NEW Audiolab Omnia
Rarely has a single product managed to seduce us in so many areas as the Audiolab Omniaa very stylish electronic device that lives up to its name concentrating the best of a brand that from the first moment knew how to make a difference thanks to the intelligence of its technology, its strong commitment to the quality of the components, the attractiveness of its industrial design and, of course! its unquestionable musicality.
Authentic and genuine “all in one” Exquisitely presented, the Omnia is a perfect solution for those who want to enter the universe of High Fidelity through the front door without the complications inherent in the use of separate components.
And also with both analogue and classic digital or modern digital sources, with the addition of the increasingly requested Roon approval – in this case Roon Testedthe most demanding of all – to manage both access to remote digital content and its classification based on multiple criteria.
“All-in-one” systems: a seductive proposal in which you have to know how to choose
The first thing you need to know about the “all in one” systems is that for years they did not enjoy the favor of the most demanding fans precisely because of their very essence: equipment that, at a minimum, concentrates all the audio functionalities. in a single venue with the purpose of simplify your configuration and installationminimize the space they occupy and, of course, the price.
This means, among other things, having preamplification circuits, power amplification, connectivity management and sources literally stuck next to each other, with the addition of the power supply, a subsystem that if not well designed (topology, selection and isolation of “sensitive” components) can negatively influence the operation of some or even all of the mentioned circuits.
All this without talking about limitations on parameters such as output power or the fundamental signal-to-noise ratio. Logically, what we have just said concerns all existing “all-in-one” systems, that is, those that include loudspeakers and those that do not, the only difference being that in the second case the user has the option of choosing the boxes. acoustics. Perhaps the panorama we have just described seems a little gloomy, but the reality is that it only seeks to place the text in its context. And, as we never tire of saying, It’s one thing to do something and another to do it well.. In the case of “all-in-one” systems, the issue lies in fine-tuning the design at all levels, while allocating sufficient resources so that each “subcomponent” of the set exhibits performance comparable to what it would have separately. And this is exactly what the brand new Omnia achieves with Honor Roll. British Audiolaban electronic that does not go unnoticed as a result of a very successful aesthetic that is accompanied by a sensational manufacturing quality.
“Multi-component” electronics that live up to Audiolab’s reputation
On a visual level, there is no denying that the Omnia is a true beauty. But the really interesting thing is that this same perception is what we have when we take a look at his immaculately executed interiorbecause it is precisely at that moment when we verify the master’s degree with which Audiolab engineers have managed to integrate several of the products that currently make up their catalog in an enclosure of dimensions that are more than “friendly” with any interior decoration. There are several possible options in this sense, but from the outset it can be said that the Omnia houses within it a preamplifier (and also with a phono section included), a power amplifier, a CD transport mechanism, a DAC, a streamer and a headphone amplifierall with the addition of high level connectivity both wired and wireless.
To understand it, a well-calculated cocktail of such celebrated models as the integrated amplifier with streamer 6000A Play, the digital audio processor M-DAC+ and the transport mechanism for compact discs 6000CDT, to name one of the most interesting combinations of the several possible ones. .
Since Audiolab is known for musicality of your soundwe will highlight first of all that the Omnia includes apower amplification stage configured in Class AB that delivers 2×50 continuous watts over 8 ohms or 2×75 continuous watts over 4 ohms, all accompanied by a very respectable – for a product of this type – current delivery capacity (up to 9 amps).
From this stage it should be noted that it uses a Topology with Complementary Feedback (CFB) to maximize linearity and ensure exceptional thermal stabilityby making the no-load current independent of the temperature of the output transistors.
All this is supported by a feeding system that combines a 200 VA toroidal transformer with a battery of capacitors that add up to a total capacity of 60,000 uF, which means that the Omnia is able to comfortably deliver not only its nominal power, but also the peaks required to satisfy dynamic demands punctual. Moving on to the digital section of the Audiolab, you should know that the DAC section is based on one of the sophisticated ESS9038 Q2M SABER D/A conversion “chips” with 32-bit technology from the American ESS Technology, a component highly appreciated by the British firm for its exceptional precision and the benefits of the exclusive schemes it incorporates to, for example, minimize jitter. For practical purposes, this translates into a USB-DAC functionality which in the case of the Omnia is compatible with the best of the current digital “Hi-Res”, that is, PCM files up to 32 bits/768 kHz, their DSD counterparts up to DSD512 and the increasingly in demand – courtesy of the online music service TIDAL- MQA.
The Omnia also incorporates wireless streaming (up to 24 bits/192 kHz) via DTS Play-Fi, a classic in the latest generation Audiolab, and is also compatible Bluetooth 5.0 and even with turntables equipped with moving magnet (MM) cartridges. But we are not done yet, since the most classic digital audio lovers have in the CD transport block The Omnia is a perfect tool for rediscovering your favorite compact discs, as the block combines a slot-loading scheme with a separator stage that drastically minimizes reading errors. The Omnia is completed with a headphone amplifier dedicated with current feedback topology and high response speed, a magnificent LCD display screen with IPS technology and, the icing on the cake that enthusiasts of next-generation digital audio will celebrate, the approval Roon Tested.
Unmistakably Audiolab musicality with unique versatility
The dynamic capacity of the Omnia goes a long way when it comes to selecting the associated speakers, so we tested it with a couple of columns Wharfedale EVO4.4using the splendid turntable as an analog source PRO Debut from the Austrian Pro-Ject. Regarding the wiring, In-Akustik on boxes and Pro-Ject on turntables. Absolutely fabulous when it comes to ease of setup, the Omnia is not only a genuine all-in-one, but a “multi-Audiolab” like the top of a pine tree when it comes to reproducing all types of content.
What should be highlighted? At the outset, an identical tonal curve and dynamic capability as the 6000A stereo integrated amplifier, meaning warmth in the restitution of voices and instruments, definition in the reproduction of microinformation and some exquisite bass. And this, of course, both in digital and analogue, while at the same time we are impressed by the power of the headphone amplifier as a result of its ability to attack with authority even high impedance models (over 300 ohms). On the other hand, the display screen of the Omnia Not only does it help to effectively control and monitor the operating status of the device, but it also helps to further enhance its unquestionable physical attractiveness and therefore its integration into all types of spaces.
