Audiolab 6000A Integrated Amplifier

Outwardly, the Audiolab 6000A bears strong resemblance to the 8300A with its rotary controls and large, central OLED display. Unlike its costlier, analogue-only sibling, it incorporates high-quality D/A conversion, enabling digital sources to be connected directly without an external DAC. It supplies four digital inputs, three line-level analogue inputs, an input for a turntable, wireless connectivity via Bluetooth and a dedicated headphone amp, in addition to its ability when driving loudspeakers.

Much effort has been made to ensure Audiolab’s 6000A’s digital circuitry delivers the level of quality one might expect of a high-performance standalone DAC. As ever, Audiolab has turned to the ES9018 Sabre32 Reference chip family to perform D/A conversion, utilising ESS Technology’s 32-bit HyperStream architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator to deliver ultra-low noise and high dynamic range.

No company knows more about making the most of this technically excellent, but challenging, DAC technology than Audiolab. If the circuitry that surrounds the ES9018 is not of sufficient standard, the resulting sound can seem a little cold and hard; treat it right, however, and the level of musical expression that this chip digs from the digital signal is captivating. Audiolab’s original, universally acclaimed M-DAC was one of the first home audio components to incorporate an ES9018 chip back in 2011, and the company has been honing its implementation ever since.

In recognition of the recent vinyl revival, Audiolab has included a phono stage for moving magnet phono cartridges – a high-quality, low-noise, JFET-based circuit with precise RIAA equalisation.

Similarly, an increasing number of people are using headphones for music listening, so Audiolab has incorporated a dedicated headphone amp with current-feedback circuitry. Its gain bandwidth and high slew rate ensure a dynamic, detailed and engaging performance with all manner of headphone types – more boxes ticked for this most integrated of integrated amplifiers.

Technical Specifications 

Gain (max.): +8dB (Line)
+55dB (Phono MM)
Input Sensitivity: 720mV (Line, Volume = 0dB)
3.1mV (Phono MM, Volume=0dB)
Input Impedance: 10K (Line)
47K//100pF (Phono MM)
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): < 0.0004% (Line, 1KHz @ 2V, Volume = 0dB)
Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz (+/-0.1dB)
Output Voltage: 2.3V max. (Volume = 0dB)
Output Impedance: 120 ohm
Signal-to-Noise Ration (S/N): > 110dB (Line, A-weighted)
>76dB (Phono MM, A-weighted)
DAC
D to A converter: ES9018K2M
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): < 0.0006% (1KHz @ 0dBFS)
Output level (0dBFS, 1KHz): 2.05V
Max. Sampling Frequency: 192KHz
Signal-to-noise ratio (S/N): > 112dB (A-weighted)
Digital Filters Fast Roll-off , Slow Roll-off , Minimum Phase
Power Amplifier Section
Gain: +29dB
Rated Max. Power Output: 2 X 50W (8 ohm, THD<1%)
2 X 75W (4 ohm, THD<1%)
Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz (+/-0.3dB)
Input Sensitivity: 720mV
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): <0.003% (1kHz @ 40W/8ohm)
Signal-to-Noise ratio (S/N): > 110dB (A-weighted)
Max. Output Current: 9A
Headphone Amplifier
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): < 0.01% (1kHz, 50mW)
Output Impedance: 2.35 ohm
Load impedance: 20-600 ohm
General
Standby Power Consumption: <0.5W
Power Requirements: 240V ~ 50 – 60Hz
230V ~ 50 – 60Hz
115V ~ 50 – 60Hz
100V ~ 50 – 60Hz
Dimensions (mm) (W x H x D): 445 x 65.5 x 300
Carton Size (mm) (W x H x D): 512 x 467 x 146
Weight: 7.8kg (Net)