The core of the Audiolab 6000A MKII remains the same – a class AB amplifier with a powerful toroidal transformer – but the developers have used different DAC chips and added an HDMI port for connecting to a TV.
The AudioLab 6000A MKII integrated amplifier has many of the advantages of the older model in the 8000 series, but is offered at a more affordable price. The amplifier has a nice design and a logically organized front panel, in the center of which is a display. It shows the selected input, as well as the set volume level. The AudioLab 6000A MKII is controlled using three knobs, and the power button is traditionally located on the right.
The AudioLab 6000A MKII is equipped with a good set of inputs. There are jacks for a MM pickup of a vinyl player, three line inputs, as well as two optical and two coaxial inputs. Switching of analog sources is performed on a relay to reduce the length of signal transmission chains. The volume control in the amplifier is analog, operating in 2 or 1 dB increments (depending on the position of the handle) in the range from – 80 dB to + 8 dB. It is worth noting separately the presence of a direct input of the power amplifier and an output from the preamplifier. This will expand the capabilities of the system (for example, by connecting another power amplifier) or use the AudioLab 6000A MKII as part of a multi-channel home theater system. For connecting mobile devices, the model has Bluetooth with support for the aptX codec.
The amplifier output stages operate in class A/B and are made on separate boards for each channel using discrete components. The device develops 50 W per channel with a load resistance of 8 Ohms and this power is enough to fully drive not only any bookshelf acoustics, but also many models of floor-standing speakers. The output stages are built using CFB circuitry (complementary feedback), which ensures thermal stability and linearity of performance characteristics. The amplifier’s power supply is based on a 200-watt toroidal transformer, which allows the AudioLab 6000A to deliver a peak current of up to 9 Amperes to the load.
Thanks to the HDMI ARC input, the Audiolab 6000A MKII amplifier can be easily integrated into various AV systems, and support for Bluetooth 5.1 with the aptX HD codec guarantees excellent transmission of music from mobile devices. The switching arsenal of the new product also includes four digital coaxial and four analog inputs.
The digital-to-analog conversion in the Audiolab 6000A MKII amplifier is based on the ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M DAC chip from ESS Technology, which allows decoding digital streams in PCM format with parameters up to 32 bit/768 kHz. In addition, the Audiolab 6000A MKII uses the HyperStream II architecture to minimize conversion errors and signal loss. The time domain jitter elimination function improves sound clarity.
Specifications of the Audiolab 6000A MKII
Output impedance – 120 Ohm
Output power – 2 x 50 W at 8 Ohm
Frequency response – 20 – 20,000 Hz | THD – 0.0004%
Signal-to-noise ratio – 110 dB
Inputs – analog RCA (5), digital optical (2), digital coaxial (2) HDMI ARC
Outputs – analog RCA (pre-amplifier)
Dimensions, mm – 445x 65 x 300
Weight, kg – 7.8.
