Introducing the EMM Labs PREi Preamplifier
At EMM Labs, we have always understood that the analog preamplifier is the heart of a true reference-grade music system. Its role is simple, yet critical: to preserve musical truth with absolute purity. For more than two decades, this belief has guided our work and driven us to continually advance what is possible in high-end analog design.
From the pioneering Meitner PA6i, to the multi-award-winning EMM Labs PRE2, and later the flagship EMM Labs PRE, each generation has refined our approach to transparency, control, and musical realism.
The new PREi represents the pinnacle of that evolution, our most refined and advanced preamplifier to date. Designed and manufactured in Canada, the PREi is offered at $28,900 USD, reflecting its position as the reference control center for no-compromise audio systems.
PREi: What’s New Sonically
Listeners familiar with the original PRE will immediately recognize two defining improvements. The first is scale. PREi presents music with a more expansive, effortless openness that allows complex recordings to breathe naturally. The second is authority in the low frequencies. Bass reaches lower, hits with greater precision, and anchors the entire presentation with improved control and weight. Across the midrange and treble, resolution and extension increase without altering tonal balance.
In direct comparison, the original PRE now sounds constrained, not by design, but by how far PREi has moved the benchmark forward.
The PREi is offered in both the classic EMM Labs silver and black finish with customizable front panels available to order.
Contact your local dealer for more information about the PREi.
A New Standard for the PREi Black Finish
The PREi is available in a sleek black finish and now ships with a newly introduced black EMM Labs remote control. Beginning February 1, all black PREi units will include the black remote as standard.
The black remote control is also available separately for EMM Labs PRE and PREi owners who wish to update the finish of their existing remote.
PREi Upgrade Path
The PREi Upgrade brings your existing EMM Labs preamplifier fully into the current PREi generation, both sonically and operationally.
This is a comprehensive upgrade, not a cosmetic refresh. Internally, your unit is rebuilt with all-new circuit boards, incorporating the latest EMM Labs analog architecture, power regulation, control systems, and signal-path refinements developed for the PREi. The result is audibly greater transparency, lower noise, improved dynamic expression, and a more effortless, natural musical presentation.
The upgrade also includes a new front panel and modern touch interface, delivering the same intuitive control, responsiveness, and visual presentation as a factory-built PREi. Once completed, your unit performs and operates as a current-production PREi, aligned with today’s design standards and fully supported moving forward.
Speak with your local dealer today for the PREi upgrade price in your region.
PREi First Impressions with SonicFlare
As someone who has been through the “i” cycle of EMM Labs upgrades over the past year, the last one to reach that coveted status was the PRE, our legendary pre-amplifier. You see, designing a pre-amp would seem easy as one, two, three, reality however, dictates otherwise. After all, your pre-amp is the brains of your system: routing signals from different inputs, which in turn are connected to all sorts of different sources with varying output impedances; adjusting the volume, which might as well be considered to be “black” art and of course doing so day in, day out, without a flinch.
So when the team gave me a heads-up that the PREi launch is imminent, I wondered just how much of an upgrade it would turn out to be. The answer, upon first listen over the past month now, is quite simple: just like the other “i” cycle upgrades of our EMM Labs line, the new PREi shines in two, key aspects: a much more open presentation and even wider dynamic range; second, bass performance that it simply staggering. Bass genuinely reaches lower, has more punch and breath, whilst the mid-range and treble gained more definition and extension. Record after record, I was taken aback at just how much more information was being uncovered, never mind that the previous generation PRE was not exactly a slouch, all things considered.
Bonus: the all new OLED display’s XZoom feature, which jumbo sizes the display is absolutely terrific - more to come on that front, too. In short, this upgrade is simply a must!
Why Ceramic Circuit Boards Matter in High-End Audio
At first glance, a circuit board might seem like a minor detail in the design of an audio component. After all, isn’t FR-4, the fiberglass board used in everything from computers to consumer electronics, good enough? For most applications, yes. But in the world of high-end analog audio, where every fraction of a decibel and every nuance of performance matters, the choice of substrate can make a profound difference.
Ceramic circuit boards offer advantages that directly impact how faithfully music is reproduced. Unlike FR-4, ceramic has exceptionally low dielectric loss and a stable dielectric constant across frequency and temperature ranges. This stability preserves signal integrity, ensuring that delicate analog waveforms aren’t smeared by phase shift, crosstalk, or inconsistencies in frequency response. In simple terms, the music comes through with more purity and less compromise.
Heat management is another area where ceramic shines. A ceramic substrate conducts heat far more efficiently than FR-4, up to a hundred times better. That means critical analog stages, such as DAC output sections or amplifier voltage gain stages, remain thermally stable. When components run cooler and more consistently, thermal noise drops, bias points hold steady, and the music retains its clarity and dynamic ease.
Mechanical and environmental stability also matter. Ceramic expands very little with temperature, keeping resistors, capacitors, and matched networks in perfect alignment even as operating conditions change. This kind of precision is essential in circuits where tiny mismatches can lead to distortion or drift. FR-4, by contrast, expands and warps more readily, and it absorbs moisture over time, subtly degrading long-term performance.
Perhaps most importantly for the listener, ceramic boards reduce electrical noise and crosstalk. With their uniform dielectric and high insulation resistance, they prevent leakage paths and parasitic capacitances that can blur stereo imaging or add distortion. The result is a soundstage that feels wider, deeper, and more stable, with microdetails emerging against a darker, quieter background.
Of course, ceramic is not without its drawbacks. It costs more, is more brittle, and requires specialized manufacturing. But for applications where ultimate fidelity is the goal, those trade-offs are worthwhile. It’s no accident that ceramic is used in aerospace, military, and medical instrumentation, fields where reliability and precision are non-negotiable. In our case, it ensures that your DAC or amplifier performs not just well, but exceptionally, year after year.
At EMM Labs, we believe these benefits are so important that we utilize ceramic circuit boards in the analog stages of all our EMM Labs products. This design choice is unique to the EMM Labs line. Our Meitner products, while engineered with the same dedication to performance, follow a different design philosophy tailored to their market and applications.
In the end, ceramic makes its mark exactly where the magic happens in analog audio, where the smallest errors can become the most audible once amplified. By choosing ceramic over FR-4, we’re choosing to eliminate those errors, preserve the integrity of the signal, and let the full emotional impact of the music reach you unfiltered.
Because in our view, “good enough” is never good enough.
New Firmware for DA2i, DV2i & MA3i (v4.5.1)
This update improves streaming reliability, including:
- Resolving an issue where Qobuz could disconnect after the final track in a queue
- Improving firmware checking and system responses when the server is temporarily unreachable.
We recommend updating to ensure the best streaming performance and overall stability.
How to update:
- Download mConnect Control from the App Store or Google Play.
- Open the app and go to the Player tabTap the ⚙️ icon.
- Select Device Setup.
- Choose your EMM Labs or Meitner product.
- You will be automatically prompted to install the update.
Keep your system running at its best with the latest improvements.
