Audiolab alive?

the name is...made in china

Yes, they are now owned by a Chinese pro audio conglomerate, International Audio Group.

Let's take a look at a brief history of the Audiolab 8000S.

1996 Price under Audiolab UK 600 pounds

Early 2000's price under Tag MacLaren 1,200 pounds (you did get a remote, though!)

2006 Price under International Audio Group 499 pounds (and supposedly improved and sounding better).

I still have my circa mid 80's 8000A which I paid about $400 Cnd. for second hand in the late 80's working here in my 14 year old son's system.

I can tell you, as a consumer, that I'd much prefer the International Audio Group Audiolab to the Tag MacLaren non-Chinese one. Others, of course, may have different opinions.

I think it's dated and outclassed in the present market.

I'd personally buy Rotel or Rega and various others before Audiolab.

not knocking IAG, or the overpriced Tag MacLaren stuff(that was a knock), just saying that its not the same company. the original audiolab stuff was (and is) an incredible value.

Alive? Well in some way...but has gone from classic to crap.
Feels outrageously cheap (applies to 8000Q and P, which I bought a while ago after auditioning 2006 models. I returned the 2008 models and went for a Myryad mxi2080 instead)
My verdict: keep your good old english stuff, keep away from the new china-sh...