I'm new to hifi. I'm still learning and I enjoy spending hours upon hours learning and listening to hi-end stuff at various audio stores in the area. I purchased this integrated amplifier on Ebay a little over a year ago on a whim and I couldn't be happier. I'd previously never heard of Audiolab but I loved the simplistic style and straightforward approach the designers took so I took a chance. This amp has been rock-solid, reliable, smooth, with tight and deep bass with fantastic highs. The mids fall short of what you'll find on tube gear but then again on most tube gear i've auditioned i've been less than impressed with their bass so it's definately a trade-off. In the future I'll go with ss mono blocks with a tube pre but for a bedroom setup this little amp shines and worth every penny. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Open and revealing High degree of electronic protection Bass slam and speed

Ruthlesly revealing; needs good source and cables Needs better power cable

I purchased this as an upgrade to a Creek 4330R, and wow what an improvement: Clarity, immediately openned up the "picture", bass had slam and speed. Lovely and revealing. Treble smooth, not at all grainy. Needs careful system matching as highly revealing. Responds well to a high quality power cable. Great as a pre-amp too. Mine has proper binding posts that take bananas just fine! Quote from Artech Electronis: "The 8000LX protects 3 ways. If there is a short across the output, DC at the output (clipping or a shorted output transistor), or too much current drawn (as in too low a load impedance) the unit will remove the output and try 8 seconds later to reintroduce the power to the load. If there is an actual fault within the 8000LX, the unit will not reintroduce the power to the load. So your speakers will not be subject to DC from the 8000LX."

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Creek 4330R Pioneer A400 Aragon 2004 MKII

Build quality, no remote control, no useless features; linearity, neutrality, drive, bass control.

None.

I use it with Michael Green Designs Revolution 80i speakers, CEC 5100z CD player, Cardas Quadlink5 cables throughout. Outstanding for the money, analytical but not sterile sound, good enough for almost any kind of music (except big orchestras, organ, heavy metal due to lack of ultimate bass - 60 watts is 60 watts). Very sensitive to changes in equipment and cables.

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None.

Build, drive, bass.It tears through music at a cracking pace.

Binding Posts not one of my fav's. Also, its a touch wider than similar amps so wouldn't fit on my rack.

A great little amp here. I run it with a Myrad MC100 CD player (which cost twice the amp), and it more than holds it own. The speakers are Mission 703, which are biwired with VDH Cleartrack. Interconnects are Audioquest ruby, and Power is from Kimber Kable. It's all fed through a Gemini filter (not the best around though!).
I use this system mainly for electronic music, the amp really lets the bass through, and admitidly adds more of a touch of its own character. This isn't a bad thing though-if you like the audiolab sound, you'll be in heaven.
I auditioned a replacemt for it, and am looking at Naim, or possibly a Linn Kolector/ LK85 combo, as these have similar qualities.

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Exposure Amp

Solid build,Does its job very well. Good looks.

Speaker connections

I may have bought the last one made by Audiolab now Tag Mclaren. I got it at a very good price considering the Tag Mclaren price for the same amp is now three times as much here. I have recently read Power Amplifier Design by Douglas Self and this amplifier bears a strong resemblence to circuits I see in the book and the circuits on the technical page at Tag Mclaren. This amplifier is a state of the art design and I am very pleased with it. It does its job wonderfully well. With the volume comtrol turned down I am unable to detect any ambient noise from my speakers, not so with my Perreaux amp connected. 60 watts is more than enough to drive my speakers and the sound just jumps out at you. The music has a tight bass, sweet top end and really moves along. My CD collection has certainly grown since I bought it. I nearly bought an Arcam but the difference in looks and finish is like chalk and cheese. I do not like the plastic Arcam looks. The Audiolab is all metal case, a silky volume control and the mute and power up LED is situated just right. It has a chunky solid feel about it.
My only quibble is the speaker connections, I wish I could get a banana plug in there as I bi wire my speakers. I am not to keen on the piggy back plugs supplied.
I am now looking for an 8000S amp to partner it.

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Perreaux E110 power amp
Perreaux EP3 Pre amp

I had to take back a Audiolab 8000A to the shop because it had trapped my headphone jack, and ended up with this new model instead.
To me its sounds even better than the A, it has bags of power (60w) and the soundstaging is shimmeringly good, but it still has plenty of bass when required (unlike the Marantz PM66 Ki sig). Clinical it may be, and it dont expect miracles from poor recordings, but this is part of the THRILL. If you want lush, soft background music then save your cash and buy a mini system.

It also looks classy, and is very upradeable. Watch out for the fiddly speaker connectors though, the supplied British type are a real pain to fit thik wires to.

Since TAG/ McLaren bought audiolab, many dealers have been closing out old stock. I was able to pick up an 8000LX for about US$500, about the same as a Creek 4330. ( I really wanted the Creek 4330, but since Stereophile blessed it, there are apparently none availble anywhere, at any price).
THIS AMP NEEDS SOME BURN IN TIME BEFORE YOU LISTEN TO IT! THe amp sounded absolutely terrible for the first hour or so, to the point where I was about to call my dealer to arrange for an exchange. But, I left it on and went out to dinner instead and when I returned I was greeted with startlingly good sound. Clear, not a hint of grain, with *tight* bass and real extension in the highs. This unit replaced my old Fisher 500B Tube reciever. Different, indeed, the audiolab is certainly more clinical in its presentation and has none of the bloom and warmth the old Fisher had, but is simply superb at presenting a soundstage (and is not likely to require $300 tube replacement jobs, catch the woodwork on fire, or ultimately blow up like the Fisher did).

A few little quibbles: one of the metal inserts that is glued in place between the faceplate and the cover came loose during shipping and was rattling around in the box, and the speaker binding posts are kinda fidgety, but overall, this unit is a very solid achiever, especially at the price.

BUY IT AND BE HAPPY.

The 8000LX is superb, it has wonderful soundstaging and imaging, with a tremendous bass drive, truly addictive!. It is not warm and furry in the way of an Arcam, it is indeed very analytical,but this is intended as a compliment, I can't understand why people seem to find over amps that are too accurate undesirable - don't they like the music they bought!? With my Marantz cd63 KI and Kef35s its imaging is almost "touchable" If you like sharp reproduction with a truly addictive quality, then this is the amp, although it is very sad that you can't get it any more - it died before its time!

I bought Audiolab 8000LX via audioadvisor at $499 (Now they put $399 tag). Many reports on Audiolab integrated amps said that they are a bit analytical. I agree it. My 8000LX sounded nice but sometimes a little bit boring, too. One day I replaced AC power cable with a moderate quality one. Result was impressive...sound character and quality was dramatically changed. It suddenly became a allround player.I just recommend who wants to buy a Audiolab 8000LX to spend $100 or more for buying good quality AC cable. I bet you will be amazed by the sound quality of this underpriced guy.

I can put 5 stars just for its sound quality at this price.

Good bass and transparency. Fast, clean sound, great with electronic music and rock.

Could be warmer

Since I bought this amp I have replaced everything in my system. I now use it with a Rotel 991 cd player and B&W speakers with Van Den Hul, Cable Talk cables. This amp really shows the improvements from upgrading kit beacuse it is so revealing. I would advise people to plug it into the mains socket from the wall directly and not through a 4-way adaptor or extension. I had some problems with noise when I recently bought my Rotel, it didn't sound right and I initially disappointed with my Rotel. I did however mention this to my dealer and he said take it out of the 4-way at once as audiolabs don't work well with them. I did and the sound improved through less noise and a more silent backdrops. A big improvement in enjoyment of sound. I went a step further and bought the LAT Mains plug at a relatively expensive £80. There was a big improvement in sparkle and pizazz and the bass became more controlled and lower, not to mention the noise lowered still. A great upgrade.
This is the last thing to upgrade and after buying the LAT I may even stick with audiolab and buy a S/H or ex-demo 8000px to biamp, or if cheap enough, 2 8000mxs to really power along. The B&Ws thrive on power. If not then a move to Musical Fidelity A3 or A300 may do to bring warmth to the sound matching the B&Ws well.
One more thing... I recently bought the Toshiba 2109e DVD player- amazing sound the amp, really sparkles with dvds, great on Matrix soundtrack- great dynamics.
NB- Take the Dynamic Range Control OFF on the Toshiba, it makes a big difference to bass output- GREAT FUN

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Musical X-A1
Marantz KI-Sig amp