Home Theatre/TV: Audiolab Multichannel Power Amplifier / Home Theatre Processor – Review – 76

The world is full of paradoxes and ironies. Take Dancing With The Stars, for instance, quite possibly the most generous use of the word ‘star’ I have ever seen. A couple of former Shorty St cast members, an old rugby player with a dodgy knee and some guy off the morning telly, not to mention the Regaine-enhanced Tom Jones replica from the ’70s. Let’s face it, there’s no Angelina, Joaquin, Uma, or even our old favourite Sam Neill to brighten up the eerily starless television screen during the evening. Those are real stars mate, not some has-been off a jam commercial or a weather presenter nobody actually watches as they rush off to work in the morning.

What I’m trying to say in my rather roundabout fashion is that some things require true star quality.But in some circumstances, less actually does mean more.

Take home theatre, for example. As two-channel audio has become more and more Spartan and stripped-down in the pursuit of better sound quality, HT technology has raced off in the other direction with THX, HDMI, DTS-HD and a plethora of other acronyms that seemingly force a reinvention of the technology every year or so.

Don’t you wish it would just stop?

Someone at Audiolab obviously felt the same way. The new 8000AP/X7 HT processor and power amplifier form a sophisticated but refreshingly straightforward amp combo. There are just two HDMI inputs and no other video switching (no Component or S-Video inputs, for instance) apart from a composite output for the GUI, which is also refreshingly simple.

There is no onboard high-resolution audio capability 
(True-HD and so on), as Audiolab figured that discerning HT fans would have an upmarket Blu-ray player with built-in decoding.

It makes sense in that respect, but the 8000AP will decode a hi-res soundtrack as multichannel PCM, so those without players that have decoders built in will still be in for a bit of an audio treat.

There are plenty of digital inputs for Sky decoders, CD players and so on, and those with two-channel hi-fi are catered for with four pairs of RCA inputs.

Don’t go looking for microphone calibration though; Audiolab instead expects people to use their own brains and ears to set it up. It’s not hard.

The matching 8000X7 is even simpler. The 7 x 100w power amp doesn’t even have an on/off button, its rugged construction and beefy current output proving that sometimes keeping things straightforward is perhaps the 
key, especially where audio performance and ease of use 
are concerned.

Both products performed beautifully during my listening tests. PCM audio from Blu-ray discs proved a treat with discs such as Rambo (really), I Am Legend and Blade Runner.

A surprisingly musical duo, my Pat Metheny Live Blu-ray disc really came alive as the clean resolving power of the Audiolabs made for excellent viewing and listening.

The 8000AP/X7 also sounded extremely good with my Raysonic CD128 CD player, the onboard HDCD capability providing aural thrills with Beck’s Seachange and Mirrorball by Neil Young.

Audiolab’s no-frills approach with the 8000AP/X7 would appear to be a sound judgement call; in a home entertainment sector where new technology is outdated as soon as it hits the shelves, the company has put its emphasis on the basics: ease of use, robust build and great sound quality. Very impressive.

Gary Pearce

Tech Specs

8000X7 Multichannel
Power Amplifier    $3999
8000AP Home
Theatre Processor    $3499

8000AP Home Theatre Processor
AUDIO DECODING: Up to 8 channels of 24bit/192kHz PCM audio over HDMI
CONNECTIONS: 1 x HDMI out/2 x in, 4 x RCA in, 3 x coaxial digital inputs/4 x optical + 1 optical output

8000X7 Power Amplifier
POWER: 100wpc x 7 into 8 ohms

• RCA inputs

• Bridgeable to 5 or 6 channel operation

• 12v trigger input/output

• Heavyweight speaker binding posts

Also consider

• Cary 11A/B

• Rotel RSP1570/RMB1565 (reviewed in this issue)

PROS

• Concentrates on simplicity and quality – especially sound quality.

CONS

• Stripped of features such as microphone calibration and hi-res audio decoding

VERDICT

• Eschewing the plethora of widgets and features built in to most of the competition is a good move from Audiolab; the 8000AP/X7 combo delivers the goods sonically both as a hi-fi and HT package

CONTACT

www.audiolab.co.nz

This Review is from Tone Issue #76.