Audiolab 8300CD CD Player

Audiolab 8300CD CD Player

The Audiolab 8300CD adds full digital preamp functionality, with volume and source selection accessible via the player’s front panel and remote handset. This means the 8300CD can be connected directly to a stereo power amp, or a pair of monoblocks like the new Audiolab 8300MB, as well as to a traditional integrated amp like the equally new Audiolab 8300A.

8300 Series also allows control of music playing from a PC/Mac/media device via USB. When connected to a computer, the 8300CD not only identifies itself as an asynchronous DAC, but also as a HID-compatible device (Human Interface Device). This allows driverless control of the PC/Mac/media player (Play, Pause, Stop, Track Select etc).

Slot-Loading CD Mechanism

Our extensive research and development found that previous tray-style mechanisms sometimes produced a rare weak spot. The 8300CD sports a new mechanism that includes slot loading – much quicker and neater than the old tray.

The new mechanism also reduces the occurrence of disc rejection, able to play CDs that other CD players may reject for being imperfect from dirt or damage. Its digital buffer circuit is a perfect mate to the asynchronous input of the DAC, improving even this area of performance. A final benefit is increased disc stability and reduced susceptibility to resonance, which additionally contributes to the overall improved sound quality.

Connections

Connectivity options have been further expanded on the Audiolab 8300CD with the addition of an AES/EBU digital input and XLR digital output. These join a full complement of inputs/outputs retained from the 8200CD: 2x coaxial digital inputs; 2x optical digital inputs; 1x asynchronous USB input; 1x coaxial digital output; 1x optical digital output; single-ended RCA and balanced XLR analogue outputs.

The 8300CD DAC

The 32-bit ESS Sabre DAC as used inside the 8300CD continues to have a reputation as the best-sounding DAC chip available, and most CD players that use it are much more costly designs. In terms of the way it measures, its distortion figures are extraordinarily low. Around the DAC there are extensive measures to reduce jitter to vanishingly low levels, of a nature you’d expect to see only in much more expensive players.

The conversion process within Audiolab 8300CD results in the 512 DAC elements (256 DACs per channel) each operating at 84.672MHz – all digital audio sources, whatever the sample rate, are upsampled or oversampled to this frequency. This results in a conversion process that is switching 3840 times higher than the typical audio upper bandwidth of 22kHz. Without this Digital upsampling technology, the analogue filters would likely affect frequencies at or near the audible range, resulting in unwanted level and phase variation within the audio band.

The inclusions of the Hyperstream modulator means optimal transient response is achieved, thus eliminating dynamic response deficiencies and noise floor modulation artifacts typical of traditionally designed Delta-Sigma DACs.

Higher Resolution