Audiolab launches flagship 9000 series Integrated Amplifier and CD Transport

[SiR]

9000A

As ever, the 9000A is the centre of the audiolab focus in being the beating heart of any high-performance audio system. It’s more powerful, capable and feature-packed than any of the preceding models – the most advanced audiolab integrated amplifier yet. Versatility is key to audiolab’s...

www.audiolab.co.uk

9000CDT

audiolab’s new 9000 Series represents a new standard in home audio for the connoisseur. With CD still being a ‘go to’ medium for many audiophiles, the 9000CDT is a premium offering bringing digital music playback to match the beast that is the audiolab 9000A. The 9000CDT is a dedicated CD...

www.audiolab.co.uk

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

Aha! Audiolab is quite selective with its product range and hence each of its new introductions is eventful. The 9000a seems to be a cross between the 8300a and the 6000a. Or say the big/premium brother to the highly popular 6000a.

The neat lines and uncluttered facade that AL is known for is intact, and the addition of that screen is seamless and classy. Full points on the looks front.

Audiolab amps are known to be musical and yet not too coloured. And as the 6000a shows, their wattage is real. With 100 wpc this one should suffice most speakers in the price range. AL’s integrated amps have always been liberal on the amping configurations they allow/enable.

The digital side looks promising and again, going by 6000a, AL can be trusted to have implemented it well. Full unfolding of MQA should attract buyers. However I wonder why they’ve not included Wifi connectivity and made this a full blown all in one? Won’t you still need a streamer to play Tidal lossless and hi-Res? I don’t see any native integration of Tidal on it (unless I am missing something).

As a highly satisfied user of the two generations older flagship 8200A (only analog, 60 wpc), the 9000a will be up there on my list to audition if I decide to upgrade/simplify. I am sure Hifimart would price it reasonably as they regularly deal in AL products.

 

[SiR]

Aha! Audiolab is quite selective with its product range and hence each of its new introductions is eventful. The 9000a seems to be a cross between the 8300a and the 6000a. Or say the big/premium brother to the highly popular 6000a.

The neat lines and uncluttered facade that AL is known for is intact, and the addition of that screen is seamless and classy. Full points on the looks front.

Audiolab amps are known to be musical and yet not too coloured. And as the 6000a shows, their wattage is real. With 100 wpc this one should suffice most speakers in the price range. AL’s integrated amps have always been liberal on the amping configurations they allow/enable.

The digital side looks promising and again, going by 6000a, AL can be trusted to have implemented it well. Full unfolding of MQA should attract buyers. However I wonder why they’ve not included Wifi connectivity and made this a full blown all in one? Won’t you still need a streamer to play Tidal lossless and hi-Res? I don’t see any native integration of Tidal on it (unless I am missing something).

As a highly satisfied user of the two generations older flagship 8200A (only analog, 60 wpc), the 9000a will be up there on my list to audition if I decide to upgrade/simplify. I am sure Hifimart would price it reasonably as they regularly deal in AL products.

Audiolab 9000A Integrated Amplifier

The Audiolab 9000A integrated amplifier caters to audiophiles of all creeds with class-leading amplification, DAC & wireless connectivity.

hifimart.com

Audiolab 9000CDT CD Transport

The Audiolab 9000CDT is a high-end mechanism with a high-precision optical system with an electronic data buffer for accurate and seamless CD playback.

hifimart.com

 

[Lizard King]

A new streamer in the same series is due early next year.

 

[drkrack]

9000A

As ever, the 9000A is the centre of the audiolab focus in being the beating heart of any high-performance audio system. It’s more powerful, capable and feature-packed than any of the preceding models – the most advanced audiolab integrated amplifier yet. Versatility is key to audiolab’s...

www.audiolab.co.uk

9000CDT

audiolab’s new 9000 Series represents a new standard in home audio for the connoisseur. With CD still being a ‘go to’ medium for many audiophiles, the 9000CDT is a premium offering bringing digital music playback to match the beast that is the audiolab 9000A. The 9000CDT is a dedicated CD...

www.audiolab.co.uk

Releasing CDP and CDT is quite welcome, but anything is being done to improve the availability of quality CDs? At a Reasonable price?

The fundamental problem from end user perspective needs to be addressed by the hifi industry as soon as possible.

 

[CKumar]

CD is or I say used to be one of most prominent media of listening. Two things ppl might find difficulties with this ,stocking and pricing.
With the rise of digital contents ,it has solved those 2 problems taking convenient , on finger tips , top of the ladder, but this has led to downgrade of cd experience w.r.t sound.
I will too wait to get those issues addressed, but I have a strong feel that our next gen will play a bigger role to decide weather it's going to be CDs or digital.

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

Releasing CDP and CDT is quite welcome, but anything is being done to improve the availability of quality CDs? At a Reasonable price?

The fundamental problem from end user perspective needs to be addressed by the hifi industry as soon as possible.

Firstly, it’s the music industry and not the hi-fi industry that can address that problem. However, in a world where one can download a hi-res album in under two minutes, the CD as a format for digital music distribution has become defunct. We shouldn’t even expect music companies to revive this costly method unlike the vinyl which makes sense for analog.

The CDPs/CDTs still being introduced by (handful of) hi-fi manufacturers are primarily intended for those who have large personal collections of CDs (older ones especially from the golden era for CDs - the 80s-00’s) and prefer to handle them physically than rip them onto a drive and stream. For instance, there’s Cambridge CXC is an important part of my audio system as it faithfully helps me play from my collection of 1000 odd CDs. But then it’s mostly those of us over the age of 40, and a stagnant/ gradually diminishing segment.

Hence it’s mainly replacement market as CD players keep failing eventually (lens or the mechanism). I frankly see no great innovation or features getting added to the CD players/transports which would make someone with a decent and working CDP/CDT to upgrade.

 

[Ebenezer]

Audiolab is expected to release their 9000 series Streamer in 2023..

 

[drkrack]

Firstly, it’s the music industry and not the hi-fi industry that can address that problem. However, in a world where one can download a hi-res album in under two minutes, the CD as a format for digital music distribution has become defunct. We shouldn’t even expect music companies to revive this costly method unlike the vinyl which makes sense for analog.

I'm aware of that discussion but the hifi industry will definitely have their good connections throughout the music industry. When Few audiophile Enthusiasts could come together and get some Cds of Telugu Music Re Released recently, so what's stopping the bigger hifi players?

IMHO Not all albums ; but at least yearly chart topper albums should be released via suitable channels. Previously, Almost every Major hifi Brand has produced CD albums with extraordinary music and recordings.
Dali Cds, Marantz Audiophile Series, Accuphase, Nordost And B&W Cds to name a few, I'm not even seeing these series getting revised in recent years with current Tracks. We know that the market is shrinking, but without a conscious effort from hifi industry it'll be over soon ; so they're making unnecessary and expensive newer CDP models to a dead end.
Or make a Cdp with a decent on board streaming solution.
Just my opinion and YMMV.

 

[IndianEars]

Previously, Almost every Major hifi Brand has produced CD albums with extraordinary music and recordings.
Dali Cds, Marantz Audiophile Series, Accuphase, Nordost And B&W Cds to name a few, I'm not even seeing these series getting revised in recent years with current Tracks. We know that the market is shrinking, but without a conscious effort from hifi industry it'll be over soon ; so they're making unnecessary and expensive newer CDP models to a dead end.
Or make a Cdp with a decent on board streaming solution.
Just my opinion and YMMV.

Many of the Audio Company samplers are no longer (Re) Released, since the Audio Companies probably no longer have rights to the tracks on the CDs.
I do know that atleast 1 of the audio company CDs mentioned by you, NEVER had rights to the tracks on its CD-1 & CD-2 (Black & Orange Covers)! Im told they got pulled up, and subsequent CD-3 & CD-4 are with their own artists and have never been as popular.

I suspect, there were a few years when these audio companies released CDs without factoring in copyrights... They are wiser now.....

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

I'm aware of that discussion but the hifi industry will definitely have their good connections throughout the music industry. When Few audiophile Enthusiasts could come together and get some Cds of Telugu Music Re Released recently, so what's stopping the bigger hifi players?

That’d be like the carriage driving the horse, or the tail wagging the dog. Why’d hi-fi companies be interested in reviving a product category that’s getting technologically obsolete when they can instead focus on what the market needs - viz. streamers?

Almost every Major hifi Brand has produced CD albums with extraordinary music and recordings.
Dali Cds, Marantz Audiophile Series, Accuphase, Nordost And B&W Cds to name a few, I'm not even seeing these series getting revised in recent years with current Tracks

Because now they can release playlists on Spotify etc. It’s a lot cheaper and ensures much bigger reach.

without a conscious effort from hifi industry it'll be over soon

Why should it care? As consumers and audiophiles we might rue the death of our favourite format/s, but business houses don’t (and shouldn’t) run on emotions alone.

 

[drkrack]

Why’d hi-fi companies be interested in reviving a product category that’s getting technologically obsolete when they can instead focus on what the market needs - viz. streamers?

The Same reason they are still releasing the CDPs. Even if they stop Chinese makers will still Manfacture upgraded ones and Lens for existing ones (like Oppo Spares) etc. Ultimately its in their interest of hifi industry to sell their cd players.

Why should it care? As consumers and audiophiles we might rue the death of our favourite format/s,

Because they need to revive the Cd format, the same way LPs are evolving ; Who'll benefit from the Revival? The hifi industry.
There was an significant increase in CD sales in 2021 but not much momentum in 2022.
Ref Cd Sales

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

You miss the point that CDs cannot be compared with vinyl revival. Theres no viable option to vinyl for Analogue, but digital music doesn’t need discs to be distributed.

Because they need to revive the Cd format, the same way LPs are evolving ; Who'll benefit from the Revival? The hifi industry.

Any music company or worse, Hifi manufacturer (changing their business model from equipment to content?) that invests in distributing new music through the archaic cd format will risk the fate of Kodak or Nokia/Blackberry.

I am as passionate about my CDs as the next person, but that doesn’t lead me to unreal expectations that defy business logic.

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

Oh God, the 9000a is priced on Hifimart for preorder at Rs 2.75 lacs! It’s difficult to believe that flagship AL integrated amp has gone from sub 1 lac (during the 8200 series) to close to 3 lacs (now) in about 5 years. Of course they’ve added the digital section and upped the power output. But it’s alarming how good brands are quickly moving out of hand for the common man.

 

[SiR]