Audiolab 6000A: A Complete Hi-Fi System in One Box

The 6000A is Audiolab's all-in-one integrated amplifier-DAC, built around the same proven Class AB topology and reference-grade digital section that earned the brand's 8000A and 8300A series their reputations. It combines a 50W per channel power amp, a high-resolution DAC, a moving magnet phono stage, and a dedicated headphone amplifier in a single chassis, so a turntable, a streamer, and a pair of speakers are all you need to build a complete system.

Power and Build The 6000A's discrete Class AB output stage delivers 50W per channel into 8 ohms (75W into 4 ohms), using a Complementary Feedback (CFB) topology for linearity and thermal stability. A 200VA toroidal transformer and four 15,000uF reservoir capacitors (60,000uF total) supply current on demand, with a maximum output of 9 amps into difficult loads.

Reference-Grade DAC At the heart of the digital section is the ESS Sabre ES9018 DAC chip, the same converter used in Audiolab's acclaimed M-DAC. It handles four digital inputs (2 coaxial, 2 optical) at resolutions up to 24-bit/192kHz, with ESS's HyperStream architecture and jitter elimination circuitry working to keep timing errors out of the signal.

Three Selectable Digital Filters Fast Roll-off, Slow Roll-off, and Minimum Phase filters let you shape the DAC's character to taste. Fast Roll-off is the standard, sharply cut response; Slow Roll-off uses a gentler slope for a warmer presentation; Minimum Phase mimics the behavior of an analog filter in the digital domain.

Three Operating Modes A front-panel mode switch lets the 6000A run as a full integrated amp, a standalone preamp, or a power amp, with the corresponding inputs and outputs enabled or disabled accordingly. That flexibility means the 6000A can grow with a system, whether that's adding an external power amp later or repurposing it as a dedicated preamp.

Built-In Phono Stage A JFET-based moving magnet phono stage with RIAA equalization is built in, so a turntable can connect directly without an outboard phono preamp.

Dedicated Headphone Amplifier The 6000A includes a separate headphone amp section with current-feedback circuitry and a low 2.3-ohm output impedance, keeping it well-matched across a wide range of headphone loads rather than coloring the sound the way many built-in headphone outs do at higher impedance.

Wireless and Connectivity Bluetooth with aptX support is built in for wireless streaming, alongside three analog line-level inputs, the phono input, and a 12V trigger input/output for tying the 6000A into a larger automated system.

Clean, Simple Front Panel Three rotary controls handle source selection, mode switching, and volume, paired with a central OLED display. Volume is handled in precise steps (2dB and 1dB increments, finer at lower levels) rather than a basic analog pot.