Listening
Contents
It soon becomes clear that you get a lot. I may say beyond expectation a lot. Years you spend refining the streaming setup to get the best possible sound quality. Then you think it becomes quite difficult to get to similar levels within the same system. The Audiolab 6000CDT proves otherwise.
“It’s the love, the love of music.”
Many hours were spent listening to CDs of all kinds of music. A number of CDs were ripped in AIFF format, put on a Synology NAS and played over the network via AssetUPnP on the streamer. This allows a good comparison with the Audiolab 6000CDT, as the same music source was used.
The difference in sound between playback through the Audiolab and streaming is always the same, regardless of the music genre.
In both ways, the sound quality is at an equivalent level. The soundstage via the Audiolab is slightly more compact, but mostly more 3-dimensional than via streaming. Via streaming, more detail can be heard in the sound, via the CD player it is a bit warmer in sound and the soundstage has a bit more coherence.
Bass is a bit rounder through the CD player and gets a playful character, as if the bassist is suddenly playing in a sunnier mood. After hours of listening, the conclusion is the same every time: it’s as if the Audiolab adds a touch of good humor to the music and makes the bassist hop. Via streaming, bass sounds are tighter and drier, run a little further, but are also presented flatter.
The treble is typical of CD sound, clear but a bit more glassy in character. Like the February sun shining through the windows against a bright blue sky. With streaming, those high notes gain a bit more structure and depth in the sound.
The reproduction of music with the Audiolab is more cheerful and playful in character, without compromising the quality. You hear considerably more in the same recording via streaming, but some is also lost. It’s just a little less seductive and cheerful. The Audiolab clearly has a love for music.
Looking for the limits
How much quality can be extracted from the Audiolab? In Haarlem, the 6000CDT is connected to the Sonnet Pasithea DAC and there, too, it sounds excellent. The same characteristics in bass and treble can be heard, but it is also clear that the Pasithea is a high-quality DAC. The sound is much more refined, with more detail. The Audiolab does not budge and still seems to be in its comfort zone.
Then, between the CD transport and the Pasithea, the Mutec recklocker is put in place and the sound takes a big step forward. The soundstage widens and especially in the treble the sound opens up and the trace of glassiness disappears. The music is given more breathing room. There’s not a moment when you get the feeling that it’s teetering or out of balance somewhere.
Conclusion
Audiolab has launched a particularly good and affordable CD transport. If you still have a large collection of CDs, perhaps stored in a cardboard box in the attic somewhere, then the 6000CDT is the machine that can bring back the pleasure of playing silver discs.
If you still have a large collection of CDs, perhaps stored in a cardboard box in the attic somewhere, then the 6000CDT is the machine that can bring back the pleasure of playing silver discs.
Should you be looking for a new CD player, also consider looking at a transport and using the DAC you may already have, for example in your amplifier. A CD player costing the same as this Audiolab won't be able to come close to the sound quality that the 6000CDT can deliver.