AudioLab 7000CDT CD Transport

 Unlike some high-performance audio brands, Audiolab has never deserted CD users, as evidenced by the excellent CD-playing components that reside within the entry-level 6000 Series and flagship 9000 Series. These are CD transports, as opposed to CD players, which means they do not contain an integral DAC (Digital-to–Analogue Converter) – instead, they are designed to be connected to an external DAC of the user’s choice. The integrated stereo amps in Audiolab’s range all include their own high-quality DAC circuits, which makes Audiolab’s CD transports their ideal CD-spinning partners.

This spring sees the launch of the third CD transport in Audiolab’s current range. As with the other components that make up the company’s new 7000 Series, the 7000CDT takes the blueprint provided by its highly regarded 6000 Series equivalent and upgrades it in key areas the make a CD transport that sits between the 6000CDT and 9000CDT in Audiolab’s product hierarchy.

Two of the upgrades are obvious when the 7000CDT is examined from the front. First, the centrally positioned, stadium-shaped display is a little larger than that of the 6000CDT, replacing the latter’s monochrome text display with the same colour GUI found throughout the new 7000 Series. Second, the 6000A’s slot-loading mechanism has been replaced by a high-quality tray-loading mechanism, housed in its own electromagnetically shielded enclosure and incorporating a high-precision optical system and low-friction loading tray.

The 7000CDT’s sturdy aluminium casework and 2.8in display echo those of its range mates, the 7000A integrated amp and 7000N Play Wi-Fi/Ethernet streamer. The display shows track information from CDs and USB-connected storage devices, complete with colour graphics, and provides access to functions such auto-standby settings and 12V trigger activation for system control. As with the other 7000 Series components, animations can be turned off and brightness adjusted, and the display can be set to activate only when a function is accessed and switch off after a defined period, as the user prefers.

The Audiolab 7000CDT is the ideal disc-spinning companion for every music lover for whom CD remains crucial part of their musical diet – available from March in a choice of silver or black, at an RRP of £549. The 7000 Series is completed by the 7000A integrated stereo amplifier and 7000N Play network audio streamer, which launch concurrently with the 7000CDT.