Ampsandsound Black Pearl

The Black Pearl is our newest edition to our stereo power amplifiers with a focus on the trueness of tone only possible through 300B triodes.

Like the Calypsos, the Black Pearl started as a personal project with a goal of maximizing the protentional of the Western Electric 300b reissue. As it was a pet project we weren’t confined to our current transformer catalog but could develop a new suit if transformers specific to this project. Listening to protype output transformers of various configurations allowed up to voice the amp and draw out the fullest capabilities of the WE 300B. Black Pearl was built to be the very best amplifier we were capable of building regardless of consideration.

During this process we chose goal of ultra-bandwidth, low noise floor and maximum power. The Black Pearl matches the RCA and WE tube manual specs and voltages within ½ a percent and allowing for safe use of even vintage 300Bs without concern.

The Black Pearl’s simple package hides the sophistication of its design. While the Black Pearl may look like a single amplifier, it is true dual mono amplifier built on top of a single chassis. The power supply, power transformers, output transformers, and even the turret boards are all separate. The result is class leading mono block performance with the convenience and ease of a single chassis.

The 300B is loved for its lifelike vocal representation, sense of clarity and space. It is the ultimate Directed Heated Triode. The Black Pearl incorporates this famous tube in a circuit that traces its roots back designed directly for WE and refined by RCA.

The Black Pearl is entirely hand assembled using point to point wiring and turret board constriction. Every component is hand selected and matched for consistent performance across both channels.  

The Black Pearl has no compromises. Our skilled team assembles each unit entirely by hand. There is not a single IC, voltage regulator, or silicon chip in the Black Pearl, this amplifier is built in accordance with classic techniques and will last a lifetime because of it.

Our goal with the Black Pearl was to honor the 300B, to do so we did a classic implementation with a single gain stage, zero feedback, and close attention to grounding techniques. The result is a deeper connection with your music, and an inky black background on headphones with no hum noise. 

Purchasing an ampandsound amplifier is an intentional choice to support a company that believes in proven circuits, fanatical implementation/wiring, and use of custom wound transformers. With all ampsandosund amplifiers, we show our work. There are no secrets, we care deeply on how our products are made and share the attention freely. If you can eat off it, or follow the circuits by sight, we have not done our jobs well enough. Perhaps the least obvious fact is the sophistication that our transformers represent. Each transformers IP is developed and owned by ampsandsound. We don’t just spec a custom choice but understand how these spec’s impact the sound and allow us to optimize the amplifier from transformer to circuit.

The font end of the Black Pearl uses a 5751 as an input tube. We chose this 9 pin high gain front end due to its ability to deliver a faster and more lively presentation. It also helps that 5751a=s are accessible in both old and new stock form. The front end of this amp is paired with a massive tube rectified dual mono power supply that ensures tight bass and earth-shattering slam.

When people talk about ampsandsound products, they often talk about our transformers. The Black Pearl uses the best transformers we have ever developed. The power transformers are massively over spec’d and the output transformers have an incredibly wide bandwidth and provide the Black Pearl with shockingly low distortion measurements given its single ended nature.

Like the transformers we have taken great pride in our metal work. The Chassis is hand fabricated and built with 10-gauge steel. The result is a 74lbs amplifier that feels solid as a rock. To give the Black Pearl a clean look, we covered the transformers and power supply with a gorgeous, damped cover.

When it comes time to connect your components to the Black Pearl , you have two choices, a pair of high quality single ended RCA inputs, and a pair of XLR inputs. The XLR inputs us a input transformer to convert the incoming balanced signal to a single ended signal for the amplifier. The input transformer allows you to retain all the benefits of balanced cabling along with providing better bass and a quieter background.

The Black Pearl is everything we could have hoped it to be. It is truly a marvel to behold, and we are proud to call it our new flagship amplifier.

Specifications

Input sensitive: with 5751 input @ 2V P-P

Noise: @ 8ohm 530mV RMS

Max Power @  8ohm @ 8 watts RMS

Ultra-wide bandwidth; 10hz to 24khz @ 1 watt -2db

Power and Noise specs are dependent on tube selection.

Actual size is 14”deep, 18” wide and 8”tall. (74lbs)

Amp weighs in at 74lbs/100lbs shipped in a large Pelican style case.

Black base/Black chrome cover.

Additional colors are possible as a special order... please call or email for details.

All ampsandsound amps are handmade in Southern California with custom hand-wound output transformers and U.S. sourced parts.

Our amps are hand-made by a small team with quality being our priority.

Additional colors are possible as a special order... please call or email for details.