EMM Labs PREi Reference Stereo Preamplifier Debuts

The PREi replaces and builds upon the company’s long-running PRE2 and flagship PRE platforms, positioning it as its most advanced preamplifier to date.

For EMM Labs, a brand founded by digital and analogue audio pioneer Ed Meitner, the preamplifier has always been a critical link in the signal chain. Slotting neatly into what EMM Labs has been building as a fully integrated reference system, it joins the company’s TXi transport, DV2i D/A integrated converter, DS-EQ1 V2 optical equaliser for DS Audio cartridges, and its current generation MTRX2 V2 mono and MTRS stereo power amplifiers. The result is a new central control point in a lineup intended to cover both high-end digital and analogue playback under a single engineering philosophy.

At the circuit level, the PREi is fully dual-balanced and built around discrete Class A amplification stages, with EMM Labs stating that no integrated op-amps are used anywhere in the signal path. The company’s Meitner Audio Architecture (MAA) forms the backbone of the design, with all analogue stages developed and built in-house rather than sourced from third-party modules.

Volume control is handled by EMM Labs’ latest MVControl³ system, a software-managed but fully analogue architecture designed to maintain resolution and channel balance across the entire volume range. Switching between inputs is contactless, a design approach intended to minimise wear, noise and long-term reliability issues.

Power delivery originates from the firm’s third-generation MXPower³ supply, a resonant-mode design that isolates the audio circuitry from mains-borne noise while maintaining fast transient response. EMM Labs also uses proprietary MCeraTek ceramic circuit boards, which the company claims offer superior stability and lower dielectric absorption than conventional fibreglass PCBs — a detail that reflects how seriously it treats low-level signal integrity.

Physically, the PREi is built in Canada and housed in a precision-machined aluminium chassis, with a large front-panel OLED display and touch-based control system. The interface allows programmable input naming, three independent volume presets per input, and integration into control systems via RS-232. An aluminium infrared remote is supplied as standard.

Connectivity is generous for a modern analogue preamplifier. The PREi provides six stereo inputs (three balanced XLR and three single-ended RCA) alongside three outputs, split between two balanced and one single-ended connection. Input impedances are specified at 40kΩ for XLR and 20kΩ for RCA, while output impedance is rated at 150Ω (balanced) and 75Ω (single-ended), making it compatible with a wide range of power amplifiers.

Measured performance figures are also ambitious. EMM Labs quotes a signal-to-noise ratio better than 118dB at 4V RMS output, with THD+N below 0.01% across the audio band, and a system gain of +6dB. Power consumption is efficient for a Class A-based design, with a maximum draw of just 40W.

The PREi is priced at US$25,000 and is available in silver with a black insert or full black aluminium finish as standard, with custom metallic-plated finishes available by special order through authorised dealers.

For more information visit EMM Labs