Audiolab 6000A 100-watt Stereo Integrated Amp/Bluetooth DAC - Black

I bought this amplifier for my home office desktop audiophile system for my PC and Mac.Here is the configuration:1)Digital Streamer: WiiM Streamer (connected to DAC using optical audio cable).2)Computer: PC and Mac (connected to DAC using USB audio (midi) cable).3)DAC: Cambridge Audio DAC Magic 200M (Connected to amplifier using RCA cable)4)Amplifier: Audiolab 6000a (connected to speakers using banana speaker cables).5)Speakers: KEF LS50 metaFirst, let's get the important fact out of the way. If you search through the reviews from professional audio reviewers on the web, then you will find there is a consensus that this amplifier is quite possibly the best amp for around $1000. So this would be one of the top amps you can buy for around $1000.Nonetheless, there is no way this dynamo amplifier can truly compete against the $5000+ amplifiers. Yes, the law of diminishing marginal return applies and a $5000 amp will not sound 5x better. But any discerning ear would more than likely find that $5000 amp would sound significantly better.The more difficult question, in my opinion, is how does this amplifier compare to the ones that cost $2000-$3500 price range? Surprisingly well, but not without shortcomings. Compared to Hegel H120, for example, which costs $3000, this amplifier has slightly more distortion and slightly lacks the sound stage and crystal detailed imaging. The H120 also clearly dominates in volume headroom (which is a weakness for 6000a). Having said this, it is not like H120 is in different stratosphere. You would need to really listen for the differences. This is not a knock on Hegel's superb H120, but really a praise for Audiolab 6000a.I did not use the DAC\bluetooth\headphone portion of 6000a and only used the amplifier portion.As for the sound, there is little distortion and it hits all the notes in all ranges with precision and control. There is also very little sound fatique even at higher volumes. You will get quality music out of this amplifier, but there are better (and far more expensive) amplifiers out there.One of the main reason why I purchased this amplifier is its thin size allows me to stick this amplifier beneath my computer monitor stand (with some room for heat dissipation). It also helps that this amp runs rather cool so I do not have any overheating issues.The main downside of this amplifier for me is its lower volume headroom. In practice, this amplifier can generate enough volume to satisfy me. It also somewhat lacks the reserve power to bring that sudden oomph to the music. But if you want an amplifier that would blow the roof off of your house, then this is not that amplifier.Addendum: I just tested the DAC on this amplifier. Some famous reviewer has said that the DAC on 6000a rivals that of DACMagic 200M. I beg to differ (strongly). Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M is simply superior. It has superior resolution, sound stage, imaging, and tonality. I would go as far as stating that Audiolab 6000a running through its own DAC is not very impressive sounding. BUT, hook it up with a quality external DAC, like I did, and you will notice a huge bump in sound quality.Pros:1)Best bang for the buck amplifier. One of the best amps for around $1000.2)Small size (particularly height) allows me to put it under my monitor stand.3)Wonderful sound with clarity, precision, and sound stage. Very little distortion or sound fatique. People love the sound of my system generated by this amplifier. It is impressive.4)It runs cool in major part because it only outputs 50W per channel.Cons:1)Volume headroom is merely sufficient. At 50W per channel, this amplifier will not test the decimal limits of your speakers.2)I would pay 50%-100% more for fully integrated system that has more volume headroom, higher quality DAC, and USB audio (midi) connection. But it doesn't so I had to purchase a separate component (the wonderful Cambridge Audio DAC Magic 200M).3)Addendum: The internal DAC is only OK and the this amplifier sounds rather dull running on its own internal DAC. I would recommend getting a quality $400+ external DAC for this amplifier as a quality external DAC would upgrade the sound immensely.

I think the sound quality is good. Whether it's worth the price I'm not 100% sure, since I don't have another amp to compare it to in the same room and with the same speakers.I appreciate the flexibility of its inputs. It has stereo pre-outs if you wanted to use it as a preamp in the future, and also stereo pre-ins if you wanted to use it as a power amp. As well as several digital and analog inputs, including for phonograph. These features could make this amp a long-lasting investment.But while the design looks beautiful and the construction quality is outstanding, that same elegant design isn't so functional.Unlike many other amps, the volume knob is the same size as the other two knobs. So guests and often myself, frequently turn the wrong knob. It's sort of like, "you had one job."The other two knobs adjust the source, and the overall mode of the amplifier (integrated amp, preamp, or power amp).Source is obviously a frequently used feature. But the amplifier mode, although a good feature, should really be buried in a menu since you will only change it when rewiring your whole system. (I guess an exception could be if you use this amp in integrated mode for stereo music, and in power mode as part of a surround sound system for movies. But still.) It is a loose knob that is easily brushed by accident, and then the amplifier becomes non-functional until you realize what happened. There is no physical indication of which mode it's in, and the on-screen indication disappears after a few seconds.The source knob, too, would benefit from being more resistant to accidentally turning it. And would be easier to use if it were separate buttons with a light over each.Conversely, the remote control is very complicated and includes a lot of buttons that have no function at all with this amplifier (they are meant to control other Audiolab products).I didn't realize before purchasing, that this amp has no bass/treble controls whatsoever. I get that these can make the sound less pure, but there could always be a "Defeat" mode to bypass them.Also the balance control, which is buried in the menu (this one would seem to make more sense as a small knob?), only partially adjusts the balance; it doesn't let you turn a speaker off altogether which is occasionally useful.Hopefully this review is helpful to others making a purchasing decision. I'm happy with the amp but it does have these downsides that aren't mentioned in reviews.

This is a great amplifier. Like the other reviews, I am forgiving the horrible remote control design. I am not a big user of remote controls - I don't typically find much need to use them and this unit sits on my server rack with the other audio equipment. I use digital audio out from my computer to this amp for listening to lossless audio files. I can control volume just fine from my computer.The amplifier produces plenty of power for my two KEF Q350 bookshelf speakers. Sound is amazing. It really completes the equation - high-quality sound to high-quality bookshelf speakers for dedicated stereo music listening.I also like the size of this unit and its simplicity. I needed something sort of thin to fit into the diminishing space I have on my rack. This unit fit the bill. I am very satisfied and would happily recommend it for similar setups.

My boom box level Denon m38 amp blows Audiolab out of the water. That little Denon box is rated 6 ohms, and drives Dynaudio Emit10s like a dream. I returned Audiolab, NAD, Yamaha amps almost immediately. (Kept the NAD CD player, which brings an absolute improvement to the overall sound). I wanted to like that beautiful Audiolab box, I must admit. I would buy one, gut it out, and put the Denon in there—to have sound and aesthetic value at the same time.Edit: apparently this amp brings enough oomph to speakers around $1500-$2000 price point, according to owners of such speakers on the internet.