Audiolab 9000A Integrated Amp

Description

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Audiolab 9000A Integrated Amplifier

The 9000A sits at the heart of what audiolab does best, building integrated amplifiers that punch above their weight in every measurable respect. More powerful, more capable and more fully specified than anything that came before it, the 9000A represents the pinnacle of integrated amplifier design from a brand with over four decades of pedigree.

Built for every kind of audiophile

Versatility has always been central to audiolab's integrated amplifier proposition, and the 9000A takes that further than ever. Digital sources, analogue connections, wireless streaming, vinyl playback and high-quality headphone listening are all catered for within a single, beautifully engineered unit. Whatever your source, whatever your listening preference, the 9000A has a route in.

A display worth looking at

A full-colour IPS LCD screen handles all playback, source and file information with clarity. Multiple display modes are available, including two VU meter options for those who want visual feedback, or a clean 'display off' setting for a more discreet presence in the rack. Menu options allow fine-tuning of performance settings to suit individual preferences.

Digital and analogue, equally at home

What sets the 9000A apart from competitors in its class is the seamless marriage of serious digital capability with genuine analogue credentials. Four digital inputs handle hi-res PCM up to 24-bit/192kHz, supported by the flagship ESS ES9038PRO 32-bit DAC, a chip widely regarded as one of the finest available, featuring HyperStream® II architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator for vanishingly low jitter and noise.

Audiolab's long experience with ESS technology means the 9000A isn't simply dropping in a premium chip and hoping for the best. Years of refinement in DAC implementation, filter voicing and circuit topology result in performance that genuinely reflects the ES9038PRO's capabilities.

PCM playback extends to 32-bit/768kHz, with DSD support up to DSD512 (22.5MHz). All major lossless and hi-res formats are supported, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, WAV, alongside legacy compressed formats for complete source compatibility.

On the analogue side, three AUX inputs, a balanced XLR input and a dedicated phono stage ensure that traditional source equipment is equally well served.

Full MQA decoding

The 9000A delivers complete three-stage MQA unfolding internally, rather than acting solely as a renderer for the final unfold. For subscribers to Tidal's HiFi Plus tier accessing Masters content, this means the full MQA experience is handled within the amplifier itself, no additional hardware required.

Wireless done properly

Bluetooth is implemented via aptX HD for genuinely high-quality wireless streaming from smartphones, tablets and laptops. Paired devices also benefit from the 9000A's DAC section and selectable digital filters, meaning wireless playback doesn't have to be a compromise.

A USB input handles PC audio directly, rounding out the connectivity picture for desktop-based listeners.

Serious power, seriously applied

The discrete Class AB power stage delivers a genuine 100W per channel into 8 ohms, rising to 160W into 4 ohms. These are real-world figures, not marketing numbers, placing the 9000A firmly in contention with the best amplifiers in its price bracket. A custom 320VA toroidal transformer and 60,000μF of total reservoir capacitance (four 15,000μF capacitors) give the power supply the reserves to handle dynamic peaks without flinching.

The CFB (Complementary Feedback) topology, long a cornerstone of audiolab's amplifier design, maintains superior linearity and thermal stability by keeping idle current independent of output transistor temperature. The result is consistent, controlled performance across extended listening sessions.

Signal integrity through the preamp section is preserved by keeping the circuit path as direct and uncluttered as possible, a design discipline that has defined Jan Ertner's work across decades of audiolab products.

Phono stage

The built-in phono stage continues audiolab's tradition of raising the bar with each successive generation. The 9000A's moving magnet phono input uses a JFET-based circuit with precise RIAA equalisation, a meaningful upgrade for turntable users who'd rather not invest in a separate phono stage.

Headphone output

Current-feedback circuitry with wide bandwidth and high slew rate underpins the headphone output, delivering a dynamic and detailed performance across a wide range of headphone impedances and sensitivities.

Three operating modes

The 9000A offers three system integration modes. In standard Integrated mode, pre and power stages work together for direct source-to-speaker use. Pre-Power mode separates the stages, allowing the 9000A to function as a standalone power amplifier, useful in home cinema configurations where an AV processor handles signal routing, or to accommodate external processing in the signal chain while retaining the benefit of the 9000A's amplification and pre-section performance.