Cayin Pearl 30i Integrated Tube Amplifier with KT170 Tubes

Cayin Pearl 30i Integrated Tube Amplifier with KT170 Tubes

The Best A Cayin Tube Amplifier Can Be
To mark Cayin's 30th anniversary, we are introducing the Pearl 30i, a flagship integrated tube amplifier with an exclusive design: The Pearl 30i consists of two dedicated and perfectly matching housing parts. One contains the complete amplifier technology, while the other is dedicated exclusively to the power supply. A total of four power transformers are at work here. This means that the left and right channels are cleanly separated from each other and supplied independently with high and low voltage. Carefully selected components and a well thought-out arrangement of the amplification stages ensure a high-end experience on a whole new acoustic and visual level.

Housing And Optics
The two units of the Pearl 30i can be placed either on top of or next to each other. In the tower arrangement, the unique design of the new Cayin flagship comes into its own. The black front and the fanned panelling of the amplifier section give the Pearl 30i a look that is immediately memorable and conveys the impression of having something special in front of you. The volume button, which is infinitely adjustable in 106 steps, is located in the centre. The internal JRC Muses 72320V controller ensures precise control of the level selection. The elegant wood panelling is located directly above it. Four toggle switches and a VU meter are embedded in it. These switches are used to switch the VU meter and its backlighting on and off, switch the timbre and operating mode and select the input channel. The front is rounded off by a display that provides information about the currently selected channel.

Separate Housing For Optimum Power Delivery
To optimise the drive of the components, the Cayin developers have outsourced the power supply for this exclusive amplifier to a separate housing. Here, the power is split between the left and right channels, where it is effectively processed by two power transformers each. In this way, the power-hungry amplifier stages designed for high voltage are optimally supplied, as are the components designed for low voltage. The processed current is then fed from the power unit to the amplifier unit via the corresponding outputs and the specially designed cables supplied. Equipped with SF20 connectors, a 7-pin configuration and silver-plated 6N copper cable, Cayin provides the optimum conditions for supplying the Pearl 30i effectively and with the right power.

Tubes For Optimum Sound And The Perfect Bias
The tubes of the Pearl 30i are enthroned on the top of the housing. They are the acoustic centrepiece and visual highlight of the integrated amplifier. Two Mullard CV4004/12AX7 tubes provide the pre-amplification of the signal. On the driver stage, four TungSol 6SN7GTB units on porcelain bases take care of the further processing of the signal. Only then is it passed on to the power amplifier. Eight KT-170 tubes take care of the finishing touches, bringing the signal up to output level using the Class AB1 push-pull method. The windings of the high-purity copper strands in the output transformers are surrounded by Z11 audio-quality silicon steel plates to ensure outstanding signal purity. A sophisticated auto-bias circuit ensures perfect bias adjustment. This ensures optimum operation and the longest possible tube life. Operation is monitored by an optical bias monitoring indicator. If this detects irregularities, the amplifier switches to a safe operating mode so that errors can be searched for without risk.

Sound Of Your Choice
You can choose between two operating modes for the signal output: The triode mode offers a harmonious, soft sound. This preset is particularly recommended for instrumental music and pieces in which voices and vocals take centre stage. For a higher performance potential, however, the ultra-linear mode is recommended and is better suited to dynamic music. The sound can be further customised by selecting the timbre. The dynamic mode promises a denser, fuller sound, while the soft setting offers a softer sound. Of course, personal taste is always the deciding factor in the end. However, the options described invite you to discover your personal favourite sound. All these settings, including input selection and volume control, can of course also be made from the sofa using the remote control included in the scope of delivery.

Versatile Connections
To make the Pearl 30i the comprehensive centre of your hi-fi setup, Cayin provides a wide range of connections. Signals fed in via the four pairs of line inputs or the balanced XLR input run through the complete signal processing. However, if you would like to use your own preamplifier, you will find an RCA pre-in and a balanced XLR pre-in. Which input is currently selected is shown on the large dot-matrix display. On the output side, the Pearl 30i also provides two ports for connection to active subwoofers. The speaker outputs for speakers with an impedance of four or eight ohms are located on the inside next to the sockets for connecting the two components. The output power is 145 watts RMS/channel in triode mode. In ultralinear mode, 230 watts per channel are provided.

If that's not a reason to celebrate.