Lehmann Audio Black cube

Black Cube

The classic with its finger on the pulse

The Black Cube is the classic among phono preamplifiers: Since its market launch in 1995, it has enjoyed cult status with countless record lovers and has caused a sensation in the specialist press with its compact dimensions and great sound. The audio circuit board has been on the market with a new, significantly improved version since 2006.

Do you remember the first time you put your favorite LP on? Which detail has drawn you under its spell and which still inspires you today? The Black Cube makes a new encounter with beloved music classics possible: Thanks to excellent components and the sophisticated circuit design, the sound is reproduced true to the original and with full depth, even with the smallest dimensions.

The Black Cube is characterized by its broad spectrum of timbres and its downright explosive dynamics. The reason for this is the highly precise, passive RIAA equalization network, which is located between two linear amplifier stages. The realization takes place here with the help of low-loss precision MKP film capacitors. The high-quality input stages of the latest generation ensure low-noise playback, and it is not for nothing that they are also used in high-quality mixers and microphone amplifiers. The specially developed power supply guarantees a high level of overload protection.

Quality meets flexibility

? Thanks to the maximum gain of the Black Cube, you can connect practically all systems from high-output MM to MC that are widely available on the market. The configuration options guarantee almost unlimited freedom of choice: A free slot for an optional impedance offers a suitable termination even for demanding MC systems. All resistors are low-noise metal film types. Of course, we only use switches with gold-plated contacts to switch the amplification and the impedances. There is also an additional hardwire slot per channel that works immediately without a switch.

The flexibility of the Black Cube is also evident when setting up the device: you can easily set it up very close to the tonearm of your disk drive. This is made possible by the cable between the power supply and the audio part as well as the compact dimensions of this phono stage, which are typical of the entire Black Cube series. The shielded cable is provided with an original Neutrik XLR connector on the power supply side. In addition, the housing of the audio part is made of non-magnetic material (aluminum) and is mechanically damped in the cover. In the audio part there are additional assemblies for effective hum, HF and noise voltage suppression. The use of a double-sided audio board also enables additional ground planes for stray-free operation.

Black Cube

Sensitivity for output level 775 mV / 0 dB (with activated high gain jumper)
Gain 1 kHz
Max. Input level 1 kHz
Signal to Noise Ratio (effective unweighted) MM: 3.8 mV / 1 kHz; MC: 0.38 mV / 1 kHz
MM: 46 dB; MC: 66 dB
MM: 45 mV; MC: 4.5 mV
MM: 71 dB; MC: 63 dB
Gain 36 dB, 46 dB, 56 dB, 66 dB
Channel separation> 85 dB at 10 kHz
Input impedance 47 kOhm, 1 kOhm, 100 Ohm
1 x dial impedance
1 x hardwire slot
Output impedance 47 ohms
Input capacitance 100 pF
Channel inequality typ. 0.5 dB
Bass filter 50 Hz, 6 dB / oct.
Power consumption <3 W
Mains voltage 240 V AC
Dimensions W x D x H audio part: 113 mm x 108 mm x 45 mm
Power supply: 70 mm x 115 mm x 55 mm
Weight of audio part including cable to power supply: 0.4 kg net
Power supply: 0.3 kg net