Audiolab 9000Q: Ultra-Low Noise Preamplifier with High-Resolution Audio

The Audiolab 9000Q is a preamplifier designed to work with digital and analogue sources. It is solidly built and immaculately finished, with two knobs on the front panel and a 4.3-inch colour display for displaying volume, input selection and audio format data. It also provides access to the preamplifier’s menu system, including digital oversampling, input sensitivity adjustment, balance control and automatic standby switching.

The bass and treble tone controls are a new feature added to the Audiolab 9000Q menu system. Although microprocessor-controlled, these controls, like the volume control, operate entirely in the analogue domain and offer fine adjustment of +/-6 dB in 2 dB increments. Individual settings can be assigned to the various digital and analogue inputs – for example, a different EQ setting might be required for a streaming source and a turntable. These tone controls can be completely bypassed from the signal path if required. As with other Audiolab 9000 series components, the display can be set to display a variety of options: a VU meter or a decibel meter, with real-time display for the left and right channels during music playback. The display can also be made simpler, dimmed or switched off completely, as desired.

The Audiolab 9000Q includes an advanced digital-to-analog conversion system, allowing direct connection of digital sources without an external DAC. The USB Type-B input is designed for PC, Mac OS, smartphones, tablets and digital storage devices, along with four digital S/PDIF inputs – two coaxial and two optical. There are also four linear analog inputs – three stereo RCA and one stereo XLR for balanced connection, and a separate input for a phono preamplifier from a vinyl player.

For those who want to transfer data wirelessly via smartphones, tablets and computers, the high-tech Bluetooth function is compatible with Bluetooth 5 to optimize maximum communication range, speed and reliability of the connection. High-quality Bluetooth formats are supported – aptX HD and LDAC, aptX Low Latency, as well as the usual aptX, AAC and SBC. A pair of stereo RCA outputs allow you to connect two stereo power amplifiers, for example in bridged mode, along with stereo XLR. The latter option takes advantage of the balanced topology of the 9000Q circuit and the Direct XLR option, which provides a fully balanced signal path from input to output.

The Audiolab 9000Q is powered by the Sabre ES9038PRO, a standout chip from the top of ESS’s current range. The chip’s eight channels are fully dedicated to delivering a balanced stereo signal, eliminating noise and distortion alongside Audiolab’s own circuitry, including an ultra-precise master oscillator. This maximises the chip’s HyperStream II architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator, delivering exceptional signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range.

While Sabre chips are always technically impeccable, they are not easy to implement to maximum effect and must be integrated into a product’s design with care to extract their full sonic potential. The post-DAC active filter is a critical element, and Audiolab has developed a new Class A circuit for its 9000 series components that is ideal for getting the most out of the ES9038PRO. The 9000Q’s high-resolution audio support is state-of-the-art. The DAC handles PCM up to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD up to 22.5MHz (DSD512). All major high-resolution and lossless audio formats are supported, including FLAC, ALAC, AIFF and WAV, as well as compressed formats. Full MQA decoding is also provided, and the preamp is certified for seamless operation in the Roon audio environment.

You can choose to upsample digital audio signals to 352.8kHz or 384kHz, and five filter settings on the DAC output allow you to tailor the sound to the source – especially useful given the varying quality of digital formats and streaming services. Whether devices are connected via USB, S/PDIF or Bluetooth, every digital source gets the most out of the Audiolab 9000Q DAC.

The Audiolab 9000Q’s audio circuitry boasts exceptional specifications, including a low-noise 40VA toroidal transformer and a selection of high-quality capacitors and voltage regulators. The differential balanced topology is designed to deliver maximum signal purity, and includes a four-channel analogue volume control for full control of the balanced signal. Combined with XLR Direct mode, this provides a short, direct signal path that remains fully balanced. When other options, such as tone control, are introduced into the signal path, the precise application of these microprocessor-controlled functions ensures optimum signal purity is maintained.

Audiolab has also improved the phono preamplifier originally developed for the 9000A, ensuring that both vinyl and digital sources are treated equally well. Featuring high-quality, low-noise circuitry with precise RIAA equalization, sophisticated input filtering, and an upgraded power supply, every subtle nuance of a vinyl recording is delivered with thrilling energy and crystal clarity.

The phono preamplifier is designed for moving magnet (MM) cartridges, but is not switchable for moving coil (MC) cartridges. The company’s designers believe that phono preamplifiers built into integrated amplifiers and preamplifiers that handle both MM and MC cartridges are usually a compromise. A good MC cartridge will benefit greatly from a high-quality external phono preamplifier. Rather than cover both bases adequately, Audiolab has chosen to focus solely on creating a great phono preamplifier for the MM cartridges that a large number of listeners use. The dedicated headphone amplifier in the Audiolab 9000Q features a current feedback design with low output impedance, delivering dynamic, detailed sound with any headphone – even the heavy loads that many other amps struggle to drive.

The Audiolab 9000Q power supply has 11 regulated rails, including multiple ultra-low noise voltage regulators, with significant measures to protect against noise and crosstalk. Critical to the performance of the DAC, its circuitry contains multiple separate regulators to supply power to the left and right channels at each stage of the digital-to-analog conversion process. Compared to the also excellent DAC in the 9000A integrated amplifier, a separate transformer winding isolates the noisy part of the DAC circuitry, supplying power directly, further improving sound quality.

The Audiolab 9000Q power supply uses unique integrated filtering technology derived from the Audiolab DC Block and DC Block 6 line-power optimisation units. This removes RFI/EMI interference from the line-power supply, reducing differential noise (amplified by the cheap switching power supplies in many consumer electronics) and common mode noise (aggravated by interference from phones, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth). This further reduces noise levels, providing greater focus and clarity of sound.

Specifications 

Audiolab 9000Q

Type: pre-amplifier
Analog inputs: 3 x RCA, 1 x XLR, 1 x Phono (MM)
Analog outputs: 2 x RCA, 1 x RCA AUX(fixed), 1 x XLR, 1 x headphones, 2 x 12 V trigger
Digital inputs: 2 x SPDIF (coaxial), 2 x SPDIF (optical), 1 x USB B, Bluetooth (aptX / aptX HD / LDAC)
DAC: ES 9038 Pro, PCM up to 32/768, DSD512
Harmonic distortion (THD): < 0.001% (1 kHz at 0 dB)
Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+/- 0.1 dB)
Signal-to-noise ratio: > 113 dB (A-weighted, RCA); > 117 dB (A-weighted, XLR Direct)
Headphone amplifier: output impedance 2.35 ohms; THD < 0.01% (1 kHz, 50 mW); headphone impedance 20-600 ohms
Weight: 6.2 kg
Dimensions (W x H x D): 444 x 90 x 328 mm

Audiolab 9000P

Type: power amplifier
Amplification class: AB
Analog inputs: 1 x RCA, 1 x XLR, 1 trigger input 12 V
Outputs: two pairs of speaker terminals
Nominal output power: stereo: 2 x 100 W (8 ohms, THD <1%); stereo: 2 x 160 W (4 ohms, THD <1%); mono: 300 W (8 ohms, THD <1%); mono: 380 W (4 Ohm, THD <1%)
Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+/- 0.3 dB)
Total harmonic distortion (THD): <0.002% (1 kHz)
Signal-to-noise ratio: > 112 dB (A-weighted)
Maximum output current: 15 A
Weight: 9.2 kg
Dimensions (W x H x D): 444 x 90 x 327 mm