Last week I ordered one black Audiolab 9000A and yesterday it arrived. Not a big amp but good greef it is heavy.
I don’t have the means of doing any objective measurements, so you will have to do with my extremely subjective ears.
I have been using a lot of stuff that has been reviewed on ASR, so I can definitely do some comparisons. This might be more useful than just describing my subjective feelings of the sound of this amp.
I normally use a pair of JBL 4412 monitors with a McIntosh MA5300 amp for more critical listening. But for occasional stuff, background music, YouTube etc… I have been using a Boxem Audio Arthur 4215/E2 and Loxjie D40 as preamp and a pair of large JBL Ti10K speakers.
It is this last combination that will serve as my reference. For now.
First thing I did was just using the Audiolab as integrated, with USB from my computer. Because I thought there was something missing, after 20 mins I swapped to using the Loxjie D40 as preamp, connected to the Audiolab Power amp input.
This leaves out the Dac and preamp section of the Audiolab, giving me a better way of hearing any differences in sound over the Purifi from Boxem.
So here comes my extremely subjective idea… First impression was less detail but way more relaxed music. That lack of detail was very temporary as volume was really low. Lower than I am used to play. So slightly up with the volume and there was plenty of musicality. Fun. Great bass. Yes, this amp (at least the power amp) does make me think of a completely transparent amp, somehow as effortless as a McIntosh can play. I have no idea how linear this thing is but with the JBL Ti10k speakers it is like … big fun. Room-filling fun.
I used many different amps with these JBL’s. Not one McIntosh non direct-coupled amp could drive them nicely. The Musical Fidelity M6PRX does the job but there was never fun. The McGowen Stellar 300 was just bright craziness and not musical at all and the best of all was the Boxem Audio that did the job very well with pronounced dynamics and detailed bass. But this Audiolab !? This is just the most musical amp I have heard on these JBL’s. Still very detailed sound but more like just … music. The amp becomes invisible.
These are the first impressions after only a few hours of listening. I will have to come back later on it when I have played around with the amp as integrated. I think the power amp section will be extremely good, but at this time I have my doubts on the DAC and preamp section.
More – and some pics – later. I would love to see an objective test of this amp. But based on the price, even when you use only the power amp section (yes, the VU meter also works in pre-power mode) it looks like a bargain for so much musicality. TBC
