Audiolab 8200A
Price: $1,795
The Audiolab 8200A has some rather big
shoes to fill. Its predecessor, the 8000A, was a landmark product, establishing
Audiolab as a brand and, thanks to its excellent build quality and features,
became an amp many aspired to having in their rack in the 1980s.
The 8200A cuts a similar shape, albeit with
a simpler fascia. There are now just four dials – two for choosing the source
for listening and recording, one for choosing the mode you want to use the amp
in and a volume control.
The back panel highlights some key
differences, though – particularly in the absence of the phonon stage that was
a big selling point of the 8000A in its day. Turntable owners will have to fork
out for a standalone unit.
Audiolab
8200A
Elsewhere are three line inputs offering
60W per channel (plus three recording input/output pairs that can be used as
ordinary line inputs too), dual speaker terminals, power amp in and preamp out,
plus a headphone jack.
The 8200A produces a solid sound,
with a rich, hefty bass response and detail-packed treble. It’s clean, crisp
and spacious, too – but it might be a little too matter-of-fact for some
listeners
The ability to split the internal pre and
power sections allows you to use them in almost any configuration you can think
of, giving the 8200A plenty of flexibility when it comes to how you’d like to
use it.
Clean and crisp, but too precise?
Connecting it up to its sister product, the
Award-winning Audiolab 8200CD CD player, you’d expect it to be the perfect
pairing. And it is… well, almost. It produces a solid sound, with a rich, hefty
bass response that reaches well into the lower register notes, a slightly forward
midrange and a well-extended treble that’s packed with detail. It’s what we’d
describe as a clean and crisp presentation, with a wide soundstage and an
analytical reproduction of the track at hand.
However, its precise handling of music can
make it sound a little matter-of-fact – as if it’s taking itself too seriously
and clinging on to a little too much control.
If
you’re looking for analysis and precision above all else, give the 8200A a
serious listen
While the various layers of Kate Bush’s
This Woman’s Work are relayed with admirable precision, Bush’s delicate vocal
can feel somewhat detached from the instruments beneath it, rather than feeling
part of a bigger whole. This can give a rather clinical feeling to proceedings,
leading to timing issues as the 8200A fights to find a balance between
information retrieval and rhythmic integrity.
If you favor clarity and precision, you’ll
get a much more organic sound from the Cyrus 6a, which manages to do the great
things that the 8200A does, with more fluidity and natural warmth.
Audiolab’s previous success in the stereo
amp market is certainly clear in the performance of the 8200A. It’s an
impressive, informative sound – but one that’s ultimately just a little uptight
for our tastes, causing us to dock it a star from the full five.
Audiolab
amp gives you the option to split its internal pre- and power-amp sections at
the twist of a dial
Integrate or separate…
Rather unusually, this Audiolab amp gives
you the option to split its internal pre- and power-amp sections at the twist
of a dial. Use it to upgrade performance with a better outboard preamp or power
amp.
Rating: 4/5
For: Great detail; crisp and clean sound;
wide soundstage
Against: A touch clinical sounding; can
experience timing issues
Verdict: An impressive, informative sound
that is scupper by its own search of perfection
Audiolab 8200A specs
·
Type: Integrated
·
Power: 60W
·
Tuner: No
·
Inputs: Line level x 6
·
Outputs: Preamp, speakers, headphones
·
Phonon stage: No
·
Tape Loops: 3
·
Tone Controls: No
·
Remote Control: Yes
·
Finishes: 2
·
Dimensions (H x W x D): 7.5 x 45 x 34cm
Cyrus 6a
Price: $1,920
When the Cyrus 6a hit the market last year
as a replacement for the company’s excellent 6XP amp, it already felt like a
great buy thanks to a price drop from its predecessor’s price tag to $1,920
But despite the saving, the 6a still packs
a lot into its sturdy trademark half-width aluminum shell. For a start, it
offers the same upgrade path on which Cyrus prides itself, offering dealer-fit
options for pushing your kit’s performance up a notch.
It keeps almost the same audio circuits as
the 6XP too, but has an upgraded power supply which Cyrus says should help it
keep up with rivals of double the 6a’s listed 40W per channel.
Cyrus
6a
Speaking of channels, there are six
analogue inputs, twin speaker outputs, a headphone socket (characteristically
on the rear panel), precuts for adding a separate power amp and a Zone 2 output
for feeding a source in another room.
Moving to the front panel, the 6a is
identical to its predecessor, with the trademark large green LCD screen showing
source and volume levels, a volume dial and the standard buttons for selecting
inputs, swapping zones and muting. Get into the setup menus and you can name
inputs and adjust individual sensitivities.
The 6a manages to use its strict
organizational nature nicely to produce a very precise, well-timed and
ultimately ‘together’ sounding performance, with a reasonable soundstage too
Spacious, detailed and clear Hook the amp
up and the trademark characteristics of a Cyrus amp are immediately apparent.
Songs across a variety of genres are packed with detail, with remarkable
clarity throughout the vocals and midrange, a satisfying bass response, and a
spacious, organized presentation that allows all layers of the song to shine
and be heard.
Take a listen to Kate Bush’s This Woman’s
Work, and the 6a shows off an excellent handling of dynamics, drawing out each
of the pulsing tones that open the track before letting every last detail of
Bush’s haunting vocal lead the track forward.
The
6a also has an MC-Bus connection for hooking the 6a into an existing Cyrus
setup and controlling it with a single remote
Where other amps with such precision can be
in danger of sounding a bit disjointed, the 6a manages to use its strict
organizational nature to produce a very precise, well-timed and ultimately
‘together’ sounding performance, with a reasonably sized soundstage to boot.
That said it won’t compete with the
larger-sounding Pioneer or Arcam amps on test, for example, sounding a little
lightweight in comparison. But its accurate, agile presentation will be a
preference for some, and the upgrade potential is also a draw for those keen to
improve their system over time.
The Cyrus 6a was a 2012 Award winner for
this price category and it’s easy to see why. Offering all the good points of
the 6XP and then some, it’s a highly accomplished amp that offers room to maneuver
in the future. It isn’t the most powerful amp here, but its detail and sonic
purity speak volumes.
The
6a can be sent back to the factory and upgraded to 8-series spec for the cost
of the difference, plus labor
They can rebuild it
Cyrus has long been known for future
proofing its kit with the option to upgrade components. The 6a can be sent back
to the factory and upgraded to 8-series spec for the cost of the difference,
plus labor.
Rating: 5/5
For: Precise; remarkable clarity; detailed,
spacious performance; upgradeable
Against: Lacks the authority of other amps
Verdict: An outstandingly precise and
detailed-sounding amplifier, with upgrade potential in the future if you want
it
Cyrus 6a specs
·
Type: Integrated
·
Power: 40W
·
Tuner: No
·
Inputs: Line level x 6
·
Outputs: Preamp, speakers, headphones
·
Phonon stage: No
·
Tape Loops: No
·
Tone Controls: No
·
Remote Control: Yes
·
Finishes: 2
·
Dimensions (H x W x D): 7 x 22 x 36cm
