5 out of 5
Another British favourite Audiolab was founded in the early 1980s by audio enthusiasts Philip Swift and Derek Scotland. The launch of their very first product, the 8000A Integrated Amplifier in 1983, was born out of their frustration that decent audio equipment appeared too expensive and was inconveniently sensitive to the system it was paired with.
The success of the 8000A Integrated Amplifier was followed by landmark products that built Audiolab’s enviable reputation for quality - the 8000S, a remote controlled amplifier which was both flexible and purist; the 8000T, which was one of the best FM Tuners ever made; the 8000PPA, a phono preamp for serious LP collectors, and the 8000M, which was one of the best monobloc power amps in the market during that time.
In 1997, Audiolab underwent major changes when the company was bought by TAG McLaren which re-introduced the line as the TAG McLaren Audio F3 range, with a new cosmetic design and internal improvements. Though there were major upgrades in the products themselves, they also became more expensive, which didn’t sit well with critics. The company also focused on producing AV processors, speakers and high end DVD players. Over its seven-year history, TMA expanded into surround sound products aimed at the high end home cinema market. A trio of AV processors appeared along with a range of multi-channel power amplifiers.
In 2004, the brand was transferred to IAG, which gave it back its Audiolab name and slimmed down the product line-up, maintaining all of the improvements in engineering and giving a fresh look to the classic no-nonsense Audiolab style. At present, with products born from fervour for music intricately engineered by a team of hi-fi specialists, Audiolab continuously seeks to achieve excellence in the quality and performance of its products whilst keeping true to its founders’ philosophy of creating well-engineered components that offer high performance sound quality and offer exceptional value.
The Audiolab 8200 series marks a new generation of products for a storied British brand. The designers have worked diligently to maintain the ethos of the brand while infusing a level of musicality and modernity into an exciting new line of products.
The M-DAC, an eagerly awaited, new standalone D/A converter finally makes its debut as a replacement for the award-winning 8000DAC introduced in 1992.
Another good reason to buy British !
