This is my 2nd review of an iFi product in as many months. And will be my last for a while. Last month I reviewed the Micro iDSD Black. It was a great piece, but in the end I preferred the presentation if the iDSD Silver, which I already owned.
Spoiler AlertI sent the iDSD Black on to the next person to review, but the iTube2 will have to be pried out of my cold, dead hands before you will get it out of my system. Where I ‘liked and respected’ the iDSD Black, I absolutely freaking love the iTube2. You might be asking yourself "Hmmm, should I try out the iTube2?" and my answer is "Do you have a system that makes sound? Then yes, you should try out the iTube2." IMO the iTube2 will help out with the vast majority of systems. Why? Well, I'm glad you asked.
Your System is ShittyI'm sorry but it is. You might not think it is, but you are wrong. I include myself in that statement. That's a bold statement, but unless you are a part of the very small minority of audiophiles, it's true. Why? Because most of us pursue systems that are "true to the source" and that "reproduces the recording with as much fidelity as possible". That is a trap. I've been an audiophile for more than 20 years and I also fell into this trap.
Because Recordings are ShittyIt seems so logical and obvious to want a system that's as close to "straight wire with gain" as possible. But as someone that attends live performances of real instruments unamplified (in fact I saw a performance of Schubert's string quintet just last night), AND as someone that has over 8000 hirez recordings (including a massive number of DSD recordings) I can say this with certainty - recordings suck. All of them. Yes, even the "good" recordings. They don't capture correctly how instruments and music sounds in real life. So any system that merely reproduces the recording will never be satisfying. Which is why you see audiophiles constantly "upgrading". They are always searching for that next thing that will finally make their system fully satisfying. But, to quote Indiana Jones "They are digging in the wrong place!" Haha.
The Root of the Problem and How to Fix ItThe main problem is that during the recording process itself, even order harmonics are stripped out. Unless the recording was done using tube equipment. Which is why even ‘great’ recordings are more edgy and less emotionally engaging than attending the performance in real life. So, if even order harmonics are stripped out, how do we fix that? Easy, use tube equipment. And the closer you can use tube equipment to your source, the more impact it has.
Finally I Talk About the iTube2If you don't want to replace your existing gear then just insert the iTube2 between your DAC and Preamp (or whatever your source is). It connects with regular old analog RCA connectors. The iTube2 adds the tonal richness and removes the shittiness that you never even realized was there in the first place. You keep the goodness of your existing equipment while fixing the core problem that modern recordings represent. Finally, you are digging in the right place!
What About All Those Switches?Putting the iTube2 into your system gets you 95% of the improvement possible. Using the switches lets you dial in that last 5%. Try them out, see what you like best. Which will you like best? Hell if I know. Use your own damn ears and trust them (for once). For me, I have it hooked into a system that does both headphone and speaker duty. For ME, I use the Triode mode with nothing else enabled for speaker use, and I use the neutral tube (middle position on the switch) and the 3D 30 degree Plus setting (top position) for headphones. Is that the best settings for you? How should I know? Try it out and make your own judgements!
Technical InfoAfter going to RMAF for 10 years and having every single manufacturer sit there and talk about the magic parts/circuit/design/whatever, here’s how I feel about technical specs:
Anyway, here’s what iFi says about the iTube2:
Features/Technologies
• High-end Direct Tube Buffer/High-End Direct Pre-amplifier
• Selectable tube sound signature (SET / Push-Pull / Classic)
• All-new 3D Holographic+® for Loudspeakers matrix system
• All-new XBass+® for Loudspeakers matrix system
• Pure analogue volume control
• Ultra-low Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): <0.009% (Tube+ off)
• 0dB or 9dB selectable gain
• Reference class parts quality from ELNA Silmic to C0G capacitors
• iPower (15V) included, ‘quieter than battery’ power supply
Final ThoughtsInline tube gear has been around for a while. I’ve even owned some in the past, the Musical Fidelity X-Tube to be precise. It sucked. Most of them seem to suck. Because they caused a loss of resolution even while improving tonality. The iTube2 does not suck. It loses no resolution and still gives you the magic of tubes. Even if you already have tubes in your system (like I do), you should still try it. It seems to work, not by adding goodness to the signal, but rather by removing shittiness from it. It doesn’t make your system more true to the recording. It makes your system more true to real life.
