Audiolab Preamplifier

[Glynis Waughtal]

The9000N proves that Audiolab is capable of scaling its streaming expertise to more premium price points. This is a strong performer that ticks pretty much every box as far as sound quality is concerned.

With the 9000 series, Audiolab brings high-quality hifi components to the market that adhere to the manufacturer's original philosophy. The build quality, finish, and equipment are top-notch and the design is also pleasing to the eye. With Audiolab's new 9000 series, your analog or digital music albums always sound friendly, smooth, and delicate. Whether you want to listen to them through your speakers or your high-quality headphones. Forget about the 'technology'. Everything about the 9000 series is all about the 'music'.

Audiolab delivers a highly versatile set with the 7000 Series. Compared to the 6000 Series, the set brings along a bit more power and features. This trio, when paired with the Canton Vento 30 monitor speakers, delivers a very impressive performance. Looking at the total price tag of this combination, the interest of the true music lover should be piqued.

Audiolab's 8000A caused a stir thanks to its "superb finish and styling", although today it looks like a grey tinged box with lots of dials. Still, distinctive looks aside, it offered excellent sound and features including bass and treble controls, a stereo balance control and a separate record selector, so you could "listen to one source while taping another". The sound was smooth with "plenty of presence and detail". Add its fine build and features and the 8000A was great value for money.

"My 2023 Real World Hi-Fi standout is the Audiolab 9000N. Delivering exceptional performance as a source stack and preamplifier, it consistently provided outstanding sound quality amidst high-end components. The balance and synergy between elements created an enjoyable listening experience. Costing just shy of 2,500, it stands out as a worthwhile investment in the real-world category for 2023."

In conclusion, Audiolab has created an excellent network player with the 9000N. Modern styling is combined with great HiRes performance. Furthermore, the 9000N impresses with its excellent usability, both on the device itself and with the user-friendly app.

Audiolab seems to flourish and continues to capitalize on its heritage with very solid products. The star of the mid-range 7000 series is undoubtedly the integrated amplifier 7000A, which combines clean design with good features and, most importantly, a sound that belongs to a higher class than its price range would suggest.

The 9000A is the brainchild of lead designer, Jan Ertner. Famed for a plethora of class-leading and award-winning audio electronic models, Jan has pushed the 9000A to the highest levels of performance by evolving and redeveloping the principles that created the 8300A and uber-successful 6000A, to deliver the most exceptional performance ever seen in an audiolab integrated amplifier.

Years of experience and countless ESS-equipped models mean that audiolab is more than familiar with making the most of this technically excellent but challenging DAC technology. Great attention has been paid in developing a system that allows audiolab electronics and ESS DAC technology to offer the best in audiophile performance.

A key to the audiolab performance is the world-famous CFB (Complementary Feedback) topology, which ensures superior linearity and excellent thermal stability, as the idle current is kept independent of the temperature of the output transistors. An all-new and custom specified 320VA toroidal transformer, followed by 4 x 15,000uF reservoir capacity (60,000uF in total), helps the amp to maintain firm control of the music whilst enabling excellent dynamic range.

Similarly, for the headphone output stage employing current-feedback circuitry with wide bandwidth and high slew rate; the 9000A ensures a dynamic, detailed and engaging performance with all manner of headphone types, with that extra added audiolab sparkle from the consistent signal integrity from all inputs.

The audiolab 9000A continues with the theme of flexibility in audio system integration. As is a staple to the audiolab integrated amplifier design, the 9000A offers three variations of operating mode, making it a versatile and essential component in any system.

Engineered and built by legend Radu Tarta, the foundation of the A/Machines is similar to our existing excellent 300B amplifier inspired by Susumu Sakuma. A 10Y/801A drives the famed Western Electric 300B though a Finemet-Core interstage transformer made for Treehaus Audiolab in Japan. The output transformer, also with a Finemet-Core, utilizes a non-traditional impedance loading which eliminates the typical darker, syrupy sound of most 300B designs. Coleman filament regulators on separate dedicated DC supplies provide ultra-clean heater current to the directly-heated tubes.

The A/Machines depart from this design by using 4 enclosures rather than 2. Each channel is two units: one amplification section and one power supply section. The ultimate layout for noise and channel separation. To keep it simple, we simply doubled the total tube-rectified power supply capacity compared to the existing design. Gratuitously, we utilized Finemet-Core chokes and massive G.O.S.S. Core power transformers. MIL-spec Amphenol umbilical cords and Cardas binding posts connect power and signal. Nothing was held back.

The result is everything loved about our 300B amplifier, just more of it. More energy, more detail, more clarity, more nuance, more refinement, and still with plenty of SET magic. Six entire watts of it.

The A/Machines also debut a new visual design language offered by Treehaus Audiolab, inspired by early Klangfilm and Western Electric amplifiers. The A/Machines utilize large Simpson analog gauges, heavy 6mm aluminum plinths, crinkle powdercoat enclosures, and brass details throughout. A matching preamplifier, that goes to 11, demonstrates the design language on our existing preamplifier electronics.

Audio Mania, the pursuit of best sound, is our design ethos. We find inspiration in technology from the golden ages of audio around the world, and reimagine it for the 21st century listener. Treehaus Audiolab was founded in 2017 in Connecticut.

During the ensuing years, the 8000A established itself as one of the most successful British amps ever produced, and was joined by a range of electronics including CD players, pre/power amps and an FM tuner. The brand switched hands in 1997, changing its name to TAG McLaren Audio; and it so was known until 2004 when audiolab became part of the International Audio Group and returned to its original name.

With six line level inputs (unbalanced) covering the needs of CD, Tuner, Aux, Video (TV), Tape 1 and Tape 2, this design gives you plenty of connectivity for your sources. All inputs are switched by audiophile quality gold plated relays for lowest noise performance. Two tape loops complete a comprehensive array of facilities. A motorised Alps Blue potentiometer controls volume within the strict channel balance tolerances demanded by design engineers.

Twin preamplifier outputs allow up to two stereo power amps to be connected, should you want audio in two separate zones, or to bi-amplify your speakers for improved sound quality. A front panel Gain control allows the tailoring of the output level to suit a wide range of power amplifiers.

Speakers are no different - they exist on a quality and taste continuum. Of course, most audiophiles have a favorite, but some of us are willing to sample the offerings on the sonic buffet as long as it's in our window of acceptability. And occasionally, something that seemed vaguely unappealing might surprise us.

This mindset attracted me to the Treehaus Audiolab - National Treasure loudspeakers. Current prices start at $19,000. I heard them a few years ago at Capitol Audio Fest in Washington, D.C., and again at the 2022 CAF. This last time I decided to take the chance on a review.

The woofer amp you choose is fed a signal from a miniDSP branded box fed by a separate output from your preamplifier, just like a typical subwoofer arrangement. The miniDSP provides a level, crossover frequency (typically 100hz), slope (24 db per octave recommended), and room correction equalization. Think of it as assembling a custom dsp controlled subwoofer, but with the driver already chosen and mounted in the speaker baffle.

Rich Pinto of Treehaus Audiolab drove from Connecticut to Casa de la McAudiophile in Noth Ca-lina to deliver and set up. I enjoyed discussing speaker design, SET amps, and computer hacks for a BMW i3. In addition to designing and building cool speakers, Rich is a good hang. I had a blast; thanks, Rich!

After putting the arms on the speakers that balance and serve to angle the baffle, we set about moving them around. Rich suggested we find a good spot while listening without the woofer being on. This enabled us to get usable low-frequency extension from the full-range field-coil driver without the pre-dsp-adjusted woofer muddying the water.

Being a first-degree acoustics nerd, I had fun watching Rich put his measurement microphone in several places at and around my listening chair. Left and Right woofer output was sampled separately as REW enables multichannel. Once REW ingested all the tone sweeps, he told the program to average the curves. The information about the woofer output in my room is what REW uses to calculate a correction curve. Then, that info is imported to the miniDSP to do the correcting.

At HiFi shows, Treehaus uses 300B vacuum tube amplifiers of their design to power the system's full range/tweeter section. These are sold separately by Treehaus and can be used with any suitable speaker system. Rich and I agreed beforehand that I would use one of my amps for the review.

While things sounded mighty fine, it would take a minute to acclimate to the size and unique texture of what I was hearing. My music-listening neural pathways would need some time to rewire to this altogether new listening experience using the Treehaus Audiolab - National Treasure.

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