Introduction

Audiolab were founded by Derek Scotland & Philip Swift in 1983 and were top choice products for buyers into the mid-price Hi-Fi sector right in to the early nineties, so when Audiolab ceased production is was considered a loss to the industry. Then in 1998 when another company acquired British manufacturer Audiolab that TAG McLaren Audio was founded. The original Audiolab products were dropped and replaced by products at substantially higher prices with different styling. The auction is for the modification only and does not include the Tag Mclaren Audio CD20R player which must be purchased separately.

Recently in 2005 Audiolab started trading again using the familiar products names 8000CD, 8000S, 8000P & 8000M, albeit  with a complete redesign over the original 8000 series.

Under the Bonnet

The F3 series CD20R was the front runner it Tag Mclarens line up. It was not simply a rebadged 8000CDM, the machine may look familiar, but within the circuitry has been completely reworked. For those interested in an in-depth look at the specifics of the CD20R take a look here; http://www.iaguk.com/tag/cd20r_tech.htm In brief the CD20R uses a Philips CDM12.4 mechanism, a discrete master clock designed for high Q, low noise performance. A CS4329 20-bit DAC takes care of the digital to analogue conversion, and Burr Brown OPA134’s and Vishay Metal Film resistors are used in the analogue filter and buffer stages.

The F3 series Changes Gear

The CD20R received several glowing reviews includes those from Hi-Fi choice and What Hi-Fi. Hi-Fi choice summary is most accurate when they remarked, “There were times when it seemed to outperform all comers with its presence and sparkling vitality, and others when it was frustratingly dry and constrained, the loss of air in the treble dominating with good live recordings.”

Certainly by modern standards the CD20R is sound rather tired, and needs more than a tyre change to move it ahead of the current pack of modern day CD spinners. Help is at hand!

For owners of the original Audiolab 8000 series or the Tag Maclaren F3 series, Audiocom have designed a range of upgrades to slipstream the CD20R ahead of the race.

Starting with the CD20R’s power supplies the 1N4002 diodes and general purpose Elna capacitors are replaced with higher grade alternatives. These power supply parts have a major influence on the sound of the CD player so a synergistic choice is vital. The best sounding combination here are HexFRED diodes and Mundorf M-LYTIC low ESR/ESL audio grade capacitors. The reduced noise and improved dynamics are immediately evident, detail and nuances which had been previously masked over give the music a greater degree of expression and lifelikeness. The auction is for the modification only and does not include the Tag Mclaren Audio CD20R player which must be purchased separately.

A key feature in the CD20R was its master clock; fitted with a discrete oscillator, it certainly was an improvement on the textbook oscillator configuration around the SAA7345.  This simple design does not drive jitter down to appreciatively low enough levels and the player suffers from data and power supply induced jitter. The OEM clock is replaced with the ultra-low jitter Superclock 4 (SC4). The SC4’s vanishingly low level of jitter really allows the CD20R to shine, any foibles are forgotten and attention to music gets you gripped and involved in your CD’s all over again. The now expansive sound-stage has greatly increased front to back depth and width, stereo focus is now unwavering as instruments and vocalists appear firmly positioned within a larger acoustic space. The increase in overall resolution is clearly audible and the frequency range is tonally purer from the lowest bass note to the peaks of the treble. Live recordings now have that sense of “air” that is missing with the stock CD20R and all recordings benefit from the lack of constraint.

The next stage in the chain focuses on capacitor component quality for the bypass plus de-coupling in the digital and analogue stages. All regulator bypass capacitors are replaced with Rubycon ZA/ZL for bulk electrolytic and the High Frequency (HF) Wima capacitors are upgraded to Black Gate NX Hi-Q. The servo & control PCB is extensively upgraded with Rubycon ZA capacitors renowned for their very low ESR, the excellent noise filtering properties make them a prime choice for digital circuits. The Wima polyester capacitors used for bypassing electrolytic are removed and replaced with Black Gate NX Hi-Q for lowest distortion and noise. Similar attention is given to the CS4329 DAC area where “cooking grade” capacitors are replaced with Rubycon ZA/ZL & Black Gate NX.

In the final lap of the mods the analogue stage is lavishly upgraded with replacements of op-amps and capacitors. Here the OPA134 op-amps for post DAC filtering and output buffering (4 in total) are replaced with the new high performance LM4562. Black Gate FK are enrolled for local op-amp power supply de-coupling, Wima polyester HF capacitors are again replaced with the costly Black Gate NX Hi-Q. The auction is for the modification only and does not include the Tag Mclaren Audio CD20R player which must be purchased separately.

Shakedown

The CD20R was left on repeat for around 60 hours prior to any serious listening to allow “running-in” of the new components. We had a stock OEM CD20R on loan and to hand for A/B comparisons.

Katie Melua’s “Piece by Piece” album rarely upsets any CD player, but most of the expression and spellbinding quality of this recording is overlooked by all but the crème-de-la-creme of CD players. Straight in with "Just Like Heaven" the modified CD20R consistently revealed subtleties, non-intentional sounds that provide the ambience of the environment. The natural reverb of guitar, sonic reflections and vibrations all added to the feel of a “live” listening experience.

With an extreme change in the musical mood, Green Day’s “Wake me up when September ends” is sort of track on CD normally sounds like an absolute dogs dinner when the pace of the track picks up as it tears up the speaker cones and makes one ear bleed. This track on the modified CD20R showed the marked improvements in coherence, expansion of sound-stage. It was still raw, thrashing and forceful but without the excessive grain, superficial sharpness and tonal hardness of the stock CD20R.

The continued improvements heard from CD to CD as you work through your collection are unquestionably and outright positive. The transformation far exceeds the monetary investment, the result long term and at the cost of £550.00 (Inclusive) the mods come at the snip of the price of a Hi-end DAC.

How to Order the Modification

The Tag Maclaren Audio CD20R Phase 2 modification is supplied & installed by Audiocom for £550.00 inclusive (excludes carriage).

Once you have purchased the phase 2 modification please contact us to schedule and book your CD20R for the installation. We can offer reasonable rates for insured courier collection & return to mainland UK from your home or workplace (excludes weekends).

The modification work is completed with 4-5 working days from receipt of the CD player. The phase 2 modification is covered by a 12 months parts & labour guarantee, this guarantee excludes any OEM parts such as laser & LCD display.