Lab 12 pre1
The Heart of a Great System
Some components shape the sound of your system. A great line preamplifier simply reveals it.
The Lab12 pre1 is a handcrafted Class A triode line stage designed for listeners who value transparency, dynamic expression, and long-term musical satisfaction over exaggerated warmth or hi-fi spectacle. Whether paired with tube or solid-state amplification, it preserves the character of every component that follows, bringing recordings into sharper focus without drawing attention to itself.
Closer to the Music
Every source passes through your preamplifier. Its influence reaches every recording, every amplifier, and every listening session.
The pre1 approaches that responsibility with uncommon restraint. Rather than imposing a signature sound, it clears a path between source and amplifier, allowing each recording to retain its own voice. Fine details emerge naturally. Dynamics breathe more freely. Instruments occupy space with greater clarity and presence.
The result isn’t a system that sounds more like the preamplifier. It is a system that sounds more like the music.
In Your System
With five line-level inputs and both RCA and XLR outputs, the pre1 adapts easily to sophisticated two-channel systems. Connect multiple analog sources, feed a stereo power amplifier, bi-amplified system, or active subwoofer without compromise. Remote-controlled volume and input selection make daily operation as effortless as the listening experience.
Designed to Disappear
Inside the pre1 is a deceptively simple circuit executed with exceptional care.
A matched pair of 6922 dual triodes operates in pure Class A using Lab12’s dual-mono architecture, SRSG® topology, and Fine Symmetry® layout. A generously specified linear power supply built around a toroidal transformer provides a stable foundation, while the absence of global feedback helps preserve musical nuance and natural dynamics. An ALPS Blue Velvet volume control completes a signal path where every component has been selected by ear as much as by measurement. PRE1-owner-manual-1.9.pdf
The engineering serves a single purpose: removing barriers between the performance and the listener.
Specifications
Frequency Response: 5 Hz –200 kHz (+0 / –3 dB)
Gain: 21 dB
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 90 dB
Tube Complement: 2 × 6922 dual triodes
Inputs: 5 stereo line inputs (RCA)
Outputs: 2 stereo line outputs (1 RCA, 1 XLR)
Available Colors: Matte Black, Frozen Silver
Remote: Volume, Input Selection, Mute
Dimensions: 16.9 × 4.3 × 11.4 in (W ×H ×D)
Weight: 15.4 lb