Hi Terry, amazing review..Can I ask a quick question, I am complete beginer in this HT journey, just bought myself a Kef Q950, Kef Surrounds, Denon x3500 (old one from my cousin), SVS SB1000 and AudioaLab 7000a.. Currently Denon is running the Surround and Centre, and the SUB.. Audiolab is running as pre-amp with those Kef950s.. I am currently happy with the setup, but want to try connecting SVS to AudioLab... Not exactly sure with the cabling part, will it be a Y Splitter type RCA, 1 Male to the "In" socket in SVS to 2 Male RCA in the Pre-Outs sockets in the AudioLab
As the proud owner of a 30 year old 8000a, I've now enjoyed over 11,000 days of 'Audiolab excellence'. Whilst I was tempted to consider any of these new models, in the end I recently re-capped and re-conditioned my original instead. Primarily it came down to economics, nostalgia and tone-controls! Nonetheless, thanks for a very interesting and comprehensive three-in-one review.
@@PursuitPerfectSystemI suspect a lot of these modern units don't last very long. I'm worried about spending £500-£1000 on an amp that will last just 5 years.
I bought a lot of new gear, I am using it every day.. bought most of it in 1987. 😂😂 These days I buy second hand and have it looked over. Still cheaper and proven to work for decades already
Thanks, I enjoyed your comparison. 👍 The 6000A is a real best buy product to me. The 7000A and 9000A are an interesting Amps too, but at that price point 🤑 I think there is more serious competition, like Arcam, etc... Since the 6000A is my first Audiolab Amp, I´m surprised about the solid build Quality and handling. I will remain humble 😄and continue enjoying the nice sound.
I'm using a audiolab 7000a. It is my first "serious" amp and i enjoy it a lot. Very pleased with the phono stage and the numbers of inputs. The ARC is working good and makes life easier when connected to a tv.
@@nigelmassey259 I just prefer HDMI because the physical connection feels far more secure (i.e. plugs in more firmly) and I can control my system with the TV remote. I'll have a listen to the 7000 to see if my experience aligns with the reviewer's...I might like it better than he did.
For 2k you are in Lyngdorf 1120 territory with room perfect and that all important HDMI connection. My only gripe is that you can’t add a power amp and a sub, it’s one or the other.
Now this is how you do a review! You’ve become my favorite RUclips audio reviewer- thorough and trustworthy. (And many thanks for going in-depth on the phono stages. So many reviewers gloss over phono, or just ignore it all together).
One of your better videos Terry. Can't get more comprehensive than that. It shows what can be obtained. If you have the money. It's a painful hobby, because you can't buy the 9000a without buying suitably matching components. And with the cables, you're probably looking at 10k for a full digital and analogue system. I'll start saving today. Lol.
Thanks for the comments Peter - I think it always depends how you look at it - life is long and I think it stands to reason some system things might change and improve over time. However amplifiers is not really one of them so an easy going sounding amp like the 9000a could easily go with you over several speaker changes upgrades over 20 years as an example, its then been a great spend early on. I think normally people go the other way and buy speakers more demanding than the amplifier they have and look to improve that bit over time, I have done that myself many times and looking back I am not sure it was the best way to go because then your always chasing it because there is not the sound there you think you should have. Just my 2 pennies worth.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem if I am honest, I must describe myself as a nerd. I am in the pursuit of knowledge. Can't get enough of learning more and more. And what I have learned over the last couple of years, is how important the dac is. And moreover how different each dac can sound. I think I would probably go down the route of every component being different, so I can match to my taste. And my taste is a bit more laid back. I love the warmth of vinyl, so a really good phono stage is imperative and like to have the facility to adjust the gain, so an adjustable phono stage is also important. I would love audiolab to just make an amp. Nothing else. These things are getting rarer. But I do understand why people want an all in one solution. You're doing a great job. And I love your channel. From a fellow Essex boy.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem Agree with your philosophy of buying an excellent amp and upgrading speakers around that. I also want to commend your previous reviews of Tellurium Q XLR cables, I just installed them and they made a big difference. All kinds if percussive sounds such as drums and claps have much better reverb and sound more lifelike.
Been using the previous version of the 9000A (8300A) for quite some time as one of our test amps. The balanced (XLR) is essential for us. Found it to be an incredibly reliable work horse that sound great for the price.
I could listen to you review hi fi all day, Terry - your enthusiasm is infectious and your insights are reliable. Salivating over those SF speakers for most of the video though... 😛😛😛
I enjoyed the review, Terry. Personally I have the 6000A in my second, near-field system where it serves as an integrated, providing sound from a TV and my computer, both attached from a separate DAC via only the one RCA input. It's been a very versatile workhorse and never let me down over the 2.5 years I've had it. Started off in my main system as an integrated, then I attached an external DAC and used it as a preamp. Eventually moved it into my second system. It's a fine bit of kit and I've been very happy with it. When you get to 9000A territory, I've leant towards a separate preamp/amp/DAC for around the same money, but of course many people would prefer just the one box, and that's quite understandable.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem Acoustic Invader preamp from Serbia (£1350) XTZ Edge power amp (£450) Aune X8 XVIII edition DAC with sparkos op-amp upgrade and separate linear power supply (£450) That's £2,250. I did say "around" the same money, Terry. Since I haven't heard the 9000A, I can't say for sure whether my combination is better. I'd be surprised if it wasn't, though. This combo goes a treat with my self-build (with a little help from a professional craftsman, that is) Decware ZF15M open baffle clones (c. £1300) and Tellurium Q blue IIs (c.£110 when I bought them). A brilliant system IMHO for under £4000.
Yeah intersting system that John, but would it be better - maybe or maybe just different (I think ICE amps would sound very different) from my past experience) but still more expensive and more cables and plugs etc but its all about choices I like that. The best thing about separates is the ability to mix and match a lot and keep changing specific things, but thats also when it costs even more money :)
@@PursuitPerfectSystem Don't want to overstay my welcome, Terry, but allow me to say this one last thing. You've a lot more experience with different gear than I have, and I greatly respect that. All I can speak to is the gear I own or have at least heard. The A2-300 class D Ice power amp, to me, is an amazing little beast. Hooked up to the class A/B 6000A, it made it sound more powerful, but the overall profile was still unmistakeably the 6000A. Later, hooked up to the class A Acoustic invader preamp, my system sounded different, more emotional and involving, especially with the ZF15Ms, and to a lesser extent with my Dali menuet SEs and Quad S2s. I suspect it more or less just amplifies whatever the preamp throws at it. And that for me is its great advantage. It probably allows for greater flexibility than an amp like the Audiolab 6/7/9000 used purely as an integrated. I haven't mentioned all my ancillary gear such as Supra USB cable or Chord C-line interconnects, etc, but they don't seem to interfere much with the essential nature of the sound I've been after for a while. But since I haven't heard the 9000A, I can't say definitively it wouldn't sound the way I prefer -- for all I know, it might. Just sharing my personal experience.
Very good comparison. It just so happened that I also own all three amplifiers. I really liked the 6000A, so I bought the 7000A and I must admit that it made a very good impression on me. I'm slightly shocked at how big a jump there was in sound quality after switching to the 7000A. The first thing that strikes you is super detail, clarity of sound, and very good sound separation. Everything is very well arranged in space, has its own place. Everything is spacious, airy. Vocals are very clear, natural, expressive. Maybe it didn't come from the reviews, but the jump in quality from 6000A to 7000A is really a class above. I'm currently in a bit of a quandary, as I've grown very fond of the 7000A, but as I mentioned, I still have the 9000A, which I haven't listened to yet. If the jump will be as big as it was after switching from the 6000A to the 7000A (which it looks like it will be), I think I'll drop my pants with excitement :7 On the other hand, I was a bit hasty in buying the 9000A. I didn't expect the 7000A to make such a good impression on me. I'll be sorry that I spent so little time on it and moved too quickly to a higher model. Thanks Terry for the work you did. Testing three amps at once is a challenge though. All the best.
Very informative review. Thank you. I have often considered Audiolab, but they don't include tone controls. For an older person like me, I cannot easily adjust my surroundings or move speakers to tune the sound quality. Tone controls are a must for me.
@@cobar5342 It would be a lot more convenient to have tone controls built into the amplifier. I tried the schiit 4 band, but the effect was not what I was hoping for. I ended up selling it and getting my 1985 Yamaha A1020 integrated amplifier repaired (@ Just Audio) because it had great tone controls. It also sounds better than any of the many new amplifiers I tried and sent back. I believe the audio manufacturers are losing a significant portion of the market by omitting tone controls.
This is what I use, set up in pre/power mode on the 6000a. Works fine for me on certain CDs, and it's easy to flip to bypass when not needed.@@cobar5342
This is a very clever way of reviewing amplifiers. You might be after a sound or a design of a specific brand but can't necessarily afford, need or want all the options that generally come with a company's flagship model. It's also nice to compare the sound qualities of different product lines from a same brand. Well done Terry!
Great review, I really appreciate the price appropriate commemts. Love dreaming of the high-end equipment but also more realistic price achievable gear. Thanks
Very good group test, review, comparison! And the video with the snapshots, very useful (especially for the connections), furthermore, excellent picture quality and clear sound! Congratulations 🎊
What a great review, having had the 6000a you got it bang on . I was torn between the 7 and 9 purely because I'm tight . But from that review, in depth review it has to be the 9000a . HDMI is not a problem for me as most tv sets have optical .
Very interesting. I started with an 8000A in 1988 and then added an 8000P when it hit the streets, the next big change was to upgrade to the 8000Q pre-amp and two 8000M mono-blocks, I am listening through them right now. I use them to drive Tannoy DC3000's in the living room, and TDL Studio 1's in the man cave. Strange how British cars were built so badly back then, while some of the Hi Fi gear was built so well.
Excellent in depth review Terry! You put the finger on some of my nagging doubts and reservations I have with my 6000A. Though I love its easy going sound, very often to my ear it's sounds to reserved, to muted, to monotone. In many tracks it lacks energy, excitement, and enthusiasm. Like on the track Journey to the Island from Jurrassic Park, the trumpets never come alive like they should, as a climax in the track. Also, my CSS Criton speakers are not the most easy to drive and may need more power to come alive, or as you put it, a kick up the behind. On top of that, the Critons are very well behaved themselves up top, so perhaps they make a poor pairing with the 6000A. Assuming it retains the easy going Audiolab sound, I am considering upgrading to the 7000a. So, my only question to you would be: does the 7000a retain the easy going Audiolab-sound, in general? Again, thank you for insights!
I think this might be my favourite of your videos yet. Really took me back to your amazing speaker group tests which helped me buy my last set of speakers - and how I originally found your channel. The comparison and structure you added here was really well set out out. Bravo!! 👏 and thank you. Shame you can’t do double thumbs up on RUclips 👍👍 I should probably add that I am a proud and happy owner of an 8300a which is all analogue and is dual mono with the balanced XLR inputs. Purely in amplifier terms it feels like it may sit between the 7000a and the 9000a. I wonder if you have heard the 8300a?
Audiolab 6000a set the bar real high already! We need a video about the Roksan Attessa Integrated/Streaming Amplifier, maybe comparison to the 7000a! No harm in asking right?! 😅 Have a nice week.
I'm moving on to 9000A. On the subject of 'equalibarising'. I had a 9000A on an extended home-trial. After a 1 hour warm up the 7 & 9 sound pretty similar.... but after 1 hour the 7 has peaked, but the 9 keeps improving. Then after 2-3 hours it seems streets ahead of the 7... in terms of bass weight/control, transparency and staging.
I am using the 9000a to power kef reference 1 metas. One of the key features of these amps is you can place a minidsp between the the pre outs and the main ins giving dirac room correction and proper bass management. In my set up the minidsp makes the 9000a sound fantastic, the low frequency signals routed straight to the subs gives the 9000a that extra bit of dynamic headroom that make my kefs really shine.
Interesting way to add Dirac and of course it can be used to make a huge improvement but I would want it in the source so everything is done digital before the amp but whatever is working for you good man for working this out call me impressed
I thought I would get a greater benefit by spending the additional money on a 2 sub system instead of a 1 sub system and a more expensive minidsp. I didn't get the chance to compare with a 1 sub and shd to a 2 sub and 2x4hd but it sounds fantastic regardless
I have had the 6000A for a couple of years now. I use it with a pair of KEF R300 speakers. It wasn't until I used an external DAC - the Schiit Modo 3, that I was happy. I can listen to music for several hours without it tiring my ears.
There are no dedicated subwoofer outputs so you would need to connect a speaker level signal using their new SVS SoundPath Speaker Level Subwoofer Adapter
I have a 6000a and I’ll be upgrading but probably not with audiolab, don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved my 6000a and the soundstage for me is one of the best for what I’ve heard so far, however there just isn’t enough bass heft from it for me, and I really miss not having tone controls, I think I’m not quite as audiophile or purist as I thought and more musical maybe? Great video though Terry! A factory tour or interview with audiolab would be a great future feature!
I experienced that some with the 6000a and kef reference speakers because it was not enough amp for those speakers. That’s a big factor to take into account. I didn’t have that with the mission 770 because they are easier to drive. That is where the 9000a really comes in but it’s not a bass monster sound audiolab is quite polite more about control and smoothness, still no tone controls though
@@PursuitPerfectSystem yeah I appreciate that, I have tried it with a pair of kefs, Buchardts and Jbl speakers but had the same sort of outcome with all 3, not enough heft and I think as you say too polite and not really dynamic enough, also the speakers are a lot more expensive than the amp! I think the power is a massive factor for sure, I just wish audiolab offered tone controls I guess as I listen to a lot of poorly recorded material. I haven’t heard an amp with the same kinda sound as audiolab brings to the table so I think it really is a great product overall, thanks for the follow up reply!
Hi Terry, kind of surprised you didn't discuss a price appropriate modification to the 7000A and 9000A setup in the form of the miniDSP DDRC-24 with Dirac LIVE? Saw on Andrew Robinsons YT channel him trying this at the end via the PRE OUT into the miniDSP and then back into the POWER IN on the 7000A with amazing results and a great trick for room correction and mitigating room quirks. At the price this seems a far better option to consider than playing around with 10x cost expensive DACs as lovely as this might be to something price appropriate that people might be able to consider. Okay you'll need to do a bit of work and a UMIK-1 or 2 microphone. However I would have thought that kind of video would be 100% up your street! I now wait with bated breath for the anticipated new video ;) Lol. As critical as I am I love your videos, long may they continue. I only really enjoy yours and John Darkos. They are down to earth, practical and real. I would have liked to see these paired with a range of more price appropriate speakers too and not just the Missons which of course we all know you love but I can see these paired with Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G or KEF R3 Meta and can imagine they would sound superb with either especially in smaller/small medium rooms (Which lets face it is what most of us really have in the UK).
Are you certain you can go out of the pre out and then back into the power of an integrated? I don’t know how that would work normally it’s one or the other as you have to select what mode the audiolab is on integrated pre or power Then also your adding an analogue to digital back to analogue conversion that’s not ideal. You want Dirac in the digital domain before the analogue stage I hope Robinson explained this otherwise he is not fully informing people about what is going on.
Great review! Have heard the 6000, very nice for its price, top pick in my opinion. Do I spy a sweet pair of Sonus Fabers in the background? I have the Sonetto VIII. Review in the works?
Hey thanks for the comparison! I really like the audiolab sound. I started with the 8000av preamp, had the 8000ap and the 8200ap, Also had the 8000cd and worked my way up to the 8200cdq. All powererd by a mixure of 8000m and 8000p poweramps for surround. Looking to upgrade/making my system a bit more modern, but can't really find a combination in the same style that is both good for surround and stereo.....
Why didn't you compare it to the 8300a what is a closer match to the other two and can be picked up for about £800 new. shame you couldn't have put that in the mix.
Im pleased you enjoyed the hifi show but you are right , if you have very good equipment ( which you do) theres no need to go beyond the 4k price point. My own equipment is a mixture of new and 2nd hand. Btw if you ever think of changing your turntable , theres a guy on e bay called audiocollective who restores Lenco L75 decks . He has a Leak l75 turntable which would compliment yr amp and way way cheaper than rega plannar 3 /Technics 1500c
Ive been using a Roksan Attessa and Audiolab 7000a doing some A/B listening. I really like both amps. The Roksan seems to keep getting better over time. The 7 is still running in and also sounding better like you describe. I never use the toslink to connect the CDT only the coax. Would be interesting to know if you found the coax digital connection to be better than the toslink. Suprised that you omitted this from your test. Great review but only raises more questions for me haha 👍👍👍
Thanks for this review and a Great one. However how would you compare any of these to the Leema Elements Integrated AMP, the old mighty mouse of yours :D ?
Interesting I don’t have the Mighty Mouse here anymore but my memory of it and other leema amps are they are about musical energy and drive and can be quite forward. The Mighty Mouse was really punchy sounding from memory. Audiolab are more polite and more about control and smoothness so different approaches. The 9000a has the most drive I have heard from an audiolab but still reserved in character some :)
The problem is, I'm not made of money I don't have a lot of money so what's most important for me is value for money which is the increase in cost versus the upgrade in quality so for me personally the 6000a isn't good enough for what I want and the 9000a is much too far out of my reach so personally it feels as if the 7000a is the most ideal model for me and that HDMI ARC is such a deal sweetener over most other brands like Cambridge Audio, I won't be able to afford the 7000a any time soon so I've got a lot of time to research my opinions but so far I'm definitely leaning to Audiolab
Ciao, ottimo video. Mi sono iscritto al tuo canale. Devo acquistare le B&W 606 S3 e Eversolo DMP-A6. Per questi diffusori è abbastanza Audiolab 600A o ha una migliore resa sono Audiuolab 7000A?
Great review as ever. Enjoy your channel. Wished you covered the power on tap (100w of 9000A) to drive hungry speakers like Polk Audio R700. I get confused to see 100w @8oms with just a 325v transformer and small capacitance. Yamaha AS1200 and 2200 have a 625v transformer with >75,000 mf capacitance (both) and still delivers claimed 90w @8ohms. So does Yamaha really delivers so low for so much hardware or Audiolab 9000A delivers so much with so less or it is just a tall claim. Same story with other high end products like, Denon PMA A110 which claims to delivers just 80w with such beefy hardware. Appreciate your comments on this. Also pl tell if Audiolab 9000A is capable of driving Polk R700s to a 100db or will Yamaha and Denon will be better?
That effort makes your videos stand out from the rest Terry, the Linton sound demo was the best quality I’ve heard! Which brings me in to a question….what £1500 amp would you pair with the new Lintons?
@@PursuitPerfectSystem thanks for the reply, would the 9000 be your choice in general for the Lintons or is there anything else you’d consider? I’m definitely going with the Lintons as I just love the styling which fits perfectly with our mid century styled house! 😂
It always depends on what you like the 9000a off the internal dac is not perfect but it’s a very nice listen and that’s what the Linton is all about just being easy going. If you want something a bit more lively then maybe the Mighty Mouse leema acoustics elements, something with Dirac then the arcam sa30 or the jbl equivalent costs more but will better match for styling. Or maybe the nad 3050 for Dirac / lots and lots of options :)
Thank you for this very interesting and informative review. I appreciate it very much because it's exactly what I've been looking for. I recently bought the Audio Physic Step 35, which you also reviewed in the past, and wonder whether the 9000a would be a good match for these speakers, or would you rather recommend an amplifier with a bit more warmer sound?
The 9000a off the internal DAC is pretty warm if that is what your looking for, the Step 35 was a couple of years ago I cant really remember them too well sorry
I’ve owned a 7000A for around 4 months now. I do love this amp and what it does as overall performance. I do think that my current speakers (Q acoustics 3050I) sound good but aren’t a good match for the 7000A would you be able to recommend some pairings?! Please! I’m thinking Dynaudio Emmitt 30s or 50s what do you think? Thanks for a great review.
A great review as always... I have a pair of Mission 770s. I've been researching their best amplifier match at £2k-£3k..... It seems the Audiolab 9000A is a great match. But, can you suggest a comparable/better amp up to £3k for the 770s, please? Or is the 9000A a done deal ?
If your spending a lot of money you should always have a listen first and never fully take my word as we have different rooms and setups, however the 9000a is a very good option to consider with the 770 yes. I also liked the Audiozen Embrace with the Missions but for very different reasons and its a very different proposition physically to the Audiolab which is very understated and smart looking, The Audiozen is more cottage in terms of build and very quirky. Then the NAD M23 is a very good amp with the Missions for its drive and control so it just depends what you like :)
@@PursuitPerfectSystem thank you for your reply.... I like my hifi tight, punchy and dynamic. I'm not a fan of NAD. Having said that, I was sold a £600 box of **** by Sevenoaks, NAD 356 BEE I think it was. it's put me off NAD. I shall check out the Audiozen.. Thank you.
Hi Terry! Thanks (as always) for another super informative review!! I’m trying to decide between this 9000A and the Yamaha AS 1200 (Making a little jump up from my musical fidelity m2si). Curious - If u had to choose one, which way wud u lean?
A very good review but with one very significant omission - what about performance of the three with HEADPHONES. This is very important to me and I would have liked to know how their built-in headphone amps compare (to each other and also compared to the speaker outputs).
Great work Tel. Any chance of the same with the CDT's, I'm looking for a CD Transport to replace my failing Sony, the 6000 and 9000 both have stellar reviews but the 7000 would be more in my price range, and nobody seems to be reviewing the 7000.
Much as I'm intrigued by the Audiolab offerings their looks just strike me as uninspired & boring. Let's face it if it sits in your living room then looks do come into play on some level.
Does anyone know the dampening factor of the Audiolab 7000a? I checked a bunch of places like Crutchfield and Audiolab’s manual/website, and could not find it. Thanks!!
I own the 7000A. I feel that it is underpowered and lacks energy. It's pleasing alright, but certainly not for demanding speakers. It struggles to move a full range demanding speaker. If you cant afford the 9000A, then don't go with the Audiolab. Try something else with more energy.
Is anyone able to tell me how the 8300A (Old Model without DAC built in) compares to the 6000a, 7000a, 9000a ? I can easily get a DAC for the 8300a so its not a problem, I juat mean for Clarity, Quality and Details of sound.
Hi, many thanks for your reviews. I have a pair of Q-Acoustics 5040’s and I am looking for an amp and cdt to go with them. Do you think the Audiolab 9000a be a good choice? Thanks in advance.
even at -78 vol....no inputs connected,,, after 1 hour 9000a,, 7000a seem to reach about 40-45c temp... amb temp being 20c,,,,, meanwhile 6000a barely reaches 23c,,,, do u see this 1
Hi Terry, I did have the 6000 a some years ago I liked it a lot, since then I’ve had the Hegel h369 with magnepan lrs, a friend of mine brought over a pair of monitor audio bronze 100, man the really impressed me love that balanced sound reminds of the 6000 a amp,can you tell me how you feel of a Audiolab 7000a hooked to the monitor audio 100, I do understand that my Hegel is better in ways and so is the magnepan but the tonal balance is just so good, no more fusing with dialing in the subwoofer and I like the arc for the tv ( RUclips) thx for your advice Nick
Okay, so I like an outrageous comparison, and here is one that I think is no more outrageous than 6000A vs 9000A. How does the 9000A, (ignoring all of its digital smarts) compare with a Naim Supernait 3? I know there are other more price comparable Naims, but that's the comparison I'm curious about. Anyone heard both?
I can't comment on Audiolab, but for what it's worth, I much prefer the Cyrus i9XR amp to Naim Supernait 3. I mention this for two reasons, the first of which is the Cyrus is notably cheaper than the Naim, and secondly, I really disliked the Naim. In relation to its price point , that is. I'd just add that I took my Rega Elicit R to a dealer and compared it to higher priced Sugden, Naim, Cyrus - and I bought the Cyrus.
With all due repect to the evo 4.4 they won’t show you the differences as much as the 770 do hence the reason why I use them as my reference speakers. I also commented that with the less resolving 700 speakers the difference between the 7 and 9 was not as dramatic as the speakers couldn’t deliver enough. I am glad your happy with the 7 but the 9 is offering a lot more
Amazing brand audio ,i have the 6000cdt,6000a inpre autput, 2 monoblock 8300 for kef reference 1 ( dac qutest phono goldnote ph 10) do you think is better a 8300a als preamplifer ??? Saluti dall'Italia
I don't like the current fashion of releasing integrated amplifiers with built in DACS. While they may be good for someone building a new system from scratch, for those of us with a CD player, and / or a music streamer and DAC combination, we may already have two DACS and the last thing we need is to pay for a third DAC in an amplifier. I would rather the money was spent on a standalone amplifier with better quality parts.
I totally agree with your point. I own the Cyrus i9XR, which has a DAC in it that I neither use nor want. Nonetheless, I overlooked that because it's a great amp. Still, the DAC issue you raised is a personal gripe of mine too.
I hope you enjoy the video and I apologise I just realised I said the prices for the amplifiers wrong - doh!! sorry about that
Hi Terry, amazing review..Can I ask a quick question, I am complete beginer in this HT journey, just bought myself a Kef Q950, Kef Surrounds, Denon x3500 (old one from my cousin), SVS SB1000 and AudioaLab 7000a.. Currently Denon is running the Surround and Centre, and the SUB.. Audiolab is running as pre-amp with those Kef950s.. I am currently happy with the setup, but want to try connecting SVS to AudioLab... Not exactly sure with the cabling part, will it be a Y Splitter type RCA, 1 Male to the "In" socket in SVS to 2 Male RCA in the Pre-Outs sockets in the AudioLab
Hi Terry. Could you help me out and recommend some speakers for the 7000A. It’s on its way..
Nothing of any great import then!!
No problem at all 😅 quick question new Rotel A11 mk2 or this one?
As the proud owner of a 30 year old 8000a, I've now enjoyed over 11,000 days of 'Audiolab excellence'. Whilst I was tempted to
consider any of these new models, in the end I recently re-capped and re-conditioned my original instead. Primarily it came down
to economics, nostalgia and tone-controls! Nonetheless, thanks for a very interesting and comprehensive three-in-one review.
30 years - that’s getting your monies worth and when people complain hifi is too expensive I do understand that but over 30 years it’s not really
@@PursuitPerfectSystemI suspect a lot of these modern units don't last very long. I'm worried about spending £500-£1000 on an amp that will last just 5 years.
I love my MF a308crs. I will recap rather than buying new.
I bought a lot of new gear, I am using it every day.. bought most of it in 1987. 😂😂
These days I buy second hand and have it looked over. Still cheaper and proven to work for decades already
Thanks, I enjoyed your comparison. 👍
The 6000A is a real best buy product to me. The 7000A and 9000A are an interesting Amps too,
but at that price point 🤑 I think there is more serious competition, like Arcam, etc...
Since the 6000A is my first Audiolab Amp, I´m surprised about the solid build Quality and handling.
I will remain humble 😄and continue enjoying the nice sound.
I'm using a audiolab 7000a. It is my first "serious" amp and i enjoy it a lot. Very pleased with the phono stage and the numbers of inputs. The ARC is working good and makes life easier when connected to a tv.
Absolutely brilliant comparison. Well done. Thank you!
Speaking of excellent products, your reviews are excellent to say the least, you dig deep and we leave well informed. Thank you 🙏🏾.
All they had to do was include a HDMI in the 9000 and it would have been on my list.
Yes.. the only reason I didn't go for it was the lack of HDMI, but I don't regret it, my Marantz Model 40N sound fantastic with PMC twenty5 24.
Why not use the optical output/input? I've connected my LG TV to my 6000A that way it works perfectly
@@nigelmassey259 I just prefer HDMI because the physical connection feels far more secure (i.e. plugs in more firmly) and I can control my system with the TV remote. I'll have a listen to the 7000 to see if my experience aligns with the reviewer's...I might like it better than he did.
@@JBOsurf I agree, to me it’s crazy that they didn’t include the hdmi connection in the 9000a
For 2k you are in Lyngdorf 1120 territory with room perfect and that all important HDMI connection. My only gripe is that you can’t add a power amp and a sub, it’s one or the other.
Now this is how you do a review! You’ve become my favorite RUclips audio reviewer- thorough and trustworthy.
(And many thanks for going in-depth on the phono stages. So many reviewers gloss over phono, or just ignore it all together).
Great review Terry. Happy user of a 6000A. Love this little amplifier.
Keep the 6000A , I just buy the 9000a and I better like the sound of the 6000
🤗 THANKS TERRY … for helping out the audiophile community 👍😎💚💚💚
One of your better videos Terry. Can't get more comprehensive than that. It shows what can be obtained. If you have the money. It's a painful hobby, because you can't buy the 9000a without buying suitably matching components. And with the cables, you're probably looking at 10k for a full digital and analogue system. I'll start saving today. Lol.
Thanks for the comments Peter - I think it always depends how you look at it - life is long and I think it stands to reason some system things might change and improve over time. However amplifiers is not really one of them so an easy going sounding amp like the 9000a could easily go with you over several speaker changes upgrades over 20 years as an example, its then been a great spend early on. I think normally people go the other way and buy speakers more demanding than the amplifier they have and look to improve that bit over time, I have done that myself many times and looking back I am not sure it was the best way to go because then your always chasing it because there is not the sound there you think you should have. Just my 2 pennies worth.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem if I am honest, I must describe myself as a nerd. I am in the pursuit of knowledge. Can't get enough of learning more and more. And what I have learned over the last couple of years, is how important the dac is. And moreover how different each dac can sound. I think I would probably go down the route of every component being different, so I can match to my taste. And my taste is a bit more laid back. I love the warmth of vinyl, so a really good phono stage is imperative and like to have the facility to adjust the gain, so an adjustable phono stage is also important. I would love audiolab to just make an amp. Nothing else. These things are getting rarer. But I do understand why people want an all in one solution. You're doing a great job. And I love your channel. From a fellow Essex boy.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem Agree with your philosophy of buying an excellent amp and upgrading speakers around that. I also want to commend your previous reviews of Tellurium Q XLR cables, I just installed them and they made a big difference. All kinds if percussive sounds such as drums and claps have much better reverb and sound more lifelike.
Been using the previous version of the 9000A (8300A) for quite some time as one of our test amps. The balanced (XLR) is essential for us. Found it to be an incredibly reliable work horse that sound great for the price.
I could listen to you review hi fi all day, Terry - your enthusiasm is infectious and your insights are reliable. Salivating over those SF speakers for most of the video though... 😛😛😛
I enjoyed the review, Terry. Personally I have the 6000A in my second, near-field system where it serves as an integrated, providing sound from a TV and my computer, both attached from a separate DAC via only the one RCA input. It's been a very versatile workhorse and never let me down over the 2.5 years I've had it. Started off in my main system as an integrated, then I attached an external DAC and used it as a preamp. Eventually moved it into my second system. It's a fine bit of kit and I've been very happy with it.
When you get to 9000A territory, I've leant towards a separate preamp/amp/DAC for around the same money, but of course many people would prefer just the one box, and that's quite understandable.
I am not sure you could get separate dac pre and power for under 2 grand that would better the 9, really not sure on that one.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem
Acoustic Invader preamp from Serbia (£1350)
XTZ Edge power amp (£450)
Aune X8 XVIII edition DAC with sparkos op-amp upgrade and separate linear power supply (£450)
That's £2,250. I did say "around" the same money, Terry. Since I haven't heard the 9000A, I can't say for sure whether my combination is better. I'd be surprised if it wasn't, though. This combo goes a treat with my self-build (with a little help from a professional craftsman, that is) Decware ZF15M open baffle clones (c. £1300) and Tellurium Q blue IIs (c.£110 when I bought them). A brilliant system IMHO for under £4000.
Yeah intersting system that John, but would it be better - maybe or maybe just different (I think ICE amps would sound very different) from my past experience) but still more expensive and more cables and plugs etc but its all about choices I like that.
The best thing about separates is the ability to mix and match a lot and keep changing specific things, but thats also when it costs even more money :)
@@PursuitPerfectSystem Don't want to overstay my welcome, Terry, but allow me to say this one last thing. You've a lot more experience with different gear than I have, and I greatly respect that. All I can speak to is the gear I own or have at least heard.
The A2-300 class D Ice power amp, to me, is an amazing little beast. Hooked up to the class A/B 6000A, it made it sound more powerful, but the overall profile was still unmistakeably the 6000A. Later, hooked up to the class A Acoustic invader preamp, my system sounded different, more emotional and involving, especially with the ZF15Ms, and to a lesser extent with my Dali menuet SEs and Quad S2s.
I suspect it more or less just amplifies whatever the preamp throws at it. And that for me is its great advantage. It probably allows for greater flexibility than an amp like the Audiolab 6/7/9000 used purely as an integrated. I haven't mentioned all my ancillary gear such as Supra USB cable or Chord C-line interconnects, etc, but they don't seem to interfere much with the essential nature of the sound I've been after for a while. But since I haven't heard the 9000A, I can't say definitively it wouldn't sound the way I prefer -- for all I know, it might. Just sharing my personal experience.
Thanks John, interesting looking preamp that one, I hadnt heard of that co. before
Just bought a 7000a. WOW!! But what I noticed is how it retains weight/richness at low volumes.
Very good comparison. It just so happened that I also own all three amplifiers. I really liked the 6000A, so I bought the 7000A and I must admit that it made a very good impression on me. I'm slightly shocked at how big a jump there was in sound quality after switching to the 7000A. The first thing that strikes you is super detail, clarity of sound, and very good sound separation. Everything is very well arranged in space, has its own place. Everything is spacious, airy. Vocals are very clear, natural, expressive. Maybe it didn't come from the reviews, but the jump in quality from 6000A to 7000A is really a class above. I'm currently in a bit of a quandary, as I've grown very fond of the 7000A, but as I mentioned, I still have the 9000A, which I haven't listened to yet. If the jump will be as big as it was after switching from the 6000A to the 7000A (which it looks like it will be), I think I'll drop my pants with excitement :7 On the other hand, I was a bit hasty in buying the 9000A. I didn't expect the 7000A to make such a good impression on me. I'll be sorry that I spent so little time on it and moved too quickly to a higher model. Thanks Terry for the work you did. Testing three amps at once is a challenge though. All the best.
Very informative review. Thank you. I have often considered Audiolab, but they don't include tone controls. For an older person like me, I cannot easily adjust my surroundings or move speakers to tune the sound quality. Tone controls are a must for me.
Schiit make a very good external tone control unit that is not expensive
@@cobar5342 It would be a lot more convenient to have tone controls built into the amplifier. I tried the schiit 4 band, but the effect was not what I was hoping for. I ended up selling it and getting my 1985 Yamaha A1020 integrated amplifier repaired (@ Just Audio) because it had great tone controls. It also sounds better than any of the many new amplifiers I tried and sent back. I believe the audio manufacturers are losing a significant portion of the market by omitting tone controls.
This is what I use, set up in pre/power mode on the 6000a. Works fine for me on certain CDs, and it's easy to flip to bypass when not needed.@@cobar5342
Smashing, detailed & informative video! Thanks, as always, Terry.
Thanks
This is a very clever way of reviewing amplifiers. You might be after a sound or a design of a specific brand but can't necessarily afford, need or want all the options that generally come with a company's flagship model. It's also nice to compare the sound qualities of different product lines from a same brand. Well done Terry!
Great review, I really appreciate the price appropriate commemts. Love dreaming of the high-end equipment but also more realistic price achievable gear. Thanks
Thanks
Really good review Terry, very smooth for a lot of info, not overwhelming. thanks.
Thanks Tracy appreciate it
Great as always... Was looking for a amp for my office. The 6000A would do nicely
Very nicely for that usage, I had one running in my office many moons ago with a 6000N and enjoyed country music radio stations
Excellent review, one of the best I have seen in a while. Great work!
Thank you very much appreciate it
Excellent, comprehensive review. Great work!
Very good group test, review, comparison! And the video with the snapshots, very useful (especially for the connections), furthermore, excellent picture quality and clear sound! Congratulations 🎊
What a great review, having had the 6000a you got it bang on .
I was torn between the 7 and 9 purely because I'm tight . But from that review, in depth review it has to be the 9000a . HDMI is not a problem for me as most tv sets have optical .
Very interesting. I started with an 8000A in 1988 and then added an 8000P when it hit the streets, the next big change was to upgrade to the 8000Q pre-amp and two 8000M mono-blocks, I am listening through them right now.
I use them to drive Tannoy DC3000's in the living room, and TDL Studio 1's in the man cave.
Strange how British cars were built so badly back then, while some of the Hi Fi gear was built so well.
Nicely presented and informative. Good job.
Thanks
Excellent in depth review Terry! You put the finger on some of my nagging doubts and reservations I have with my 6000A. Though I love its easy going sound, very often to my ear it's sounds to reserved, to muted, to monotone. In many tracks it lacks energy, excitement, and enthusiasm. Like on the track Journey to the Island from Jurrassic Park, the trumpets never come alive like they should, as a climax in the track. Also, my CSS Criton speakers are not the most easy to drive and may need more power to come alive, or as you put it, a kick up the behind. On top of that, the Critons are very well behaved themselves up top, so perhaps they make a poor pairing with the 6000A. Assuming it retains the easy going Audiolab sound, I am considering upgrading to the 7000a. So, my only question to you would be: does the 7000a retain the easy going Audiolab-sound, in general? Again, thank you for insights!
Great review. Audiolab products are good and happy to know these three differences.
I think this might be my favourite of your videos yet. Really took me back to your amazing speaker group tests which helped me buy my last set of speakers - and how I originally found your channel. The comparison and structure you added here was really well set out out. Bravo!! 👏 and thank you. Shame you can’t do double thumbs up on RUclips 👍👍
I should probably add that I am a proud and happy owner of an 8300a which is all analogue and is dual mono with the balanced XLR inputs. Purely in amplifier terms it feels like it may sit between the 7000a and the 9000a. I wonder if you have heard the 8300a?
Thank you for this. I’ve been eyeballing one of these.
very nice ,detailed ,well documented presentation , Keep up the good work Thanks a lot
Thank you appreciate it
Audiolab 6000a set the bar real high already! We need a video about the Roksan Attessa Integrated/Streaming Amplifier, maybe comparison to the 7000a! No harm in asking right?! 😅 Have a nice week.
Streaming amplifiers is something different so it wouldn't be an apples to apples comparison to the 7000a, its not a streaming amp.
Thanks, very nice Video. It really helped me a lot. Now I just have to decide between the 7000A and the 9000A :)
Best regards, Constantin
I'm moving on to 9000A. On the subject of 'equalibarising'. I had a 9000A on an extended home-trial. After a 1 hour warm up the 7 & 9 sound pretty similar.... but after 1 hour the 7 has peaked, but the 9 keeps improving. Then after 2-3 hours it seems streets ahead of the 7... in terms of bass weight/control, transparency and staging.
I'm saving for the 9000A, should be able to get it this year.
A true top shelve review,, ⭐
Dynamism,, a brilliant new word,, 😅💖
Thanks and cheers Terry,, 🍻😎👍👍
Thanks very much
⭐@@PursuitPerfectSystem
Great video !
I have the 6000A Play , with Triangle Borea BR09 . Lovely match 😊
Great video thanks Terry, I'd love to see you do a similar video with the Atoll range of amplifiers if possible 👍
I am using the 9000a to power kef reference 1 metas. One of the key features of these amps is you can place a minidsp between the the pre outs and the main ins giving dirac room correction and proper bass management. In my set up the minidsp makes the 9000a sound fantastic, the low frequency signals routed straight to the subs gives the 9000a that extra bit of dynamic headroom that make my kefs really shine.
Interesting way to add Dirac and of course it can be used to make a huge improvement but I would want it in the source so everything is done digital before the amp but whatever is working for you good man for working this out call me impressed
I thought I would get a greater benefit by spending the additional money on a 2 sub system instead of a 1 sub system and a more expensive minidsp. I didn't get the chance to compare with a 1 sub and shd to a 2 sub and 2x4hd but it sounds fantastic regardless
@@PursuitPerfectSystemDo you mean it would be better a MiniDSP Flex digital? In this case DSP would be before the DAC conversion…
I have had the 6000A for a couple of years now. I use it with a pair of KEF R300 speakers. It wasn't until I used an external DAC - the Schiit Modo 3, that I was happy. I can listen to music for several hours without it tiring my ears.
Ive noticed lots using external DACs with this amp. Ive been quite happy with the M-DAC inside. Is the Schiit you bought soley headphone only?
Again, another excellent and complex review!
Great review! Will you be comparing the streamers? Very curious if an upgrade from 6000N to 7000N would be worth it.
Best review i heard about Audiolab. Is it easy to connect a SVS sub to these amps?
There are no dedicated subwoofer outputs so you would need to connect a speaker level signal using their new SVS SoundPath Speaker Level Subwoofer Adapter
I have a 6000a and I’ll be upgrading but probably not with audiolab, don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved my 6000a and the soundstage for me is one of the best for what I’ve heard so far, however there just isn’t enough bass heft from it for me, and I really miss not having tone controls, I think I’m not quite as audiophile or purist as I thought and more musical maybe? Great video though Terry! A factory tour or interview with audiolab would be a great future feature!
I experienced that some with the 6000a and kef reference speakers because it was not enough amp for those speakers. That’s a big factor to take into account. I didn’t have that with the mission 770 because they are easier to drive.
That is where the 9000a really comes in but it’s not a bass monster sound audiolab is quite polite more about control and smoothness, still no tone controls though
@@PursuitPerfectSystem yeah I appreciate that, I have tried it with a pair of kefs, Buchardts and Jbl speakers but had the same sort of outcome with all 3, not enough heft and I think as you say too polite and not really dynamic enough, also the speakers are a lot more expensive than the amp! I think the power is a massive factor for sure, I just wish audiolab offered tone controls I guess as I listen to a lot of poorly recorded material. I haven’t heard an amp with the same kinda sound as audiolab brings to the table so I think it really is a great product overall, thanks for the follow up reply!
Yeah that is what I was saying the 6000a is all you need, but that doesn't mean you wont want more - you are experiencing that and are at stage now :)
I upgraded from the 6000A Play to the 8300XP and 8300CDQ. The difference was immense, both in power and clarity. My favourite upgrade ever.
Great film. Thanks. I have a 9000 arriving tomorrow. Can’t wait to try it out!
For me the star of the Audiolab range is the 9000CDT (which I own). For the amp money just above the 9000A I would audition the Hegel H120.
I have a 25 year old 8000cdm and can't get a replacement Lazer. Can anyone tell me how the 9000cdt compares
Could you please do a comparison with the 8300A? Thank you
Hi Terry, kind of surprised you didn't discuss a price appropriate modification to the 7000A and 9000A setup in the form of the miniDSP DDRC-24 with Dirac LIVE? Saw on Andrew Robinsons YT channel him trying this at the end via the PRE OUT into the miniDSP and then back into the POWER IN on the 7000A with amazing results and a great trick for room correction and mitigating room quirks. At the price this seems a far better option to consider than playing around with 10x cost expensive DACs as lovely as this might be to something price appropriate that people might be able to consider. Okay you'll need to do a bit of work and a UMIK-1 or 2 microphone. However I would have thought that kind of video would be 100% up your street! I now wait with bated breath for the anticipated new video ;) Lol. As critical as I am I love your videos, long may they continue. I only really enjoy yours and John Darkos. They are down to earth, practical and real. I would have liked to see these paired with a range of more price appropriate speakers too and not just the Missons which of course we all know you love but I can see these paired with Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G or KEF R3 Meta and can imagine they would sound superb with either especially in smaller/small medium rooms (Which lets face it is what most of us really have in the UK).
Are you certain you can go out of the pre out and then back into the power of an integrated? I don’t know how that would work normally it’s one or the other as you have to select what mode the audiolab is on integrated pre or power
Then also your adding an analogue to digital back to analogue conversion that’s not ideal.
You want Dirac in the digital domain before the analogue stage I hope Robinson explained this otherwise he is not fully informing people about what is going on.
Thank you!
Thanks for the interesting video. Why do think that Audiolab did't include an HDMI input on the 9000A? I think that might be a deal breaker for some.
As I said in the video they told me they wanted the 9000a to be a dedicated high end hifi amplifier
Great review! Have heard the 6000, very nice for its price, top pick in my opinion. Do I spy a sweet pair of Sonus Fabers in the background? I have the Sonetto VIII. Review in the works?
Great comparison and review. One thing was missing for me, a review of the headphone out. My listening is done 50:50 headphones:loudspeakers
Thanks this is why referring to the headphone out ruclips.net/video/uV6cf777NNE/видео.html
Hey thanks for the comparison! I really like the audiolab sound. I started with the 8000av preamp, had the 8000ap and the 8200ap, Also had the 8000cd and worked my way up to the 8200cdq. All powererd by a mixure of 8000m and 8000p poweramps for surround.
Looking to upgrade/making my system a bit more modern, but can't really find a combination in the same style that is both good for surround and stereo.....
Why didn't you compare it to the 8300a what is a closer match to the other two and can be picked up for about £800 new. shame you couldn't have put that in the mix.
Yes I agree I picked up an 8300a and 8300cdq cd player for an absolute steal a few months ago and it’s a lot better than the 6000a I also own.
Im pleased you enjoyed the hifi show but you are right , if you have very good equipment ( which you do) theres no need to go beyond the 4k price point. My own equipment is a mixture of new and 2nd hand. Btw if you ever think of changing your turntable , theres a guy on e bay called audiocollective who restores Lenco L75 decks . He has a Leak l75 turntable which would compliment yr amp and way way cheaper than rega plannar 3 /Technics 1500c
Very good job 👍
Thank you
Ive been using a Roksan Attessa and Audiolab 7000a doing some A/B listening. I really like both amps. The Roksan seems to keep getting better over time. The 7 is still running in and also sounding better like you describe. I never use the toslink to connect the CDT only the coax. Would be interesting to know if you found the coax digital connection to be better than the toslink. Suprised that you omitted this from your test. Great review but only raises more questions for me haha 👍👍👍
Fantastic review
Thank you
Thanks for this review and a Great one. However how would you compare any of these to the Leema Elements Integrated AMP, the old mighty mouse of yours :D ?
Interesting I don’t have the Mighty Mouse here anymore but my memory of it and other leema amps are they are about musical energy and drive and can be quite forward. The Mighty Mouse was really punchy sounding from memory.
Audiolab are more polite and more about control and smoothness so different approaches. The 9000a has the most drive I have heard from an audiolab but still reserved in character some :)
The problem is, I'm not made of money I don't have a lot of money so what's most important for me is value for money which is the increase in cost versus the upgrade in quality so for me personally the 6000a isn't good enough for what I want and the 9000a is much too far out of my reach so personally it feels as if the 7000a is the most ideal model for me and that HDMI ARC is such a deal sweetener over most other brands like Cambridge Audio, I won't be able to afford the 7000a any time soon so I've got a lot of time to research my opinions but so far I'm definitely leaning to Audiolab
Some nice looking Rels.. Review coming soon?
Yes and Yes
love the sexy display ,always been a fan of audiolab ,i still have a 8000a on display on top of the kallax wall lol...
Ciao, ottimo video. Mi sono iscritto al tuo canale. Devo acquistare le B&W 606 S3 e Eversolo DMP-A6. Per questi diffusori è abbastanza Audiolab 600A o ha una migliore resa sono Audiuolab 7000A?
Great comparison! How do you think the 7000A would pair with the Dynaudio Evoke 10 you reviewed. Using the internal DAC.
Thanks very much I couldn’t say without try that pairing it but that would be one I would assume to be worth trying if that makes sense
Great review as ever. Enjoy your channel.
Wished you covered the power on tap (100w of 9000A) to drive hungry speakers like Polk Audio R700.
I get confused to see 100w @8oms with just a 325v transformer and small capacitance. Yamaha AS1200 and 2200 have a 625v transformer with >75,000 mf capacitance (both) and still delivers claimed 90w @8ohms. So does Yamaha really delivers so low for so much hardware or Audiolab 9000A delivers so much with so less or it is just a tall claim. Same story with other high end products like, Denon PMA A110 which claims to delivers just 80w with such beefy hardware.
Appreciate your comments on this. Also pl tell if Audiolab 9000A is capable of driving Polk R700s to a 100db or will Yamaha and Denon will be better?
There is more to sound than watts, the amp I have here now is 60Kg but for only 50 watts @ 8 ohms
How about the 8300a? (A pure analogue amplifier)
Great Video. What about the 8300a? Is it over the 7000a, when we only Talk about Sound?
Yes. I have both, but it depends on how much you will spend on the dac
Thank you
The sound quality on your videos is superb listening through headphones, great comparison
Thanks George appreciate someone noticing the extra effort I put in :)
That effort makes your videos stand out from the rest Terry, the Linton sound demo was the best quality I’ve heard! Which brings me in to a question….what £1500 amp would you pair with the new Lintons?
If you can pay a little more or try and get a deal on an audiolab 9000a it’s my fave in that range at the moment
@@PursuitPerfectSystem thanks for the reply, would the 9000 be your choice in general for the Lintons or is there anything else you’d consider? I’m definitely going with the Lintons as I just love the styling which fits perfectly with our mid century styled house! 😂
It always depends on what you like the 9000a off the internal dac is not perfect but it’s a very nice listen and that’s what the Linton is all about just being easy going. If you want something a bit more lively then maybe the Mighty Mouse leema acoustics elements, something with Dirac then the arcam sa30 or the jbl equivalent costs more but will better match for styling.
Or maybe the nad 3050 for Dirac / lots and lots of options :)
How do you think it would pair with the neat ministras which i own , great detailed review of all three amps
I would have to go for the Play model with the sweet ethenet connection.
Thank you for this very interesting and informative review. I appreciate it very much because it's exactly what I've been looking for.
I recently bought the Audio Physic Step 35, which you also reviewed in the past, and wonder whether the 9000a would be a good match for these speakers, or would you rather recommend an amplifier with a bit more warmer sound?
The 9000a off the internal DAC is pretty warm if that is what your looking for, the Step 35 was a couple of years ago I cant really remember them too well sorry
@@PursuitPerfectSystemThank you for your quick reply.
I’ve owned a 7000A for around 4 months now. I do love this amp and what it does as overall performance. I do think that my current speakers (Q acoustics 3050I) sound good but aren’t a good match for the 7000A would you be able to recommend some pairings?! Please! I’m thinking Dynaudio Emmitt 30s or 50s what do you think? Thanks for a great review.
A great review as always... I have a pair of Mission 770s. I've been researching their best amplifier match at £2k-£3k..... It seems the Audiolab 9000A is a great match. But, can you suggest a comparable/better amp up to £3k for the 770s, please? Or is the 9000A a done deal ?
If your spending a lot of money you should always have a listen first and never fully take my word as we have different rooms and setups, however the 9000a is a very good option to consider with the 770 yes. I also liked the Audiozen Embrace with the Missions but for very different reasons and its a very different proposition physically to the Audiolab which is very understated and smart looking, The Audiozen is more cottage in terms of build and very quirky. Then the NAD M23 is a very good amp with the Missions for its drive and control so it just depends what you like :)
@@PursuitPerfectSystem thank you for your reply.... I like my hifi tight, punchy and dynamic. I'm not a fan of NAD. Having said that, I was sold a £600 box of **** by Sevenoaks, NAD 356 BEE I think it was. it's put me off NAD. I shall check out the Audiozen.. Thank you.
Well done........... 🔈🔉🔊
Thanks very much
I often wonder if the 7000 or the 9000’s built in DAC’s are better than the Audiolab M-DAC ?
Hi Terry! Thanks (as always) for another super informative review!!
I’m trying to decide between this 9000A and the Yamaha AS 1200 (Making a little jump up from my musical fidelity m2si).
Curious - If u had to choose one, which way wud u lean?
Thanks for your review! Really great. Please give me your opinion on which one is better for me. I currently have B&W 703 S3 and Marantz Cinema 50.
For speakers of that quality minimum 9000a
Without hearing these, I would say the difference or expect the difference to be fidelity.
A very good review but with one very significant omission - what about performance of the three with HEADPHONES. This is very important to me and I would have liked to know how their built-in headphone amps compare (to each other and also compared to the speaker outputs).
I am sorry about that, it was a deliberate omission for reason I explained in this video here ruclips.net/video/DFZuRVgZZvI/видео.html
@@PursuitPerfectSystem I think you have the wrong link. It talks about Dirac nothing about headphones.
I didnt realise the eloquent Wayne Roomey did Hi-Fi😂
I didnt realise I was eloquent 😂
@PursuitPerfectSystem Your not but your videos are good
Obviously the differences are the watts.
There is more in it than just that, but I am sure its part of it
Great work Tel. Any chance of the same with the CDT's, I'm looking for a CD Transport to replace my failing Sony, the 6000 and 9000 both have stellar reviews but the 7000 would be more in my price range, and nobody seems to be reviewing the 7000.
If the 7000 had 4*hdmi in and 1 out I would buy it in a second. I dont need surround but I want one HDMI cable to my tv, not one more HDMI cable.
Much as I'm intrigued by the Audiolab offerings their looks just strike me as uninspired & boring. Let's face it if it sits in your living room then looks do come into play on some level.
Weird, I think it looks great.
Does anyone know the dampening factor of the Audiolab 7000a? I checked a bunch of places like Crutchfield and Audiolab’s manual/website, and could not find it. Thanks!!
I own the 7000A. I feel that it is underpowered and lacks energy. It's pleasing alright, but certainly not for demanding speakers. It struggles to move a full range demanding speaker. If you cant afford the 9000A, then don't go with the Audiolab. Try something else with more energy.
Is anyone able to tell me how the 8300A (Old Model without DAC built in) compares to the 6000a, 7000a, 9000a ?
I can easily get a DAC for the 8300a so its not a problem, I juat mean for Clarity, Quality and Details of sound.
Audiolab is legendary
Hi, many thanks for your reviews. I have a pair of Q-Acoustics 5040’s and I am looking for an amp and cdt to go with them. Do you think the Audiolab 9000a be a good choice? Thanks in advance.
Did you find an amp for your 5040's? How do they sound??
even at -78 vol....no inputs connected,,, after 1 hour 9000a,, 7000a seem to reach about 40-45c temp... amb temp being 20c,,,,, meanwhile 6000a barely reaches 23c,,,, do u see this
1
Nice
how does it compare to hegel 95 or hegel 120, thanks
Hi Terry, I did have the 6000 a some years ago I liked it a lot, since then I’ve had the Hegel h369 with magnepan lrs, a friend of mine brought over a pair of monitor audio bronze 100, man the really impressed me love that balanced sound reminds of the 6000 a amp,can you tell me how you feel of a Audiolab 7000a hooked to the monitor audio 100, I do understand that my Hegel is better in ways and so is the magnepan but the tonal balance is just so good, no more fusing with dialing in the subwoofer and I like the arc for the tv ( RUclips) thx for your advice Nick
Okay, so I like an outrageous comparison, and here is one that I think is no more outrageous than 6000A vs 9000A. How does the 9000A, (ignoring all of its digital smarts) compare with a Naim Supernait 3? I know there are other more price comparable Naims, but that's the comparison I'm curious about. Anyone heard both?
I can't comment on Audiolab, but for what it's worth, I much prefer the Cyrus i9XR amp to Naim Supernait 3. I mention this for two reasons, the first of which is the Cyrus is notably cheaper than the Naim, and secondly, I really disliked the Naim. In relation to its price point , that is. I'd just add that I took my Rega Elicit R to a dealer and compared it to higher priced Sugden, Naim, Cyrus - and I bought the Cyrus.
Is the 7000 cdt is an upgrade also? I own the 6000 cdt.
I think you have used 3 way floorstanders
I have Wharfedale EVO 4.4 and love my 7 I also demoed the 9 andndofference was negligible.
With all due repect to the evo 4.4 they won’t show you the differences as much as the 770 do hence the reason why I use them as my reference speakers. I also commented that with the less resolving 700 speakers the difference between the 7 and 9 was not as dramatic as the speakers couldn’t deliver enough.
I am glad your happy with the 7 but the 9 is offering a lot more
Amazing brand audio ,i have the 6000cdt,6000a inpre autput, 2 monoblock 8300 for kef reference 1 ( dac qutest phono goldnote ph 10) do you think is better a 8300a als preamplifer ??? Saluti dall'Italia
I don't like the current fashion of releasing integrated amplifiers with built in DACS. While they may be good for someone building a new system from scratch, for those of us with a CD player, and / or a music streamer and DAC combination, we may already have two DACS and the last thing we need is to pay for a third DAC in an amplifier. I would rather the money was spent on a standalone amplifier with better quality parts.
I totally agree with your point. I own the Cyrus i9XR, which has a DAC in it that I neither use nor want. Nonetheless, I overlooked that because it's a great amp. Still, the DAC issue you raised is a personal gripe of mine too.