Great news this month of the new Audiolab 7000 series, building on the long-established success of the 6000 Series and taking technologies from the newly released flagship 9000 Series. The new 7000 series comprises the 7000A integrated amplifier, 7000CDT CD transport and 7000N Play network audio player. The range centres on the 7000A with a new-generation 32-bit Sabre chip – the ES9038Q2M. Audiolab has worked with ESS for many years to establish a low-noise environment for the DAC chips in Audiolab products.
The 7000 series features new coloured 2.8-inch ‘stadium-shaped’ displays that can show signal information, in VU form, if preferred, with volume level, input selection, and format data. The display also gives access to the full menu system in the 7000 series
The 7000 CD transport is focused only on extracting the most accurate information from the CD for delivery to an external DAC, like the 7000A. The 7000N Play is the matching streaming component that also features, curiously, the same DAC chip as the integrated amplifier, I would have preferred it as a streaming transport at a lowered price. The 7000N Play can stream via DTS Play-Fi, and it supports Spotify Connect as well as Apple’s Airplay 2.
RRPs are: 7000A: £1099: 7000CDT: £549: 7000N Play: £549
About Audiolab
Formed in the early 1980s by Philip Swift and Derek Scotland, Audiolab earned worldwide acclaim with the 8000A – an integrated stereo amplifier that became a classic ‘step-up’ from the budget models of the time. Now part of the IAG brand family, Audiolab’s reputation has been further enhanced by its hugely respected DAC circuitry, earning the company a plethora of awards since the launch of the 8200CD and M-DAC in 2010 and 2011 respectively. Today, the company continues to make class-leading source and amp components across its highly acclaimed 6000, 9000 and M-DAC product lines, delivering crisp, clean ergonomics and superb sound with everything from vinyl to the latest digital formats