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Cayin Pearl 30i Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier

It was already clear that Cayin Audio would be celebrating its 30th birthday with a very special product range, the Cayin 30th Anniversary Series, and now the first device in the form of the Cayin Pearl 30i Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier, a sophisticated stereo integrated amplifier with tube technology, is making its debut. A CD transport and a D/A converter will follow at the High End 2024.

Michael Holzinger 19 February 2024Last Updated: 19 February 2024

0 4 minutes read

Cayin Audio is convinced that the Cayin Pearl 30i Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier is the best that a Cayin tube amplifier can become.

Cayin P30th, Cayin C30th and Cayin D30th, this is how the new Cayin 30th Anniversary Series presents itself, announced the Chinese hi-fi specialist Zhuhai Spark Electronic Equipment Co. Ltd. at the beginning of this year, thereby announcing three outstanding solutions. As the name suggests, the aim is to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Cayin Audio brand, and the company wants to do this with products that represent the best that it can offer as a recognised HiFi expert.

It is now clear that the products will be presented a little differently in this country on the occasion of Cayin Audio’s 30th birthday, at least they will be called differently, as the announcement of the new Cayin Pearl 30i Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier now shows, which will be followed by a CD transport and a D/A converter at the High End 2024.

Cayin Pearl 30i Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier – The flagship

The new Cayin Pearl 30i Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier is a tube integrated amplifier that can clearly be described as a flagship due to its exclusive design, according to the manufacturer’s promise.

This new stereo integrated amplifier combines traditional tube technology and innovative principles in design and technology to create a milestone in High-end HiFi.

Outsourced power supply

The most striking feature of the new Cayin Pearl 30i Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier is that two separate components are used here, namely the power supply housed in one enclosure and the complete amplifier electronics including all inputs and outputs in a second enclosure.

It is also interesting to note that the power supply even uses a separation between the left and right channels of the amplifier, with two power transformers serving as the basis for supplying high and low voltage. The connection from the power unit to the amplifier unit is made using specially designed cables equipped with SF20 connectors, a 7-pin configuration and silver-plated 6N copper conductors.

Finest sound based on tube technology

As already described, the new Cayin Pearl 30i Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier naturally relies solely on tube technology, using two Mullard CV4004/12AX7 tubes for the preamp stage, four TungSol 6SN7GTB on porcelain socks for the driver stage and eight KT-170 tubes for the power amplifier.

The amplifier operates in Class AB push-pull mode and has an elaborate auto-bias circuit for optimum operation and the longest possible tube life. An optical bias monitoring indicator is designed to show this to the user at all times. If irregularities nevertheless occur, the amplifier should automatically switch to a safe operating mode to prevent serious damage and enable troubleshooting without risk, as the manufacturer explains.

Triode mode or ultra-linear mode

Users can determine the sound of the new Cayin Pearl 30i Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier according to their own preferences and switch between a triode mode and an ultra-linear mode.

The triode mode delivers a particularly harmonious, smooth sound, whereas the ultra-linear mode has a higher performance potential and offers a significantly more dynamic playing style with a fuller sound. The sound can be further customised by selecting the timbre.

From a purely technical point of view, the new Cayin Pearl 30i Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier has a power potential of 145 watts per channel in triode mode and a whopping 230 watts per channel in ultra-linear mode.

Wide range of connections

In order to be able to use the new Cayin Pearl 30i Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier particularly flexibly, it has a large number of connections, as the manufacturer emphasises. Four pairs of RCA sockets are available as unbalanced inputs and one pair of XLR connections as balanced inputs. It should also be noted that a pre-in is also provided, both unbalanced and balanced.

A generously dimensioned dot-matrix display on the front of the new Cayin Pearl 30i Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier shows the active input and all settings can be made not only directly on the front of the device, but also via an infrared remote control included in the scope of delivery.

Finally, it is worth mentioning the particularly accurate volume control, which allows adjustment in 106 steps via a JRC Muses 72320V.

It should also be mentioned that, in addition to this rotary encoder, there are also several toggle switches that can be used to switch the VU Meter and its lighting on and off.

Elegant appearance

The developers have not only focussed on the finest electronics, but also on an outstanding appearance. The black housing is fitted with elegant wooden applications and the two units are enthroned on solid silver-coloured feet.

Prices and availability

The new Cayin Pearl 30i Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier will be available from specialist retailers in black at a recommended retail price of € 22.000,-.

Getting to the point

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Zhuhai Spark Electronic Equipment Co. Ltd. and the Cayin Audio brand, the Chinese HiFi manufacturer is presenting a new product line, which was announced in its home market as the Cayin 30th Anniversary Series, and which is now also taking shape in this country, initially in the form of the new Cayin Pearl 30i Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier. Two more systems are to follow in the next few weeks, namely a CD transport and a D/A converter.