Stereo amplifiers aren’t as simple as they used to be. Nowadays, you’ll find different types of amps and among those are integrates amps that you can use with a hi-fi setup. The Marantz PM6007 and Audiolab 6000A are affordable and quality amplifiers that produce quality and clear sound, however which one of the two is better?
Stereo amps are no longer designed with analog inputs and outputs and a pair of speaker terminals anymore. They’re now designed with Bluetooth streaming functionality, built-in analog to digital converters, and other modern and advanced features to improve your sound playback and connectivity.
Marantz PM6007 vs Audiolab 6000A stereo amplifiers. How do they compare?
Design and quality
Marantz PM6007 is an upgraded version of the 6000 series with a lot of attention to detail in its design and features with a lot of knobs at the front panel for better control. This is a contrasting feature when it comes to the Audiolab 6000A because it has a simple, plain design with very few control knobs at its front panel, but it comes with a good range of features.
The Audiolab 6000A is an impressive class A/B amplifier with a 50 W into 8 ohms power per channel. It has a minimalistic pre-amp with great signal integrity and a layout design that is focused on low noise interference and distortion. The PM6007 has power-amp and pre-amp designs similar to the PM6005 with an added optical input to the five-line audio inputs. The extra metal casing will eliminate any interferences between the analog and digital features. The gold-coated speaker connections allow for convenient bi-wiring and upgraded internals like an improved power supply for better performance.
The PM6007 is a stylish, solid-built amp with a nice finish that fits right into the hi-fi setup while the 6000A has kept it as simple as possible, so the PM6007 stands out.
Performance
The PM6007 has focused on improving the mid-range and enhancing the clarity and conviction of the instruments and vocals. The gold-plated 5 analog and 3 digital inputs improve the versatility of this amp’s connections while the specialized block capacitors and the Toroidal power transformers can produce 45 W into 8 ohms per channel. The 6000A has 4 digital inputs, 2 coaxial and 2 optical that can play high-resolution audio of up to 24 bit/192 kHz. The analog and digital inputs produce crisp and clear sounds and every instrument note being on point. The digital input has 3 digital filters that include fast, slow, and minimal roll-off phases that give you the freedom to pick the option that you prefer for your sound system.
The PM6007 and 6000A both have very impressive input versatility, with the PM6007 improving its amp’s connections with the 5 analog and 3 digital inputs. However, the 6000A has better versatility with 3 digital filter options for a clear sound system which makes it a better amp.
Connectivity
When it comes to connectivity, PM6007 is stuck in the past which can be frustrating since all the attention has been paid to customization and sound quality but forgot connectivity. It doesn’t have Bluetooth or wifi so all the connections will need to be fully wired. The 6000A on the other hand has Bluetooth connectivity and a 6.3mm headphone that is included in the front panel. This means you can easily pair your amp with a Bluetooth-compatible device for a wider playlist selection. Although there’s the expected drop in quality when using Bluetooth, the sonic quality remains the same.
The 6000A is a better amp than the PM6007 when it comes to connectivity since you can use Bluetooth and wifi connectivity to give you a wider selection of music to play in your amp.
Marantz PM6007 vs Audiolab 6000A – Comparison Review
Marantz PM6007
The PM6007 is a budget-friendly integrated stereo amp with great sound and impressive features. It can accommodate both digital and analog sources and powers 45 W per channel into 8 ohms RMS, 20 Hz to 20 kHz. It also has a built-in high-resolution DAC that can play digital files up to 192 kHz/ 24bit and a built-in phone stage that will allow you to connect a turntable and play LPs by switching the source on the amp without adding a phono preamp. This amp only supports Moving Magnet (MM) cartridges. It has speaker terminals for a set of 2 speakers and a subwoofer, a digital filter to clean and enhance sources, and separate controls for the treble, bass, and balance at the front.
- Simple to setup
- Balanced clear sounds
- Versatile wired connections
- Solid casework
- No wireless connectivity
Audiolab 6000A
The 6000A has a layout that is aimed at keeping the noise distortion and interference to a minimum and pays attention to the digital circuitry adding the DAC chip that will deliver punchy and composing sounds. The amp also features Bluetooth connectivity with digital ports and a 6.3mm headphone, MM phono stage input, and 3 line-level analog connections. With Bluetooth, you can easily pair with your iPhone and stream different music. You can use the control dials to physically select sub-menu options or use the sleek remote control to switch between the 3 digital modes or switch the amp.
- Good range of features
- Sturdy and quality build
- Impressive input versatility
- Refine, clear sound
- No USB port
Verdict: So, which one is better, Marantz PM6007 or Audiolab 6000A?
The Audiolab 6000A is a better-integrated amp and although it has a simple design it comes with a good range of features with great sound, Bluetooth connectivity, and different digital filters that make it a great addition to your sound system.
FAQs
What speakers work with Audiolab 6000A?
The best choice would be the Bowers and Wilkins 606 bookshelf speakers that have great aesthetics that blend well with the amp.
Does Audiolab 6000A support MQA?
No, MQA can only support a sample rate of 96 kHz even if it has a source with a higher bitrate.
