Q-tron Audio PRE14B Gain 4x Tube Preamplifier

It is a preamplifier with an all-stage tube configuration with 4x gain, low output impedance and very high transparency. Four inputs can be selected, and the volume control by switching relays uses individual resistors to achieve a very good balance. The PRE14 has four RCA phono inputs and two RCA phono outputs. The PRE14B is fully balanced and has two RCA phono inputs, two balanced XLR inputs, one RCA phono output, and one balanced XLR output. All amplifier stages are 100% tube configurations and have an OTL (output transformerless) design. No semiconductor components, transformers, or chokes are used in the audio chain.

The volume and input selection can be controlled by the remote control.

Advanced stabilized power supplies (for anode and heater) provide very low levels of hum and noise.

The amplifier consists of 3 PCBs and the chassis is made of 10mm aluminum, which provides excellent mechanical stability and completely eliminates noise caused by vibrations.

The PRE14 is very compatible with the PA3, PA12 and PA34 OTL power amplifiers, and the preamplifier is particularly demanding to take advantage of the low distortion characteristics of the PA12 and PA34. The PRE14 achieves that goal and does not affect the clear sound of the PA12 or PA34. Of course, it's a great choice if you need a very transparent preamp for other applications as well.

The PRE14 uses Q-tron Audio's proprietary 64-step attenuator instead of the typical potentiometer for precise and reliable volume control. There are good potentiometers on the market, but our attenuators eliminate the channel-to-channel imbalance caused by potentiometers and provide better performance than any potentiometer.

The attenuator has 64 positions and allows adjustment in steps of 1 dB. Each step is precisely switched using a relay with gold-plated contacts, and the channel balance is accurate to within ±0.05 dB at any volume setting. It also boasts a very high accuracy of up to 0.02 dB to maximize audio clarity and dynamics. This design allows for smooth and precise volume adjustments, which can significantly improve the quality of the audio experience. Q-tron Audio's 64-step attenuator is the perfect choice for audiophiles looking for precision and sound quality that traditional products can't match.

The preamp has a rather elaborate design, with only a power switch on the left on the front panel, a Mt. Fuji-shaped knob in the middle, and a small display window to the right. This custom-made knob is shared with the volume and input selector switches. The volume is a 64-step attenuator, and input switching is selected from 4 inputs in order by pushing in. In both cases, the selected input or volume amount is displayed on the panel next to the knob. There are two inputs, balanced and two unbalanced. In addition, the output is also available in both unbalanced and balanced ways. It's hard to describe the sound quality of the pre, but the sound is solid, and even in fortissimo, the upper side doesn't feel pressed at all. In addition, even with complex sounds, each sound did not feel shaken, it was stable, and it was an amp that brilliantly broke the preconceived notion that "a good amp would be like this" that I thought had enough performance as a high-end machine. It taught me that there are still things in the world that I don't know. *See Radio Technology.