2. amps-preamps
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To buy or not to buy Audiolab 8000C

Hello there. I'm in such a dilemma. There's a unit of Audiolab 8000C preamplifier I've been given to try out for a couple of weeks. I find the preamp pretty neutral by my standards. I have been hooking up my CD player direct to my volume adjustible power amp direct, hence clarity, is nothing new to me. Even the CD player has electronic volume control but I find it troublesome as it's set to max every time I turn it on and I have to bring it down manually.

With a preamp, the volume is easily set to comfort levels before turning them on.

Problem is, my budget is limited. And the seller admited that he has changed the toraidal transformer in the audiolab 8000C recently. I always belived that electronic components have a limited life span. When one component goes, does it always mean others are going soon? Would I be buying a dying old woman whom I cant have children with? I suppose I could ask for a bargain, seeing that even the mostly used RCA jacks at rear panel are slightly shaky (not sure if they can be adjusted) and may allow the interconnects to contact each other. But a local shop once offered me a preamp with remote priced 50% higher than what this guy is offering and that one is new. This is used and has no remote. Two uncertainty on the new unit - brand and sound quality. With a remote, yes, the thing about convenience is rated higher but sound may be in question. Planning to go the the shop to audition but thought perhaps I could first get some insight on the worthiness of buying a used preamp aged nearly 10 years.

Any advice appreciated.

SJ
dewitgoh0df4

Showing 6 responses by seandtaylor99

seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
It's a simple and robust design, pretty easily fixed with generic parts. That said it's also old. I bought an 8000C a couple of years ago for just under $200 USD. For that price it's a great unit (class A preamp, great headphone, switchable MM, MC phono).
I would not spend over $200 on the unit, less since the toroid is not original.

My guess is that a brand new preamp of comparable build and sound quality would be well over $500, probably nearer $1000.
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
I'd hold out for $180 and if he sells it great, if not then it's no loss. Loose RCAs are often very simple to fix, even if you have to put in new panel-mount RCAs and wire them to the PCB. Even better, if you know the distance to the source (CD player I assume) then remove the RCA plugs from one end of the interconnect and solder the interconnect directly to the PCB. This removes not only a connection, but a large portion of capacitance from the interconnect. I have done this on my DAC, and the improvements were not small.

So don't sweat the RCAs ... have a good listen with quality headphones and make sure you like the sound.
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
If your CD player was happy driving the power amp directly then a passive preamp could work very well for you.

There are various passive preamp kits available, or you could buy one from Creek.
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
Gogamecocks ... the audiolabs are simple elegant designs using off-the-shelf parts. I see no reason that one of their amplifiers can't be kept functioning almost indefinitely. However, in the case of the poster I think a passive pre would be better.

On the other hand Sony will be in business in 10 years time, but I predict that that will be of no use to me at all if my TV packs in.
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
Good buy. Even if it doesn't work out I'm sure you can sell it for what it cost you, as Audiolab is a well respected (though sadly deceased) brand.
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
I think it was about 400 british pounds when I was living in the UK, around 1995.
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