In Barn for Review: Qln Reference 9 Loudspeakers

Anyone who’s had a gander at my Favorite Speakers list will have seen the Qln Prestige Five on it about which i said, “Regardless of the accompanying amplification, they remained as resolving as music demanded, as seamless and transparent as I’ve heard from a multi-driver speaker…”

“…with that extra pound of flesh on music’s bones to communicate the all too human nature of whatever music you choose to send their way.”

The new Qln Reference 9 are the company’s “statement level speaker”, a 3-way design that incorporates a new proprietary 7” Kevlar midrange and 9” woofer with a coated thin Carbon sandwich cone that join a 25mm soft dome tweeter, a further refinement of the tweeter found on the QLN Signature Stand Mounts.

The slanted front baffle is so raked to provide “perfect time alignment between the drivers with a focus on correct phase behavior.” A single pair of WBT Nextgen binding posts await around back along with the rear-firing port. The cabinets attach to solid aluminum bars that sit on Qln’s footers to stabilize their 145 lb. heft.

The company specs the Qln Reference 9’s sensitivity at 91dB (SPL 2,83V 1m, 100-10kHz ), with a 4 Ohm impedance and low frequency performance reaching down to 25Hz  (-3dB). The Ref 9s are designed and manufactured in Gothenburg, Sweden, which is where the company was founded in 1977 by Nils Liljeroth and Lars Quicklund, while Mats Andersen, the Ref 9’s designer, joined the company in 1982. History.

Readers with good short-term memory know that I already have the Vinnie Rossi Brama Integrated Amplifier in Barn and those with a bit longer recall will note that I picked this very Qln Ref 9/Brama dynamic duo as a Favorite Room from Axpona 2024.

Consider that a tiny taste of things to come. Stay tuned!

Qln Reference 9 Loudspeakers
Price: starts at $42,000/pair in Walnut Matte, $45,000/pair in Walnut Burl Piano as reviewed
Company Website: Qln
US Distributor Website: Well Pleased AV

Specifications