Audiolab 6000A Amplifiers Review

I have made a concerted effort to review a number of amplifiers around the £500 price point. The Iota VX SA3 @ £399 has been my current go to reference. In this video I review the very well regarded Audiolab 6000A which cost £599 in the U.K. I compare it directly to the Iota VX SA3 and try to determine if the Audiolab 6000A is worth the extra £200.
Link to manufacturer’s website...
www.audiolab.co.uk/6000a/
Link to my review of the Iota VX SA3...
• Iota VX SA3 & PA3 review
Link to my review of the NAD C338...
• NAD C338 Amplifier Review
Link to my review of the Pro-Ject MaiA S2...
• Pro-Ject MaiA S2 Ampli...
Time stamps...
Start 0:00
Design 1:27
Sound Quality 7:52
Setup & Partnering Equipment 13:12
Conclusion 17:08

[@sebastianpolcyn6358]

Thanks for another great one, Tarun. Gotta appreciate how systematic and well organized your reviews are. 👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Sebastian. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@mag4633]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I purchased the Audiolab 6000A and your review was a part of that decision. It's a great unit, I have plugged in a few different speakers and they all sound great on it. Which amplifiers should I look at if I'm looking to get another step up in performance for say up to $700 more than 6000A?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@mag4633 it depends on a lot of factors but the Hegel H95 is a good place to start looking 😊

[@MG-rd7kx]

Ive just stumbled across your channel after many years out of the Hi Fi 'game' and your reviews are fantastic, clear, detailed and come across as honest. I am in the market to start all over again (on a limited budget this time) so will be trawling through your reviews for tips and pointers - I like the fact that you cover most price points and not just the very high end equipment. Keep up the good work !

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you MG. Much appreciated 👍😊👍

[@donaldwhite7536]

Happily discovered (and subscribed to) your channel today. Very informative and fact, not hype, based review. Far from the typical PT Barnum approach of other hi-fi equipment reviewers on YT. Much appreciated!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching Donald. I am glad you enjoyed the content and your support is very much appreciated 😊👍👍

[@carmenyannelli8968]

Hey Tarun, Just wanted to say thanks for a great review. My Nakamichi RE3-3 amp died the other day after 30ish years of service. I have been struggling between replacing the volume control and springing for a new amp and your review pushed me over the edge. The Audiolab is driving a pair of Yamaha NS-1000M speakers and I have to say I am hearing details in my favorite tracks that I have never heard before. Between upgrading the cd connection from analog to digital, the dac and improvements to the amp, the results are remarkable. I also got a lot of useful information out of How to Choose an Amp and Amplifier Power.. Thanks again Carmen

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great to hear Carmen. I am glad it all worked out. Thank you for watching and your support. It is very much appreciated 😊👍👍

[@josexavierjr.5633]

Good review, Tarun. I own the Audiolab CDT6000 transport, and I'm very happy with it. They appear to build their products well, on both sound and build qualities. Keep up the good work!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jose 😊👍

[@KAL-589]

Fantastic review. Love the layout, the internal review of the components, and subsequent sound analysis and comparison. From a hardware perspective, there really is little to no competition at this price point. The 6000a is just a great unit. I'll be procuring the 6000a Play myself. The ethernet and Spotify connect sealed the deal, along with retaining the same digital and analogue circuitry from the 6000a. Thank you.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences KAL 😊👍

[@severnsea]

Outstanding video, I'm no expert and was looking for some in-depth information on this very item, and you went above and beyond, with some very useful comparative reviews, very well delivered and easy to understand for a novice such as myself. Brilliant, thank you.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend. That is very kind of you to say and greatly appreciated 👍😊👍

[@adman11]

Excellent review as usual. Thanks! I just bought the 6000a and a pair of AE300 speakers about a month ago. Very excited to hear your review on the AE300 especially if you test them using the 6000a.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Adam. I have listened to the together and I won’t keep you waiting. They make a good match as the AE300 have a little warmth to their presentation. The 6000A a little on the cool side. Can’t say much more for now. Thank you for watching 😊👍

[@andygoldblatt]

Great Review Tarun. I’ve owned the 6000A since July and have been incredibly pleased by the performance in all types of situations. I can confirm that the phono preamp is very good. I’ve been most surprised by the Bluetooth connection. It sounds better than anticipated and I use it much more than I thought I would. You sound like me with a KZbin recommended window filled with stereo reviews and boxing videos.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thanks Andy. Sport has always been a big part of my life. Badminton and Karate were my main two sports. I had trials for England in Badminton but was not quite so successful in Karate. Sparring grown men about 5 stone heavier 3 times a week in my teens was fun 🤕😂. I love boxing, I would have loved to have done it myself. Now I just live vicariously through old boxing videos watching my heros. Thank you for watching my review and sharing your experiences with the Audiolab 6000A 😊👍

[@andreroy188]

Thank you Tarun on another excellent review. What you've done, is verbalize the way the 6000a sounds pretty much to a T. You have a very good way with words my friend. I had my eye on this integrated for a year and a half, but I waited for Paradigm to discontinue their Monitor 11v7 tower speakers. It paid off, as in 60% off. These Paradigms pair really well with the 6000A. With 93Db efficiency, and good frequency response, I couldn't be happier. What brought the SQ up quite a bit was the Audiolab's partnering transport, the 6000 CDT. I've rounded things off with good quality and budget oriented Mogami 3104 speaker cables, and a Blue Jeans digital coax from the transport to the amp. So you feel like you want to turn it up a bit? No problem! This little 50 watter is clean all the way up to reference with my set-up.. The 6000A puts my Onkyo TX-NR 130 W per ch. HT receiver to shame in sound quality and volume, because the receiver starts to distort much much earlier. The 6000A has been integrated into my HT, and has been powering the front main speakers in pre-power mode. When watching demanding movie audio, first of all, the towers sound much better than before, and secondly, it has relieved the stress off of my receiver, making it also sound cleaner. WIN-WIN! It just goes to show that it isn't the quantity, but the quality of the Wattage that really counts. Of course there are limits with only 50 W on tap, but it's surprising the amount of boogie you get for the money, depending on your speakers of course. Btw, I'm using the pre-outs for an SVS PC-2000 cylinder subwoofer, and it really allows the music and sound fx to get to the bottom of things, if you know what I mean. Anyone out there on the fence, go ahead and pull the trigger. It will be the the best money you'll ever spend on one or two audio components as far as I'm concerned. The Audiolab duo gave me the farthest thing from buyer's remorse. It has been almost a year, and I still cannot believe how good this little integrated/transport perform for the money. These newer budget components are starting to give pieces at twice the price a good run for the money. Up until recently, the 6000A and the 6000- CDP were pretty much one or two of the best kept secrets in audio. I'm glad in a way that the cat is out of the bag, so more of us can enjoy better than decent sound, without emptying our pockets.Sorry about the rant. It is really hard for me to contain my enthusiasm and the love I have for this little hi-fi. All that's left to do now, is enjoy the music, and this great hobby of ours. Happy Holidays and God bless.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Andre, thank you for watching and sharing your experiences. I really enjoyed reading about them and it will help others. There is no doubt in my mind that the 6000A is a cracking amp for the money 😊👍

[@GrandslamTim1]

great review Tarun , appreciate your well rounded judgement and honesty

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you GrandslamTim1. I appreciate you watching and your kind words of support 😊👍

[@davidlowland4618]

Thanks Tarun, for the great, thoughtfully presented, richly detailed videos. I just bought a 6000a based, in part, on your excellent review.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you David. Very much appreciated. How are you getting on with it? Thank you for watching 😊👍

[@davidlowland4618]

A British Audiophile Loving it! It's a huge improvement over my old Onkyo even with my existing Polk speakers - cleaner, more transparent, with better separation and soundstage. Looking forward to the speaker upgrade next.

[@davidlowland4618]

Paired now with new Elac Unifi 2.0 UB52s and loving this combination. Incredible detail, wonderful mid-range, and even decent bass extension from a neutral small bookshelf. All for < $1500 US. I think this is a killer combo for the price and couldn't be happier. Thanks again for the detailed review.

[@Scott-nr8go]

Hi Tarun, Thank you for all your research and reviews! I recently purchased the Audiolab 6000A, and I'm very pleased! Your review was very helpful, and I especially appreciate all the reviews you do for audio equipment in this price range, because this is the price range I'm looking in (this is the price range I can afford). Thank You!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Scott. Very much appreciated. I hope you enjoy the 6000A 😊👍

[@hclandscapes]

What speakers are you running on your audiolab?

[@Scott-nr8go]

@@hclandscapes Hi, my speakers are about 20 years old. They are Energy Connoisseur C-6. They are nice and I like them, but I’m wondering if I should purchase new speakers… something that would work well with the Audiolab.

[@hclandscapes]

@@Scott-nr8go i was thinking about trying out the quad s2 with the audiolab 6000A, do you think it would work well?

[@Scott-nr8go]

@@hclandscapes Hi, I’m a novice, so I don’t know, but hopefully Tarun will reply… 👍😊

[@williamsiu6291]

Great great review (as always)!! Must say I feel sad for great unique companies like Audiolab, their entry level integrated amp 8000a costed £499 some thirty years ago. There were no £2-300 arena back in the days, audio lab, Arcam, Cyrus , Creek, even proper Rotel and NADs. Nowadays they even have to throw in a bunch of features like a Dac and wireless just to stay competitive. Great work Taran, keep it up!! :)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you William. Always a pleasure to hear from you. I appreciate you watching and your kind words of support 😊👍

[@andreassouth1523]

Excellent review-comparison and anlytical demonstration of the internal components (very very useful).Thank you!!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Andreas. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@pew32]

Always look forward to your vids, as a bit of a newbie to hifi they always help a lot

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you pew32. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@dougieroberts7045]

Fair review and am sure one that many have actually considered. I am old enough to remember my 8000a, a marvellous amplifier in its day. I have a 6000a thesedays, powering two tibo pa150 power amplifiers that I got very cheap as they were faulty and I ended up having to replace some capacitors on the circuit board behind the rca connects. The 6000a, its a great amp, I cant fault it, its the sort of amplifier you switch on, play music, and forget it's there. Now, if I had to fault it, it would be the lack of bass and treble controls. The old 8000a had them and they were switchable, even when not switched off they had a very subtle effect. I actually listened to other amps when I purchased the 6000a, some priced considerably more. I was willing to spend more but no matter how I tried to justify it I just couldnt see the point. To conclude, a great amplifier, no nonsense performer. Strangely enough I did deliberate between the 6000a and iota at one point but I found the inability to actually hear the iota was a problem for me. The positive selling point from iota is that they cut the high street overheads to maintain a competitive selling price, the negative is that no amount of praise, reviews can replace an individuals actual hearing.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Dougie. I spend many a day at my friends house in the 90’s listening to music through an Audiolab 8000A. Happy memories. 😊

[@hrvojekant9415]

I am glad I still can underline this: You consistently keep the same very high level of quality in your presentations !

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend. Always a pleasure to hear from you 😊👍

[@justinparkman3585]

Great review once again Tarun your the only Audio reviewer I watch on KZbin these days

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Justin. That is very high praise. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@bobby666666]

I would also recommend you also watch Audioman Channel from the UK. Great reviews with a subtle humour. He also reviewed this amplifer too.

[@gerardbrady7049]

A really interesting and I would say absorbing review. I considered this amps predecessor back in the 90s. I would love to see your review of the Cambridge Audio CXA81 integrated amp for purely personal reasons as I have been considering a new amp and the Audiolab 6000A and Iota VX SA3 have both been considered (although the Iota I was considering with it's power amp brother). Thanks for these videos as they are both entertaining and informative. I particularly liked the tour of your music library!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Gerard. I appreciate you watching and your kind words of support. I am sure I will get around to reviewing amps from Cambridge Audio as well at some point. 😊👍

[@idlohtrab]

Hi Tarun , Based on your recommendation I just took delivery of the 6000a and matching CD Transport , ive coupled this with my Kef R3 speakers , I was a bit worried that the audiolab wouldn't have enough power to drive them , well in a medium size room at normal volumes Plus .. I can't believe how good this amp speaker combination sounds , Outstanding ! thanks and keep up the good work

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for letting me know Neville. Great to hear you are enjoying it. It is Avery good amp for the money 😊👍

[@idlohtrab]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Just added an Audiolab 8000PX power amp to the set up , big improvement ;-)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@idlohtrab I can see why it would be 😊👍

[@severnsea]

Neville, I'm considering the very same speakers having now decided on the 6000A and 6000N streamer. How do you rate the set up overall?

[@idlohtrab]

@@severnsea Hi I would say the sound is very balanced and clean sounding , I felt the 6000a struggled and sounded a bit boxy as the volume increased , I ended up using the 6000a as a pre amp and added an older Audiolab 8000px power amp I picked up off eBay , sounds much better , I am going to upgrade to Proac Response D20 speakers soon as I find the kefs lacking a bit in 3 dimensional sound , hope this helps

[@johnraven5093]

I have the Audiolab 6000A and the Audiolab 600cdt paired with Spendor bc2 vintage speakers,digital interconnects and speaker cable from Audioquest You are spot on with your review i also prefer the slow filter

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you John. I appreciate you watching and sharing your experiences with this amplifier 😊👍

[@danallan4860]

Always a great presentation, and, might I say, a nice education Tarun.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Dan. Very kind of you to say 😊👍👍

[@josevarela6352]

Deep and rich review, Tarum. I love the 6000A look and feel, it's gorgeus, and it seems that it sound goes along. Greetings from Spain. Cheers!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you José. I appreciate you watching 😊👍

[@Coneman3]

The 6000 CDT is also amazing for its price.

[@34332]

Hi Tarun, based on your well refined review I bought the Audiolab 6000a (paired it to Q Acoustics Concept 20's and sub). It's quite suprising to experience such level of detail and control, compared to my former amp. I was somewhat afraid for a lean or cool sound, but that's not the case for me. Thanks again, I feel you did justice to the amp and myself, translating in an excellent purchase ;)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great to hear Mike. So pleased that it worked out 😊👍👍

[@Parolopou]

How do you connect a sub with 6000A;; from pre out;;

[@34332]

@@Parolopou Correct, via pre-out.

[@GTRxMan]

Thanks for bringing attention to the peak current specifications, something all too often overlooked (probably because most amps can't deliver). That specification, as well as the ability to double power into 4 ohms, in my opinion are the best indicators of an amplifier's build. Years ago I had a Harman Kardon 30 WPCh (hk 490i) receiver that was rated at 18 amps peak current. It could handle whatever you could throw at it with ease.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Totally agree with you Edward. You have to spend quite a bit of money these days before you get an amp that will double it’s power into 4 ohms. Thank you for watching and commenting 😊👍

[@hailtothevictorz]

Great review. I recently put together a small system for a friend and probably had more fun doing so that I ever had buying equipment for myself. I decided the bulk of my budget should go toward decent electronics and got the Audiolab 6000A along with the matching CD transport. I matched them up with a pair of PSB Alpha P5's and 28" Monoprice stands. In the end, I figured he could upgrade the speakers in the future. Anyway, he absolutely loves the system and I can't wait to sit and listen to it with him, as soon as we can safely travel again.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Tim. You put together a very nice system for your friend. I currently have the P5s in for review. One of my favourite brands. Can’t say much more for now. Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences 😊👍

[@jeremylynnchagaspereira3926]

Was waiting for this review. Very helpful. Thanks!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and commenting Jeremy 😊👍

[@jeremylynnchagaspereira3926]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Is there any way I could convince you to do a short video on a comparison between the Audiolab 6000A and PS Audio's Sprout100. I was about to buy the Sprout when (ironically) Paul McGowan's videos on class A/B v class D amplifiers made me hesitate. They're similar in power and price, but (at this level) is the class D Sprout tonally/musically as good or better? I was advised (very honestly, I believe) not to swap my Audiolab M-Dac mini (as DAC and pre-amp) and Quad 99 power amp combo for the 6000A. Should I swap for the Sprout100?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@jeremylynnchagaspereira3926 that would be an interesting comparison. I wonder who distributes PS Audio in the U.K. ? 🤔 I wouldn’t advise you swap your M-DAC Mini & Quad 99 power amp for the Sprout or the Audiolab 6000A either. I would suggest you should be looking at something around the £2k price point or stick with what you have. 😉

[@jeremylynnchagaspereira3926]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 In case you do give further thought to a comparison with the Sprout100, according to PS Audio's website, their UK distributor is Signature Audio Systems, Westerham, Kent (07738 007776; [e-mail])

[@markbuttery2790]

Thanks for the great review, i listened to both of the amps and liked the 6000A better , but went for the denafrips hestia ,this was very special.Will you ever review this amp? keep up the good work.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Mark, I have their Ares II DAC in for review. I would like to review more of their products including the Hestia. Thank you for watching and your kind words of support 😊👍

[@nushar]

As a proud and happy owner of the old Audiolab 8000S (+ Spendor BC1), I am glad that the company continues to do well. Thank you for a great review.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Lovely amp. Thank you for watching and your support 😉👍

[@lebeltoottoot9212]

Love your channel and enjoy the total honesty. I’ve had the 6000a for a few months and really love this accomplished amp The speakers that I find work well for me with this amp is the KLipsch R-51M. I also have a modded funk firm gett! turntable coupled with a Pro-ject DS2 valve phono stage. A bluenode 2i basically completes my set up, my upgrade path is also now complete just the MUSIC from now on!!!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Lebel. I appreciate you watching and sharing your experiences with this amplifier. It is a nice place to be when you are happy with your system and can focus on the music 😊👍

[@jeremywhittler8591]

That's a great turntable ..... You might want to try a puffin with the optical out into your 6000

[@dennisosborne4640]

Another excellent comparison and review. I think that the Audiolab amplifier is something rather good and it gels with my listening expectations. I still have my 8000A, kept for back up and nostalgic reasons, and I think that the new amp highlights wonderfully how far Audiolab have come, especially considering the price. I do think, however, that the new amp would benefit from bass/treble controls (in the menu of course???) As I think that it would appeal to a wider audience and fit into more rooms. Please keep them coming Tarun, excellent post once again.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Dennis. I appreciate you watching and sharing your experiences. I have fond memories of listening sessions with an 8000A that my friend owned back in the 90s 😊👍

[@Itsme-vs9py]

Great review and a very clear explanation.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Simon 😊👍

[@Itsme-vs9py]

Welcome. Oh and I’ve settled on an Arcam Sa20. Thanks for your help, can’t wait for my new baby to arrive.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@Itsme-vs9py great. Thank you for the update. I hope it lives up to expectations 😊👍

[@Itsme-vs9py]

The arcam is incredible. Real imagining and clout in spades. Maybe you would like to borrow it to review for the community. Offers there.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@Itsme-vs9py thank you Simon. That is very kind of you. I tend to not take in viewer’s products. Just the fear of something getting damaged in transit or inadvertently whilst here. I am having to constantly switch components. I haven’t damaged anything yet but you never know. I have sent Harman Industries an email so hope to get some of their brands in for review, including Arcam. Let see what happens. Thank you once again. I am glad the upgrade worked out 😊👍

[@norbo002]

Thank you! I purchased one. And, yes, I really enjoy it a lot :-]

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great 👍

[@stephencosta6814]

🙏🏻❤️Thank you so much for this in-depth review because of this I will be purchasing this integrated amplifier very excited to get it thank you so much once again you’re the best👍💪

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Steve. Very kind and much appreciated. Please let me know how you get on 😊👍👍

[@richardherbert3519]

Another very interesting video. Keep up the great work.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Richard. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@hifiaudioreview]

Firstly, thanks for your reviews, I think do a great job. I would love to see you do a review of the Quad Vena II. There are no reviews on the sound quality of this amp (in English) on KZbin as far as I can see (a few do specs only), and just a couple of written reviews on the web (which are very positive). This seems strange for a product coming from a company with the history and reputation of Quad - I wonder if they are out of favour at the moment. It retails at £649 so a comparison with the Audiolab 6000A would be very interesting.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

HiDavid, the Quad Vena II is also an IAG product. I bet it shares quite a bit with the 6000A but in a smaller package. Thank you for watching and your suggestion 😊👍

[@LorDarkGoose]

Great review again Tarun :). I personally found the 6000A's soundstage not to be as natural as the IOTA, especially when it comes to voices. Taking on a slightly "manufactured" characteristic. But you were right about the hard upper midrange on the IOTA! After pairing the IOTA with several pairs of speakers I finally noticed this quite starkly with the Totem Dreamcatchers. Strange it did not show up as much with the Rainmakers or the Proac 10's. Sad to say I've had problems with my IOTA since purchasing (due to a known fault) and no response for months from Ian Vermeulen and the team at IOTA, although it's relatively new, so the Audiolab is the better amp because at least you are guaranteed better support.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is a shame about the problems you have faced with the SA3. I hope you get it sorted soon 😊

[@andrewtamblyn2191]

What is the known fault on the IOTAVX if you don't mind me asking ? Thanks JB

[@zindahoon]

Had My eye on this since you have suggested , Brilliant review Tarun ... lol now sadly wait for a week to hear u again

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Atri. I appreciate your continued support of what I do my friend 😊👍

[@julianvanderkraats408]

Exactly the info I was looking for as for the character of the sound, thank you!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

You are most welcome 😊

[@bhupendraparekh6225]

Another fine review, the audiolab, and rega's brio are the best amps at this "midrange" price point.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Bhupendra 😊👍

[@Coneman3]

I bought a 6000 CDT and it’s vfm is amazing. Audiolab amps used to be used in what hifi s reference system, so they should be good.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@Coneman3 true 😉

[@andrew8992]

Interested in this as I have. 30year old 8000a. Also looking forward to a review of those sweet PMC’s in the background!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Gardenflyer 😉👍

[@thepuma2012]

I recently got myself a 8000a. Taurun´s description of the zound quality of the 6000a sounds as what i would say about the 8000a, would you agree?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@thepuma2012 it has been quite a while since I listened to the 8000A but that was one of my favourite amplifiers in it’s time. It certainly has the same clean, slightly cool on neutral tonal balance 😊

[@thepuma2012]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 i am certainly happy with it,

[@andrew8992]

@@thepuma2012 yes I’d agree. I recently was able to compare my 8000a against a high end NAIM set up when demoing some speakers. I would say the 8000a held up quite well. The more powerful Naim gear had a stronger, more rounded bass delivery but that was about it. Though my ears are clearly not as well tunes as Tauruns! Out of interest have you thought about getting your 8000a re-capped?

[@kjbiz]

Tarun you have been extremely helpful to me on my journey. Now sitting with the 8300A, Denefrips Ares 2 , Mac Mini and LS50’s. Still saving for the sub or subs and maybe floor standers down the track. The journey continues and very happy to keep listening to your recommendations. Cheers

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

You are most welcome my friend. Glad I could help in some small way. That is a very nice system you have put together 😊👍👍

[@kjbiz]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Cheers. I am considering getting Audiolab 8300MB’s x 2, or 8300 Power amp. This was moving towards end game with Wharfedale Elysian 2 or something bigger than LS50. I would still look to get 2 subs as the end game speakers might be 4 or 5 years away. Interested on your thoughts. Happy to pay for your time on the best way to move forward. Cheers

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@kjbiz no need to pay for my time. I am happy to give you a steer. You need to consider your room , setup and get a shortlist of 3 speakers that you think will work well. Then choose an amp that gets the most out of them. Things to consider: 1. BUDGET: To upgrade LS50s you will need to spend at least £2k on monitors £3k on floorstanders. 2. ROOM SIZE: Pick a speaker appropriate for your room size (despite what others might say). 3. SET UP: If you don’t have flexibility with speaker and listening position don’t bother. You will be throwing your money away (sorry). 4. PARTNERING EQUIPMENT: Your 8300A and Ares II are good enough to audition speakers at the next price point. Worry about upgrading them later. 5. ACOUSTICS: If you have a lively room (lots of hard surfaces) go for a speaker with a little high frequency roll off. If it is an acoustically dead space then go for the opposite. 6: TONALITY: Focus on the tonality of the speaker you want and use this criteria to ultimately narrow the search down to 3 speakers. 7. AUDITION: Make sure you audition all 3 speakers and choose the one YOU prefer. Once you have your speaker then it is time to look into narrowing the search to 3 amplifiers that work well with that speaker. Good luck buddy 😊👍

[@kjbiz]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks Tarun. Sounds like I should sit on what I have and look at the subs then look at how I can work on upgrading speakers from there. The dealer here in Sri Lanka can only get KEF and IAG products, so Audiolab, Wharfedale and Quad primarily. This limited the listening and then I pay duty on the items as a luxury good which doesn’t make it cheap so have to factor these in. The Wharfedale speakers are looking a good option eventually, so will use the LS50’s in another room at that point. Have to decide whether I work towards get 2 subs or just wait longer and go straight for the speakers..any advice on that. Room my change based on rental house here but they are mostly concrete and reasonable sized rooms. Cheers

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@kjbiz you are fortunate you can put together a very nice system around the brands that are available. There are some very nice Quad products. I would get one decent sub for your LS50s. Make sure it is good enough to keep when you upgrade. Then at some point add another identical sub to get more even bass in the room. 😉

[@terryhk99leung36]

great review and love your no nonsense straight forward comparison with IOTA and NAD. I find myself often re-vist your review due to these comparisons comments. In this review my impression is that you rated the Audiolab better than IOTA and NAD in almost every aspect, or this is your overall impression. Again, I really appreciate this consolidated approach as suppose to other reviewers that just want to be diplomatic. However, I wonder if in the future you may want to mention aspects that the lower rated product might do better or very close to the highest contender, but without changing your consolidated evalution... This may help the viewers on understanding further your view on the compared product.. Again, love the genuine and methodical approach and wish you all the success..

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Terry. I did feel that sonically the 6000A was cleaner and more refined than the SA3 and C338 across the board. Thank you for the suggestion. I am trying to get the videos down to about 12 mins if possible as it is more sustainable for me and digestible for most of my audience (going off KZbin stats). It is tricky to know what to include and leave out but I will take your observations onboard. Thanks again 😊👍👍

[@mooman12]

Cheers! Appreciate all your efforts. Please keep them coming. :)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Mooman. Wow that was quick 😊👍

[@mooman12]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Just happened to be up doing work. Do let me know if you ever visit Singapore, there's an audiophile mall you need to experience. :)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@mooman12 very kind. Thank you 😊👍

[@samuellord8576]

Tarun, You have done a number of reviews of very high quality. But I very strongly disagree with some of your terms in this one. Bass: dynamic bass _equals_ fast bass, and both of those are major components of accurate bass, period! Loose bass is slow bass and _can_ sound full or rounded: transformers typically have this effect and so therefore do most tube amps. However, truly accurate bass goes very deep and is very fast. The best way I can describe truly accurate bass in a system is the following. Imagine the music signal input to the amplifier taking the form of a dancing feather. But the output from the amp-speaker system is a BATTLESHIP DANCING on the tip of that feather. (Sorry for yelling 🙂.) _That_ is how fast, deep, and accurate bass appears and feels. I used to design and build extremely fast = dynamic amplifiers, so I have very long experience in this. That quibble aside, thank you for excellent work throughout your production: you are new but one of the very best audio reviewers online. Cheers!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I agree good bass response should be fast, dynamic and extended. I think slower bass can give the an initial perception of sounding fuller though but not ultimately in an satisfying way. Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences 😊

[@GR8Tmate]

I realise you probably are far too busy to read every comment on every one of your productions but if you do by chance I just wanted to say Thankyou for another fine review. Somehow you clearly convey the required message but also manage to make me laugh. As someone who’s struggled with poor health in recent years, financial decisions are far more pertinent that what they use to need to be when I was working. I want/need to set up a new hifi system for my new home snd would rather get all the decisions right first time around so as not to face extra unneeded burden unnecessarily. Living on a remote island my ability to travel to hear many different systems is somewhat limited so sone of these reviews are priceless to me and so much better than sone of those larger channels who pretty much just recite the manufactures product brochure. Thanks again 🙏🏻

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

You are most welcome. It is great to receive feedback like that. Good luck with putting together the new system 🙂👍

[@wilderbeest773]

Thanks for this very helpful review, Tarun. I think his integrated amp will make a very nice replacement for my trusty Sansui AU-317 MKII driving a pair of Klipsch RP-600M by wired should it give up the ghost in the near future. Best, William.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I can see how that might work. Thank you for watching and commenting William 👍😊

[@andrewtamblyn2191]

Hi Tarun, Really enjoyed this review as these were the two amps I am debating over just a couple of questions if thats ok. Now the 6000A is worth the extra £200 over the SA3. Would the SA3/PA3 stack be worth the extra £100 over the 6000A? Also I have purchased a second hand Node 2i now they have been updated to do Tidal Connect. Would the DAC in the Node 2i be better then the 6000A ? I guess what I'm asking is what would be the best way to hook it up to get the best DAC performance out of the two components. Thanks JB

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Joe, the SA3/PA3 combo will give you better dynamics and more power than the Audiolab 6000A. However, the 6000A will still be cleaner and more refined than the SA3/PA3. It depends on what speakers you are using as to what will be more significant. I haven’t done a comparison of the Node 2i in-built DAC with the 6000A DAC but if I was a betting man, my money would be on the 6000A. Use the coax output to the Node 2i to connect to the 6000A DAC. Thank you for watching and good luck 😉👍

[@andrewtamblyn2191]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks Tarun that's really helpful I think i will go with the 6000A as I have mission QX2 bookshelf speakers so I am not after crazy amounts of power,I just dident know if the stack was worth going with for a little extra cost . Thanks JB

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@andrewtamblyn2191 the 6000A will drive the Mission QX2s without a problem 😉

[@ikke6736]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I connect the node 2i directly to the power amp (setting pre power) bypassing the pre amp of the 6000A. Streaming Tidel MQA, this sounds to me much better as streaming via the pre amp and the internal dac of the 6000A, (missing the MQA unfolding).

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Rene. That must be a fairly decent DAC inside the Node 2i 😉

[@gokhanersan8561]

Very cool, composed, economical, and informative review.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Gökhan 😊👍

[@lawlesskm]

Thank you for the wonderfully informative review!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

My pleasure. Thank you for watching 😊👍

[@cybergod77]

Thks for the review. The Audiolab has a fine lineage and will be keen to try them out. Hope u can review the Audiolab 8300 CDQ next.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Gilbert. I do plan to review more of their products 😉

[@fantom29comp]

I have the SA3. A real bargain of an int. amp. Paring it with the external Iota amp really brings more soundstage and cleaner mids. For $900 its hifi kit thats hard to beat at that price point. The SA3 is impressive on its own. You can shower me with tech details, when i sit in front of the stack i forget all that nonsence. I suspect thats the same for most hifi enthusiasts. I dont consider myself an audiophile. Beautiful music is in the ear of the beholder. Excellent review btw!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Robert 😊👍

[@charlesclifton1006]

Thanks Tarun, the Audiolab retails for $1000 CDN here in Canada. Until now I didn't really know much about it but thanks to you, I do now. I don't think it is for me because of the speakers I will (definitely) purchase (Dynaudio or ATC) but with more efficient speakers it could do quite nicely. ("nicely" ... how Canadian of me). As usual Tarun, herein you've provided a most interesting and informative review & good for Audiolab. I would not, however, preclude this amp as a candidate for my desk-top amp replacement. Interesting thought ! Cheers

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Charles, you are right to look at something with more power to drive the ATCs. This is just a very nice amp for the money. Thank you watching and sharing 😊👍

[@NickP333]

Hi Tarun. Another great review, my friend. Great comparison between Tyson and Jones! lol. I believe I mentioned to you that I was putting together a system for a friend of mine. Thanks to you and Sean, I actually looked at the Audiolab and a few others, but ended up ordering him an Iota VX (w/Bluetooth), the Triangle Genese Trios, and a Rega P1 turntable. They’re en route right now, and I’m sure it’ll end up being a very nice sounding system, especially for his first “real” rig. Just wanted send you a very sincere thank you, as you definitely influenced the choices of amp and speakers, and he and I are very appreciative, and my buddy especially can’t wait! ✌️🎶🙂

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great Nick. Really nice system that you have put together for him. The SA3 and Trios will work well together and you can’t go wrong with a Rega. You may want to get a Rega or Pro-Ject phono stage as well. They aren’t that expensive but will make quite a bit of difference to the sound quality over the internal one. Always a pleasure to hear from you buddy. Stay safe and thank you for watching 😊👍

[@NickP333]

This very nice mix of components would never have come to fruition without your great reviews and words of wisdom, my friend! 95% of the time, vinyl is my preferred medium, and I’ll be swapping out the pretty low end cartridge the P1 comes with for a Nagaoka MP110. Rega rebrands a $15 AT cart and charges aprox $60! As for the phono stage, I’m going to be letting him borrow my Schiit Mani, which is an excellent match to the Nagaoka, and I recently upgraded to a Tavish phono stage anyway. I’m also building him some nice quality DIY speaker cables and interconnects. I’m sure this “starter” system will be a major upgrade over his current set up. Many thanks to you once again, Tarun! ✌️🎶😊

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@NickP333 your buddy should be very grateful to have a friend like you 😉👍

[@Joooools5000]

Nice review. I have one of these paired with a Rega p2 and B&W 606s - I'm really happy with the setup. I already had a £100 Project phono stage, but much prefer the internal phono in the Audiolab. Decided on this route rather than a Brio as I wanted the BT and digital inputs - also have my TV connected and it works wonders with blu rays, just in a two speaker setup. A really great all rounder and I'm very pleased to have made this choice.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences with this amplifier Julian 😊

[@changmingjen]

When you pair 6000a with your B&W 606S, how does it sound? cause I have a pair of B&W 685S2, not sure if they fit or not, Thanks

[@markphilpot4981]

When you tell it like it is, you always do, it is hard on those who don’t make the cut. I am glad you shoot straight. No glowy horsedump tricks like some. Of course, the manufacturers are limited in what they can do at this price point. It is very hard for them as they must make a profit on this gear. The days of NAD as they were during their infancy and up until the company was sold off, were outstanding products. Those days have come and gone. I hope there is another renaissance in audio like there was in the mid eighties. That is what audio needs more than ever. Thanks Tarun, good review and keep up the good work! Stay safe mates!😊👍🏻😷

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy. Much appreciated. What an amplifier the original NAD 3020 was in the day. Thanks for igniting the memory 😊👍

[@jked7463]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 yup, I still have the receiver version of the 3020 powering my background sound in my living area.

[@TheChrisleekay]

Great review! My limited experience of Audiolab ( their network streamer) is that they offer a close to high end experience to budget buyers! That their amp offers the same is no huge surprise then!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Chris. I guess I will have to check that streamer out as well at some point 😊👍

[@carlitosgomez71]

I told you that the audiolab 6000a was a good one to review and I'm glad you came to a good conclusion

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Carlos 😊

[@6643bear]

Hi Taran, very good video, this have given me an ideal what to expect in the price range to look at when I purchase my new set up, I looked at your review on the iota too as a possibility but I am likening a lot with the argon speakers you have reviewed. I need also to look at tuners, CD players and record decks when am looking to upgrade. Regards Mark

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Mark 😊👍

[@rtvano01]

Great reviews with detaild walk through. Simple, informative, straight forward. Keep going.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you KebMo. Very much appreciated 😊👍👍

[@cobar5334]

I love Audiolab gear. Great review thank you

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching 😊👍

[@stefanhansen5882]

"The forgotten middle child". Ha ha! Your thoughts in the end about the €500 pound market was very interesting! :)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching Stefan 😉👍

[@SujitMohanan]

Agreed, even i found that bit very interesting.

[@thomastsiopoulos8597]

Nice review Tarun!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Thomas 😊👍

[@steverees1936]

Hi Tarun. My Qinpu A1 OX amp was only £300 new 15 years ago and it punches well above its price tag and will blow any corporate hifi amp at around the same price tag away and keeps up with most amps up to £1000. It's got punchy bass not bad mid range and even though the treble is a bit harsh and metallic sounding with bad 80's metal ( which it probably should sound like anyway ) it can sound pretty darn good with good recordings. Yes it doesn't come without it's short falls but on a whole I'm pleased with the sound and is better sounding than my old Technics su800 which it replaced. Both these amps do look and sound like they would please my ears. Thanks for the review my friend 😊

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Steve, great to hear from you buddy. Thank you for sharing your experiences 😊👍

[@josevarela6352]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching 😊

[@themastroiannis]

excellent review! lots of very very useful to the point info! really like your approach. just subscribed to your channel. i own the IotaSA3 and have loved it for this last year and half. today, after your stellar review, decided to buy an audiolab 6000A. very curious to find out how it will actually sound in my space (with a pair of Q acoustics Concept 40 towers)! will post my impressions. thanks very much for your thoughtful review!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy. Please let me know how you get on 😊👍

[@elbebe1000]

Please, update when possible. thanks,

[@themastroiannis]

@@elbebe1000 hey! i can give you a first impressions take from these last couple days: I'm absolutely loving the audiolab 6000A. did lots of A/B testing between the Iota and the audiolab (with my wife helping; we are both musicians). The audiolab has definitely more headroom meaning (at least for us), there is more air on the top; subtle but lovely! mids and bottom end have a bit more texture than the iota. We tried mostly jazz and classical (that's what we listen to mostly) and all examples the difference was small, but enough to definitely hear it. Our Q acoustics concept 40 have never sounded better! I also bought the audiolab 6000cdt with the 6000a and it's also terrific! I think the Iota is still a fantastic amp for the money (we decided to keep it for a second stereo setup) so it's really up to you to decide. I must point out I had bought a cambridge audio CXA61 before the audiolab and ended up returning it. the cambridge has a beautiful soundstage but it's a bit too lively on top. a bit more tiring (and has no phono input). bottom end is also a bit more accentuated on the cambridge than on the iota or the audiolab. i honestly prefer the sound signature of the iota to the cambridge.... but if you can splurge... no hesitation on recommending the Audiolab. Beautiful, honest sound! lots of detail. a JOY.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@themastroiannis Good to know. Glad you are enjoying it. Thank you for the update 😊👍

[@elbebe1000]

@@themastroiannis Thank you for update. I have order Audiolab 6000A today I will using Buchardt S400 speaker set. It will be replacing a Rotel RC1070 PRE and Rotel RB-1050 AMP. I will updated in couple of days. Thank you Tarun for fantastic review again.

[@mickbroad2059]

Ah the Audiolab always a well built unit for the money, reliable in use and a few mods here and there (old model that is) and you had a unit that others would envy, for me they always had a dry analytical sound again the mods sorted that..........I do like their approach to the power supply, you can't go wrong with coming away from the ring main, fitting in a dedicated spur and a deffo OTT PSU for the unit, my pre runs with a 600va at 95 volt plus buckets of capacitance....keep on with the fine work..I note the wine bottlers are going down again! its amazing how good music sounds with a bit of lubricant

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Well spotted Mick. I do need to top up the wine supply. Thank you for sharing your experiences with Audiolab amplifiers. Very interesting the mods you made. I am sure you have put together a fantastic system. Thank you for watching and your kind words of support 😊👍

[@donk1822]

I have a soft spot for the older Audiolab UK products, a love affair that began when I replaced my Sansui AUD9 amplifier with the 8000 C/P pre/power combination. When I had the opportunity to upgrade the amps to an 8000Q with 8000M's I jumped at the chance. I don't ever expect to change them.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

They are very nice products. I hope they provide you with many more years of listening pleasure 😊👍

[@colincurran5546]

Been looking forward to this. I have a 6000a

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching Colin 😊

[@brandonburr4900]

Appreciate your excellent review of the audiolab 6000a. I brand were not to familiar with here in the states. It's nice to see that products like this exist that separate it from the flavour of the month receiver brand. When starting out in this hobby like so many used to be focused on receivers and all the features and channels you got instead of the sound quality. This sounds like a excellent product for those not interested in latest and greatest. I wish more products like this existed. It's a shame though that it doesn't offer usb connection to its dac for streaming. Did you say you have to get a audiolab dac/streamer to take advantage of the usb on back? Hope to see more integrateds like this in the future😀

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Brandon. Much appreciated. USB going through the DAC would require a separate interface to take care of the asynchronous input. I find many integrated amps at this price omit that feature to keep cost down. The USB connection on the Audiolab 6000A does not go to the DAC it goes to the system microprocessor for firmware updates and I presume to control functionality when then matching streamer is connected. Audiolab do a version of this amplifier with the streaming module built in called the 6000A Play. Thank you for watching and sharing your thoughts 😊👍

[@zindahoon]

Bought it after listening your thoughts , Hopefully get it by tomorrow… thanks a lot Tarun … this is 3rd product I bought to start my stereo journey. Will let you know how I find in few days. Cheers 😊

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Atri. I look forward to finding out how you get on 😊

[@salmonline]

Wow. Very well done. Thank you, very much.👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and commenting Sam 😊👍

[@wirralchap]

Fantastic Review! ❤️😊

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you my friend. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@wirralchap]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 You're very welcome my friend! Am seriously considering the audiolab,my system is KEF Q350,Marantz cd6007,and a Yamaha As301(the latter am looking to upgrade with the audiolab)

[@brown-eyedman4040]

As always, thank you for these videos. I always watch them even when it's not something I'm contemplating the purchse of. I find little nuggets of knowledge in you reveiws. This week's nugget/question. Its true that lower price amplifiers rarely have much of a soundstage. But I used to have as econd-hand Dynakit amp and pre-amp combo that was the king of soundstage. With inexpensive source equipment and average speakers this little amp created an absolute 3d soundstage. So is it op amps instead of discrete components that kill the soundstage? This Dynakit definitely did'nt have an integrated circuit in sight.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi buddy, great to hear from you as always. The biggest influence on soundstage is speaker positioning, then the speaker itself and then the amplifier and the source. Any errors in timing anywhere in the signal chain will kill the soundstage. The amplifier must have excellent grip over the drivers (peak current, damping factor, etc.) and a very good slew rate in order to preserve the soundstage. This generally comes with more purist designed amplifiers with better parts. But naturally comes at a cost. Discrete components over ICs of any kind are just one area where manufacturers spend more money to keep the noise floor down, get better linearity and so on. As most things in this hobby, it is seldom simple or down to just one thing. I hope this helps. Stay safe my friend 😊👍

[@brown-eyedman4040]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Does soundstage have a frequency signature?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@brown-eyedman4040 do you know, I am not sure about that. It definitely has more to do with timing and dispersion but psychoacoustic effects are an interesting field. Adding a subwoofer can give a perception of a large soundstage but I don’t know the reason why...🤔

[@berlinanthropologist]

Hi Tarun, thanks for another great video! I got a pair of Wharfedale Evo 4.3. and am considering to purchase the Audiolab. Do you think the unit has enough power to drive them? Sensitivity is 88 db.

[@David-mi3il]

Always look forward to your videos. Fantastic work Tarun. Could I ask you what your general view is on Dali Speakers? Cheers

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you David. Much appreciated. Dali is a very good brand. Their speakers are normally pretty neutral with a natural midrange 😊👍

[@David-mi3il]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks for getting back to me Tarun. Keep doing what your doing 👍🏻

[@Anand.Asrani]

Hey Tarun ! Outstanding review ..I was considering the AUDIOLAB 6000 A Play which has an inbuilt Streamer aswell Thanks

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Anand. I wouldn’t mind taking a look at the streaming version myself at some point 😊👍

[@mikefosker]

Hi Anand, I bought one, and whilst I like it for all the reasons Tarun covered in this video I have to say that the Play-Fi streaming is just so-so. No problems with the audio quality, but aside from the Spotify Connect functionality which works very well, the Play-Fi app is pretty clunky and unreliable for Tidal and other streaming services. Gaps between tracks are really long (not on Spotify Connect though). It could also have done with Chromecast or Airplay. I put a Chromecast audio on the back to use with Mixcloud, since it's not in Play-Fi. All in all if I had not got it ex-demo for a decent discount I'd be a bit disappointed and might have been better off with the 6000A and a separate streamer.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@mikefosker that is very interesting. Thank you for sharing Mike 😉

[@Anand.Asrani]

@@mikefosker Thanks Mike , I'll keep that in mind . I was hoping to use it with Tidal mainly . Appreciate it.

[@Darobalmr]

Awesome review. Pretty clear and useful. I have been considering this amp for my Focal Aria 906, what do you guys think about the pairing? Would you go that way? Should I consider a different amp?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you David. If you like an analytical sound they should work well together 😊👍

[@winstondhanraj]

For me this one Tarun, was like a T20 match till around the 20th minute...my frantic search over the past year (difficult, no-or-little-audition), to replace my conked-off Marantz+old-PSB-alpha had resulted (couple of weeks ago) in an educated guess of 6000A+QA-concept20. The combo is still opening up and I've yet to dial-in my RelT5i...and like you said that bit of leanness but exquisite resolution, superb vocals, piano, flute and sax and everything so precise and fairly dark background too - all shining through...I think I'm pretty much done in terms of the key pillars for a very looong time 😊

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great Winston. I appreciate you watching and sharing your experiences. Imagine what it will sound like when fully run in and the Rel does it’s thing 😉👍

[@winstondhanraj]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 some home renovation work going on, getting it done in time before Christmas...will update soon if the Rel infuses some warmth and body..and as always a great review Tarun, esp. the technical overview and your qualitative assessment.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@winstondhanraj thank you Winston. Hope the renovations go smoothly 😊👍

[@panagiotisargyropoulos2217]

Thank you. Great video. Should we expect a PMC video soon?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

On it’s way this week hopefully. Thank you for watching and your support Panagiotis 😊👍

[@MSAINT-bn4vj]

Very interesting and informative series of reviews, thanks a lot. I know it's a bit derivative but have you tried the Cambridge Audio CX Axx ? The A61 is in the same price range you're reviewing.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. I haven’t got a contact for CA as yet 😊👍

[@deputy3690]

Great review as always Tarun. In your experience, can you even compare this unit to the lesser expensive Yamaha and Denon products? Is the sound itself in the Audiolab definitely worth the money if money was not an issue in your opinion? Thank you

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I do plan to take a closer look at amps at the £200-£300 range soon. So hope to find out for sure soon 😉👍

[@alexk0il]

Great review, thanks. It would be helpful if you add a section to your reviews where you recommend options for the next level of performance amps. Can you maybe recommend in the comments a couple of amps that improve the midrange performance as well as other factors? Thanks

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. Synergy can be an elusive thing but something like the Exposure 2510 or Hegel H95 would be a worthwhile step up 😊

[@hclandscapes]

I had an Audiolab 6000A and was really impressed with it especially with the overall built quality. It surprised me how well it drove my kef ls50's. In then end i decided not to keep it as i got a great deal on an end of line Hegel H90 for £950 brand new.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That was £950 well spent. Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Harry 😊👍

[@robbiet007]

Tarun, I am in the process of investing in an amp. Torn between the Iotavx and Audiolab you brilliantly reviewed. I noticed that Audiolab have produced the 8300A an upgrade to the 6000 series. Is this something you may review in the near future?. Your reviews are very informative. Keep up the great work and thank you. Rob

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Rob. I hope to review it at some point 😊👍

[@Constantin1020]

Again, great Rewiew Tarun , I think Audiolab Sale some great value products. I'm planing to pair Audiolab gear with some Wharfedales speakers. My Wife is buying me as a Christmas present a pair of Aktiv Edifier S3000 pro, so I will see how good thouse are. 🙂 I sold my tower speaker and gear a wild ago and I hate not havin anykind of good Sound in the House. Greetings Mate

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Constantin. I have heard the Audiolab/Wharfedale combos a few times and always been impressed. I haven’t heard the Edifier S3000s but that brand is building a good name for value products. Nice Christmas present 😊👍

[@bski3628]

Thanks for the extensive review Tarun. How would this compare to say the Cambridge CXA 61 I know a few dollars more but wonder are they in the same league.Thanks again for much detail in your review

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I haven’t had a proper listen to the CXA61 but hope to in time. Thank you for watching 😊👍

[@WyreForestBiker]

Tarun , I'm a new subscriber and really enjoy your channel , I have question for you and a maybe an interesting topic for a video in the future ? I have recently re-ignited my interest in Hi-Fi after drifting away for a few decades and one thing has startled me . Back in the 70's - 90's there was a golden rule amongst audiophiles .... The source ( or front end as it was then described ) is the most important part of a system so always spend the majority of your budget on it . Indeed I can remember it was quite normal to see £ 3 K Linn Turntables playing through £100 speakers ! ( the often quoted phrase from computing was " garbage in, garbage out " ) Now all I hear is " your loudspeakers are the place to start building your system, they have the biggest effect on your sound so start with them and work back " This would have been sacrilege back in my day ,so my question is were the experts wrong back then , or has the technology driven this about turn in thinking ?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi David, Ivor Tiefunbrun (Linn founder) was the chief proponent of that philosophy which seem to carry the way back then. He said you can’t recreate something that is lost at source. Cynics would say he certainly sold a lot of LP12s of the back of that approach. I believe what he said is true. What had changed is that with digital sources are so good these days at affordable prices. You can easily put a £500 DAC at the end of a £2k amplifier and £2k speakers. That was not so much the case with analogue sources back then. I suppose the only thing that will never change is that every component in the system matters and the system is only as good as the weakest link. The speaker first approach is a good way to build a system because it, by a long way, has the biggest influence on the sound due to being a mechanical device and the influence of the room. Once you get that right, as long as the other components are of similar quality and work well together, you can put together a decent system. Doing things the other way around means that your source components, and in particular your choice of amplifier, will place restrictions upon the speaker choice. That may result in having to live with a speaker that is less than ideal for your room. Thank you for watching and the excellent question 😊👍

[@rich7049]

Another informative, well presented review. Very helpful comparison. I took the plunge on the SA3, did not work out for me so I am back in the market. Any chance the Rotel A11 is on your upcoming agenda? Thanks for the effort that goes into doing these.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Rich. No plans to review Rotel yet but I am sure I will get around to it 😊👍

[@rich7049]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 So disappointing that this unit does not have USB in. With such a great DAC, I just can't understand how they missed that critical feature. Finding an affordable integrated with a great DAC seems to be a bit of a unicorn thing. The Outlaw RR2160 to me has the killer feature set, but I cannot locate any meaningful feedback on the internal DAC. The idea of buying a unit with an internal DAC, then having to buy an external DAC to sound good just rubs me the wrong way. The search continues...

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@rich7049 the asynchronous USB input requires a separate interface. Many amps at this price omit it to save money 😉

[@avidnova]

Tarun, your explanations, expertise, and comparisons are very much appreciated. Thank you for your devoted work.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Rick. Very kind of you to say 😊👍

[@robh9079]

Great thing about your reviews; they place the gear in perspective; i.e. within the confines of the price point. That £500ish is interesting and realistic for those wanting to stretch from £2-300. Will you get a pimped £200amp or a stripped £1K machine? Looks like you get the most of both with the 6000A - leaves me wondering how it compares with a more minimal machine like Musical Fidelity or Rega - bring on the next round!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Rob, I wanted to get the Rega in but at the moment they do not send out products to reviewers on the KZbin platform. I have heard the Rega a few times and always been impressed. Would have been nice to get one in to take a closer look. I hope to get some MF amps in soon though. Thank you for watching and your kind words of support 😊👍

[@joshua85100]

Top notch review! you should compare them to the rotel a11 or 12 !

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and the suggestion 😊👍

[@Moonloop76]

Excellent and very informative review. Do You think that audiolab 6000a would be a good match for a couple of small wharfedale evo 4.1 speakers? Thanks. Really appreciate your approach to hi-fi

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you AG. They are very well matched. Come from the same company 😉👍

[@vinrot]

Hello Tarun! Your channel has been really great in my Hifi revival looking for upgrading my system, well done! So I am awaiting delivery of an Audiolab 6000a Play for £550 wich I believe is a steal. My current speakers Snell k.5 monitors might perhaps be too power hungry for the Audiolab (86db, very neutral). While doing my research for a matching pair of speakers I often come back to the Acoustic Energy AE1 Actives. My question is, would the AE1 actives be a good pairing for the 6000a Play? What passive speaker would in your opinion match the AE1 actives driven by the 6000a in regards of sound quality? Is it even possible? I use my system for 2.0 HT and spotify mostly, but I also have a collection of vinyl records that i play occasionally. From my point of view i couldn't match the 6000a a Plays functionality as a preamp for less than I payed for the 6000a Play. I am really curious to know your opinion. All the best / Johan

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Johan. That was a steal. I would take a look at the Wharfedale Evo series of speakers. Made by the same people as your Audiolab 6000A Play and great synergy 😊👍

[@audiophileuk1341]

Hi tarun...u should maybe review 6000a with 8300 mb power amps..good idea? You're the man for it...respect dude.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Izzy. I appreciate the suggestion 😊👍

[@tone-369]

Great review

[@tone-369]

have you listened to Denon PMA-600NE ( Integrated amplifier ) [2x45W 8 ohm , 2x70W ohm] £ 349,- ?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@tone-369 I haven’t I am afraid. I am sure I will get to at some point. Thank you for watching 😉

[@jerzybecik1120]

Hi, I am impressed by the high quality of your reviews. I would be really grateful if you could tell me which amp would be a better choice: Audiolab 6000A or Musical Fidelity M2si? I have got Roksan K1 mkIII, which does great job but my retirement is coming soon, so it's unlikely I will have cash to replace my aging Roksan ( by the way, it is almost twenty years old). The rest is as follows: Cambridge Audio CXC, Cambridge Audio 651BD, Arcam IrDAC II and Dynaudio Emit M20. I love progressive rock music from late 60s and 70s, classical music -especially piano concertos, and acoustic jazz ( Keith Jarrett, Tomasz Stańko, Miles Davis, Chet Baker). Kind regards and best wishes for the new year!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Jerzy, I very much doubt that either of those amps will be an upgrade over your Roksan K1 Mk3. Not much as changed in Class AB amplifier technology in the last 20 years. Have you thought of getting the K1 serviced? You have a well balanced system. Anything you want to particularly achieve by upgrading? Thank you for watching and your support. Happy new year to you too 🥳👍

[@jerzybecik1120]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 OK, you are right, thank you for your quick answer. Cheers!

[@1moderntalking1]

I really like your reviews ❤ Oh what do you think of Tonewinner stuff- mainly their stereo amps?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. I am not familiar with those brands 👍

[@larrypoulton6401]

I upgraded my Arcam A29 to the 6000A recently and was very pleasantly surprised. I stream music from my iMac and use a pair of KEF R300 speakers. The A29 was very punchy, bold and in your face. The 6000A is much more refined. I prefer the 'Fast' setting for the DAC. I am hearing a lot more detail and the soundstage & stereo separation are amazing. It seems well balanced across the audio spectrum and although the lower end is less than the A29, when bass is called for, it is there, felt as much as heard. Overall, it is very musical and does not stress my ears over prolonged use. I have the feeling now that a speaker upgrade may reveal more of the 6000As abilities....

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Larry 😊

[@raju_the_king]

Thanks Larry.I am using R300 speakers with Arcam solo music.Thinking of getting Arcam SA20 or Audiolab 6000.You mentioned changing the speakers.Did you change them or are you still happy with Audiolab with Kef R300?

[@larrypoulton6401]

@@raju_the_king I kept the Kef R300 and the 6000A but after a while I thought something was not quite right. Eventually I tried a couple of external DACs and realised it was the 6000A internal DAC that was a problem for me.I settled on a Schitt Modi3 external DAC and now its a wonderful setup for my needs. I hope that helps.

[@raju_the_king]

@@larrypoulton6401 thanks Larry.