[Pez]

**TOUR has been filled. Please check: http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=148425.msg1587523#new for posts relating to the tour.**

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRtXBskPlus

iTube 2 tour

First of all I would like to say THANK YOU AC FOR YOUR SUPPORT! iFi could not be more excited to be part of this community. And for me personally I am ecstatic to be here in this capacity.

iTube 2

As you may have heard already, the successor to the the original iTube: the iTube 2 will ‘tubeify’ your desktop or two channel system. My personal experience with the iTube 2 completely changed my own opinion on buffers. Never been a fan before and have never heard one I liked, but the iTube 2 with it’s low noise floor and superb impedance matching and my personal favorite, SET mode, made all of my preconceptions disappear. It is a MUST for my system. And when I say any system I mean it. Desktop, 2 channel stereo. Hell, get 3 and use it for surround! The tonal improvement is vast and oh so sweet.


So, what is it?






Reloaded, next generation
The original iTube became the ‘go to’ tube buffer for any and every home audio system. The iTube2 with trickle-down technology from the flagship ‘Pro’ series has been redesigned with new parts and new circuitry. Only the GE5670 tube remains.

The iTube2 is a tubed output stage; tube preamp; tube buffer and an impedance-matching device. There is nothing like it. Put the iTube2 before a solid-state preamp with another iTube2 after it to create the  effect of tubing the whole audio chain. Or simply use the iTube2 as a very high-quality preamp by itself.

The iTube2 sounds, by and far, like a tube amplifier ‘done right with the inimitable magic of tubes‘:

1. 1.   Tube+® circuit for SET/Push-Pull/Classic tube amplifier signature
2. 2.   3D Holographic+® for Loudspeakers matrix system
3. 3.   XBass+® for Loudspeakers matrix system


above: iTube2 in my iFi rig.

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

Tour info:

Now that we’ve discussed a bit of what the iTube 2 is lets talk about getting it into the hands of Audiocircle members!

Am I eligible for the tour?

For this tour we are dedicating 2 iTube 2 units to make the rounds to members. For now we are limiting the tour to US only. We will reevaluate extending the tour to other regions if there is an interest, but for now, lets get things going state side.

If you’re in the US the congrats, you are eligible!

How do I sign up?

To sign up, simply send me a PM here at AC titled: iTube2 Tour

In the PM include the following:

1. Your location
2. Tell us what gear you are planning on connecting the iTube 2 to.
3. If you have any reviews that you have previously done let us know!
4. Post 'I'm interested!' here along with some info on your setup and how you will use the iTube2 too help keep this topic rolling.

Deadline to sign up for the tour process is 3rd of February 2017. Those who sign up will be announced/contacted thereafter.

Rules:

1. Each ACer will be given 1 week to spend with the unit.
2. After the trial period each individual will be responsible for safely packing the unit, shipping the unit to the next ACer and covering the shipping costs.
3. Each ACer will be required to post a review of the iTube2 within 1 week of shipping the unit off to the net ACer right here on the tour page.
4. Most importantly, lets have fun with this! Use it in your main system, your headphone system. Enjoy the Tubey goodness all over!

Bonus:
 
We will be raffling off an iTube2 unit to one lucky iFi fan who participate in the tour! Not playing favorites, we will chose the winners at random. Your entry into the tour is all you need to qualify for the raffle. Winner will be announced after the tour is complete. 

One last thing: If you haven't already, check out Tyson's Review! and thank you to Tyson for your review! What a great way to get this tour off to an exciting start!

I'll post our more detailed tech notes on iTube2 soon, stay tuned!

[dburna]

Wow -- talk about quick turnaround time!!  I sent a note to Pez about an hour ago on this very topic.

I'm 'in'......that is, if you'll have me.   

I can compare this in my main rig as well as my iFi desktop set up (used to compare the original iDSD to the iDSD BL just a couple weeks ago).

Let the Games begin!!

-dB

[JLM]

"I'm interested"


My current systems consist of MacBook Air; DSPeaker Anti-Mode 2.0 Dual Core (DAC/preamp/bass DSP); Channel Island Audio D-100 mono-blocks; Brines Acoustics M18-F200 (transmission line floor-standers with Fostex F200A driver - 30-20,000 Hz, AlNiCo magnet) with Late Ceiling Splash tweeters

or

MacBook Air; DSPeaker Anti-Mode 2.0 Dual Core (DAC/preamp/bass DSP); Dynaudio BM5 Mk III.  I listen near-field in my own 8ft x 13ft x 21ft room.


Years ago tried hard to warm up to SET's but couldn't find efficient enough speakers that I liked.  Since then have tried two tube integrated amps, one had tube magic but flabby bass, the other had good bass damping but almost no tubbiness.  I'm a frugal minimalist, but the iFi iTube 2 seems very promising.  It will go downstream of the DSP Anti-Mode 2.0 Dual Core.

[Pez]

We have 6 people so far!  Keep em coming guys and please post here as well as PMing me if you are wanting to participate in the tour. 

[WC]

I am interested. I have yet to hear something with tubes in it.

Is the cost of this thing in the range of the original iTube? Just asking since I haven't seen it for sale anywhere yet. Including at the link in the previous post.

[eventhorizon]

Please put me next as I am looking for a tube "pre" to add and have been reading great things.  JLM> could I use it after you are done and then send along, or maybe we can get together to try it out sometime?

[rodge827]

Years ago tried hard to warm up to SET's but couldn't find efficient enough speakers that I liked.  Since then have tried two tube integrated amps, one had tube magic but flabby bass, the other had good bass damping but almost no tubbiness.  I'm a frugal minimalist, but the iFi iTube 2 seems very promising.  It will go downstream of the DSP Anti-Mode 2.0 Dual Core.

I had used the first gen iTube/Dspeaker combo with very good results. The soundstage opened way up and micro details were displayed in a way that brought me closer to the music. I used it in straight 0db buffer mode for the best results in my system. Hope the ITube2 brings the same and more to your system.

Chris

[charmerci]

(Been trying to post this all day since the site was down and having problems doing this for a while now.)

Hopefully, if this iTube2 is all that has been said about it - it's just what I'm looking for - especially at a low cost.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=139706.0

It's slightly better now than since I last posted but I'm hoping this will tame my system at loud levels.

Laptop> Upton Regen>AVA Ultra DAC>Odyssey Tempest>AVA Synergy 240_Philharmonitors

[Tyson]

charmerci, put the iTube2 between your DAC and your pre and that will definitely help.  The cool thing about the iTube2 is you can dial up or dial down the level of "tubiness" to suit your needs by flipping a single switch on the iTube2.  In my music system, I leave it in the least tubiness setting (middle), but for my HT setup I use either the moderate tubiness (bottom) or sometimes the highest tubeiness setting (top) setting.  Nice to have that option.

Also, if you only have one source, you could use the iTube2 as a preamp and bypass your tempest and see how that sounds, too.

[dburna]

Pez, a question about the iTube2 (will be useful for tour members): when the iTube2 is inline, say between DAC-pre or DAC-amp, what is the effect when the iTube2 is turned off?  Does it become just a signal pass-through?  If so, that would make it easy to test its effect without having to disconnect cables and re-route -- just turn on/off to A/B test its sonic impact.  If not, I imagine re-cabling would be required to move the iTube2 in/out of one's setup.

-dB

[Pez]

Pez, a question about the iTube2 (will be useful for tour members): when the iTube2 is inline, say between DAC-pre or DAC-amp, what is the effect when the iTube2 is turned off?  Does it become just a signal pass-through?  If so, that would make it easy to test its effect without having to disconnect cables and re-route -- just turn on/off to A/B test its sonic impact.  If not, I imagine re-cabling would be required to move the iTube2 in/out of one's setup.

-dB

The effect of turning the iTube2 off is the lowest noise floor you'll ever hear. Complete and utter silence.  Seriously though, the iTube2 must be turned on in any case to produce sound.  Yes you would need to take the iTube2 out of the signal path to do a comparison with and without.

[Art_Chicago]

I am interested!

I have two setups:
1) (HT) AppleTV> AVA Insight Dac> NAD integrated> Salk Songtowers
2) Macbook> Beresford DAC> AVA T8+ tube preamp> AVA Omega 260 EXH> Philharmonic 3 series

Will use iTube2 in the first one as a preamp, and may try it  in the 2nd setup between the T8 and the power amp.

Thanks for doing it!

[genjamon]

I'm curious and interested in the tour.

System in a large (>5000 cu ft room):

microRendu > Lampizator Big7 DAC w/volume control > Line Magnetic 518ia amp, First Watt F7 amp, Odyssey Kismet in Khartago amp > Daedalus DA-RMa V2 speakers with stereo subs for lowest end support

The system already has quite a few tubes, so I'm curious mainly about the character of this particular tube in the mix in terms of system synergy, as well as adding another option for volume control, and also comparing claims of how transparent this iTube is to source.  The Lampizator Big7 already has a very transparent and high quality passive volume control integrated into it, besting both a Hattor and Tortuga outboard passives, and which can also be bypassed by setting to highest volume setting.  So, it will be interesting to hear how this iTube integrates into a high quality all-tube setup, and also whether it adds any magic between the DAC and the solid state amp pairings.

I'm curious if I'll agree with Tyson's claim that it will benefit ANY system.

[Tyson]

genjamon,
I'm interested too!  I don't have a tubed DAC, so the iTube2 fit in very nicely in my system, but if I did have a tube DAC, hmmm, I don't know maybe it would be superfluous.  I'm really quite interested to hear, because otherwise your system is pretty similar in terms of approach and quality.  I have an iFi iDSD Micro Silver DAC, a custom built tube preamp based on the Hagerman Clarinet, a First Watt BA3 amp all feeding a pair of Serenity Acoustic Super 7 OB planar magnetic speakers.  Very high quality BUT I don't have a tube DAC.  So very curious to hear your impressions.

[genjamon]

Glad you're curious, too, Tyson.  And I'll be happy to share my impressions here.  FWIW, I do have a fair variety of tubes for both the Lampi and the Line Magnetic that very much impact overall system synergy and voicing.  For instance, I currently run Takatsuki 300B tubes in the Lampi, but switching to KR 45's is a less lush and more linear sound, and switching to Psvane WE101D replicas is a very detailed and much leaner sound.  And there are rectifier swapping options too.  All of these tube combinations have their strengths, but also their weaknesses.  Nothing is ever perfect in this hobby.  I'm sure I'll be able to find a good fit, and maybe more than one, and it will be interesting to try the different iTube modes with some of these tube choices.  If iTube is very transparent, and just adds quality organic character and soundstage, it's possible it will ameliorate a weakness, or help a cheaper tube combo to sound like a more expensive one.  This is where I'd be interested in purchasing, as most of these DHT tubes are very expensive, and multiples of what the iTube costs itself. 

[konut]

I'm interested!

I have a small 2 channel system with Timepiece Minis, W4S amps, Bryston BDA1 , Tortuga passive pre and some Sony sources. I am also signed up for the Tortuga tube buffer tour and would compare the 2. I have previously never owned any tubed gear.

[charmerci]

charmerci, put the iTube2 between your DAC and your pre and that will definitely help.  The cool thing about the iTube2 is you can dial up or dial down the level of "tubiness" to suit your needs by flipping a single switch on the iTube2.  In my music system, I leave it in the least tubiness setting (middle), but for my HT setup I use either the moderate tubiness (bottom) or sometimes the highest tubeiness setting (top) setting.  Nice to have that option.

Also, if you only have one source, you could use the iTube2 as a preamp and bypass your tempest and see how that sounds, too.

Of course, I'll definitely try that as well as from the CD player into the amp and through an ODAC that I still have.

[JLM]

I've never been on a tour before.  Do I get any notice of when to expect the piece (so it doesn't get left on the front step while I cruise the Med for a month - highly unlikely  )?  Will delivery require an adult signature (I'm not home 24/365)?  How do I know who to ship it to next?

[Pez]

I've never been on a tour before.  Do I get any notice of when to expect the piece (so it doesn't get left on the front step while I cruise the Med for a month - highly unlikely  )?  Will delivery require an adult signature (I'm not home 24/365)?  How do I know who to ship it to next?

for all those who are curious about the next step, stay tuned. I'll be sending out more info soon! I will coordinate with senders/recipients once things get officially kicked off.

[Anonamemouse]

Definitely intertested, but I live on the wrong side of the ocean...