Lehmann Audio - Decade Jubilee Phono Stage

The Decade with the Silver Cube’s RIAA network, a discrete output stage and dual-mono relays — an upgrade of parts and topology rather than of specifications.

The Decade Jubilee sits above the standard Decade and below Lehmann’s flagship Silver Cube, and the company is clear that it is more than a trim upgrade. It inherits the entire passive RIAA network from the Silver Cube, adds a discrete output stage, doubles the relay count so that each channel gets its own in a true dual-mono arrangement, rides on refined 3S isolation feet, and is powered by the PWX II LC — an uprated PWX II with significantly increased copper content and an elaborate capacitor upgrade.

Here is the honest part, and we would rather say it than let you find out afterwards: every figure Lehmann publishes for the Jubilee is identical to the standard Decade. Gain, signal-to-noise, channel separation, impedance, capacitance, output impedance, dimensions and weight all match exactly. The case for this model rests entirely on parts quality and circuit topology, not on the specification sheet, and any copy claiming measurably better numbers would be false.

Whether that is worth it is a listening judgement. A Silver Cube RIAA network and a discrete output stage are real engineering rather than cosmetics, and dual-mono relay switching removes a shared component from the signal path. But you should audition rather than buy on paper.

Operationally it is the Decade: front-panel toggle switches for gain across 36, 46, 56 and 66dB, a 50Hz bass filter, loading of 47k ohms, 1k ohm and 100 ohms plus a custom slot, and input capacitance adjustable from 47pF to 1,370pF.

Features

• The entire passive RIAA network taken from Lehmann’s flagship Silver Cube
• Discrete output stage
• Dual-mono relay arrangement — one relay per channel, double the Decade’s count
• PWX II LC power supply with significantly increased copper and an elaborate capacitor upgrade
• Refined 3S isolation feet
• Front-panel toggle switches for gain of 36, 46, 56 and 66dB
• Input capacitance adjustable from 47pF to 1,370pF
• Output impedance of 5 Ω

Specifications

• Type: MM/MC phono preamplifier, two-box
• Differences From the Standard Decade: The entire passive RIAA network from the Silver Cube; a discrete output stage; a dual-mono relay arrangement with one relay per channel; the PWX II LC power supply with significantly increased copper content and an elaborate capacitor upgrade; refined 3S feet
• Gain: 36dB, 46dB, 56dB, 66dB
• Gain Selection: Front-panel toggle switches operating relays, as on the Decade, but with one relay per channel in a dual-mono configuration
• Sensitivity for 775mV Output: MM 3.8mV at 1kHz; MC 0.38mV at 1kHz, with high gain active
• Maximum Input Level at 1kHz: MM 45mV; MC 4.5mV
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: MM 78dB; MC 69dB, RMS unweighted
• Channel Separation: Greater than 80dB at 10kHz
• Channel Mismatch: Typically a maximum of 0.5dB
• Input Impedance: 47k Ω, 1k Ω, 100 Ω, plus one custom load
• Input Capacitance: 47pF to 1,370pF, DIP-selected and additive from a 47pF base
• Output Impedance: 5 Ω
• Bass Filter: 50Hz at 6dB/octave
• Power Supply: PWX II LC, included
• Power Consumption: Approximately 13VA
• Dimensions: 110 x 280 x 50 mm (W x D x H) for each of the two chassis
• Weight: 0.87kg audio section; 1.56kg power supply
• Origin: Lehmann states in its manuals that all its products are developed and manufactured exclusively in Germany. The company is Lehmannaudio Vertriebs GmbH of Cologne
• Warranty: Two years. Lehmann states that the use of only the very best components enables it to grant a two-year warranty, that each device is tested individually, and that the purchase receipt is the proof of warranty. Lehmann Audio is distributed in the United States by Ortofon Inc. of Ossining, New York, who administer service and warranty here
• Not Published: Lehmann publishes no RIAA accuracy or deviation tolerance, no THD or THD+N figure, no frequency response range and no maximum output voltage — not for this model and not for any product in the range. Its literature describes a precise passive RIAA network but never quantifies the deviation. If you find those numbers on another retailer’s listing, they did not come from Lehmann. Lehmann also does not state what the Jubilee name commemorates, and makes no limited edition claim or production quantity statement anywhere
• Note: Two things worth being straight about. Lehmann publishes no explanation of what the “Jubilee” name refers to — no anniversary, no year, no occasion appears on its product pages or in its brochure — and it makes no limited edition claim and states no production quantity. Where you see either asserted elsewhere, it is not coming from Lehmann. And every measured specification Lehmann prints for this model is identical to the standard Decade; the upgrade is in parts and topology