The New Sound of Research

The new 9000N was developed as the perfect digital streaming companion for the flagship audiolab 9000 series and is the result of over three years of development and innovation. It enables extremely stable, high-resolution wireless (and wired) digital music playback. The audiolab 9000 series, launched in early 2022, exemplifies audiolab's reputation as a manufacturer of first-class amplifiers. After entering the streaming business with the highly successful 6000N Play and 7000N Play, the 9000N was eagerly awaited!

The 9000N is the logical continuation of the 9000 series and its natural evolution into a premium hi-fi solution, driven by customer demand for a solidly constructed and impeccably finished streaming component. The 9000N's form factor mirrors the clear elegance of the 9000A and the matching CDT. Equipped with rotary controls and a complete absence of buttons (with the exception of the power switch), the 9000N also features the 4.3-inch color screen found in the other devices in the series – the perfect window for showcasing your digital music files... including colorful artwork!

The screen displays a variety of information in a more visually appealing way than most other streaming devices, many of which traditionally rely on the accompanying app for operational feedback, user control, and interface. The 9000N's display offers full menu control, a range of options, and user settings, including multiple language selection and general display options. Particularly impressive is the 9000N's display, which shows format data details, playback information, and, as mentioned above, album cover art in color.

The album cover is visible on the standard playback screen, but can also be expanded for an artwork-focused playback screen. The display can even be set to show a VU meter in "analog" or "digital" form, displaying real-time decibel levels for the left and right channels – a more than satisfying graphical representation of music playback. For a more minimalistic option, the display can be dimmed or turned off completely, depending on the user's preference.

Stream like a dream

The 9000N is a custom Linux-based network streaming platform, developed from the ground up for audio playback and optimized for minimal interference and lowest latency to provide an optimal sound experience for all music lovers.

The app offers intelligent search functions and full control over, and even for the creation of, custom playlists, folders, and album grouping functions. File information, track details, and app-in-app search, selection, and compilation functions are easily accessible. Qobuz and Tidal users will be pleased that, unlike some other apps and platforms, high-resolution and Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) tracks can be easily identified with icons within the app itself, without having to switch between the service and the device app.

The 9000N presents itself as an absolute premium device in every respect. Via its customized app, it can be operated comfortably and reliably, and also looks chic thanks to a complete album cover display. Another highlight is the ESS9038Pro DAC chipset, which meets Audiolab's audiophile requirements. For all those who prefer the app of the proprietary streaming service, the 9000N offers, in addition to operation via its own app, playback via Airplay II as well as Tidal Connect and Spotify Connect.

And to complete the impressive list of compatibility with digital audio platforms, the 9000N is Roon Ready. Roon Ready devices are network players with integrated Roon streaming technology in their Ethernet or WiFi network. These devices make bit-perfect, high-resolution audio easy, as they require no configuration and provide access to the best audio quality while offering stable, reliable playback.

Digital Circuitry

The hardware is based on a Quad Arm® Cortex®-A53 Core MCU with 1.8 GHz per core. This powerful "brain" behind the system ensures seamless, undisturbed operation and offers additional benefits such as faster loading of accompanying artwork files, which improves the user experience and visual aesthetics.

Since the launch of the much-admired M-DAC more than a decade ago, Audiolab has been renowned for the performance of its DAC circuits. The 9000N is equipped with the ES9038PRO - an eight-channel DAC chip that represents the top position of ESS Technology's current Sabre series. The circuit combines the advantages of the HyperStream II architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator technology, providing an unprecedented dynamic range and extremely low distortion.

No company knows more about how to make the most of Sabre DAC technology than Audiolab, as we have been working with this technology for years across multiple product generations. Although these DAC chips are technically excellent, they are also difficult to implement and must be integrated into a product's circuit design to unleash their full sonic potential. The active filter after the DAC is a critical element, and Audiolab has developed a new circuit perfectly tailored to get the best out of the ES9038PRO.

The 9000N also offers full decoding of MQA Hi-Res streaming technology. This means that the entire "triple unfold" decoding process is carried out internally, not just the final unfold as with an MQA 'renderer'. This, incidentally, makes the 9000A an excellent amplifier for subscribers to the Tidal HiFi Plus tier, where Tidal Masters (MQA) content can be found. It is also officially Roon-tested, ensuring it works seamlessly in a Roon audio environment.

Versatile Connectivity

As any Audiolab fan would expect, the 9000N features state-of-the-art digital-to-analog signal conversion. The 9000N offers connectivity via analog XLR or RCA outputs. As a standalone MQA full decoder, it can be used with any amplifier or secondary preamplifier system that offers analog connections. Further magic is added through the digital output and the option of "MQA Pass-Through" functionality. For users who might be using an equally powerful DAC (e.g., 9000A owners), the 9000N can stream and pass through the MQA signal (e.g., from Tidal or Qobuz). The second DAC can then decode this signal. This offers further functionality and versatility, not to mention a completely unadulterated signal flow – an advantage for purists.

When using the analog output, the 9000N upsamples digital audio signals to 352.8kHz or 383kHz when MQA decoding occurs. Otherwise, the MQA signal can be assigned as "Passthrough" for decoding by a partner DAC stage via the menu settings. High-end audio that reaches for the stars, but doesn't cost the earth.

The 9000 series enters the world of streaming with the aim of becoming the epitome of affordable high-end audio. Build quality that stands out, versatile functionality without a hint of compromise, and performance that reproduces every detail of the music and brings it to life in captivating style. It offers remarkable sonic consistency across all types of digital and analog sources, always musically engaging yet refined.

Inputs

1 x Network Streaming
1 x PC USB (USB Type-B)
1 x Ethernet 10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet

Outputs

1 x Gold-plated RCA Connectors (Pair)
1 x XLR (Pair)
1 x Optical
1 x Coaxial
1 x 12V Trigger (Link)

File Compatibility

DSD Lossless: DSF (DSD), DIFF (DSD), DoP (DSD)
PCM Lossless: FLAC, Apple Lossless (ALAC), WAV, AIFF
Compressed (lossy) Audio: MP3
MQA
PCM: 44.1kHz-768kHz (705.6kHz / 768kHz Fixed Point supported via Audiolab Music App Streaming)
DSD: DSD64, DSD128, DSD256, DSD512 (Native)

Digital Section

Digital Output Intensity: 500 +/- 50mVpp
Output Impedance: 75 Ohm
Frequency Response: -0.01dB (20Hz - 20kHz, ref.1kHz)
Max. Sampling Frequency: 192kHz / 24-bit
Digital Output: 1 x Coaxial, 1 x Optical

D/A Converter

Variable Output Voltage: 0 - 2.05Vrms
DAC: ES9038Pro
Frequency Response: +/-0.5dB (20Hz - 20KHz, ref.1KHz)
Total Harmonic Distortion:<0.001% (1kHz @ 2.05Vrms)
Max. Sampling Frequency: 768KHz / 32-bit
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-weighted): >116dB(RCA), >120dB(XLR)
Output Impedance: 120 Ohm

General

Power Consumption in Standby Mode:<0.5W
Weight (net/gross): 6.2kg / 8.0kg
Dimensions (mm)(W x H x D): 444 x 89 x 333
Power Requirements (depending on region): 220-240V ~ 50/ 60Hz
100-120V ~50/ 60Hz
Standard Accessories: Power Cable, Remote Control, User Manual

Thomas Henke, IAD GmbH
Johann-Georg-Halske-Str.11, 41352 Korschenbroich, DE
info@iad-gmbh.de
http://www.iaggroup.cn
02161-617830