audiolab 8000p

Hi all
i am a new member and am looking for some advice please.
i am a bit out of touch with the hi fi game after kids using up my funds,but am looking into adding a audiolab 8000p power amp to my audiolab 8000a.
currently have Linn axis/akito/k9 turntable,audiolab 8000a amp,tannoy dc2000 speakers,marantz cd50se cd player,speakers are bi wired.
the system stills gives a pleasant sound although maybe a little dated but i have always wondered what difference adding the audiolab 8000p amp would make to my system,would it just be louder?
i always felt the system lacked bass would it improve adding the power amp?
how much should i expect to pay for the 8000p i have seen them go on ebay for a fair amount of cash.
any help much appreciated please
mark.

 

I'd look to your cartridge if that is your main source. Something like an Ortofon MC15 would seriously liven up your vinyl. Or you could try one of the new wonder dacs at about £100 to liven up your CD, the MDAC or similair. Probably would improve your sound more than bi-amping

 

I've not owned a 8000a but I have demoed one and, to me, the sound was very similar to a 8000c and 8000p combo I had at the time, which to me was lean, cold and bass light. Clinical but uninvolving.

I think if you added a 8000p you'd just have more of what you've already got but with a bit more control and volume potential. IMO, the thing that's holding the sound back is the preamp section of the 8000a.

My advice, for what it's worth, is to get rid of the Audiolab altogether and buy a better amp. There are plenty of more engaging amps out there, integrated or pre/powers.

 

do remember that the 8000a is the bottom of the range, and I would agree that the pre-amp was likely to be a limiting factor.

(I have the 8000S which is quite a step up.)

 

Hi

I have owned a 8000P and I would say it had huge bass, I think about £400 tops for a late E onwards, if you don't need h-phones then a Audio Analogue Puccini SE would make worthwhile change you can pick them up for a couple of hundred and you would get a fair bit of that for you 8000A.

Stuart

 

Maddog2 is pretty much on the money I reckon.

I had an 8000A for a while, and replaced it with an 8000C/8000P combo, and as suggested the pre-amps sounded basically the same. What does adding an 8000P to an A do? Well you get just slightly deeper bass, and it is tighter, but for me the main improvement was in terms of the top end getting less strained when pushed and the soundstage not getting so confused when things get 'busy'. The 8000A or 8000C are though pretty poor pre-amps in my opinion, being overly bright/thin, although if the presentation fits with your current setup muttley, then by all means hang onto it. What would you like to change about the sound of your current system?

For info. I upgraded from an 8000C to an 8000Q, which is much better, but then changed this for a Densen Beat 200 which I'm much happier with. I'm still using the 8000P but there are far more entertaining power amps out there and when funds allow I will look to change this.

 

thanks all it seems that it is the amplifier that is the problem and although i am happy with the system i have always thought it lacked bass.
has anyone any ideas on any better amps for that may suit my system?
long shot i know,nothing too expensive!
cheers

 

how expensive is too expensive?

given that you were thinking of an 8000p then £350-400 would be a reasonable figyre, plus you should be able to get £100-150 for the 8000a (more?) so with a budget of 450-550 you could definitely get a decent s/hand or exdem amp.

Somewhere was doing NAD S300 amps for not much more which would be a great buy. Can't remember where though. Or a Sugden A21...

Or you could go pre/power. There's a Densen DM20 on Ebay at the moment http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3280&item=5754830546&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

partner that with a cheapish power amp by say Rotel or NAD and you could have a decent sound.

 

adding an 8000P to an A will help the bass to some degree.. you do get better punch, depth and control but also helps the 8000A to breathe a little more life into the treble. Is a good upgrade if you can get an 8000P on the cheap (say £300 ish) othwerise in my opinion your better off replacing the 8000A with an 8000S

The 8000S has far better bass.. better control and bit more power on tap. And adding a late 8000P to that produces a lovely combination.

 

thanks for coming to the rescue. I have never regretted being pointed to the 8000S; its a good integrated and an even better poweramp. I know it can be bettered by poweramps with more watts but not easily for vfm.

 

Try one of these if you want a new amp. I just bought the MC34-A and it's fab.
If you want to spend a bit less I've got a Naim 62/140 for sale . You might find you enjoy the presentation of something like that. The 140 was a very expensive amp in it's day £850 in when they stopped making it a few years ago. Something like that would be a significant step up. You'd get more bass, and a whole lot of boogie. I never really liked the 8000 when I heard it. You'd be amazed at the difference a really good amp could make.
If it's a significant improvement to vinyl you want to make, you should really have a good look at your cartridge though. I had to live with a K9 for a while and it really didn't suit. I found it very coloured. A goldring 1006 might be a good bet.

 

ditton the 8000S was seriously ahead of the game on both functionality and sound quality esspecially given the competition of the time.

Ive always wanted to actually own one.. for no other reason than just having one so if you ever decide to sell up.. let me know ;-)

 

well if I do find a replacement I'll keep you in mind. better still, lets have a home demo swap of the 8000S and a pair of your 8000Ms!

btw, there is one on hififorsale for 325 ukp

 

hehe u can prise my monoblocks away frmo my cold dead hands ;-)

and unfortunately i dont think the 8000S would enjoy driving my lowish sensitivity epos's.

£325.... i still think thats a bit much money. Originally the 8000S was a £600 amp.. and towards the end of its life they saw fit to raise that to £700.... but for something thats now going on 8 years old... i wouldnt pay more than £300

 

I have owned a 8000p, It paired with montior audio studio 10's perfectly (though with no bass) but with harder to drive speakers it was a waste. Using it with Willison Benech ACTII speakers it sounded awful. I improved the sound by swopping it with a Rotel rb-960 (£150 amp).

Do not make ANY descision until you have heard it first hand.

If you were looking for advice there is a Rotel RB-991 on eBay at the moment in your price range. Imho It beat the 8000p in EVERY aspect (apart from the effect on my electric bill) Rotel may be classified as a lower make than Audiolab, but, we are comparing Rotels flagship to Audiolabs entry level. It is no contest (which was what i expect when i did a sound test between them...I just did not expect the rotel to win!

Peter

 

i have to agree that the 8000P isnt quite as happy driving into anything as the monoblocks are. And as soon as you introduce an 8000P to a tricky impedance dip yoru likely to lose out on a little bass :-S

 

I had an 8000a and later added a p and bi-amped using it and the a's output. It improved things but not in a grand way. With the 8000a's classic status it still comands reasonable prices (can't understand it with that shreiking top end and cold sound) I would get shut and add what you get to your 8000p funds. One of the £250 Cambridge Audio AZUR 640A would be a big step up from the audiolab or better still get something half price on the clasified section of here or hifi choice forum.

 

Presumably the 8000a is a classic because it's more or less [Quad excepted] the last hifi amp you can have with tone controls - the 1 thing that a generation of audio fans have been forced to do without.

 

Interestingly, the Rotel 1062 integrated, star of null test, has tone controls of a sort.

 

arcam, sony, copland, denon, mcintosh, DNM etc still all have tone controls on most of their kit.

I think in some super high end stuff tone controls have become desireable again.