[rafaelo]

I am not an expert at all with tubes but I also got a cheap Chinese preamp to play and I discovered that the GE tubes (NOT the 5670 Model though) are better than the generic Chinese. However, the NOS Mullard I currently use are much better. They provided an improvement equivalent to the improvement that the ifi ipower 12v provided to the tube preamplifier, which is a lot.

The tubes I use are relatively cheap so makes tube rolling easy and fun. Which makes me think that an itube3 does not need necessarily a tube bypass to preserve tubes if cheap easily replacable tubes are chosen (ideally 2). This can be part of the fun to be able to roll tubes easily without voiding guarantee. Tube bypass can also be useful and fun for comparison purposes but not necessary for economic reasons if reasonably priced tubes are chosen. And I am not sure how costly and difficult this tube bypass is for you to implement and thus I am thinking the above as an alternative solution.

But still a lot of the quality I am getting is due to the ifi ipower 12v supply!

 

[iFi audio]

I am not an expert at all with tubes but I also got a cheap Chinese preamp to play and I discovered that the GE tubes (NOT the 5670 Model though) are better than the generic Chinese. However, the NOS Mullard I currently use are much better. They provided an improvement equivalent to the improvement that the ifi ipower 12v provided to the tube preamplifier, which is a lot.

GE 5670 represent tremendous value for what they are. As a manufacturer, we need to think big and those were available in large quantities for affordable price. In short, these tubes met all criteria for years and that's why we've used them. It's not about several pairs of good tubes for a good price in our case but much more.

As far as tubes go, it is a matter of preference like with cars. It depends if you like for example Audi or BMW. The choice is yours!

If you are happy with out 12V iPower then we are happy too!

 

[Condocondor]

Hey dude. I just blew my BLACK LABEL UP BASED IN PART ON YOUR PICTURE SHOWING THE BLACK LABEL SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH THE iTUBE2. I'm informed by iFi Customer support that there is NO WAY to loop the iTube2 into the BL's 3.5mm front port.

 

[Condocondor]

Micro iTube2

Sprinkle the ‘magic of SET’ into any system


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‘:

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

Features/Technologies

1. High-end Direct Tube Buffer/High-End Direct Pre-amplifier
2. Selectable tube sound signature (SET / Push-Pull / Classic)
3. All-new 3D Holographic+® for Loudspeakers matrix system
4. All-new XBass+® for Loudspeakers matrix system
5. Pure analogue volume control
6. Ultra-low Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): <0.009% (Tube+ off)
7. 0dB or 9dB selectable gain
8. Reference class parts quality from ELNA Silmic to C0G capacitors
9. iPower (15V) included, ‘quieter than battery’ power supply

Comment

iFi Audio’s Head of US Sales says, “If you are looking to put back the natural, full-bodied sound of tubes into your digital system, then the iTube2 is the right piece of kit for you.”

The retail price of the micro iTube2 is US$375 (ex-tax) or Euro450/£375 (incl VAT).


Full product info: http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/micro-itube2


About iFi

iFi Audio, part of AGL, is headquartered in Southport, UK. It owns the hifi brand Abbingdon Music Research (AMR). They respectively design and manufacture portable and desktop ‘ultra-fidelity’ audio products and high-end audio ‘home-based’ components. The combined in-house hardware and software development team enables iFi audio and AMR to bring to market advanced audio products.

1. Facebook: www.facebook.com/ifiAudio
2. Twitter: www.twitter.com/ifi_audio
3. Instagram: www.instagram.com/ifiaudio
4. Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/ifiaudio

While you're at it, why don't you explain to the readers that *YOU CANNOT LOOP the iTube2 into iFi's iDSD Black Label without damaging your unit.* That would have been fantastic advice since I blew my Black Label up trying to run an RCA-to-3.5mm adapter out of my iTube2 and into the front of my BLACK LABEL's 3.5mm front port!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've had to open a repair ticket. Nowhere in your accompanying product literature does it say I cannot do this without causing harm to my device. This is a sin of omission iFi team! Please improve your product literature. I'm heartbroken.

P.S. The iTube2 is still a great, great, sounding product in my office system!

 

[Bansaku]

While you're at it, why don't you explain to the readers that *YOU CANNOT LOOP the iTube2 into iFi's iDSD Black Label.* That would have been fantastic advice since I blew my Black Label up trying to run an RCA-to-3.5mm adapter out of my iTube2 and into the front of my BLACK LABEL!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've had to open a repair ticket. Nowhere in your accompanying product literature does it say I cannot do this without causing harm to my device. This is a sin of omission iFi team! Please improve your product literature. I'm heartbroken.

Are you sure on this? This does not compute. iDSD RCA out --> RCA iTube2 in --> RCA iTube2 out --> 3.5mm iDSD in. I have read, from iFi, that the micro iDSD that it is designed to work with the iTube2 via the loop method. I have read reviews with users using this method. @iFi audio Is the iDSD BL different from it's predecessor? Can you confirm this? Now I am confused.

 

[Condocondor]

Are you sure on this? This does not compute. iDSD RCA out --> RCA iTube2 in --> RCA iTube2 out --> 3.5mm iDSD in. I have read, from iFi, that the micro iDSD that it is designed to work with the iTube2 via the loop method. I have read reviews with users using this method. @iFi audio Is the iDSD BL different from it's predecessor? Can you confirm this? Now I am confused.

@Bansaku:

Yes, I've been in contact with tech support at iFi. I actually got a temporarily decent signal this way for a while. I originally thought the 3.5mm port on my BL was defective because it cut in and out. I opened a ticket about this particular matter. Alix in tech support said, "No it won't work this way. And if by chance you did get it to work, you'd be damaging your BL unit. You need another amp such as the iCAN SE to make it work." So I immediately disconnected the iTube2 from my BL's 3.5mm front port, to try to prevent any damage and took the iTube2 to the office to work with my office amp, CD player, and speakers. It worked FANTASTIC with speakers and my Yami receiver.

But, the next day when I went to fire up my iDSD MICRO BLACK LABEL, I realized that Alix was right. The damn thing was all static and unable to get any volume. Music was coming through all broken up. So I opened up a ticket.

In my support ticket, I explained as you mentioned, that I thought I'd seen, read, understood, this is how it was done. I explained that I'd seen pics of the BL stacked all over the net with the iTube2. I explained that I thought that I should NOT have been able to damage the unit.....that it simply should not have worked. I did not see any instructions explicitly prohibiting looping the iTube2 into the BL? Where were the engineering safeguards? The literature safeguards? Surely, I wasn't the only one that thought this was the way it was done. Surely, others have damaged their BL unit this way. I'm not stupid. I've been an audiophile for decades. "No, we have had no other units damaged in this way in our records" as per Alix. Well, perhaps people who attempted to hook the iTube2 into the BL simply got no signal and realised it didn't work without harming their unit. I wasn't that lucky. So, I was so happy to hear that you too Bansaku, thought you could loop the iTube2 into the BL......that I wasn't crazy in my assumption.

iFi are good people. They're a responsible company. I'm certain they'll take care of me. It's just the inconvenience and shock that I'm having to get over. I really thought I knew what I was doing. I've never abused my equipment or done anything foolish. Just like you Bansaku, my experience with equipment and assumptions of understanding failed me. I feel like an idiot.

I'd like to hear if there are any other users, besides you and I, who have had the same misunderstanding with their BL and iTube2, or their understanding of how they can work together??? Am I alone in my stupidity?

 

[Bansaku]

@Condocondor This is good too know, and is a good warning to others (like myself) who were of the understanding that they could be looped. crappy deal on your end though. We need clarification from @iFi audio .

 

[iFi audio]

@Condocondor This is good too know, and is a good warning to others (like myself) who were of the understanding that they could be looped. ****ty deal on your end though. We need clarification from @iFi audio .

Let us leave this link here:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi...l-in-depth-review.833933/page-4#post-13543864

Post #54.

To quote ourselves:

"it is not possible to "loop" the iTube or iTube 2 into the signal path of the iDSD micro ( black & silver editions) alone. It can be placed after the iDSD micro line outs to drive any other headphone amp, amplifier or active speakers though."

 

[Condocondor]

Let us leave this link here:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi...l-in-depth-review.833933/page-4#post-13543864

Post #54.

To quote ourselves:

"it is not possible to "loop" the iTube or iTube 2 into the signal path of the iDSD micro ( black & silver editions) alone. It can be placed after the iDSD micro line outs to drive any other headphone amp, amplifier or active speakers though."

LOL, yeah I saw this quote after I went back through the thread to look for clues. I obviously missed it. But so glad you're working with me to fix my unit. You guys make awesome products.

BTW, my iTube2 which I wound up taking to the office, went home with one of my clients, who insisted on trying it out in HIS system! But after I took my iTube2 out of the chain, I gasped. I nearly cried. My client has 3 days to decide if he wants to keep it-----so I can order another one. I can't stand the mid-fi hell I'm left with...lol. I think I'm gonna be able to sell a number of these iTube2's for you guys. Any chance I could get a commission....lol?

 

[Bansaku]

Let us leave this link here:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi...l-in-depth-review.833933/page-4#post-13543864

Post #54.

To quote ourselves:

"it is not possible to "loop" the iTube or iTube 2 into the signal path of the iDSD micro ( black & silver editions) alone. It can be placed after the iDSD micro line outs to drive any other headphone amp, amplifier or active speakers though."

Thank you for this. Now we all know and can avoid any further complications.

 

[wiredearp]

I have seen conflicting answers to this question, also for the original iTube, so here it is again: Can the tube in iTube2 be changed (rolled)

 

[Morimoriya 62]

Hi guys

I have IDSD org +I can se+Itube2 with HD800S,
Does anyone have experience with combo and compare to I CAN PRO ?
I want to know how much different between to device only sound quality .



Regards Mori

 

[Condocondor]

Hi guys

I have IDSD org +I can se+Itube2 with HD800S,
Does anyone have experience with combo and compare to I CAN PRO ?
I want to know how much different between to device only sound quality .



Regards Mori

I suspect there is some difference but I bet it's not as much as you might think. If you were looking for a cheap upgrade, I might recommend the iPurifer2 for your current stack if you're using USB. BTW, I may be looking for a used iCAN SE for my headphone stack as I have the iPurifer2+Micro BL+iTube2 if you take the plunge for the Pro. I originally thought I could loop the iTube2 into the BL but you can't........I need an iCAN SE to use the iTube2 with my stack.

 

[Condocondor]

That's a great question, Andrew. I also bought an iCAN SE at the same time, and I broke the two of them in together; because of the reported long break-in time of the iCAN SE, I didn't seriously listen until ~300 hours were on the combo.

I did, however, take a few peeks here and there. I think the first "peek" was around 80 hours, and I'd say the basic character was established at that point. I have somewhere around 500 hours on mine now, and I wouldn't say it sounds any different...

I don't plan to tube roll, which voids the warranty. Sounds good as is, anyway. Flip the "harmonic control" switch when you want different tube sounds--it will deliver

I started to hear changes as the iTube2 broke-in beginning at 15hours..... and by 36hours the changes were dramatic!

 

[iFi audio]

I have seen conflicting answers to this question, also for the original iTube, so here it is again: Can the tube in iTube2 be changed (rolled)

If you're able to find something better and manageable in rather tight space, then yes. Also it's good to know that tube rolling voids warranty.

I started to hear changes as the iTube2 broke-in beginning at 15hours..... and by 36hours the changes were dramatic!

Though we read every feedback, both good and bad, yours is one of those we like the most

Hi guys

I have IDSD org +I can se+Itube2 with HD800S,
Does anyone have experience with combo and compare to I CAN PRO ?
I want to know how much different between to device only sound quality .



Regards Mori

iCan Pro is our TOTL device, better than iCAN SE, even with iTube2 along the road.