CD / SACD players and transports — Audiolab 7000CDT

The 7000CDT is a dedicated CD transport in the 7000 series from British maker Audiolab. It contains no digital-to-analogue conversion and has no analogue sockets at all, leaving conversion to a separate DAC or to an amplifier that accepts digital signals. The US list price is USD 999, in either a black or a silver finish, supplied with a remote control, an IEC mains cord and an instruction manual.

Key specs that matter

Audiolab lists compatibility with CD, CD-R and CD-RW media, all read at the Red Book rate of 44.1 kHz. A USB Type-A socket plays files in MP3, WMA, AAC and WAV formats from drives formatted as FAT12, FAT16 or FAT32. Digital signal leaves through a single coaxial S/PDIF socket and a single optical S/PDIF socket. Output amplitude is 500 mVpp plus or minus 50 mVpp at an output impedance of 75 ohms. Audiolab quotes a frequency response within 0.01 dB from 20 Hz to 20 kHz and total harmonic distortion below 0.002%. The case measures 444 x 322 x 78 mm and the unit weighs 5.5 kg.

Engineering and use context

For disc reading Audiolab uses a high-precision optical pickup system backed by a read-ahead electronic data buffer, which is intended to reduce read failures and lets the transport play scratched or damaged discs. A high-accuracy crystal oscillator controls the master clock to keep jitter low on both digital outputs, and the coaxial socket is fed from a differential line driver. To limit vibration, the maker uses a low-friction loading tray together with a sturdy aluminium base and chassis. The mechanism is housed in a separate shielded enclosure against electromagnetic interference and draws from a dedicated power supply. A 2.8 inch full-colour IPS LCD with 480 x 640 pixels shows track information, and its brightness can be adjusted. A 12 V trigger input and trigger link allow the transport to switch on and off with other components, auto standby can be turned on or off, and standby draw stays below 0.5 W. Mains versions exist for 100 to 120 V and for 220 to 240 V at 50 or 60 Hz, depending on region.

Pairing

With no analogue section on board, a converter is always required after the 7000CDT. The Audiolab 7000A integrated amplifier, whose built-in DAC accepts coaxial and optical inputs, is a direct partner in the same series, and any standalone DAC with an S/PDIF input will also work.

Alternatives

The Audiolab 6000CDT is another dedicated CD transport from the brand, built around a slot-loading mechanism and also offering coaxial and optical digital outputs.