Believe it or not, companies are now creating tube driven solutions for your iPod. This is a New York Times article which may require registration to view.
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The iPod and the Vacuum Tube
- Thread starter Rich Tate
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Cough. Buying a tube amp to listen to my 128kbps MP3's...........sounds like a real great idea
Do poeple not have ears? For music to be played on a real sound system, anything less than a lossless sound file should not be considered, no matter what type of amp a person will use.
Do poeple not have ears? For music to be played on a real sound system, anything less than a lossless sound file should not be considered, no matter what type of amp a person will use.SCSI-Terminator
Gawd
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Cough. Buying a tube amp to listen to my 128kbps MP3's...........sounds like a real great idea
No kidding, this is just people buying into nostalgia, not any serious audiophiles looking for better sound.
Transistors have been around since the 1940s, and we're still debating whether tubes sound noticably better? I have yet to hear a difference myself. Tubes are nice when your playing guitar and want the distorted "tube sound", but at normal listening levels...
iPod + expensive vacuum tube amplifier = stupid on so many levels
Though, I have a feeling this ipod tube amp uses the cheapo chineese vacuum tubes.
iPod + expensive vacuum tube amplifier = stupid on so many levels
Though, I have a feeling this ipod tube amp uses the cheapo chineese vacuum tubes.
Cough. Buying a tube amp to listen to my 128kbps MP3's...........sounds like a real great idea
QFT
Even listening to MP3s on a regular high quality amp sounds like ass. I can't wait to buy a $1000 tube amp for even more smashed-assedness sound.
GilmourD
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Actually, that's not entirely true. Audiophiles are VERY into the newer McIntosh tube amplifiers. The reason is twofold:
- Tubes of different types and manufacture emphasize different frequencies. It can be part of the EQing process.
- Tubes have a MUCH softer distortion characteristic than any solid state device. When clipping begins, you probably can't even tell it's happening with a tube, but when it happens with a solid-state device, it's OOOOOOOOGLY.
GilmourD
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The sad thing is that I could probably build an identical circuit for a fraction of the cost that the above amp is selling for.
Odd fact... Chinese tubes aren't THAT much cheaper than good tubes from the Czech Republic, Russia, or any other factory in that vicinity. I should know... A company for which I'm a reseller gives me the lowdown. Also, except for the tubes that are manufactured in the US, Groove Tubes are a ripoff. Most of them are the Chinese tubes and the cheaper Russian tubes (ugh, I hate Sovtek 12ax7's...).
Viper87227
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In the right application, tubes are great, but this is just a gimmick. As has been said, using this with low bitrate MP3's is stupid. Even then, you'd be making an assumption that just becuase it has tubes, it is of audiophile quality (which it likley is not even CLOSE). If you wanted tubes with your ipod, you would not use this. You would get an ipod rockboxed, load it to the brim with FLAC, and hook it to a real tube amp.
Also, where is the fun in enclosing the tubes? Much of the fun with tube equipment is switching out tubes to find something that sounds best to you.
Also, where is the fun in enclosing the tubes? Much of the fun with tube equipment is switching out tubes to find something that sounds best to you.
Its pretty silly considering how mediocre the DAC and output amp chips are in an iPod.
there is only so much you can do with low voltage single ended audio circuitry.
It doesnt matter if you had the best amplifier in the world. if you amplify mediocre source material it will not magically get better.
there is only so much you can do with low voltage single ended audio circuitry.
It doesnt matter if you had the best amplifier in the world. if you amplify mediocre source material it will not magically get better.
Silentbob343
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Cough. Buying a tube amp to listen to my 128kbps MP3's...........sounds like a real great idea
lol good point, but the Ipod can play lossless formats can't it?
odoe
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Apple Lossless and it is lossless after all. Just as good as FLAC.
As an audiophile, I've got a few thoughts on this thing.
First... Cool! Seems like one of these little amps and a pair of small, decent speakers would make a fun bedroom system. If I had something that prevented me from leaving my main system at night when I go to bed, I might pick one up.
Second... $650 is not expensive for an amplifier in the audiophile world. It's not really even expensive for a cable. If audiophiles are their target market, the price is no issue at all.
Third... Lossy music through tubes? What's the problem? It's still going to sound a lot better than lossy music through cheap computer speakers. I've got a pretty high end system, and I play an MP3 through it every now and then. An mp3 on a high end system still sounds better than an mp3 on a low end system. With that said, the vast majority of my music is .flac, and when I really sit down to listen, I always try to grab the original disc.. I'll do whatever I can to make things sound better, but I'm not going to skip good music because I don't have a certain quality recording of it.
First... Cool! Seems like one of these little amps and a pair of small, decent speakers would make a fun bedroom system. If I had something that prevented me from leaving my main system at night when I go to bed, I might pick one up.
Second... $650 is not expensive for an amplifier in the audiophile world. It's not really even expensive for a cable. If audiophiles are their target market, the price is no issue at all.
Third... Lossy music through tubes? What's the problem? It's still going to sound a lot better than lossy music through cheap computer speakers. I've got a pretty high end system, and I play an MP3 through it every now and then. An mp3 on a high end system still sounds better than an mp3 on a low end system. With that said, the vast majority of my music is .flac, and when I really sit down to listen, I always try to grab the original disc.. I'll do whatever I can to make things sound better, but I'm not going to skip good music because I don't have a certain quality recording of it.
http://www.elpj.com/main.html
This would go well with a tube amp.
Not an iPod. The iPod was made for cheap shitty ear buds. Great to listen to on the go, but if you are a "true" audiophile, you probably don't even own one.
This would go well with a tube amp.
Not an iPod. The iPod was made for cheap shitty ear buds. Great to listen to on the go, but if you are a "true" audiophile, you probably don't even own one.
Check this out http://www.impamp.com/ The guy who makes this also makes guitar effects pedals which are all hand built, and the same goes for this mini amp. It is pretty silly to buy at $700 but it's neat looking and if you really like tube sound well there you go. He also has a mini guitar tube amp that is completely unrelated to this but the demo video is cool.
http://zvexamps.com/amp_view.html
http://zvexamps.com/amp_view.html