Audiolab Upgade - does ist make sense?

[admin_exported]

Hi!

I'm thinking about an upgrade with new Audiolab components:

My current setup: Audiolab 8000s (old), Audiolab 8000p (old) (bi-amping), Micromega Stage 2 CD, Kef Q35, Cable Talk wires;

New might be: Audiolab 8000Q (new), Audiolab 8000p (old), maybe bi-amping with 2 Audiolab 8000M (new) and Audiolab 8000cd (new). (maybe the speakers are switched to Monitor Audio RS6 later).

Does that make sense or are the Audiolabs outdated compared with the new winners like Cyrus or Roksan gear? They have been kind of state of the art and the reference systems at What-Hifi listening rooms some ten years ago - are they still able to compete or are their times gone?

Thank you for any suggestions!

Markus, Vienna/Austria

 

[Andrew Everard]

No problem at all with the concept, and the new stuff is certainly still very competitive. But the sound did change a little when the Audiolab stuff became TAG McLaren Audio, so the matching might not be as precise tonally as it would with all new or all old.

I'd suggest a listen to the 8000P/2x8000M combination before you go that route, but beyond that I'd have no problems at all.

 

[Clare Newsome]

I know Andrew's an Audiolab fan - and the stuff is damn good, certainly - but there is a lot of other superb new hi-fi kit out there that demands an audition, and may suit your room/music/system even better.

I'd certainly try some Roksan and Cyrus combinations - check out the pre/power amp test in our September issue (out tomorrow) for some more inspiration....

 

[Anonymous]

I'm looking forward to your new issue of course - but I'm afraid the Audiolabs are still not tested there .
Are there plans to publish any new reviews of audiolab stuff?

I also have to mention that it's not that easy to find dealers around here that have good equipment for demo.

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="Clare Newsome"]I know Andrew's an Audiolab fan

[/quote]

Used to be, long ago and far away, which is one of the reasons we used to run the big Audiolab rigs as reference systems back in the days before 'Sound and Vision'.

But have to say I haven't heard much of the new equipment - experience to date is limited to the two CD players and the AV processor/power amp.

However, I know some of the dyed in the wool Audiolab fans of old weren't overly taken with the 'new' TAG McLaren Audio sound - it seems so long ago now! - which is why I urged some caution over a mix'n'match old and new system.

 

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't part with my audiolab brit built 8000A for all the tea in china, or wherever tag have them built these days

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="JCR1"]I wouldn't part with my audiolab brit built 8000A for all the tea in china, or wherever tag have them built these days [/quote]

TAG don't have them built anywhere anymore - IAG do, in China.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a pair of old 8000P's to which I recently added a new 8000Q for under £600. An excellent upgrade - very happy with the result. The next stage will be to consider replacing the P's with two M's but thats for another day.

IMHO if you have the platform for such an upgrade route, and you like the Audiolab sound then to start completely afresh with other manufactures will be an expensive option . By the way perhaps the new Audiolab amps sound a little different but I would not know as I was not replacing like with like. All I can say is the 8000Q sounds, and looks, very good and is excellent value.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Wouldn't argue with that - my only prob might be with combining old and new power amps

 

[Anonymous]

So I finally got my new 8000cd and 8000q at christmas. )

The only thing that seems strange to me is the time it takes to unmute (?) outputs after powering on the preamp. The manual says it should be muted for some 3 seconds.

(My 8000P mutes for about 8 seconds - that's ok and it makes sense to have the power amp muted longer than the pre.)

But: My preamp mutes for up to 4 Minutes (!) after beeing switched off overnight.

Do you think this is ok or should I try to get another one?

Markus