Audiolab 8000A recap and mod

[ginetto61]

One thing I forgot to say using the Audiolab with some Fostex full range speaker designs (back loaded horns) I played with I was unsure about the sound (it never quite sounded right, so I went with SET valve amps for these sort of speakers), but on more normal speakers no problem.

Thanks a lot again for the very helpful advice.
I listened to it with a pair of Tannoy speakers that are not a difficult load.
But the sound never took off ... i mean, never left the speakers to come from the space like good amps do. Even increasing the volume did not increase the impact enough. Like with the breaks on ...
The all circuit looks very very complex ... maybe even too much ?
i prefer more minimalist design ... much more. and they usually also sound pretty good.

Currently using the 8000A to drive the woofers in an active OB design (4X eminence 15")

in my humble experience the difficult part is the midrange. Many ss power amps with a very good bas have a poor midrange ... flat, hard ... non involving at all. The midrange instead is the strong point of tubes.
The fact that many people prefer tubes speaks highly about the importance of the midrange.

There is a slight mod to use the separate sections, I did it many years ago so it was more versatile. Have a look where the pre and power connectors are; there is a link that needs removing and a cap adding, I cant remember the exact details but it should be on the internet.

i had this feeling ... thanks for the confirmation ...
i am selling it ... with regrets because i love Sanken multi-emitter above any other part aroung. For me they are a huge technical achievement.
I am sure one day my power amp will have a pair of them per channel ...
They are just wonderful piece of electronics ... all the advantages of paralleled transistors without the drawbacks.

Thanks a lot again, gino

 

[marce]

If I had the spare money I would buy it myself, but currently skint

 

[sreten]

Hi,

The preamp section of the 8000A is good, great if your
into phono and moving coils as the MC and phono
stages are excellent.

The rear has pre-out and amp-in sockets, that are
internally linked by a couple of jumpers, so the
pre-out can drive another amplifier, e.g. a sub.

The power amplifier is generally fine and rather
good but the bias needs to be set correctly.

rgds, sreten.

 

[ginetto61]

Hi, The preamp section of the 8000A is good, great if your into phono and moving coils as the MC and phono stages are excellent

Hi and thanks for the kind and helpful advice. I am only digital these days.
Analog needs dedication, much more than digital.
But digital is very tricky and difficult to make sound good.

The rear has pre-out and amp-in sockets, that are internally linked by a couple of jumpers, so the pre-out can drive another amplifier, e.g. a sub.
The power amplifier is generally fine and rather good but the bias needs to be set correctly.
rgds, sreten.

yes i read about the bias but i did not understand much.
And it could be that the bias of the unit is not right and the sound suffers.
It looks to me as an amp for expert who are able to set it up properly.
Thanks again, gino

 

[east electronics]

Tricky thing about the 8000 is that bias procedure works OK when room temperature is about 22 degrees If you are setting in country that has room temperature of 28 for example then the amp doesn't work properly any more ...

 

[ginetto61]

Tricky thing about the 8000 is that bias procedure works OK when room temperature is about 22 degrees
If you are setting in country that has room temperature of 28 for example then the amp doesn't work properly any more ...

Hi and thanks a lot for the very helpful advice.
I trust you words completely and this is the very first time i read something similar ... weird.
As i cannot afford a thermally controlled room better to sell it.
Thanks again, gino