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Audiolab love or hate?

A friend of mine owns a 8200 power amp and 6200 amp/CDP/DAC/Streamer/Pre combo and he’s very impressed with it all. He did own a Audiolab 8000 integrated amp circa 1990 and he thought quite highly of it.

He likes the Streamer a lot and the slot loading mech of the CD player.
He uses KEF Revolution something or other speakers.
He purchased new from one shop earlier this year circa £3k. He demoed alternatives and chose a Audiolab system.
I purchased the AVI system it replaced (mono power amps, Cdp, tuner, preamp) but only kept the tuner and Cdp.

As I said above he is very happy with it all, I haven’t had a chance to get a listen to it thou....
 
I remember my cousin and I went to Brady’s in Liverpool in 1994 and listened to the current Naim Nait and the Auiolab 8000a and the Audiolab was the clear winner in auditions despite the shop guy pushing the Nait. Also bought a pair of Royd Minstrels at the same time.
 
Currently running an 8300XP power amp. Very good amp, there’s not much it doesn’t do tbh. It’s a proper “big” amp with tons of power and the scale and control that only a big SS amp can seemingly deliver.
It’s very transparent. Nice delicate handling of mids, top end isn’t at all rolled off. Bass is great, has texture and definition.It’s a very neutral amp yet musically engaging.
If I had any criticism maybe a very slight touch too clean but I’m coming from an old class A Luxman which is great but quite full sounding. I suppose it just doesn’t try to seduce you.
Mates very well with my Audio Research LS8. Maybe wouldn’t fancy it with a SS preamp but perhaps that’s just me.
This is my first piece of Audiolab equipment and I’m quite impressed. For the money I reckon it’s untouchable VFM. Big transformer, 4 x 10000uf capacitors per channel, balanced or single ended connections and its bridgeable to make it into a monoblock.
The casing isn’t high rent and the binding posts are a bit small but try lifting it and you’ll appreciate where the money’s gone.
Heard the 6000 integrated which was great fun but the 8300XP is more for grownups.
 
Just to chime in, I am the happy owner of an Audiolab CDT6000. I think it's a great player for the money, I was looking at Hegel's cd player but I can't think it could be ten times better than the 6000 !
 
I loved mine.

Had an 8000CDM, DAC and C. Ran them into 2 x Exposure 2010 power amps. Brilliant setup and then I finally replaced the Exposures with 2 x 8000M. Opened a new world of music for me.

Then I started to get hearing loss (now getting worse) and sold the lot (except the 8000Ms). I've merged and downsized my stuff a little since then but I remeber they were bulit well, looked good, and sounded clear and crisp with great bass slam.

If someone still has a spare, working 8000C, I'd be interested to rekindle those moments. ;)
 
Very nice kit and older kit appears to have great longevity judging by the time my friend has had his full suite with Sondek and AE speakers.
 
Wobblybob said:
I remember my cousin and I went to Brady’s in Liverpool in 1994 and listened to the current Naim Nait and the Auiolab 8000a and the Audiolab was the clear winner in auditions despite the shop guy pushing the Nait. Also bought a pair of Royd Minstrels at the same time.
Click to expand...
They are very different. I listened to the same, again with Minstrels which were a magazine reviewer and retailer favourite of the time. Neither hit the spot for me, for different reasons. I had a Pioneer A400 at the time, but went to a used Quad 33-303 that murdered all the <£750 integrated amps I tried.
 
I had the 8000 pre and power many years ago.
Didn't keep it long as it was very average sound quality
 
I had an Audiolab 8000a amp which I was very impressed with. I also met Philip Swift who was the original owner and his sister at a show a few years ago and they were really nice people which impressed me moreso.

Not so familiar with later ranges as I have only heard them on occasion but they do appear to have a good following.
 
There was much love for the Mdac back in the day but there was also a very lengthy thread on here about Mdac update/software issues. I must admit it ticked a lot of boxes but it’s got to work first!

I tried an 8000 integrated at some point in the past which I believe had faults but the modern stuff does look like lovely kit and IAG are likely to have sorted any problems.
 
My daughter uses an Audiolab 8000A and it's still a nice sounding amp. I recall demoing an 8000S back in the day and also liked that.

I've got one of their CD players (8200) in my living room system and it's decent.
 
Ran an 8000S Bi amped with an 8000SX for years. Both were the very last F serial number UK models, I bought both new at decent discounts because they were being replaced with the TAG stuff. Very good amps, should have kept them really.
 
Got given a 8000 c and 8000 p about 4 years ago.
The preamp is dead on one channel so never heard it and most probably won't send it to get fixed.
The 8000 p I have tried in place of my Bryston 2 B on the end of some Focal Profil 77 floor standers which are an easy load.
I thought the sound was fine but as some posters have said the sound is quite sterile sort of lacking colour.Sorry not good at describing sound.
Going back to the 2B it just had more attack - Verve - excitement.
Have got the 8000 p in my study computer set up going direct to the amp from the p.c with a 3.5 mini jack to phono sockets into some Sony mini system speakers.
There's no DAC but it sounds fine for Spotify or Youtube while I work.It just gets on with it's job. Also I like the understated styling of it.
Also the 100 watts a channel really controls the Sony speakers.
It's a satisfactory bit of kit.
 
For around £200-300 s/h their integrated amps are still very decent. I had an 8000A many years ago which I then ran into a Linn LK280 (weird I know) as I has Saras where the 8000A couldn't cope

Later in life I had one of the later British made 8000S and it had fantastic current. It drove my AE1 speakers at the time (a difficult load) better than an Exposure pre and 2 x mono amps

If I was looking for an integrated below £300 I wouldn't rule it out
 
Running a 6000CDT and love it. Together with my Border Patrol DAC SEi the sound is fabulous.
 
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