paul thanks for a great review. Fantastic to see your enthusiasm. I'm lucky enough to own the 6000A and totally agree with you on the sound quality.
I'm hoping to upgrade my Q Acoustic 3050 speakers soon and I'm tempted by the Fyne Audio F501s. Have you reviewed them yet? Obviously I'll demo first against similarly priced speakers but would really appreciate your thoughts on whether these would be a good match :)
Good call Paul M - I did have the chance to review the Fynes a while back but setting up this CZcams channel took precedence at the time so I had to delay it. I'll have a chat with the company now.
How to find information about damping factor for Audiolab 6000a?thanks
Great review ..always enjoy your video and insights, especially the way you express your view from so many angels. I am wondering if you have experience with AudioLab older model such as 8200S, 8300 ...and how does the 6000A stack up against them. The reason I asked this is that we can get a older 8000, 8200 or 8300 in the used market much cheaper than the 6000A, though the 6000A, or if anyone who watched this video and have experience of the various series, greatly appreciate their feedback. Thanks again fo the great and thoughtful review
If you have access to a great deal then I would always support that. I haven't done a straight A-B I'm afraid. I think I'd still opt for the 6000A, having had 'casual' listening experience with these boxes but hey, so much for my failing memory, eh? :) Even so, a great deal is a great deal so I'd grab 'em while you can.
Has anyone paired them with a Focal Chora speaker or KEF LS50 Meta? How did they fair?
Great review. What about a review of the new Rega Brio? Both £600...
Thanks for your kind words - yes I listened to the Brio when listening to this. The Brio has been out a little while. I do try to look at older kit when I can (see the next CZcams review for confirmation on this :) ) so I'll add it to the list.
Lovely, detailed and vivid review! I'm looking at this amp to power my GoldenEar AON3s. Do you have any thoughts on this amp-to-speaker combination? Thanks!
I'm afraid I haven't had the opportunity of reviewing the AON3s but in technical terms, the two should work well together.
Thank you for your review. My question: you rated the ES9018 Sabre32 DAC as 'good'. As streaming becomes more mainstream, the DAC is hugely important. Considering the DAC as an important part, how does this amp compare to the Cambridge Audio CXA81? That amplifier is very well received in many reviews. It's more expensive, but the DAC is an ESS Sabre SE9016K2M DAC. I plan to use the CXN V2 streamer. Does the price point of the CXA81 outweigh the AudioLab, with streaming as the main application?
There's a few points to address here.
That price difference is a big factor, as you say so I'm not sure the comparison is a fair one. Both are excellent though. IF you have your eye on a 81, you won't be disappointed.
As for the DAC chip. The chip itself is part of the reason for the final sound. Implementation is a big chunk too. I might say the largest chunk, actually. Bottom line? If streaming and the DAC is that important, buy a separate unit. Don't rely on the internal model. Internal DACs are ideal for occasional use. If digital is that important always go for an external unit.
Awesome lil amp when paired with the right speakers , i have a pop the hood video up ! Nice job on the review ! The amp needs atleast 100hrs of break in time and tje sound gets much better !
Great review, very much enjoy these reviews. Does anybody have any constructive advice regarding the 6000a vs the Iota vx sa3 , any opinions, advice, greatly appreciated.
I should also mention that my choice etc, the audiolab or Iota will be used as a preamp in a home cinema set up but will also be used as an integrated for straight stereo music being sourced from internet radio, the bluetooth would be unimportant for me, I am essentially focusing on squeezing the best sound quality for my money, thanks, stay vigilant.
I would be wondering what a more purist amp might offer like Rega Brio, or Musical Fidelity MS2i. They are both companies trying to offer the best sound for the money.
I have a 6000a and love it. I can sit listen listen to cds for hours. I also use the 6000a in connection with a cinema amp powering the fronts and what a difference it makes.
My next purchase will be the 6000cdt after your review.
Thanks Jerry!
Great review. I bought a 6000a 2 months ago in Singapore for $1000SGD (590GPB). It is amazing and just how you described. The "slow" setting on the dac is by far the best, I'm thinking the "fast" setting just measures better for the spec sheet. I listened to the NAD316bee v2 (600SGD), the Nad326bee(800SGD) and the new Cambridge AXA35 and nothing touched it to my ears. The DAC was what pushed me over the line. I was in the market for a new DAC also. I bought an Allo digione streamer with a coaxial output and that was a remarkable improvement compared to driving the DAC with an optical output from my PC. However if the amp had a usb input for the DAC I could have forgone the streamer. As usb is not as sensitive to a poor sources like a laptop these days, that is the only negative. The audiolab is an amazing product very happy with it.
thank you Studog78 - thanks for your filter thoughts ad alternative demo kit info too. Interesting stuff.
Mate, where did you get them in SG? Also, how has it been holding up to date? Thank you.
@@johns6256 Hi John. I got it from Sim Lim Tower from a store called City Electronics Emporium they deal all the International Audio Group gear, Quad, Wharfdale and Audio lab and the others. They have a small listening room too. Holding up well no issues so far, still very happy with it and still sounds great.
Thank you for this great review! Really interesting, I bought the NAD AMP1 but i get pretty fatigue after listing a few hours. Bass is good (better the my old Arcam), mids sometimes really nice and warm but the treble is to bright and there are no tone controls. I think about swapping this fot a 6000A. How do you think they will match the Q Acoustics 3050i floorstanders? I think the 3050i tend to be a little bit bright.
Hi dpjvdijk, if you've recognised a specific issue with your hi-fi system - in this case your speakers - then I would advise tackling that first, before you look at a new amp.
Brilliant review I really enjoyed it and looks like you have helped me to make my hardest decision for my new system as we are currently in level 5 lockdown I am relying on reviews to assist me in my purchase. As I have not had a hifi system for quite a few years and have a very large vinyl collection which is were my main interest is in reviving. Do you think a Rega Planar 1 with Bowers and Wilkins 606 or 606 S2,s would be suitable to the Audiolab 6000A. Unfortunately I cannot visit stores due the current climate. I would respect your opinion.
Technically, you shouldn't have any issues, Joe.
@@TheAudiophileMan What's your opinion on the B&W 606 or the 606 series 2 or would you recommend another speaker type I am restricted from going to shops on medical grounds due to my compromised health in the current climate I respect your valued opinion
Great review, would you be open to review the Audiolab 8300a integrated amp. I have one paired with the Audiolab m-dac plus and the Audiolab 6000cdt and is a killer combo. My only compliant is with the headphone sound of the m-dac plus, I find it a bit harsh and too bright with the HD 6xx headphones
I'll certainly keep a look out for an available review sample, sure.
I bought the Audiolab 6000A a couple of months and your description is very good. Listened to several amplifiers in the 600-1100 euro bracket (cambridge audio cxa80 and cxa60, marantz 6006, a NAD) and the Audiolab really does impress, for exactly the reasons you mention. Bass and detail combined. It's an amp worthy to be on a shortlist in this price range.
On the dac filters: my favorite setting depends on the speakers it's driving. I ended up pairing the amp to some warm sounding speakers and actually prefer the fast roll off. During the auditioning phase also listened to some brighter sounding floorstanders and slow roll off seemed to work better with those units. Can't explain why this is logical...
Liked the review. Fun to watch. Keep it up!
Edit: any chance you're going to review the 6000n streamer? I'm looking for a reason to put something under the christmas tree, but can't find a compelling argument why this thing is better than the chromecast audio currently connected with the toslink to the 6000a.
Thanks for your kind word Ken and it's interesting to hear your experiences with the filters. Thanks for your views on these, I'm sure it will help other prospective 6000A users.
Can i add a sub with audiolab 6000a?
@@maxrider2887 Yes, you can. You have the Pre Out for that purpose.
great review, just watching and i say to myself that's it, but is it worth to update my current system which is sonus faber venere 2.5, pro-ject turntable with ifi phono, chord epic X and in the end onkyo tx-rz730. Primary listening is stereo 2.0 via PC over digital input and my onkyo has "pure audio" mode, and yes i like watching movies in dolby. Audiolab has preout so i can connect him to onkyo for movies and still have a stereo 2.0 on audiolab. I would like to have an integrated amplifier in my current setup, so is it gonna be better sound on stereo sound on Audiolab over the Onkyo in pure mode? tnx
Hi, good wishes for all audiolab lovers. I am keeping eye on 6000a and decided to buy it. Need to know one thing. Is it create some kind of 3D sound stage? As all the reviews has been told that it has airy and very specious sound where every single musical instrument's note can be heard. I like this kind of sound presentation. I appreciate your experience sharing.
Thanks for your question, yes the soundstage is pretty large and there's plenty of space and air for detail to roam. There is a bit of depth around the stereo image position too. Hope the helps.
Thanks Paul. Is there anyone share their experience?
@@TheAudiophileMan
I have MA RS8s and a Marantz PM6005N, fed by a lovely Cambridge Audio 752BD which I use for cd's and digital FLAC music via USB. The speakers are just too big for my small living room in Spain and they are stuck in room corners making them sound inefficient and muddy at low volunes. I'm considering the Audiolab 6000 and Dali Oberon 5. I listen mostly to rock and occasionally classical, and films (through the amp). Do you think this will be an improvement over what I already have? Thank you.
Can you recommend bookshelf speakers for 6000a, small sub (Goldenear Forcefield 3) in small room?
Hiya )
I had the legendary 8000a. Want to upgrade. Is there any difference regarding performance, specs between 6000a and the 6000a play . The streaming facility put aside . I did read the phono amp has bin improved on the 6000a play . Anything else to be aware of ?
Great review )
Great review, thank you. I'm in the process of upgrading my ageing setup and was looking for amp to drive B&W 606. Do you think it would be a good combination? I don't own speakers yet, but was leaning towards 606 as a natural successors to my old B&W.
Yes, you won't have any problems there.
@@TheAudiophileMan Thank you very much.
I A/Bed 5 amps and 5 sets of speakers in richer sounds last year and this exact combo was the winner. Do it!
I really wonder how you would compare the 6000A to a Rega Brio 2017 or a Cyrus One?
Hi Paul have just upgraded the power cable on the Audiolab 6000A. To one made by Russ Andrews and the results are spectacular and have transformed the sound.
Hey Paul. Thanks for great upload and Review. Do you think audiolab will suit with heco Aurrora 700?
Yep - they should be fine.
Would this amp work with B&W 607 s2 which have a low sensitivity of 84db and from what I read work best with a high current amp ? What would be an alternative?
Sounds like a great upgrade from the usual budget contenders, can you recommend a pair of floorstanders to match this amp in a smallish 4m X 4m room, for mainly rock, metal music, cheers, fantastic review.
Do you have a budget figure?
@@TheAudiophileMan yes, round about £700 tops, looking for speakers to replace my 22 year old Tannoy P30 floorstanders at first, then replace my Marantz PM 5005 which I have been using as a stop gap for about a year with the Audiolab amp, looking for suggestions till it's ok to go back to the shops for demos & a good haggle lol.
I have owned an Audiolab 8000A since new in 1996, into a pair of ProAc studio monitors (with new woofers fitted 2 years ago.), and a Rega P3 TT with Dynavector 10X5 cart. Always been more than happy with the performance but from time to time wondered if I could upgrade the sound without costing the earth. My phono pre is a Schiit Mani, which seems to be doing a creditable job, but again , is this the weakest link in the chain ?
Hi, is the 6000A able to drive speaker s like the B&W 606 which has a sensitivity of 88dB spl (2.83Vrms, 1m)
with ease?
You shouldn't have any issues there.
The whole 6000 system is great for the money. An amp, a streamer and a CF transport that all deliver brilliantly for the money.
Hi I have Audiolab cdp a Emotiva ta100 amp and a pair of focal clora 806 bookshelves speakers, in your opinion how much better would the Audiolab 6000 a be in my system ? Also I have the demo grips ares2 dac thx so much for your opinion Nick
Hi Paul with CD in mind the Audiolab 6000A sounds much better through the analogue RCA terminals using the CD players built in DAC than it does through the Audiolab’s built in DAC.
Thanks for the review. I recently bought a Marantz CD6006UKSE and have it running through a Marantz AVR with an old Cyrus power amp driving my MA Silver 200’s. I’m keen to dispense with the Cyrus and get an integrated amp that I can use for both AV and HiFi. Both the Cyrus One and 6000a have the av pass through capability but I can’t decide. Which would you say is the better amp?
Both are excellent - the 6000A has the edge is terms of tonal balance but if you did find a good deal on the Cyrus...
Thanks for your great review on the 6000a! General comment when testing the Bluetooth section of an Amplifier or Streamer that has Aptx or PatxHD, please do nit use an iPhone. Aptx or AptX HD is a codec/ prtocol for Bluetooth the transmits 16 bits/ 44.1 Khz of data to the DAC. Its is perfect for sources like Taidal or Qobuz from phones. Apple does not support that and use run of the mill Buetooth codec not made for high bitrates or low itter, so sound is not as sharp or sound stage worse. PLeae try again with an Android phone and it will be night and day! Thx again!
Hi David - indeed, that's right but I currently don't have an Android phone to test that iteration of Bluetooth so I do what I can :) I will endeavour to try to invest in an Android phone ASAP.
Please bear in mind that not all Android phones support AptX. Actually, most of them don’t.
New firmware for audiolab 6000a. Really interesting, one can chose "normal" or "wide" sound if you use optical and coaxial .
Thanks for the update, Carlos.
Has anyone compared the different sounds coming from coaxial, optical and analog‽ I find that thess new options ( normal - wide) on optical and coaxial are more audible than the ones ( fast, phase so on.)
@@ulises3113 What is the difference?
@@lovethemusic4933 normally you have phase, slow and fast , they have very little différenciés. I prefer phase. However with optical and coaxial you have "normal and wide" . As it is, wide proposes a more opened sound, a larger scene.
Please do a review of the Rega IO! That little guy seems to be getting favorable reviews across the board (well if you don't count ASR, but they're a different beast). Thanks!
Hi Audiophile man, thanks for this as always super helpful.
I have a 6000a which I'm enjoying v much with a Technics 1210 turntable. I'm now looking to upgrade my system and wonder if my money is better spent on an external phono stage (the 1210 is currently connected to the built in 6000a phono stage), or whether it's best to spend my money on a new moving magnet cartridge (to replace my current £50 ortofon?). I probably have around £200-£300 to spare.
Thanks so much
Hi Luke - absolutely and..both! Grab a Rega Fono phono amp for just under £100 and a Goldring E3 cartridge for around the same price and that will upgrade your sound across the board.
The Audiophile Man thank you!
Great Review.
I have Q Acoustics 3050i towers along with center channel and 3010 side surround - using it in my living room for everyday tv watching, listening to music while cooking, watching some netflix, playing some youtube videos.
Running it all with Denon AVR. Wondering to purchase this 6000A - connect as home theater bypass and run the front two 3050i speakers for better stereo listening - would they suit well with 3050 - I am fan of warm non fatiguing sound.
Savan Panchal yes indeed!
@@TheAudiophileMan Power rating on 3050 - 50 to 165W. Just wanted to make sure this Audiolab 6000A would be under-powered vs Audiolab 8300A.
Savan Panchal I think it’s 50 from an AV in 2-channel mode but 25 or so from a dedicated 2 channel amp. Have to add though that you’d get better sound in dedicated 2 channel mode from the 6000a with no AV hook up.
Can't agree on the aesthetics :)
The silver version doesn't look like a budget amp at all. I believe it radiates the message: "all business, class and distinct". Quality of the front and knobs is incredible.
Thanks for reviewing this. I just ordered Wharfedale D210 s for the bedroom. Looking for an amp that would be a good match for the speakers. Do you think the Audiolab would work well?
There shouldn't be any issues there, Bethany.
I happen to work in a HiFi shop in London and Audiolab is my absolute favourite brand.
I am in the process of getting a 6000A with the thought of using it as a pre-amp in the future.
Plan is to get the mono block in the future as well as the streamer.
Might have the privilege of meeting the Engineer behind the 8300A and 6000A
What speakers have you used? Speaker cable?
filiii iiip Hi filiii iiip, ahhh if you that meet up occurs, you must report back :) Be interested in what he says. I used Tellurium Q Blue for the test and a mix of speakers from Q Acoustic and Spendor.
Hello. I am currently use Cambridge Audio AXR-85 with JBL A-190 and also DT BP9040 speakers. How 6000A compare to the Cambridge AXR85? Thank you