The Audiolab 6000N Play is a dedicated wireless network streamer and the streaming component of Audiolab's acclaimed 6000 Series. Sitting below the 7000N Play and the flagship 9000N in the range, it brings high-resolution streaming capability to a system built around a separate amplifier, making it a natural partner for the 6000A integrated amplifier or any stereo amplifier with a spare line-level input.
DTS Play-Fi Streaming Platform
At its core, the 6000N Play runs on the DTS Play-Fi wireless audio platform, streaming music over dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi in resolutions up to 24-bit/192kHz. The platform provides access to a wide range of streaming services including Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Qobuz, Amazon Music, Deezer, Napster, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM and HDtracks. DLNA and UPnP support allows playback from NAS drives and local music servers. Control is handled through the DTS Play-Fi app, available for iOS, Android, Kindle Fire and Windows.
The 6000N Play also supports multi-room audio expansion via DTS Play-Fi, allowing additional Play-Fi compatible devices to be added to the network for synchronised playback throughout the home.
ESS Sabre DAC
Signal conversion is handled by an ESS Sabre ES9018K2M DAC, a 32-bit chip from ESS Technology's Sabre32 Reference family. The ES9018K2M employs ESS's proprietary HyperStream architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator, delivering a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 115 dB (A-weighted) and total harmonic distortion below 0.003% at 1 kHz. Variable analogue output voltage ranges from 0 to 2.1 V through a single pair of RCA outputs, with an output impedance of 100 Ω.
Digital Outputs
For users who prefer to use an external DAC, the 6000N Play provides both coaxial and optical digital outputs at a level of 500 ± 50 mVpp with 75 Ω impedance. This allows the streamer to serve purely as a network transport, feeding a higher-end DAC while still benefiting from the Play-Fi platform and its built-in streaming services.
Design and Build
The chassis follows the clean, screen-less industrial design shared across the 6000 Series, with a single power button and six physical preset buttons on the front panel. These presets can be assigned to any currently playing source — an internet radio station, a Spotify playlist, or a NAS folder — allowing one-button access without reaching for the app. An isolated power supply built around a high-efficiency toroidal transformer provides clean power to the audio circuits. A hardwired Ethernet connection is available alongside Wi-Fi for network environments where a wired link is preferred.
What the Press Says
- What Hi-Fi? Awards 2020 winner
| DAC | ESS Sabre ES9018K2M (32-bit) |
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| Maximum Resolution | 24-bit / 192 kHz |
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| Frequency Response | ±0.5 dB (20 Hz – 20 kHz, ref. 1 kHz) |
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| THD | <0.003% (1 kHz @ 0 dBFS, 20 Hz – 20 kHz) |
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| Signal-to-Noise Ratio | >115 dB (A-weighted) |
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| Analogue Output | 1 × RCA stereo (variable, 0 – 2.1 V) |
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| Analogue Output Impedance | 100 Ω |
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| Digital Outputs | 1 × coaxial, 1 × optical |
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| Digital Output Level | 500 ± 50 mVpp |
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| Digital Output Impedance | 75 Ω |
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| Streaming Platform | DTS Play-Fi (Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Qobuz, Amazon Music, Deezer, Napster, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, HDtracks) |
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| Network Protocols | DLNA, UPnP |
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| Wi-Fi | Dual-band, dual-antenna |
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| Ethernet | Yes |
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| Multi-Room | DTS Play-Fi |
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| Preset Buttons | 6 |
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| Standby Power Consumption | <0.5 W |
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| Dimensions (W × H × D) | 445 × 80 × 330 mm |
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| Weight | 4.9 kg |
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| Also Available As | Black |
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