AUGUST 2020 T3 11Top 10
DAC HUNT
The 6000A Play incorporates a Sabre
Reference ES9018K2M DAC, which sports a
whole bunch of fancy audio-refining tech, but
Audiolab is well aware that DACs can lend
a certain coldness to sound if not handled
properly. With this in mind, it has incorporated a
post-DAC package incorporating an active filter
and a bunch of op-amps specially selected to
complement that chip.
HEADPHONE HEAVEN
It’s not all about driving speakers; when
you want some quiet time with your
favourite set of cans, there’s a dedicated
current-feedback headphone amp built
in, supporting headphones of any type so
you’re covered even if you’re running high
impedance to the ears. Audiolab seems
very happy with its gain bandwidth and
high slew rate, too.FILTER FEEDING
Not all audio is created equal. On the 6000A
Play, digital inputs, be they directly connected
or received by Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, get their
own user-selectable filters, so you can control
the roll-off or phase depending on what
source you’re running from and the precise
quality of the audio it’s delivering.IMAGE^SOURCE:^ AUDIOLAB