Audiolab Flagship 9000 Series – First Look
All Image Credit: Audiolab
Audiolab launches flagship 9000 series integrated amplifier and CD transport
The Cambridge based company Audiolab has launched the first of two products in its new flagship 9000 series, the 9000A integrated stereo amplifier and 9000CDT CD transport. With a streamer to follow. These are a replacement for, an an upgrade from, their original 8000 series. Both units have a sleek new appearance with minimal front panel controls, have a large graphics-capable 4.3-inch IPS front panel LCD display and are available in either silver or black.
The 9000A features IR control, three front panel rotary controls, a digital section equipped with a 32-bit ESS 9038PRO eight-channel DAC chip which is accompanied by proprietary circuitry to make the most of the chip’s HyperStream II architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator technology. Power amplification is provided by two discrete Class AB blocks with a stated power of 2×100 watts into 8 ohms, or 2×160 watts into 4 ohms. It has a moving magnet phono stage (no MC) and can be setup to act as a pure preamp or pure power amplifier.
The screen gives access to the systems menus and displays various system information including; volume level, input selection, format data, up-sampling balance and more. It can be dimmed or turned completely off.
Rear panel digital connectivity includes; two optical and two coaxial S/PDIF inputs each, plus a USB input. The S/PDIF connectors are quoted as working with resolutions up to 192 KHz/24 bit and the USB port up to 768 KHz/32 bit and DSD512. Rear panel analog connectivity includes; five line-level analogue inputs – four stereo RCA and one stereo XLR for balanced connectivity, plus a MM phono input with a JFET-based circuit with precise RIAA equalization. Analog outputs include a stereo RCA pre-out.
Hi-Res audio formats supported include; FLAC, ALAC, AIFF and WAV, as well as compressed legacy formats, supporting data rates for PCM to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD to 22.5MHz (DSD512). Users can also up-sample digital audio signals to 352.8kHz or 384kHz and have access to five DAC digital EQ filter settings. Full ‘three fold’ decoding of MQA is supported and the unit is ‘Roon Tested’.
High definition streaming input is supported via Bluetooth 5.1 that includes the following formats; aptX HD, LDAC, aptX Low Latency, regular aptX, AAC and SBC.
The Class AB power amplifiers use Audiolab’s CFB (Complementary Feedback) topology and are a dual mono design each with its own power supply. There is a low noise 320VA toroidal transformer combined with 60,000uF of reservoir capacitance, all configured to supply a maximum output current of 15A per channel. High quality headphone output is also catered for with a current-feedback design and high slew rate..
Finally the 9000A has three operational configurations. It can act as; a fully Integrated amplifier, in Pre-Only disabling the power amplifiers or Pre-Power mode by disabling the preamplifier stages.
Audiolab 9000CDT CD Transport
The Audiolab 9000CDT CD Transport is a matching CD-playing companion to Audiolab’s flagship 9000A integrated amplifier and also comes with an IR remote. As well as spinning CDs, the 9000CDT features a USB Type A input, enabling playback from USB storage devices. FAT12, FAT16 and FAT32 formatted devices are supported, and WAV, WMA, AAC and MP3 files can be played, with file navigation available via the front panel controls and remote handset.
As with the 9000A the 9000CDT front panel 4.3-inch IPS LCD display gives access to the systems menus and displays various systems status’s, track and media information.
The CDT incorporates a new high-end transport mechanism, featuring a high precision optical system and low-friction loading tray. A read-ahead digital buffer reduces disc-reading failures.
Low levels of clock jitter on the coaxial and optical outputs are achieved by its master clocks temperature-compensated crystal oscillator, plus the coaxial output is fed from a differential line driver ensuring a robust drive to any accompanying DAC.
The 9000CDT has a sturdy aluminum chassis construction that reduces the effects of any internally generated and externally received vibrations. With the transport mounted in its own electromagnetically shielded enclosure and having a dedicated power supply, the reading of digital data should be as error free as possible.
9000 Series Technical Specifications:
Please refer to the Audiolab website links.
MSRP:
9000A:
- US: $2,999.00
- UK: £1,999.00
- EU: €2,300.00
9000CDT:
- US: $1,499.00
- UK: £999.00
- EU: €1,200.00
For the full technical specifications see the UK Audiolab website.
Want to know more about Amplifier Classes? Then read this post.
