Amplifier update (from Audiolab 8000a)

[admin_exported]

Rather than an upgrade this is more of an update, since I'm actually quite happy with the sound that my Audiolab 8000a provides through my Mordaunt-Short 906i speakers. I'm considering getting a new integrated amp for the laziest possible reason -- because the 8000a doesn't have a remote control. I just got a Logitech Harmony remote and have already gotten addicted to the "activities" macros that let you do all kinds of fancy things at once.

My budget is £300 plus whatever I can get for the Audiolab (£100?), and ideally cheaper than that. At first I was thinking I would just go for a basic Cambridge Audio or NAD amp, but inevitably as I started doing research my eye started to wander. I thought I'd ask on here before I impulsively ordered a Roksan Kandy that I can't afford.

I'm not likely to be upgrading any of my other kit soon, so maybe that would be excessive. My most common usage is for MythTV/music (FLAC) from my computer through an M-Audio Audiophile 2496. Second is blu-ray through Sony BDP-360. I also have a turntable but I have a standalone phono stage so it's not important for the amplifier to have this. But four line level inputs ideally.

With that kit, should I go for a budget amp, or something slightly nicer? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Anonymous]

I used to have an Audiolab 8000A and upgraded to a 2nd hand Naim Nait 5i. Sounds much more alive and dynamic than the Audiolab, which sounds sterile in comparison IMO.

The 2nd hand route may be the way to go.

 

[matthewpiano]

Audiolab 8000S. You seem happy with the sound you are getting and the 8000S will retain much of it but with a touch more musicality overall. Its a superb amp and I think you'd struggle to do better at the price.

The Marantz PM6003 could be a good match as well.

 

[lcd4ever]

Get the Kandy......I have both the 8000A and the Kandy and there is a big difference. I got the K2 before the jump in price but even at the current £900 + it's a great amp. Plus the Roksan phono stage built in to the Kandy will bring your Radius to life......

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the suggestions. I hadn't realized that there was anything made by Naim that was close to my price range, I thought their kit was much more expensive. I'll do some research on the Nait 5i.

I've had a look at the Marantz PM6003, but unfortunately it only has three line level inputs. I know it has a phono stage but I have an MC cartridge so I really need four line level inputs. I also couldn't use the Roksan Kandy's phono stage, which appears to be MM. But I'm quite happy with the cheap and cheerful Cambridge Audio CA-640 phono stage that I have.

Another option is that a friend has an Arcam Alpha 8R which he's not using. Does anyone have any thoughts on this amp?

I'm a bit reluctant to get an 8000S as they're a lot more than what I
paid for the 8000A. It's occurred to me this morning that the 8000A has a power amp in -- could I potentially just buy a pre-amp, or use any integrated amp that has a pre-amp out, and use the power stage of the 8000A with another amp controlling it? Or do they have to be somehow compatible for this to work?

 

[Anonymous]

If I could get a new Audiolab 8000q preamp (which has a remote) for a few hundred quid and use my 8000a as a power amp, would this be likely to improve my sound much? Or am I better off spending a bit more and replacing the 8000a?

 

[Lost Angeles]

lydgate:If I could get a new Audiolab 8000q preamp (which has a remote) for a few hundred quid and use my 8000a as a power amp, would this be likely to improve my sound much? Or am I better off spending a bit more and replacing the 8000a?

Can you use the 8000A as a power amp?
Do you not need to have something switched internally?

 

[Anonymous]

Hmm, not sure whether there's an internal switch, on the back there's a "pre amp out" and a "power amp in". I had assumed I could use the "power amp in" to connect it to a different preamplifier, but perhaps I am mistaken?

 

[Anonymous]

Looks like I've got a chance to get a Nait 5i (non-italic) for £390 from someone who lives nearby. Should I do this?

 

[drummerman]

Only if you like Naim's sound ...

 

[Lost Angeles]

lydgate:Hmm, not sure whether there's an internal switch, on the back there's a "pre amp out" and a "power amp in". I had assumed I could use the "power amp in" to connect it to a different preamplifier, but perhaps I am mistaken?

What year is your 8000A from?

If I get chance tomorrow afternoon I will fetch mine down (Circa 1986) and connect the 8000A pre-out to my Caspian power and see if it works and then connect my Caspian integrated to the 8000A power in and see if that works. I think it might work with the using the 8000A pre-out but I'll post the results when I've done.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure what year the Audiolab is from, serial number is 207B75648 and it says made in England on the back. I assume it's from the late 80s/early 90s.

I ended up grabbing the Nait 5i (non-italic) for £380 and I'm pretty happy with the sound. I'm going to try it out for a few weeks, then maybe switch back to the Audiolab for a week. If I think the Naim is better I'll probably sell the Audiolab.

 

[Lost Angeles]

Hope you like the Nait
The results of my experiment were that you cannot use the 8000A as a power amp as I got no sound out, and the Caspian power amp did not like having the 8000A pre-outs being connected. We had a strange noise and I thought it had blown up, but after switching off and leaving 10mins and switching back on it was ok. I think the safety overload must have tripped it out. So I did not pursue this any longer although I can't understand why it did not work. I might try again with my old speakers as I'm not bothered if I blow them up.

 

[Diamond Joe]

I'm still using an 8000A, if I remember correctly, to use only the pre or power amp sides of the amp you need to disconnect or break a couple of internal links, but please don't ask me exactly where they are.

 

[chebby]

.

 

[arb70sok]

Just to say that my experiences using the 8000a as both power and pre-amp differed considerably from Lost Angeles.

I currently am using the 8000a as a pre-amp only and use the pre-outs to a pair of D class mono blocs and it works a treat!

Also I have used the 8000a power amp only using a much more modern 8200CDQ as the pre-amp. Again worked a treat!

I guess it may depend on the age/model of the 8000a and exactly what you are pairing it with.

But I have had success doing this with both an earlier (think it was B serial number) and a later (F serial number) 8000a.

Also I have had very good results bi-amping the 8000a with an 8200p power amp. Use the 8200p for LF and 8000a power section for HF into a pair of humble Monitor Audio BX2 speakers. Sounded very good indeed.

Actually think I may just have been lucky with my earlier 8000a. I have just tried rigging my later model 8000a up as a power amp only and like Lost Angeles, it doesn't work. No sound. This definately worked with the earlier model I had. Both were purchased 2nd hand. It transpires that if you want to use as separate power amp there is an internal modification that is required to disconnect the internal pre and power amps. I believe this requires moving a few links from a PCB and I can only assume that this mod had been applied to my earlier 8000a before I got it, however it would appear to have not been applied to the later model I now own. I may take a peek inside my current model to see if I could do this myself.

 

[Diamond Joe]

I'm still using an 8000A, if I remember correctly, to use only the pre or power amp sides of the amp you need to disconnect or break a couple of internal links, but please don't ask me exactly where they are.

Guess what?

I'm still using my 8000A and I still have no idea how to split the pre and power sections* *biggrin*

*I'm not bothered either

 

[gasolin]

Not shure what your budget are but why don't you also upgrade to get better sound?

(i would of course recomend the amp i have)