AUDIOLAB 6000CDT REVIEW! WHY THIS CD TRANSPORT IS A BUDGET CD PLAYER KILLER
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ย. 2019
- Audiolab 6000CDT Transport Review. Paul Rigby explains why a transport and DAC combo will beat any integrated CD payer under £1,000 (and more...much more)
BLACK
UK - amzn.to/2McmMnS
USA - amzn.to/2BaxVyV
SILVER
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THE VINYL WALL
Wondered what the vinyl is sitting on the shelves behind me? Here's a list in full. I've included links in case you'd like to purchase too. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.Thank you.
Nina Simone - Forbidden Fruit
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iTunes: apple.co/2MGVF4h
Tibet - Tibet
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Julie Rogers - The Sound Of...
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Hydrus - Midnight in Space
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Emmylou Harris - Duets
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iTunes: apple.co/2og9P38
To read the in-depth, structured, 6000CDT review on my site...magazine style! Click on theaudiophileman.com/6000cdt-...
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I ordered one right after watching this clip. Two days later 6000 CDT arrived with wonders. After many years of Tidal and LP, I am back to my CD collection. It was as if I had upgraded the speakers and amplifiers. Unbelievable performance for the price. Thanks for the review!
I did as well!
Outstanding video! Fantastic content. I truly liked that you went into detail comparing various combinations rather than just saying you like the Audiolab unit. Keep on doing videos like this!! A+++ review!
I got one about 9 months ago based on your review. Super happy with it! It's paired with a NAD M33 and I could not be happier with the performance of both units. Great channel, many thanks!!
Hello Paul. This is two years late but I just installed same C6000 on my rig. Had been using a Marantz 6006 as a transport thru my integrated DAC and it sounded good. But after playing a Korn CD I was familiar with I was truly gobsmacked the difference of space and almost holographic experience the playback sounds like. It's as if I placed my tower speakers in a totally different position. Kind of like adding an Atmos to home theater. Your graphic and enthusiastic review now makes sense to me! Thanks for your time. Greg
Have one connected to a 6000A Play, it's outstanding. Like you said, it has made listening to CD exciting again!
I bought mine 2 weeks ago after watching / reading all the reviews, mine is hooked up to a Chord Qutest DAC with the MCRU/LDA Linear psu in top spec, including all the cables that’s a £3K solution, absolutely amazing, I’d echo what Paul states in his review, it’s a no brainer, buy with confidence 😎🎶🎶🎶
Recently, I had to replace a cd player that I used as a transport for 5+years. After reading your extensive review using several dacs, I picked one up with ~ 100 hours. When I got it I was immediately amazed at how good it is in all 3 dimensions. I then ran both the IsoTek and XLO burn in discs for many hours over a couple days, which helped quite a bit. My dac/pre is an Audio Alchemy DDP-1 + PS 5 (outboard power supply). Digital cable is a most realistically priced Pangea Premier XL; 1.5m $169, and my power cord costs more than the CDT, but I already owned it. IMO,the CDT is a great stopping place for many 'budget minded' enthusiasts, and then some. My system is in the $20K range all in. Last night I listened to Sinatra Live at the Sands and wasn't blown away. I haven't played it in a long time, and the sound may be suffering from an oxidized disc treatment that causes a dulling of the music (common in my experience, so I no longer use them, having replaced such tweaks with Machina Dynamica New Dark Matter, a thin mica looking material that is glued onto the cd tray to absorb laser scatter. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Alas, the slot loader sealed drive does not allow using it), BUT, I then played Madeline Eastman 'Point of Departure', and was totally immersed as though transported. Thank you sir for your thorough review! Update: Yes the Sinatra disc cleared up, but it is a touch bright. No fault of the CDT
Thanks was look for a review of Audiolab 6000cdt as i have the Audiolab 6000a love it. Now the next upgrade is 6000 cdt.
Hi I have just purchased this along with the 6000a . Just waiting for the delivery . Think your reviews are excellent, also look forward to viewing your record collection. Will get back to you once I have listened to my new system. Cheers for now.
Bought one a week ago after seeing your review (and a few others). It arrived today and I just hooked it up to my Mytek Brooklyn DAC+. It replaces my 1990 Luxman CD player that I used as a transport. Everything you said was spot on. What a difference a new transport makes! Thank you for your review👍👍
Many thanks Virgil.
I've been in the market for a CD player for about 6 mo, saw your video on the Audiolab CD transport and purchase one that minute and I couldn't be happier.
The first thing I noticed is how smooth it is, 2 was the sound stage, 3 is how transparent it is.
Still new but I'm love it for 500 US it's a bargain for the sound quality
Hi Paul. Thanks for the really nice, informative review. I've been thinking about a 6000CDT for about a year now to connect to my NAD C368 Hybrid DAC Amplifier. My integrated CD player is 20 years old, so I am quite excited to think that bringing some up-to-date CD spinning technology and DAC excellence into my life is going to be a marked improvement.
I'm thinking the same but I still can't chuck out old gear. I take it it was a vast improvement on sound?
I bought one after seeing this review it’s brilliant
I have the 6000CDT. I class it as a piece of my kit that will last a life time. It’s an end stop in terms of CD playback. Currently running with a super flexible Chord MOJO. And sounds amazing. But this is an item that will just get better as my system improves. Great review as always :-)
Thank you for this review. It took only days after watching this to get the Audiolab 6000CDT (my cheapo all-in-one Denon's CD portion had died for the 3rd time) and couple it with their 6000A, a simple pairing for an upgrading-but-still-budget person like me. The 2 components handle everything from Weiss lute solos to Johnny Hartman/Coltrane to baroque orchestras, neo-soul (H.E.R), 90s pop (Everything but the Girl's Amplified Heart) - everything I throw at it (I've been pacing myself and I have yet to play ELO). Details, especially in percussion and bass are offered without pushing. I like especially that I can now hear pitch in toms and which part of the cymbals are hit. Counterpoint is so clear and transparent that softer instruments are not heard in the mix via a bump in volume or eq but rather as movement and answers in the depth and width of the soundstage. Lifechanging enjoyment, as if I've acquired all my CDs again.
Thanks for your insight, Dominic.
An enlightening, and very valuable presentation. Thumbs up. I'm the member who wrote to you on the Audiophile Man web site. Okay, then later this year I may buy the Audiolab 6000CDT, or its competitor; and find out for myself!
Presently I have 3 CD Players as I've explained; on your web site. I'm going to connect the Audiolab 6000CDT to my Sony STR-DH520 AV Receiver; that I only use for hi fi audio playback. Or, connect it to my Topping D10 DAC I bought almost yesterday; then to the Sony AV Receiver 85W per channel, stereo mode.
I said, "or its competitor" because I'm also seriously considering the Cambridge Audio CXC CD Transport Player! That CD Transport is just like the Audiolab 6000CDT Transport; a CD Transport only whereby it is to be connected to a DAC. It would be very intriguing to see, and hear these two semi-affordable CD Transports perform. Actually the Audiolab Transport is more affordable to me, and I'm in Canada; so you hi fi consumers pay a bit less in the UK, by the way.🎼🎵
After watching your video and several others reviewing this I took the dive and bought one. Looking forward to being able to hook it up and listen to it tomorrow!
So how was that day?
A couple of months ago, I replaced a 30 year old Pioneer CD changer with the Audiolab 6000CDT. I made the purchase after reading many reviews that all agreed that the Audiolab is a superior product. I paired it with an inexpensive DAC from Pro-Ject. The rest of my system is a Freya+ preamp, A21 Parasound amp and Martin Logan 60XT towers. The sound is very nice, full and detailed. So happy with this purchase.
One of the most informative videos I've seen. Seems like an external DAC is just as important as an external phono amp. Excited to pick up the transport!
Thanks Tim!
Thanks so much for the recommendation. Bought one and it's incredible. Have it paired up with Topping D50S into KEF X300A's . Heavenly sound
I've since upgraded the DAC to an Audiolab M-DAC. Huge improvement once again. Friend of mine demo'd the 6000CDT and now has it paired up to an Audio Note DAC 5. There is no ceiling to this transport
amazing I found this review and confirmed by reading several other reviews, will source one soon'! Thanks!!! Mario
Brilliant review, congrats! I am getting one right now!!!
Thank you for this superb review. I bought this Transport because of your recommendation. I did not want(!) to spend more money. I like the 6000CDT a lot. It‘s fantastic in my opinion. Maybe in future I will upgrade my DAC and will even more enjoy this Transport. Your online review is great and very helpful too.
Thanks for your recommendation , I can confirm everything you have said & more!!. I bought this transport recently along with the audiolab m dac plus which replaced my Cambridge azur 851c cd player & absolutely blows it out of the water!! . Worth every penny!!.
Great review!! Now i am inspired, i was overwhelmed with the prices of good cd players n transports… not anymore. Do you guys know if i unconditionally need a powered amp with this transport + dac? (Naive Q perhaps..)
Was impressed with the review and took the plunge today.Bought my 6000CDT from Sevenoaks sound and vision in Yeovil.The CDT replaces my ageing Arcam CD82 player that was connected to my Moon 280 D streamer dac.
Well what can I say it’s blown me away with its performance straight out of the box and I can only concur with the review.
I’ve been rekindling my vinyl collection of late and wasn’t using the Arcam much, but I’m so glad that I didn’t get rid of my CD collection !
Everyone has their own personal HiFi journey and sound preferences, I also stream music and have used Spotify ,Tidal and now Qobuz, but they never really hit the spot for me , can’t explain why, hence my rekindled love of vinyl a couple of years back.
Now my CD collection shines and I’m grinning from ear to ear, I can thoroughly recommend this player and it’s been yet another game changer for me especially in a HiFi world of wild claims and snake oil.
Thanks for the great and honest review. You’ve cost me £379 !!
Glad you're enjoying your music :) Thanks for the update.
thanks for this review. I purchased one a week ago and couldn't be happier. I thought initially that I 'd do an A/B comparison to check if it was worth the investment and after 10 seconds of listening to it... there was no need... the difference was so evident. Instrument separation, soundstage and air were all there... and even details and textures I've never heard before... wow...
thanks again... cheers,
Brought my Audiolab 6000 CDT on Friday night. Picked up a new Toslink from DH Labs, as well. Hooked the CDT through Toslink to my Bluesound node2i through another optical cable to my Iotavx SA3 and out to Klipsch 600Ms. Pulled out a DJ box where I filed cd's a few years ago, opened it up and found India Arie "Acoustic Soul." OMG! Clarity. Sound stage. Presence. Forgot to mention the Polk Audio PSW 10. Blown away! I have a larger cd collection from the mid 80's. Now rediscovered as a hidden treasure of music and musical memory.
Wow!
Thanks for the great review. I clicked to listen to your review because I had independently discovered how good the Audiolab 6000CDT was. I have recommended it and helped friends install it in many different systems with either built-in DACs or standalone DACs and it never let me down at all. Mine is hooked up to a RME ADI-2 DAC and sounds fabulous.
Glad to know that. I ordered an Audiolab 6000CDT last week and am waiting for delivery. My DAC is also the fabulous ADI-2 DAC
We get it my man, it's good, interact with the actual transport- show you inserted a disc in and playing with it, that makes a good video as well. Thumbs up on the video. You're one of the few that appreciates this device. Good on you, I love mine in my stack.
I hear you Philip but, as I recently said elsewhere here, unlike many other TH-camrs and despite appearances here, I'm not full time. I find the time to do these videos in between other commitments. It takes time to plan hardware shots, it takes more time to position them, to shoot them and extra editing time too. I'd want to do it properly, you see, not just a quick flash of a box. I hope to have more time in the future so that the videos can be more hardware-centric.
This CDT really does upscale when combined with a better DAC. I started with a Denafrips Ares 2 and now I’m using a Holo Audio Spring 3 and I have to say that it has greatly improved. I’m 🤯
Brought one after watching this video about 5 times. Tried out with internal Dac on Hegel H90, then Chord Mojo, Denafrips AresII, all the way down to Topping MX3 and SMSL SA300. I am completely blown away by the sound sound quality. My system has never sounded this good with CDs. You we right, everyone needs one of these Audiolab transports in their life. Great video. Spot on A+++ Keep you the good work.
How did it go with the Denafripps Byron? I’m thinking of going down that path.
@@kimersitch it was silky smooth. The Ares II is my main daily DAC. Coaxial out seem to sound a bit cleaner, at least to my ears.
@@MrByronbolton Thanks for the info. Appreciated!
Can I bother you to explain how you connected and used the Chord Mojo. I have the Chord Mojo 2 and would like to do the same. I have a Denon 600ne as my integrated?
As a result of this vid, I bought a 6000CDT to add to mid 80’s speakers, late ‘50’s tube amps, 6 yr old Greek DAC, 11 year old passive preamp, 30 yr old TT, 2 yr old phono stage. Also replaced interconnects as well as DAC and Transport power cables. Been playing all for hours each day for the last month and working my way through mostly jazz CDs and some classical and modern classical. The transport and DAC have resulted in the largest sound quality improvement I’ve ever experienced. It’s changed everything about my listening experience. Can’t thank you enough for your advice about this transport and your experiences while climbing up the audio food chain using various DACs. I don’t have enough experience to know where my DAC sits compared to others but now I am satisfied having reached a new plateau.
Just gotta tell ya. I’m not much for writing acknowledgements but, based on your review I bought one of these and am totally blown away. Everything you said about this is absolutely true. Never have my cd’s sounded so good. Thanks much…s
Well that's very nice of you, Steven. Thank you.
Mine came today. Hooked it up and all I can say is I am amazed. I had a good set up before and thought how can it get better on my system. This as brought new life to my CDs. Connected by coaxial to a Chord Qutehd, Pathos logos amp and Wilson Benesch speakers. I would say its more life like, more weight to vocals, soundstage improved and a better control of tonal ranges. I have read that it can scratch cds but you have to make sure its level and it should not happen.
I'm so glad I found your review of this CD transport; didn't realize it's been around for so long! I have a few budget DACs, so I was curious to see if they would work well with something like this. I have a Cambridge Audio 100, Music Hall 15.1, and a Dragonfly Black.............for $500 it's worth a try. Thanks again, I just subscribed to your channel.
The design of this unit is simple and beautiful. Slot loading drive is icing on the cake!
Thanks Paul for the review. I currently have a Cambridge Audio Azur 651C - using it as a transport via an Atlas Element Coax into a Schitt Modi 3+. I'm curious, so have ordered the Audiolab 6000CDT based on your (and other) reviews on a 30 day at home demo basis - so no risk. I'm hoping that I will hear some improvements. I will update you in a few weeks once I have had the chance to compare. Thanks for the great reviews you do.
You won’t be disappointed!
Just bought this because of this review . This is really really good. As if i bought a whole new system. Deeper bass, extended highs, more separation , more space and air. Paired it with Audio Note DAC , running on a 300B monoblocks with Tannoy Turnberry Heritage. Buy this , one of the best buy I have ever did
Well I’ve been thinking of buying a cd transport for sometime now and I had my eye on a couple but I have just ordered this Audiolab. Your review was the catalyst and a conversation with a dealer just cemented the purchase. It’s a “no-brainer “ ! Cds made exciting? Who would have thought ! Don’t tell Michael Fremer !
Thanks for your thoughts Tom and your kind words. I think the 6000CDT solves a basic issue here. That is, we all go on about DACs this and DACs that but if a transport fails in its job and hands extracted data to a DAC which is full of veiling, high-frequency noise then the DAC is compromised before it even starts its work. That's why the music sounds so good, because the DAC is starting its job on a level playing field. Enjoy your purchase!
Thanks for this excellent review. It made me buy one too. Until then, I used a pretty good Sony blu-ray player to listen my CD’s, and since I used this as a transport too, I thought it couldn’t get better. However, it definitely did! Much more punch and clarity to the sound, and some CD’s sound as if they were suddenly remastered. I connected my 6000CDT to a Linn Majik DSM/2 streaming amplifier (the 2015 model).
Did you notice any scratches on youre discs?
At last I have bought 6000CDT to much 6000A. What a difference it makes, sounds so much cleaner, better depth and more detail. Thanks.
Top Review. I'm convinced. Have in mind to buy the Audiolab 8300CDQ CD Player & Pre Amp. Thank You.
Great video! After owning a Sony CDP777ES, a Sony XA9000ES, a Shanling CT-1000 tube CD player and recently a Arcam CDS50 I just bought the Audiolab 6000CDT and I am simply blown away by the airiness, the details, the neutrality of this transport CD. Of course, I matched it with my trusty Chord Qute HD dac and the sound is now at a level I just didn't think was possible with my set-up. The sound stage seems like the musicians are in my room! So clear and lively, not harsch at all, just pure music. The discs I am so used to listen to now sound like a new recording. The best upgrade I've ever done in my system. A real discovery. Thanks to the audiophile man. 👍
Thanks for you kind words and very happy to hear that you're enjoying your music.
What did you not like about the Arcam CDS50?
@@mden2490 I should have waited before writing this review because I ended up returning the Audiolab CD player and got the Arcam back in my system which I still use today. I ended up missing the dynamics of the Arcam which was more like my previous players. You know how it is in audio, it’s hard to do a judgment on a single day or two of listening. Sorry for misleading you, the Arcam is a fine player despite some minor bugs and a relatively cheap construction compared to my previous Sony players.
@@jean-pierrethibaudeau7201 no worries at all! I was looking at the Arcam as well primarily for cd/sacd use. I do not need a streamer as I have a Bluesound node? Would you say that the use of cd/ sacd portion only of the Arcam would still justify getting it? I do like a little warmth to my music( not much)?
@@mden2490 The streaming capabilities of the Arcam cd are pretty much useless. Anyway, I use my Chord Qute HD dac and a Matrix streamer. And yes, the sound of this cd is very good, on par with my previous more expensive players. Warmth? Not much, pretty neutral I would say. But very good.
Hi Paul…just bought one of these recommended by my dealer in Bristol yesterday..and of course by you!…..wanted to connect a CD player by optical to my Naim Muso 2 for the reasons you said that CDs are not dead…dealer was puzzled why I wanted CDs on a Muso but he confirmed a transport was all that was needed as the Muso has a great DAC and this was the best transport under £1000 by a mile. Just set it up..it has blown my mind…just brilliant…Cheers Paul! …..from Bill Fullerton in Coleford.
Try a coax cable. My experience was a jaw dropper using a reasonably priced Pangea Premier XL (1.5m $169 from Audio Advisor)
Greetings. After reading several glowing reviews about this transport, I decided to get it to upgrade a 10 year old CD player. What a smart move. LOVE the sound. I have it connected to a Topping D 90 dac, Anthem AVM 70 and 3 Macintosh Amps with Tekton Encore speakers. I normally stream my music, but CD's definitely sound better then streaming. Highly recommend. Get it before the price goes up. My best. Dan
Hello Paul this is one of your best reviews that I`ve seen you do so far. When I came across your channel I thought he has the same name as the reviewer I read online(,then the penny dropped verrrrrry quickly(DOH)!
It`s "refreshing" that you seem to mostly concentrate on fairly affordable hifi equipment,ALOLNG WITH tarun "A British Audiophile" you two are currently my best reviewers. I`m certain both of you will reach the status & levels of the longtime established hifi reviewers on youtube,PLEASE keep up the good honest reviews they`re insightful & helpfully.
#hifi4ever
Thanks ev!
I bought one of these, partly because of your review. It is astonishing. I have a several £1000 system, and I was using a cheapish Toshiba DVD player as a transport for my MF Tri Vista 21 DAC which feeds into MF a308cr Pre and 2 a308cr Power amps. The sound was pretty good with this setup, but I felt it could be better. So adding the Audiolab transport, OMG, detail city, layers, sharpness, better bass, better treble, everything better. I am hearing things in recordings I know well that I couldn't before. I thought my speakers were the weak link but they shine now. This transport is an astonishing bargain! I have a great DAC and the Audiolab helps it shine brighter. It seems to be getting better as well as it's 'run in'. Thanks for a great review. I have renewed love for my system. Now investigate Tekton speakers, they seem to be real special bargains ;- )
Good stuff - glad you're enjoying your music and thanks for the report.
I think my missing link is similar. This being a marantz CD7300 HDAM. I know everyone's mentioning external DAC'S but I'm planning to pair the 6000CDT with my 6000A amp with its internal DAC
@@TheAudiophileMan Hello Again. Did you ever hear this transport with the 6000A?
Got mine today I,ve connected to my old audiolab 8000 dac British version it sounds great .
The M-DAC plus is a solid and exciting companion!
I’ve got one connected to the Audiolab 6000A integrated amp that powers my Wharfedale Lintons. Fab combo. Crystal clear.
@MrOap personally, I love them. These are my first pair of hi-fi speakers so I don’t have much to compare to. But I can tell you how I feel when I listen to them. The mids are perfectly clear. Very realistic and detailed. The highs are pleasant but sometimes I feel like I need to tweak the treble just a touch. The bass is also clear and excellent quality but not enough quality, for me at least. I’m quite the bass head since I’m a bassist. Plus, my room isn’t even close to ideal so I’ve recently added a wharfedale 10 inch subwoofer that has made things even more amazing.
The sound stage is quite good with clear separation of the instruments. The only thing I’m not sure would sound that good on these speakers is modern heavy metal or something really extreme. But everything else I’ve listened to sounds amazing.
I hope that helps.
I've had this Transport for about 3hrs. now & am enjoying it tremendously (& I haven't even started "Optimizing" my setup yet). I have it connected to an iFI iTube2 Tube Buffer/Preamp to my Metrum Acoustics Hex DAC > PSE Studio IV Amplifier > Magnepan MG2.7QR Loudspeakers. I'm listening to some Kabalevsky being conducted by Darrel Ang w/the Malmo Symphony Orchestra / Malmo Live,Sweden that is well recorded. I have an older Musical Fidelity DAC that I may switch into the System at some point as the sound of the Burr Brown DAC chip it uses could be interesting
Engaging review - to the point and inciteful. Subbed straight away. I've just replaced my 23 year old Arcam Alpha 7 CD player with an Audiolab 6000CDT. Both running through a Meridian Director DAC. Noticeable improvement of detail, especially low down. The Beatles sound even more Liverpudlian ! I am now eyeing their M-DAC. CD is more alive in my house than ever. So cheap for 2nd hand. I get 2 or 3 a week and am constantly delighted with new music that I physically own. CD will live forever here. I get a better sound through a transport, DAC and QED Digital cable than through a Macbook Air, Audivarna, Audioquest Jitterbug and QED USB cable with the same DAC. The 6000CDT has a RAM buffer so I have manged to get discs to play that would skip previously. This is definitely my CD transport for 'rest of life'. Recommended highly.
Thanks for your thoughts, Bongo Fury. Appreciate you taking the time to write.
Hi, Just want to ask you. Does a CD transporter play scratch or damaged CD's. I realy want to go for a CD transporter & a DAC but bit reluctant because I have lot of old CDs. Thyanks
@@pubudu666 Hi, the Audiolab does a good job of dealing with scratched CDs as it has a RAM buffer that tries to repeat sample any area of disc it struggles to read. I have not had a CD that won't play but no guarantees.
@@bongofury3176 thank you so much for the information.
I don’t think you can beat the original source data. I love buying CDs at charity shops, getting as many as I can before fools chuck them in the bin. I have about 3,800 btw.
Good job here on the CDT. The crowd at ASR would need a therapy dog if they watched this. They say we cannot possibly hear the difference between digital gear like DACs and certainly not transports. When asked what sound qualities led to the selection their DACs they had a meltdown.
ASR is a joke. The guy wants to build his youtube channel, and he does so by telling people what they want to hear. "Don't buy a thousand dollar CD player, the hundred dollar unit is better. Don't buy expensive cables because the cheaper ones are better., etc.." Of course people are going to love that.
They hate me over there because I called them out for not doing any science whatsoever. At first they were all laughing at my claim. But then I did something they didn't expect. I proved it in such a way they had no answer. So now, instead of laughing at my posts, they pull them. If you want, let me know and I'll tell you exactly how to do it.
The price for this transport at the end of 2021 has risen to $700 US. I've been wanting to buy it for a year but the price increases put it outside of my budget. I was just surfing Cyber Monday deals at Target and they surprisingly had this transport in among the cheap bluetooth systems. I just ordered it for $475 US and I can't wait for it to arrive. Please be gentle, UPS. Thank you so much for this review. I'll be starting out with the DAC that's built into my Vincent integrated amp.
Audio Advisor recently dropped the price to $599
This specialist tool was proving it's worth strait a way. Indeed, it does!
I have been looking for a dedicated Transport and have had three somewhat affordable contenders on my list, Cambridge Audio CXC CD Transport, Audiolab 6000CDT and Pro-Ject CD Box DS2 T. A used Pro-Ject CD Box DS2 T just slipped through my fingers this week as I had it in my cart ready to buy but was at work and got busy for five minutes, when I came back to finish the purchase it was gone. Watching your video has given me enough encouragement to decide on the Audiolab as I am going to pair it with my Benchmark DAC3 and you seemed to like that combination. I will update once I have auditioned it, I am looking forward for a rewarding listening experience. Thanks for the video!
...how did it work out for you?
@@Baron_Blue_Max Very well indeed. I can't make any comparisons since I haven't tried any other transports but it was good enough that I didn't look any further. It may be slightly overrated IMO but it is a good unit. The remote control feels like a toy, it does the job but certainly the worst feeling remote I've had. Not a deal breaker for me though.
@@Baron_Blue_Max By the way this is Tools & I, I just noticed I am logged in under my other channel.
@@BPTVch thank you for your quick reply and honest opinion. I'm picking up one of these up tomorrow on the used market minus the remote so now I'm not as disappointed that it doesn't come with one. Glad to hear it worked out for you.
I own this transport along with the Audiolab 6000a Play and what a wonderful combination this is
After watching your review, plus reading many reviews and forum posts about the Audiolab transport, I wanted to give it a try to see if it could make any improvements to my 7k+ system. I'm very glad I did because the difference in sound quality with this transport feeding my DAC I find to be astounding. I am hearing details that I haven't heard before on well known and loved recordings. The soundstage and timing is vastly improved being a lot more precise and 3 dimensional. But its the way I can now hear all the layers that were originally recorded, the texture within notes and subtle touch of the musician, allowing me inside the recording that is really blowing me away. This is giving me a lot more of the emotional context of the music leaving me captivated until the end of an album and totally lost in the music. Straight out of the box it sounded good, but further improved over a few days with the sound really opening up. There are some who feel that a transport is just a transport and as long as all those 1's and 0's are being delivered that there can't be any difference in sound quality. I feel this transport blows that argument out of the water.
Excellent Pies! Glad you're liking it!
Really pleasing to hear the significant improvement this transporter has made to your listening experience, if you don’t mind me asking, what CD player we’re you using previously? And which DAC do you have? Sometimes the synergy between equipment makes a big difference, sounds like that is what you experienced or perhaps your old CD player had too many miles on the clock?
@@shahidyt Hi I used many different CDPs into my dac over the years, mostly mid ranged players from Nad, Yamaha, Rega, Cyrus and I find the Audiolab to be an improvement over these, prior to the Audiolab I was mainly using a Squeezebox Touch streaming CD's which had been downloaded bit for bit using DBpoweramp and I sill found the Audiolab to be an improvement. I feel that the audiolab is extracting all the information accurately and transferring that information accurately to my dac. Now I know that rest should also being doing this but I think they don't, maybe something more expensive would also do the same accurate job as the audiolab so then giving no differences but for the money of the audiolab I think I'm getting highend quality at a budget price. My dac is a bel canto Dac3vb
Whats your DAC Sir?
Hi bought this on the basis of your review, let my CD collection gather dust for ten years gave into the convenience of the computer, recently bought the rme ad2 pre/dac a brilliant bit of kit especially used with 12v battery, this unit highlighted the awful USB from Microsoft, it was much better the mac when they had optical out, they don't anymore, so bought the audiolab, I had forgotten how good CD can be, your review was insightful and genuine, thankyou subbed
Thanks Free and thanks too for the sub!
USB from a PC/MAC isn’t great. Firstly it is noisy, I’m sure you understand noise since you are using a battery with your Pre-amp/DAC. Secondly the clock on computers isn’t optimised for audio, many audiophiles would use a streamer or re-clocking device to improve the quality, which reduces jitter. The 6000CDT is a buffer build in to the transport that reads the CD in advance and then sends the signal to the DAC, this reduces the stress on the clock, so less jitter. Hence better sound quality. I have a Philips Fidelio Bluray player that was designed with quality components to reduce noise and provide clean audio and vision, I’m wondering if replacing it would make a difference. I’d like to do anA/B comparison in my system
Unbelievable! Thought I'd heard everything there is to hear on a Rush Album. Not till I got this.
May I ask which one? I'm thinking of buying the CDT myself and would like to try this one first!
Thanks for another great video! Is there gapless playback with this unit?
Wow very interesting subject. I have always been a cd player person. I am very interested in CD transports in general. Something I'll keep an eye on.
Just a follow up report. Five months ago I purchased the Audiolab 6000CDT and had it connected to a $100 DAC and this inexpensive combo just blazed all of my expensive one box CD players that preceded it. I am going to upgrade next to a $700-$800 (USD) DAC and I have to tell you, I am excited to see what happens. You might ask if I need to ditch my $100 DAC. Not at all. It sounds great; I'm pretty confident the next DAC will improve upon the excellent sound I am now experiencing. The tonal balance, detail, timing - all the usual suspects are excellent. You were right, this is one spectacular CD Transport - what I call a "giant killer" value! This piece is what I would call a classic. It has now been proven to me, you don't need a $2500+ Transport for great CD sound!
Glad you're enjoying yourself :) Thanks for the update.
One more observation. My DAC recently quit so I dragged out the old Oppo to do CD duty during repairs. The interesting thing is that I had a CD with some mild scratches that would skip on the Audiolab 6000CDT however the OPPO plays the same CD without a hitch.
Oppo will be remembered in the following decades as a beast! A tank!
Happy to own them (93 and 203). The 93 sounds very good but the 203 sounds amazing. A state-of-the-art piece of engineering. Plus, it reads even ham if I put in it. 😂
Great review, thanks. Music to my ears (literally) as I just took a random punt on a well known seller website. Brand new, unused boxed one for £280. Expected it to go for c.£300 and stuffed up by putting in bids expecting to be outbid, but hey, guess I got myself a bargain anyway. All my stuff is 2nd hand. Audiolab pre and power amps and MDAC. Running through a Rega Planet CDP at the mo and EPOS ES11 (critical sounding but nice) and/or Audio Energy 109s (right side of warm) and/or Monitor Audio RS6.
Thanks for this great review of the 6000CDT. Not a lot of reviews out here. Mine arrives tomorrow. It will be connected to a Chord M Scaler and Chord Hugo TT2 DAC. It should be a GREAT combo, based on your results of the Audiolab 6000CDT only getting better with better DACs! I'd better dust off my CDs tonight! Thanks again! Charley - Texas, USA.
Oh please let us know how that went. That’s precisely the set up I’m setting out to buy.
@@bishonen2pm It's a great combination! Of all my sources (Roon/Tidal/MQA, Vinyl, CD), the BEST sound comes from my 6000CDT -> Chord M Scaler -> Chord TT2. It's noticeably better than streaming Tidal and Qobuz from my MacBook Pro to my M Scaler and TT2. Upscaling a Redbook CD (16/44.1k) sounds better than any music stream. Even Hi Res Qobuz and Tidal MQA! Of course, the M Scaler takes the 44.1k sample rate up to 705k, just as it does everything coming from Tidal or Qobuz (takes these to either 705k or 768k). The 6000CDT is a great transport! And, you are not paying extra for an internal DAC in your CD player, which you don't need when you have an excellent DAC to feed the signal into. HIGHLY recommend this combination!
@@CharleyClose Thank you so much for your detailed response. It’s what I needed. :)
You must be rich.
@@JamesSmith-qy3eu not necessarily rich. when you are a victim of a realistic sound you find a way….you know…like drugs lol
Kupiłem 6000cdt naprawdę super transport niespodziewaniem, że aż tak dobry, zastąpił moje dotychczasowe transporty Denon DCD2000AE i Onkyo C7000R, absolutna rewelacja w połączeniu z Hegel HD 20 + Cardas LIGHTNING 15.
Just about to buy one, it will run into a Hegel H95 and out via some ATC SCM 7's, had a fair bit of kit on demo from my local HiFi shop and this is the combination I have settled on.
Hi Paul, The need to replace my 30 yo CD player and seeing your excellent video I bought a CD transport - the Cambridge CXC, easily obtainable in the Antipodes - and coupled to my desktop Schiit Bifrost 2. Amazing. Why did I wait so long? Thanks for your advice
Ok....I trust you....this is the path I'm going down 🤞...thank you...
Great video. I already have the 6000a amp and a Bluesound Node version 3. Am I better off using the Dac in the node or sticking with the dac in the 6000a ?
I bought one about a year ago. I Love it . No issues so far
Hi i bought one based on technical aspects i understand plus your great review. I respect your opinions thoroughly mate. Mine is connected to my Rotel RC1590 preamp with dac included soin i will try it with my Topping D90se dac. The separation of instruments and midrange clarity convinced me very quickly. I run good solid state power amps to UREI studio monitors olus big jbl horns.....purely ruthless if the source is inferior. Thumbs up.
Great review. I’ve been on the fence for a transport for a while. I am replacing my emotive with this. Was looking at the Schitt player but too expensive in my opinion for a cd player. If this makes a big enough difference with my current dac I’ll
Be sold on the fact not all
CD players sound the same .
Bought one today. Going to hook it up to my B&W Formation Duo’s via the Formation Audio.
I have that Audiolab with Emotiva PT-100 preamp, XTZ edge a2-300 poweramp and Tannoy revolution xt 6f speakers. It works well and sounds really good. Only negative for me is that power switch is not in front panel.
Agreed - I think the art of good design is to combine aesthetics with practicality. For example, I have an AVID turntable here with a separate power supply. They put the power switch at the front but just under the lip of the front fascia. So the power switch is there, easy to access but hidden from view.
Thanks for this one Paul.. superb. I am pondering about buying the new Rega Elicit 5 - seems to have a good DAC on board - Rega CDs don't appeal to me -- but the Audiolab 6000CDC seems to be a no brainer with the Elicit 5 .. Regards from Ireland - Paul
Got 'm! A real beauty. Thnx for your review.
My pleasure :)
@@TheAudiophileMan Would the 2016 Audiolab M-Dac+ a solid (sparring)partner? I'dd like to hear your opinion please.
I have one of these connected via an Audiolab M Dac plus. It is a mighty improvement. I worry slightly about the 'suck-in' CD transport.
If it should (God forbid) not eject a disc for some reason then the unit would have to be dismantled to get it out. No reason why it should but . . . .
Greetings from across the "pond", I have read and saw many of your review(s) you have created and certainly on the Audiolab 6000cdt, brilliant...I am (or was) using this connected to my 47 Laboratory 4733 (16/44) Dac and is more than just good. Great matching combo. Love your newsletters , (especially the excellent story about the Kraftwerk concert). My only issue currently is that I have a cd stuck inside the slot and will not eject, any pointers you can render would be great. Thank you Mr.Rigby. Cheers
Thanks for your support, Chester. Much appreciated. And glad you like the CDT but how did you get the CD stuck in there? I've never heard of this issue before. OK. First off, try the standard method. Sounds basic, but just go through the motions for me: Turn off the power, unplug the power cord from the AC outlet for 1 minute.
Make sure there is nothing blocking the disc tray from opening or closing.
Plug the power cord back into the AC outlet.
Turn on the disc player or stereo system.
Attempt to open or close the disc tray.
When you press eject, do you hear anything happening? Are you able to return the unit to your dealer? Is it still under warranty? If so, they should be able to handle that without you risking further issues.
Great video im getting one today💪💪💪
I have been using an Oppo DVD player to feed a bel Canto DAC that has been hot rodded by John Wright, one of the best in the business. I assumed that there wouldn't be any improvement with a CD transport, as long as jitter was low. However, when I looked up the Audiolab, I was gob smacked!
I have planar speakers and two quarter wave transmission line subs in an acoustically treated listening room. Diana Krall was painted on the front wall, centred correctly, but seemed to be somewhere in a 3 foot circle. I blamed the planars. With the Audiolab, the image shrank to a small, correctly proportioned image, about one foot forward of the front wall, with her piano in front of her. The subs always had great tight bass, but now it was lower, faster, and more detailed. At 70-72 db, the bass could now be felt in the chest, when before you had to get at least 80dbs. The sound is cleaner, more detailed and the sound stage is holographic, with more detail in the placement of the musicians. This little sucker is a keeper!
Great review by the way!
Similar revelation going from using my Oppo 105 with aftermarket LPM, Furutech IEC with heavy gauge wire tail to LPM and ground and a jumper to bypass the 110/220 switch. Shocking improvement
Thank you very much. I paired/tested it with REM ADI2-DAC, Pioneer U-05, Moon 100-D, Cambridge 851D, at last AVM V30. All Different, even the "little" Moon was better than the Marantz SA8005.
I purchased one in August 2023. It makes my CD's sound incredible compared to the old DVD player I was using as a drive. It does not scratch CD's. Note I have a very good system, a Music Hall integrated amp, and older (but still superb) MSB DAC with powerbase, and Linn Espek Speakers. In fact, it blows my online free music to bits- I cancelled my subcriptions. It is the best investment I have made to date.
Mine is connected to the Drop Airist R2R dac. It sounds much better than the JVC 1050 CD I was using as a transport. A better stable image of the stage.
I’ve been considering the purchase of the 6000 cdt for some time, but have been put off by reports of scratched discs. Today I had a demo of one at my dealer, who just happened to have received a demo unit of the new Roksan Attessa cdt. Comparing the two was interesting and a little frustrating. On the one hand I thought the Roksan player had superior aesthetics, but conversely the Audiolab appeared to have superior build quality!? More significantly, I preferred the sound of the Audiolab over the Roksan; at least through my DAC/Amp. The difference wasn’t night and day and on certain tracks my preference switched back and forth between the two!
What did you buy in the end?
Hi ,
This is a very informative review. I have a Musical Fidelity X-Ray CD Player that I also have connected via the same Chord DAC you used.
I am now considering upgrading it with the Audiolab unit In your review, but I would be interested to know if you have done a review on the Project DS2T CD Transport unit..?
I’ll be interested to receive your thoughts...
Regards,
Ian.
Awesome, love you videos
That's very nice of you Gary, thanks.
Works a treat into my PS Audio Directstream dac. 👌
Amazing review
One of my concerns is with the slot loading mechanism and damage to CDs over time. What's your thoughts on this ? and has anyone else who has one got any opinions on this ?
Superb review.
Thank you Stephen :)
I bought one, then a Jay’s Audio cdt3 mk2 which was £3k secondhand. The Jay’s is better as you’d expect but the Audiolab wasn’t far behind. Amazing vfm.
Great to know that, thanks for sharing!
Always a question of just how good the Audiolab is..."not far behind" a Jay's Audio is good enough for me!
I’ve a $3000 Prima Luna Classic valve CD player, and the Audiolab trumps it!
I've been looking for a CD Transport but I want one with XLR connections. I currently have one which came out last year with everything I required including XLR but it's had to be repaired as a major chip went down. It was replaced but the replacement has just gone again! The manufacturers are using new old Philips parts which seems to be vulnerable. It's definitely the way to go having a seperate transport but as you say, there aren't many out there.
I have one hooked up to a Schiit Modi 3 and it sounds wonderful
Enjoy your review very much. I am wondering if this Player can play mp3 format. Please tell me. Thanks
I enjoyed your review so much...that I've just bought the 6000A and the 6000CDT to go with it. My speakers are the Dynaudio Emit 10. Will they do the audiolab kit justice, or would you recommend an upgrade?
Yes, the speakers are fine. You'll always hear improvements (with quality kit) that are further *up* the chain. Upgrading fro the top of the chain downwards is preferred. By all means upgrade to speaker around £1k-£1.3 if and when you want later on but liv with tour system here first. It may be enough.
Thanks a bunch Paul - Now I have that thing in my head saying I need that now :D . I still use my first Cambridge Azur 550C as a transport into my Naim N272 (streamin pre/amp). Your first remarks hit me hard - how do you value he DAC in the N272, and do you think it would do the CDT justice ;-) ?
Hello sir. I really enjoyed your review. Many thanks. I’m very interested to try this unit as I’m looking for a CD upgrade. I’m also very interested in the audiolab streamer which you reviewed earlier.
So I’m interested in two audiolab components now.
Wondering therefore if you managed to test the CDT with the audiolab 6000A integrated amp, which also has built in DAC ? Interested in how these units perform all together ...
Thanks again. New subscriber here 🤗🤗
Thanks Mojo Groove - see your other question for details on that.
I’ve got one. Playing through Schiit Modi Multibit 2 DAC, Schiit Lyr 2 Preamp, Schiit Gjallarhorn Power Amp, Royd Herald Speakers. Lovely sound.