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Lehmann Audio Black Cube SE
Our classic Black Cube, equipped with the extra potent PWX power supply – this is the Black Cube SE. That way it has even more power for an exceptionally complex, impressive and emotional reproduction of music.
Just imagine you could get even more out of your favourite record: the Black Cube SE does it with far greater bass authority, very relaxed mids plus enhanced top-end sparkle and openness.
Professional and yet emotional: making music tangible
The Black Cube SE belongs to the premier league of phono preamps. Of course, we use only components of ultimate quality for it. For a particularly low-noise reproduction we e.g. assemble input stages which other makers of professional studio electronics also build into their mixing consoles and microphone preamps.
"The music gets a direction, notes are bowing to arcs of suspense. Whether you’re tapping your feet to the beat, fake the conductor or give free rein to your love of singing, […] – the ’big‘ new Black Cube is by all means a truly talented animator."
Owing to its 66 dB of maximum gain, virtually all common systems from high-output MM to MC may be connected to the Black Cube SE. We have included a free slot per channel for the solder-free fitting of a custom impedance, and there is also an extra hardwired plug-in location with immediate action. Should you wish some resistors to match your personal system to the Black Cube SE, we will enclose them with your order at no cost.
The high-precision passive RIAA filter network sits between two linear gain stages and has been realised using high-grade, surge-proof and narrow tolerated polypropylene foil capacitors. That way transients, dynamics and timbres can reach the listener in a pure manner. The audio section contains additional modules for an efficient hum, HF and random voltage suppression. The use of a double-sided audio board also offers additional ground planes for a zero-interference operation.
The PWX power supply – compact and powerful
The potent external PWX power supply is equally compact in size like the audio section, so the Black Cube SE may be placed right next to your turntable drive, thus minimising potential losses due to cable lengths and leaving no chance for acoustic detriments. Neutrik XLR connectors with gold-plated pins provide the safe contact between audio section and PWX power supply, the connection cable between audio and power section is shielded. Furthermore, the two housings are made of a non-magnetic material (aluminium) and their top lids are mechanically dampened.
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Professional Reviews 89/100
Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
87/100
Cartridge Compatibility
91/100
Build Quality
85/100
Value for Money
94/100
The Lehmann Audio Black Cube SE delivers a balanced, relaxed phono stage sound with natural tonal color and strong cartridge matching flexibility. Part Time Audiophile found it especially convincing once gain and loading were set correctly, praising its clean, musical presentation and surprising composure with orchestral, vocal, and rock records alike.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Natural, well-proportioned sound that stays relaxed and musically satisfying across varied records.
Excellent gain and loading flexibility, making setup practical for moving-magnet and many moving-coil cartridges.
Strong value: it performs above its price and was described as an overachiever for the money.
Handles instruments and vocals cleanly, with realistic, non-strident presentation on well-recorded material.
&
Cons
Its soundstage is competent but not especially expansive, with some reduction in perceived width and depth versus pricier references.
Setup can be a little fiddly because gain adjustment requires opening the unit and moving internal jumpers.
It is not ideal for the very lowest-output moving-coil cartridges.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 87/100
Reviewers describe the Black Cube SE as honest, well-proportioned, and relaxed, with a sound that gives records a satisfying sense of balance rather than overemphasis. It is praised for reproducing instruments naturally and for doing justice to the cartridge in use, though one reviewer notes some loss of a real piano’s width and depth compared with his references.
Transparency Noise Floor
87/100
The reviews present it as clean and free of obvious artifacts, with piano rendered as a piano rather than a distorted caricature and vocals reproduced realistically without stridency. There are no complaints about hum, hiss, or buzz in the supplied coverage.
Tonal Balance Musicality
90/100
The strongest recurring impression is balance: the sound is called honest, well-proportioned, and relaxed, with enough of the right qualities to stay musically satisfying. Reviewers present it as a good partner for the Ortofon Rondo Bronze, suggesting it avoids obvious tonal coloration and stays enjoyable over time.
Dynamics
88/100
It is credited with handling big orchestral works well and keeping a wide variety of instruments sorted on complex tracks. The writing suggests good scale and composure, though the reviews stop short of describing it as especially explosive or unusually lively.
Soundstage Imaging
84/100
There is some praise for it doing justice to the recording and preserving instrumental variety, but one reviewer specifically says it reduces the illusion of a real piano’s width and depth somewhat. That points to good but not standout spatial performance.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Cartridge Compatibility
91/100
Reviewers highlight strong flexibility in gain and cartridge loading, and specifically note that it can accommodate any moving magnet and most moving coils except the very lowest-output types. The 100 ohm setting was reported as perfectly satisfactory for the Ortofon Rondo Bronze, which suggests practical adjustability rather than just paper specs.
Build Quality
85/100
The Black Cube SE is described as a compact two-piece solid-state unit with an external power supply and useful flexibility in gain, loading, and bass filtering. The reviews say little about long-term durability or internal execution, but what is mentioned presents it as a thoughtfully equipped and well-assembled component.
Value for Money
94/100
Value is a major part of the praise here: it is called a wonderful means of getting into phono playback for not a lot of money, an overachiever, and surprisingly good considering its reasonable price. The reviewer explicitly frames it as a strong buy for newcomers, enthusiasts on a budget, and even experienced listeners looking for sensible phono performance.
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