AudioLab 7000A Integrated Amplifier

As winter turns to spring, the 6000A and 9000A are joined by a third integrated stereo amplifier. With an RRP of £1099, the new 7000A nestles between its two siblings in terms of both price and performance, whilst adding a few tricks of its own. It builds upon the same design fundamentals as the 6000A, recognising that while an amplifier is still the beating heart of any high-performance audio system, just as it has been for decades, a truly versatile integrated amp now needs to cover many bases – digital and analogue sources, wireless connectivity for portable devices, a phono stage for playing vinyl, and amplification for headphones as well as speakers. But while the ethos remains the same, every aspect of the 7000A’s circuitry, both digital and analogue, has been enhanced to deliver updated facilities and upgraded performance.

Versatile connectivity

The 7000A incorporates state-of-the-art digital-to-analogue signal conversion, enabling digital sources to connect directly without an external DAC. Like the 6000A, there are four S/PDIF inputs – two coaxial and two optical – but the 7000A adds a USB Type B input for PCs, Macs, smartphones, tablets and digital storage devices. It also includes an HDMI ARC input for convenient AV system integration – the 7000A is the only Audiolab amplifier to include this facility. Bluetooth reception is included too, with support for multiple codecs including aptX HD, and Bluetooth 5 compliance for optimum range and speed.

For analogue sources there are three line-level RCA inputs, plus one for a turntable. Audiolab has tweaked the 7000A’s MM phono stage to improve performance compared to the 6000A, with precise RIAA equalisation and input filtering to ensure vinyl is treated with as much care as digital sources.

Digital circuitry

Ever since the much-admired M-DAC launched more than a decade ago, Audiolab has been famed for the performance of its DAC circuitry. The M-DAC was one of the first consumer audio products in the world to incorporate ESS Technology’s groundbreaking Sabre32 Reference DAC chips, sharing its use of the ES9018 chip family with other renowned Audiolab components including the 6000A. For the 7000A, Audiolab has switched up to a new-generation 32-bit Sabre chip – the ES9038Q2M. This is accompanied by proprietary circuitry to make the most of ESS Technology’s HyperStream II architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator for ultra-low noise and high dynamic range.

No company knows more about making the most of Sabre DAC technology than Audiolab, having worked with it for years through several product generations. Although always technically excellent, these DAC chips are also challenging to implement to maximum effect and must be integrated into a product’s circuit design with care to extract their full sonic potential. The post-DAC active filter is a critical element; Audiolab developed a new Class A circuit for its flagship 9000A integrated amp that’s perfectly tailored to make the most of the ES9038 chip family and this same circuit is used in the 7000A.