Audiolab 7000A and 7000CDT combo

Nestled between the 6000 and 9000, the 7000 fuses premium traits into a pricing category that follows the mantra of class-leading performance.

Outwardly resembling the sequential series and therefore offering a brand-wide visual aesthetic match, the audiolab 7000A improves on the 6000A with a genuine 70W per channel output, a new DAC, a new full-colour IPS LCD screen and more! More compact than the 9000 series, it maintains crisp ergonomics, high-quality engineering, a useful range of facilities and an excellent all-around acoustic performance and connectivity.

Classes of A and B

audiolab pulls no punches with the genuine nature of our power rating. The 7000A’s discrete Class AB power amp stage delivers 70W per channel into eight ohms, with a maximum current delivery of 11A amps into difficult loads. A new standard in audiolab amplifiers, the output stage of the discrete power amp circuits uses a CFB (Complementary Feedback) topology, ensuring superior linearity and excellent thermal stability, as the idle current is kept independent of the temperature of the output transistors. Critically specified by Jan Ertner (lead engineer for the audiolab brand); the newly developed power supply features a substantial 250VA toroidal transformer, followed by 4x15000uF reservoir capacity (60000uF in total), helps the amp to maintain firm control of the music whilst enabling excellent dynamic range.

Name Your Source

Whatever the input source – analogue, digital, wireless or TV – the 7000A has been crafted to the same level of detail one has come to expect from audiolab, all with the latest tech to be fully equipped to cover many bases, yet it maintains a price point that keeps the audiolab brand at the forefront of quality home audio. Dual analogue inputs cater for CD players and line-level sources, dual Coax and SPDIF inputs expand this for the digital sources while a Bluetooth aptX receiver serves up a solution for wireless audio playback and smart devices. Following the growing trend for direct living room integration of premium audio electronics and there for more in tune as the centrepiece of your home audio system, the 7000A takes connectivity to a new dimension with a built-in Audio Return Channel (ARC) connection for use with screens – thus bringing the audiolab dynamic to TV-app based music playback and home theatre. And let’s not forget the direct-to-PC connection via USB.

Flagship DAC

As is standard with audiolab integrated amplifiers, the 7000A reaffirms the natural integration and synergy with an ESS ES9038Q2M chip. Improving on the 6000A with this latest iteration and taking learnings from the 9000A, the 7000A utilises ESS Technology’s 32-bit HyperStream architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator. As with the 9000A, the 7000A uses a post-DAC filter based upon Class A topology and proprietary DC-coupled high-gain electronic amp designs to deliver ultra-low noise and high dynamic range for the digital audio connoisseur.

Streaming Technology

What’s more, the 7000A also delivers full decoding of MQA, the hi-res streaming technology from a custom-engineered MQA-certified DAC solution. This means that the complete ‘three unfold’ decoding process is performed internally, as opposed to just the final unfold in the manner of an MQA ‘renderer’, which makes the 7000A an excellent system choice for subscribers to Tidal’s ‘HiFi Plus’ tier where Tidal Masters (MQA) content can be found.

Tables Are Turning

The 6000A is applauded for its ability to offer an integrated phono pre-amp solution. The 7000A builds on this with a further improved phono stage for moving magnet phono cartridges – using an improved version of the high-quality, low noise MM Phono circuit and precise RIAA equalisation that sets the benchmark in ‘built-in’ phono preamplifier solutions. Same with the dedicated headphone output. Enhancing the versatility claims of the 7000 series, the dedicated headphone amp with current-feedback circuitry caters for the head-fi that lurks in the audiophile! 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.

ROON

Further to this, the audiolab 7000A is also Roon tested, thus opening up to the world of Roon. Roon’s fundamental goal is to provide a consistently stellar user experience. This goal doesn’t stop at the software… the experience extends all the way down to the audio playback hardware, regardless of manufacturer. As a Roon Tested partner, audiolab has provided equipment to Roon for testing with a variety of different operating systems and computers and shared information about its design and capabilities. We have a direct relationship with Roon and in many cases, the Roon support team has our devices on hand, so you can confidently choose to use audiolab hardware with Roon.

Roon transforms the experience of browsing music. Artist photos, credits, bios, reviews, lyrics, tour dates, and composers are located automatically, then interconnected by links to build a surfable, searchable digital magazine about your collection.

And Roon finds all the same links between your personal files and the millions of tracks available on TIDAL, so you can start with the music you know, then explore and discover new music from the world beyond your collection.

In addition to music browsing, Roon is a multi-room, multi-user networked audio platform built to the exacting standards of audiophiles. It offers features like bit-perfect playback, DSD and PCM upsampling, multichannel playback, and signal path display. Click here for more information on Roon.

Improved Interface

As the engineers in the audiolab camp have learned with every model and series; greatness can be improved upon. Taking the 6000A as the standard, audiolab know that the regular audio enthusiast’s thirst for specification and features would mean that the eagerly anticipated linear upgrade from the 6000A would instinctively also offer an improved display and general user interface (GUI); hence the vibrant and visually informative 2.8″ (48 x 64mm) IPS display. The detailed but simple-to-use GUI also carries through a general theme of information and structure from the 9000A, just in a more compact style. The GUI includes settings for the digital phase lock loop of the D/C converter

Satisfying Graphics

(DPLL), brightness, and operational modes. It can even be set to display a VU meter in ‘analogue’ or ‘digital’ form; showing real-time decibel levels for the left and right channels – a satisfying graphical representation of the music as it plays. As with all audiolab electronic hi-fi components, the audiolab 7000A yet again delivers with remarkable sonic consistency, a plethora of source and connectivity options and crisp styling. Regardless of the source material and format, the 7000A is lively and engaging but also never loses focus on the musicality and detail. Broadness, depth and toe-tapping rhythm are assured. The benchmark in this price class is elevated – it’s now in the 7000 series domain!

Nestled between the 6000 and 9000, the 7000 fuses premium traits into a pricing category that follows the mantra of class-leading performance.

Outwardly resembling the sequential series and therefore offering a brand-wide visual aesthetic match, the audiolab 7000CDT improves on the 6000CDT with a new mechanism, USB HDD playback and a new full-colour IPS LCD screen! More compact than the 9000 series and perfectly matched to the 6000 and 8300 series, it maintains crisp ergonomics, high-quality engineering and an excellent all-round performance

New Series, Same Standards

The 7000CDT uses a high-precision optical system with an electronic data buffer for accurate and seamless CD playback. Very similar technology to the 9000CDT, the 7000CDT uses a read-ahead digital buffer to reduce disc-reading failures, helping it plays scratched and damaged CDs that may be unreadable by conventional mechanisms. To ensure a flawless signal reaches the accompanying DAC, the coaxial output of the 7000CDT is fed from a differential line driver. The master clock is controlled by a high-accuracy crystal oscillator, enabling the digital output from both coaxial and optical sockets to exhibit vanishingly low levels of jitter (digital distortion).

Isolation From Vibration

The low-friction loading tray, sturdy aluminium base and chassis of the 7000CDT work to tackle vibrations that are experienced due to the mechanics of a high-spin-velocity motor. Further, the transport is mounted in its own, electromagnetically shielded enclosure with a dedicated power supply. All of these contribute to the exemplary digital signal extraction, while the proven resonance reduction further improves performance and onward effect in ancillary Hi-Fi equipment and signal chains.

Digital Files In Any Format

In addition to the class-leading CD playback design, the 7000CDT also offers digital music files compatibly via a dedicated USB ‘Type A’ connection, to the rear of the unit. Every significant hi-res and lossless audio format is catered for, including WAV, AAC and WMA, as well as compressed legacy MP3 formats.

All On Display

Taking strong influence from the flagship 9000CDT, the 7000CDT improves over the 6000CDT with a full-colour 2.8" (48 x 64mm)
IPS display with a detailed but simple-to-use GUI. The 7000CDT therefore offers a vivid representation of information including system settings, format, folder, track details and other data.