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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
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.
cnocmoy10
7 posts
 
Seandtaylor is correct, had an Audiolab 8000c from new for over 10 years, sold it to a friend 4 years ago, still going strong. Its pretty neutral has a good phono stage and performs way above its price range. If it is at a reasonable price buy it. Here in the UK Audiolab amps hold their prices well and are much sought after.
dewitgoh0df4 OP
8 posts
 
Thank you very much Seandtaylor and Cnocmoy. Your replies are really helpful. I sometimes doubt my own ears and become unsure. But with your testimony, my doubt is reduced. I'm not too sure if the toraidal transformer is original. The wires conneted to the PCB and power cord appears to be of similar thickness, only thing is - one original purple wire is now connected to the torraidal that has a blue wire instead. On the torraidal, a paper label read 33/00 and Class 2, among other numerics. I suppose this means it was mfg on 33rd week of year 2000 but not sure whether the original torraidal should be Class 1 or Class 2. Do you guys remember how your labels read?

His asking price is around USD250, converted from local currency but I have already set my mark at USD185. It would be a better deal if he would succumb for USD170 but I think he may call off the deal at that price and start hunting for new propective buyers.

SJ
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