The 6000A Play is not all about streaming, however. Those with physical music collections on CD and vinyl are equally well catered for, thanks to four stereo RCA inputs – three line-level and one MM phono input. The phono stage is a high-quality, low-noise design with precise RIAA equalisation, engineered especially for the 6000A Play to make the most of the music nestling within an LP’s grooves. There are five digital inputs, too – a pair of optical and a pair of coaxial sockets to hook up digital sources without wireless connectivity (Audiolab ’s 6000CDT CD transport, for example), as well as an Ethernet port for those who prefer network connection via cable rather than Wi-Fi.

High-quality audio engineering – unfettered and uncompromised

All this versatility would be worth little if it came at the cost of genuine hi-fi sound quality. True to its roots, Audiolab has refused to compromise on performance by drawing on the sonic know-how that earned ample accolades over the years. The 6000A Play ’s digital stage incorporates the ES9018K2M DAC chip from the Sabre32 Reference family, applying the benefits of ESS Technology’s 32-bit HyperStream architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator to deliver ultra-low noise and high dynamic range.

Though technically excellent, Sabre32 Reference DAC chips can be challenging to implement effectively. If the circuitry that surrounds them is not of a sufficient standard, the resulting sound can seem a little on the ‘cool’ side; but treat them right and the level of musical expression that these chips dig from the digital signal is captivating.

Audiolab ’s original, universally acclaimed M-DAC was one of the very first home audio components to incorporate an ES9018 chip back in 2011, and the company has been honing its implementation ever since. One particularly critical element is the post-DAC active filter; the Audiolab design team has paid great attention to this circuit, using op-amps selected for their synergy with the ES9018K2M.

Whether received via cable, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, all forms of digital audio benefit from three user-selectable digital filters: ‘Fast Roll-Off’, ‘Slow Roll-Off’ and ‘Minimum Phase’. These settings allow the user to optimise the response to suit the source file and bandwidth of the partnering equipment.