AUDIO

PROFILE
LEHMANN AUDIO
BLACK CUBE II/SE II
Distribution Lehmannaudio
Tel. [phone]
www. lehmannaudio.com
List price 679/949 euros
Warranty period 2 years
Dimensions W x H x D
(amplifier)
11.4 x 5.0 x 12.4 cm
(4.49 x 1.97 x 4.88 in.)
Weight (amplifier) 0.6 kg (1.32 lbs)
CONNECTIONS
Phono MM/MC
/
Line level RCA/XLR –/–
Digital In –
Tape Out –
Out RCA/XLR/adjustable
/–/–
Headphones –
FUNCTIONS
Adjustable MC impedance
Adjustable MM
capacitance
Remote control –
Special features 16 subsonic filter settings
AUDIOGRAM
11/2020
very dynamic and
vigorous MM and MC
preamp
adaptation to special
pickups tricky at times
Sound MM/MC 120/120 (Black Cube SE II)
Features good
Operation satisfactory
Workmanship very good
SOUND SCORE
PRICE/PERFORMANCE
120 POINTS
SUPERB
BOTTOM LINE
Lothar Brandt
AUDIO editor
switch and prevail to their heart’s con-
tent. Normally low-frequency rumble,
e.g. from warped records, should be
sufficiently tamed in the default set
-
ting. Other disturbing factors are left
out. The 2 metre supply cable with Neu
-
trik connectors allows to set up pow-
er supply and preamp away from each
other and also far from other power
supply units. And the Black Cube II it
-
self will hardly spoil the useful signal by
distortion, noise or hum anyway – see
measuring lab box.
And so it really let the music burgeon
freely. The “Moldau“ of Smetana’s “Ma
Vlast“ (all samples in the vinyl section)
was jauntily gurgling from its sources,
bouncing over rapids to finally flow so
wide and majestic towards the end. In
a highly dynamic way the Black Cube
II let the “Running Man“ rush ahead,
and the exquisite wealth of colours of
the delicate jazz on Eva Kruse’s “New
Legend“ was also shimmering and
shining.
Upgraded to the SE version by the
PWX, it was definitely poking the fire
again like almost no other phono pre in
its price range. Merciless heavy rock by
Vanilla Fudge or massive bigband attacks
by Count Basie were just about to blaze
through the listening room. Pimped in
such a hot manner, the Lehmann Black
Cube SE II is state-of-the-art.
Amplifiers › PHONO PREAMPS
WORK IT OUT FIRST:
Before inserting resistors into
the professionally designed
dual-channel structure or using
the DIP switches, one should
definitely read the manual.
The Black Cube II has a very broadband frequency response up to beyond 100
kHz. The blue curves on the left show the effects of the different subsonic filter
settings. The 83 dBs of S/N ratio with MM and 77 dBs with MC are very good,
the MC distortion diagram on right shows little noise. The default values for the
MM input capacitance (100 pF) and the MC terminating impedance (100 ohms) are
practice-oriented.
MEASURING LAB
Already in the factory setting, the
new Lehmann Audio Black Cube II
has given me lots of joy. Together
with the PWX power supply, the
afterburner for the SE-II version,
it’s even more fun. The multiple
configurations of the subsonic filter
and the custom options with plug-
in parts are more for professionals.
But Norbert Lehmann has also
vamped up his evergreen for the
average consumer.
www.audio.de›11/2020 53