An Introduction to the Audiolab 7000N Play
Audiolab has been engineering British hi-fi electronics since 1983, and the Audiolab 7000N Play carries that heritage into the world of network audio. It is a dedicated network streamer, which means it acts as a source component in your system. It reads music from your network and streaming services, converts it to analog with its onboard DAC, and hands that signal off to an amplifier. It is not an amplifier or a preamplifier in its own right, so you will pair it with an integrated amp and speakers to complete the setup.
If you have wanted to move your listening into the streaming era without giving up the sound quality expectations of a serious two channel system, the 7000N Play is designed exactly for that purpose.
Audiolab Design and Technology
The ES9038Q2M Reference DAC
At the heart of the 7000N Play sits the ESS ES9038Q2M reference DAC. This is the same converter family Audiolab uses across the 7000 series, and it is responsible for turning the digital stream into a clean, detailed analog output. The result is a presentation that is open and refined, with the kind of low noise floor that lets quieter details come through clearly.
Isolated Power Supply
Digital source components are sensitive to noise, so Audiolab specifies an isolated power supply in the 7000N Play. Keeping the power stage well behaved helps the DAC do its job without interference finding its way into the music.
The 2.8 Inch IPS Display
Audiolab is known for its crisp IPS displays, and the 7000N Play carries a 2.8 inch IPS screen on the front panel. It gives you clear, at a glance information about what is playing, so the unit remains a pleasure to live with day to day rather than something you only control from a phone.
Streaming Platform and Services
The 7000N Play is built on DTS Play-Fi, with Apple AirPlay 2 and multi-room support. That opens the door to a wide catalog of services including Amazon Music, Spotify, TIDAL, Qobuz, Deezer, SiriusXM, iHeartRadio, Pandora and Internet Radio. Whether you prefer high resolution libraries or a favorite radio station, the platform is flexible and familiar.
Sound and Performance Character
The character of the 7000N Play is consistent with the Audiolab house sound: clean, composed and true to the recording rather than colored or exaggerated. The ES9038Q2M DAC gives it resolution and a sense of space, and the isolated power supply keeps things quiet in the background. It is a source that lets you hear into a mix, following individual instruments and vocals without strain, while still holding everything together musically.
Where It Sits in the Range
The 7000N Play is the streamer that anchors Audiolab's popular 7000 series, sharing its DAC lineage with the wider family. If you are looking for a step up within the Audiolab streaming line, the Audiolab 9000N sits above it as the flagship option, built to a higher grade for listeners chasing the last measure of refinement. Both are true network streamers, so the choice comes down to how far you want to take the source stage of your system.
Ideal System and Use Case
Because the 7000N Play is a source only, it is at its best partnered with an Audiolab integrated amplifier that shares its design language. The most natural match is the Audiolab 7000A Integrated Amplifier, which keeps the pairing coherent in look, feel and sonic philosophy. If you want to build a more ambitious system, the Audiolab 9000A Integrated Amplifier gives the streamer a top tier amplification partner. For a more compact or first serious system, the Audiolab 6000A MKII Integrated Amplifier is a welcoming home for the 7000N Play.
Speakers and Cables
Speaker cable is where you tailor the final sound. For a system built around the 7000A, the Audioquest Rocket 22 Full Range or the biwire Audioquest Rocket 22 BiWire are sensible, well matched choices. If you are pairing the streamer with the 9000A and more capable speakers, the Audioquest Rocket 33 Full Range steps things up appropriately.
How It Compares to Other Streamers
AEA carries several fine network streamers, each shaped around a different design goal. The Cambridge Audio CXN100 and the Mission 778S Network Music Streamer both include their own DAC stages and appeal to listeners who want a streamer with its own established platform and voicing. From Silent Angel, the Silent Angel Munich M1 pairs streaming with a built in DAC and headphone amplifier for a more all in one approach, while the Silent Angel Bremen SL1 Plus offers streaming with a DAC as well. If you would rather keep digital conversion in a separate box, the Silent Angel Munich M1T V2 Transport is a pure transport that sends its signal to an external DAC.
The 7000N Play distinguishes itself by combining an onboard ES9038Q2M DAC, the DTS Play-Fi and AirPlay 2 ecosystem, and Audiolab's IPS display and design ethos in one source component. Which one is right for you comes down to the platform you prefer, whether you want the DAC built in, and how you like to build your system.
Arrange a Listen at AEA
AEA is an authorized Audiolab dealer with a showroom in Timonium, Maryland. Demo units rotate and not every model is always set up, so we invite you to contact us to arrange a listen and hear how the 7000N Play performs in a system suited to your goals.