[golfrod]

  To start just wanted to thank Jason and iFi for putting together the Tour and giving us a chance to listen to the iTube2 unit in our own systems, big difference from trying to evaluate something at an audio show.
   You might say that the week ended up being a tale of two systems as my experience was quite different depending on the system. The back room has room treatments such as Shakti Hallographs and MG Room Tunes. The system consist of the Antipodes DX music server> Sonore USB converter> Chord Qute dac> First Sound tube preamp or Wyred4sound STP SE> Wells Audio Innamorata amp> Audience Clairaudient 4+4 speakers. The front room has no room treatment and consist of the Olive music server> Metrum Hex dac>Tortuga preamp>Aaron No.3 amp> Boenicke W5 speakers.
   First some common characteristics I found using the unit in both rooms. Switching between the Set, PP and Studio I thought the SET presentation was a bit more laid back with the singer set further back in the soundstage. The PP mode seemed more upfront in presentation and a little punchier. The Studio as my friend who was listening with me one day said was clearer. This may have partly been because the bass was "tauter" in this mode and fuller in the other two. One thing that stood out was the sound still retained  very good pace and transparency with the iTube in place.
   I've actually been using the same tube in the iTube2 unit in my First Sound preamp for about a year. Emmanuel Go, the designer of the First Sound preamps was the one who gave me a heads up on the tube. He said he thought it sounded better than even his expensive Amperex pinched waist tubes. After using them for awhile I had to agree. I think iFi's modded version of this tube plays a large part in why the buffer does sound this way.....This gave me an unique advantage as I could play the system with the First Sound and do a fairly apples to apples comparison, First Sound to STP SE>iTube2 in the back room system. The iTube2 actually held up pretty well in the system. It definitely added a tube flavor to the sound vs just the STP which is a "passive" preamp while still sounding pretty detailed. It was a bit like an experience I had recently when I tried three different amps in the back room, a Clones mono bloc, an Aaron and the Wells. When I listened to the Clones I thought wow, that's pretty good, I could live with this. Then I played the Aaron and it just sounded better, no one thing standing out. The Wells was another step up with what Emmanual describes as the "breath of life" into the music. I think that the iTube2 is like the Clones, something you could really live with for a long time because nothings missing and it plays at a high level. Sure the sound gets more "sophisticated" with the First Sound but when you consider the price that's pretty amazing.
   The front room system turned out a little different. The sound characteristic is a bit leaner and more neutral than the back room. When I put the iTube2 unit between the Tortuga Preamp and the Aaron amp it was a great match. It added a richness and depth to the music while retaining excellent resolution. Which setting I preferred depended on the recording.
   I guess you can tell I liked this little unit. When you factor in all the settings available it's versatility is pretty amazing. It's value at $375 is a no brainer but what impresses most is the high level it plays at!

[Jazzaudio]

My iTube2 arrived today.  I swung home at lunch, unpacked it and installed it between my Jolida JD100 CDP and Crown XLS-1500 amplifier.  Buffer mode, 0 gain, SET, XBass off and 3D off.  For the additional connector I used my Audio Sensibility Statement interconnects that haven't been used in almost 3 months

I listened briefly (10 minutes) to the system with music before installing my IsoTek burn-in disc.  I've now had the system running for about 7 continuous hours with the IsoTek, and plan to run it a few more hours before listening to some music.  I tell you later what I heard in first 10 minutes!

[SFDude]

I guess I'll be sending it to SF Dude Dave first - though that won't be until around the 30th anyway.

No worries! That's actually good timing as I'll be out April 8th for spring break with the kid. Should get a taste of the iTube2 and what it can do before then. 

[David C]

Tom
Thanks for the heads up about my review being on the iFi Facebook page

[Pez]

Golfrod,
Thank you for the review! Sounds like you put the iTube2 through the ringer. Did you experiment at all with the +9dB gain setting?

[golfrod]

Hi Pez, That's probably the only option I didn't really explore. My speakers are fairly efficient at 93 db so even with a passive I rarely go pass 9 or 10 on the vc.....After experimenting with all the settings the first few days I ended up listening to it mostly in the front room system.  I enjoyed the iTube2 there enough to consider adding it to the system .

[charmerci]

No worries! That's actually good timing as I'll be out April 8th for spring break with the kid. Should get a taste of the iTube2 and what it can do before then. 

Sure!


Don't know why it's taking 3 days to get from LA to me here in southern Utah - so that means probably the same to you. I can't send it out until Thursday the 30th - one week later - but that means an arrival on the Monday the 3rd. (Even if I did send it Weds, FedEx wouldn't seem to be able to get it to you before Monday also.)

[JakeJ]

Looks like this will all work out after all.

As to the shipping time, honestly I think all the major carriers are overwhelmed all the time and it's only going to get worse as more and more people get internet connections and start shopping online.  Fully half of my shopping is online now, from commodities to specialty items and I really enjoy it 97% of the time.  The other three percent is due to damage loss.

[mikeeastman]

 I received the Itube2 the first of the month connected it to my system and as I was busy for the next week  I though  It could burn in for 100 hr or so, well after it hit 340 hrs I finally sat down to listen. My system consists of a Mivera super sever to ethernet switcher to optical converter to Mivera streamer usb to Mivera Purestream DAC  to modded Ncore 400 duel mono amp w/ tap X vol control to Serenity  Acoustic Super 7s w/ upgraded x-over and wire. My system is very detailed with the base being  tight, fast with nice impact.
 The first thing I notice was my great bass was gone, also I had to turn my volume up, to get the same level as with Itube2. My sound stage was wider and a little more forward. This was with buffer no gain and all setting off, that was tue and I only listen for about an hr , today I had all morning to try out all the options. The push pull sounded the best with the most presence, the - had slightly less presence and the Set even less. As I said I had lost my bass but I found if I used the 6db  setting and turn up the volume on the base amps I got most of It back but it still didn’t have the impact as without the Itube2. In 3D the soundstage was wider and a little more forward but was a little smeared although there was no loss of detail, each instrument and voice  just weren’t as defined. I tried the buffer with the gain and that brought the volume back to the same level as without the Itube2.
 My system is XLR I made up some cables and used adaptors so cabling could be some of the difference.

 I’m in the process of redoing my bedroom system and think the Itube2 could work there, will let you know how it does when I try it out.

[charmerci]

Pez,

I received mine from Rod a few hours ago.

After about an hour or so of use as a buffer, I tried using it as a pre-amp at +9 gain, it buzzes - coming out of the speaker. At 0 gain, it buzzes far less but it still can be heard out of the speaker. No (very little?) noise as a buffer.

[charmerci]

So I listened to it as a buffer at 0 and +9 gain and as a pre-amp. It's only been a couple of hours and I've been switching it on and off - to switch between the 4 choices. Again because there is a buzz in it as a pre, I can't say this is definitive. I'll leave it on and see what happens from now on.

Didn't play it as +9 gain pre-amp as my above post. At the normal setting, I found the Odyssey Tempest a bit more veiled in the mid-range and high frequencies and not quite as forward in the soundstage as the iFI. I only compared them with one song after an hour of listening to it as a buffer.

As a buffer between my AVA Ultra DAC and the Tempest, I much preferred it at the +9 setting. The upper end (the cymbals in F. Mac's Warm Ways) was more clear and had a more forward presentation.

The X-bass I don't think is really needed if the recording is good. On older material, it's great to boost the bass in each song by 6 or 12 db.

In the 3D setting, the sound was richer (fuller?) and more expansive at the 30 degree + setting. Surprisingly, the + had less soundstage than the - setting! 

Like Mike above, Push Pull sounded richer and more forward and just more there than the normal setting, while the SET setting made my system sound almost mono.

The other thing that I noticed compared to my normal system was there slight loss of initial attack in the bass (plucked bass and deep drum hits) but after all, it's a tube component in the system.

Overall, it does make the sound more enjoyable (Push/Pull, 30+, +9 db buffer) than my normal system so far - tube smoothness, I guess and a more expansive soundstage.

I haven't tried it between my pre-amp and amp or with the CD player.... yet.

Asus laptop (Yes, I know it's a weakness in my system ) > Dragonfly Jitterbug/USB Regen
AVA Ultra DAC - Morrow MA1 cables
Odyssey Tempest - G. Huffman EX+ cables
AVA Synergy
Philharmonic New Philharmonitors

[JakeJ]

Nice write up, charmerci.  I gather by your post that you have yet to try a few things and that there will be more?

[thj17]

Hi guys,

I will be buying my first serious hi fi system this summer and I'm planning to include an itube2 into the loop of a Peachtree nova 150.

I recently started working on a project in our company to upgrade every machine to CSA standard (canada safety rules) and now I have that "job conditioning" of looking everywhere for that "CSA" or "c UL us" logos.

For you having one in hands, is the ipower that came with the itube2 certified? It should be.... but I didn't see from any pictures on the web.
Thanks!

[charmerci]

Nice write up, charmerci.  I gather by your post that you have yet to try a few things and that there will be more?

Thx. Yeah, that was just the first couple hours! 


The buzz is gone. I kept the thing on for an hour before listening to it as a pre-amp a little bit this morning. This is my last day off before I send it out next week so there will be a lot of listening!


One side note - it came to me as brand new. For 4 guys using it and shipping it forward, the box and everything in it looks like it came direct from the factory. 

[mikeeastman]

Has anyone tried a different PS with the Itube2? I have a LPS but it only puts out 13v, I also have batteries but they max out at 14v when fully charged, will either of these work or will they have to low of a voltage?

[genjamon]

The instruction manual suggests using it in a mobile/vehicular environment - car, boat, etc - run from 12V DC from the vehicle batteries.  Based on that, I contacted iFi asking about potentially powering with a Vinnie Rossi Mini ultracap supply at 12V.  They didn't tell me no, but were somewhat evasive and didn't answer exactly what the current draw at 12V would be.  They just indicated that their 15V supply puts out something like 1.5A or something, and suggested that as long as the 12V supply could put out that much current, it should be sufficient.  Not really the degree of clarity I sought, but I thought it was clear enough that trying a Vinnie Mini should be overkill with its 2.5A output.

[mikeeastman]

Thanks, that means either the LPS which puts out 8 amps at 12v or the battery should work. I'll give the battery a try and see if anything changes.

[JakeJ]

The buzz is gone.

Hmm...while I'm glad to hear the buzz is gone I don't like the mystery.  Wonder what the root cause was?

One side note - it came to me as brand new. For 4 guys using it and shipping it forward, the box and everything in it looks like it came direct from the factory. 

It's very cool that everyone is taking good care of it.  Speaks highly of our membership.

mikeeastman and genjamon,

That's good info.  I hope you get a chance try it out with other power supplies and can comment on SQ if there is an effect.  I'm guessing, genjamon, the folks at iFi didn't say whether it would void the warrantee?

[genjamon]

They had no comment on it voiding the warranty, and I didn't ask.  However, I would find it strange for them to recommend in their user manual to use in vehicles powered by onboard 12V battery systems, and for such use to void a warranty.  If using a different power supply in a boat is alright, why wouldn't it be alright in your home rig?

[charmerci]

Hmm...while I'm glad to hear the buzz is gone I don't like the mystery.  Wonder what the root cause was?

It does buzz when it's not warmed up (red light on before the amber light comes on) and my amp is on - so I don't do that now.

As a pre-amp, I'm not sure that there was any difference between the +9db and 0db settings. The iFi brings the players more forward of the speakers than the Odyssey. The highs are more clear (less veiled) than the OT and the mids and highs seem to be open/a wider soundstage for each instrument. (My previous post now corrected for those who read the opposite earlier.) Again though, with a bit of loss in initial attack/impact of the bass and lower drum hits. Upright bass on the iFi makes the sound lean towards more like an electric bass than a hollow wood instrument.

Used as a buffer, I think (but in a blind switch I might not tell) it's sounds a slight bit better between the pre-amp and the amp compared to placing it between my DAC and pre-amp. The +9 setting  seems to make the sound more forward with slightly more clear. I think there is a bit more snappy bass with it used as a buffer after the pre-amp compared to using it just as a pre-amp.

So now I'll just listen to it for the next couple days as a +9 buffer in 3D 30 degree mode after the OT pre and then switch later. I do like the expanded soundstage and the improved mids and high frequency clarity though I'm not sure that that would make a difference if I cranked the OT up louder. (I haven't compared them at loud levels because I have very close neighbors.)

Is it a "game-changer" like Louis Armstrong or the Beatles? I'd say no. But it's a nice piece of kit and worth the price, at the cost of some loss of bass clarity and initial attack or snappiness.