Audiolab 6000CDT Dedicated CD Transport with Remote (Silver)

Outstanding sound. I can’t believe how it far exceeded my $2500 Mark Levinson/Proceed transport. Though old, that transport was refurbished with a new CD mechanism eight years ago for a mere $850 so it was a good comparison. My friend had told me that the Audiolab exceeded multi kilo buck transports in sound quality and now I believe him.My whole system moved up several levels. Deeper faster bass, greater transparency and detail, and clarity overall greatly improved. Seems a bit more dynamic too. And these are not subtle differences either. Of course you need a quality dac to feed it into to hear its full potential (using a Benchmark Dac2 in a $35,000 system).Note that some 30 hours of breakin with the transport playing a cd is required for all the improvements to be apparent. Initially, improved detail and clarity are apparent but bass is a bit subdued and there is a bit of thinness to the sound. But all of this changes after breaking and it is like a different and improved unit. The sound is fully fleshed out in all respects and everything is improved. Also, I didn’t think I would but I really like the recessed CD input. Faster, sturdier, better overall. Reminds me of those car CDs players.The unit is heavy, apparently well-made and nice looking. However, cost saving is apparent with the small display. Markings for the buttons are small and practically illegible and the remote has extra buttons and is not too logical. But all is forgiven because of the incredible sound and very reasonable price.

I have been using a bluray player for my cd collection, the sound was very good however I missed having a display without having to turn on a monitor. I purchased the Eversolo Z8 DAC about a year ago and thought it could work well with the 6000CDT, I expected great sound but was blown away by the stunning sound. This is a great value if the rest of your system is up to the resolution needed to appreciate what this transport is capable of. Highly recommended, it's built like a tank and the sound is magical!

The 6000CDT looks great, is solidly built, and sounds awesome, but it left tiny scratches on some of my CDs. I heard about this issue but figured Audiolab had fixed it by now, so I bought it anyway. I was disappointed to find that the issue still exists. The scratches aren't circumferential on the disc, they're parallel in the direction of extraction. They're not deep, but if it scratches my CDs on every play, it's just a matter of time before the damage adds up.

This transport first appeared about five years ago and it had good reviews. I received the transport in an unopened carton and it failed to turn on even after going through the necessary trouble shooting. There was an opportunity to order a replacement but I choose not to.

This Audiolab CD transport is now part of a system composed of Klipsch RP600M speakers, a Rel T5 subwoofer, a Schiit Bifrost 2/64 Dac and a Decware Zen Triode amplifier in a midfield setup. Coaxial cable is from Audioquest.First of all, this player is built like a tank and aesthetically pleasing to my taste.Now, what is really interesting are the insights that are gained when one plays a collection of CDs that had been hidden for decades again.1. It is evident that the mastering of many CDs in the 90s was done carelessly. Many of them are tiresomely bright to the point of sounding grainy, others have had their bass almost completely gone. Others have a collapsed soundstage.2. Those saved from these EQ and mastering errors may still reveal flaws in the original mix, and one may find better-sounding remastered versions, even on streaming services.3. All the rest that don't have these problems sound absolutely amazing and some even rival streaming versions and even vinyl. I never believed that CDs could sound like that, although I repeat, they are not the majority in my collection (from the 90s)I'm hoping I can find CDs from the 2000s up to this day that sound as wonderfully good as the few CDs from the 90s that have dazzled me and make me say today: This is a keeper.

After an early mis-step, I am pleased to have this item in my equipment stack. The first player arrived with the cd loading mechanism not functioning. I returned the item and it was replaced. Whilst I ended up spending more than I wanted to in extra shipping, the dealer was quite accommodating. They get a pass.The build quality of the player is outstanding and I love the ergonomics of this player. It looks clean, and loads the CDs fast. Operationally everything is simple and intuitive. It has played everything I have put in it so far. My oldest, scratchiest CDs all play flawlessly.And the sound? I am running the transport through the Ruby Dac in my Creek Audio Evolution 50 amp, using a Wireworld coaxial cable. In my system, the CD player sounds full, poised, with good detail. To be hypercritical, it is a bit rounded off at the extremes, and the upper bass seems a little bit too prominent in my system. Timing and dynamics are competent, but not as good as my Pro-Ject turntable. I am hoping that these minor quibbles would improve as the player breaks in.Overall though , I am happy. Recommended for those who have a separate DAC and an old CD collection which you still wish to enjoy.