EMM Labs has launched a new preamplifier called the PREi. The new PREi is a stereo preamplifier with only analog connections. The PREi is the company’s new flagship model, positioning itself as its most advanced preamplifier yet.
EMM Labs was founded by Ed Meitner, a pioneer in digital and analog audio. According to the manufacturer, the preamplifier is always a crucial link in the signal chain. The preamplifier fits seamlessly into the fully integrated reference system that EMM Labs is developing, joining the TXi loop, the DV2i DAC , the DS-EQ1 V2 optical equalizer for DS Audio cartridges, and the current generation MTRX2 V2 mono and MTRS stereo power amplifiers. The result is a new central control point in a product line designed to support both high-quality digital and analog playback with a single, unified design philosophy.
The EMM Labs PREi is fully double-balanced and built around discrete Class A amplification stages. EMM Labs states that integrated operational amplifiers (op amps) are not used anywhere in the signal path. The company’s Meitner Audio Architecture (MAA) forms the backbone of the design, with all analog stages developed and built in-house instead of using third-party modules.
Volume control is handled by EMM Lab’s latest MVControl system, a software-driven yet fully analog architecture designed to maintain resolution and channel balance across the entire volume range. Input switching is contactless, a design approach intended to minimize wear, noise, and long-term reliability issues.
The power supply comes from the company’s third-generation MXPower power supply, a resonant-mode design that isolates the audio circuits from mains noise while maintaining fast transient response. EMM Labs also uses proprietary MCeraTek ceramic circuit boards, which the company says offer superior stability and lower dielectric absorption than conventional fiberglass circuit boards. This detail, the company says, demonstrates how seriously the company takes low-level signal integrity.
The PREi is physically manufactured in Canada and is housed in a precision-milled aluminum enclosure, featuring a large OLED display on the front panel and touchscreen controls. The interface allows for programmable input names, three independent volume presets per input, and integration into control systems via RS-232. An aluminum IR remote control is included as standard.
The connection options are extensive for a modern analog preamplifier. The PREi offers six stereo inputs (three balanced XLR and three unbalanced RCA) and three outputs, divided over two balanced and one unbalanced connection. The input impedances are 40 kOhms for XLR and 20 kOhms for RCA, while the output impedance is 150 Ohms (balanced) and 75 Ohms (unbalanced), making it compatible with a wide range of power amplifiers.
The measured performance figures are equally ambitious. EMM Labs claims a signal-to-noise ratio of over 118 dB at an RMS output voltage of 4 volts, with a THD+N of less than 0.01% across the entire audio range and a system gain of +6 dB. Power consumption is efficient for a Class A design, with a maximum consumption of only 40 watts.
The price for the EMM Labs PREi has not yet been announced. The EMM Labs PREi is available as standard in silver with a black insert or all-black aluminum. Metallic plated finishes are also available by special order through authorized dealers.
