[cute]

Using iPod line out into iTube then into iCan, as iTube is not an amp.

So how does that combo sound.  iFi Micro says the iTube is only for speakers....the ICan does 3D Holographic sound on it's own.  I have been inboxing iFi micro support, and they suggest not to use the iTube as is designed exactly the opposite of the ICan.  What is gained with the ITube the way that you are using it?
 
I am curious to use the ITube as a preamp the get the 3D and Digital Antidote functions!.

 

[ostewart]

The iTube is for speakers and headphones. It is purely a buffer which can be used in any system.

I am in good contact with Vincent from iFi, over the phone.

You gain a bit of tube magic using it in the system. The 3D on the iTube is for speakers, the 3D on the iCan is for headphones. The digital antidote plus is a great little feature, doesn't make a big difference, but I leave it on anyway.

The best desktop dog:
IDAC + iTube + iCan, with Gemini USB cable, plenty of detail with no harshness. Just waiting for my stand from iFi, they will be sending me one soon.

My review of the products is being typed up currently.

 

[cute]

The iTube is for speakers and headphones. It is purely a buffer which can be used in any system.

I am in good contact with Vincent from iFi, over the phone.

You gain a bit of tube magic using it in the system. The 3D on the iTube is for speakers, the 3D on the iCan is for headphones. The digital antidote plus is a great little feature, doesn't make a big difference, but I leave it on anyway.

The best desktop dog:
IDAC + iTube + iCan, with Gemini USB cable, plenty of detail with no harshness. Just waiting for my stand from iFi, they will be sending me one soon.

My review of the products is being typed up currently.

 
So, if I understand you correctly, you don't use the 3D on the ITube while listening to headphones, but you do use the 3D on the ICan....then what does the ITube add to your listening pleasure with headphones if the Digital Antidote is only needed with a DAC that does oversampling....according to iFi Micro support?

 

[ostewart]

The digital antidote plus works with any input, it takes the harshness out of digital sources, but doesn't take any detail away. It is a very small difference, but does contribute to overall listening pleasure.

I leave the 3D off on the iTube, what the iTube offers is a little tube sound, which you dont get with the solid state iCan.

Valves introduce a little warmth and natural tone to the sound, it just makes the whole rig sound a bit better.

Let's say the iCan is pretty neutral, which is true, then adding the iTube before the iCan will add a little warmth and smoothness that valves are known for, without taking away the overall detail.

 

[ClieOS]

Think of it this way: iTube is for speaker and iCan is for headphone. If you are mainly a speaker listener, pick iTube; headphone listener, iCan. You can still feed iTube to iCan, but the added improvement will be small so you are wasting money on feature (of iTube) that you are not going to use. I like the Digital Antidote myself but the 3D sound is what I think really make iTube special. But you can't use it with headphone as it is optimized for speaker and can screw up the imaging on headphone.

 

[ostewart]

But if you want added tubeyness add the iTube to your system, be it headphones or speakers

 

[Ophiel]

I don't have the iTube, but my DAC is a tube-buffered type and it sounds good to me when paired with the iCan. The voice gets slightly panned to the left but it does not bother me.

 

[ostewart]

iDAC:
 

 

[mrinspire]

How is it performed in your setup?

 

[ostewart]

I really like the iDAC, depending on the phones I either use it just on its own, or hooked up to the iTube + iCan stack.

It is very detailed, you hear what was recorded, micro details are so easily picked out.

I also use the Gemini USB Cable with it.

Still working on the reviews

 

[ostewart]

iTube review is up: http://www.head-fi.org/t/700109/review-ifi-audio-itube-tube-magic-for-all-systems

 

[mrinspire]

Good review mate, just noticed that you have GMP400 as well. 

 

[ostewart]

I love GMP 400, they have amazing synergy with my Bravo Ocean tube amp, but sound great out of the iFi gear.

I use them with the iDAC and iCan for gaming, brilliant with 3D and bass boost on Max with the iCan.

 

[cute]

Got my ITube today, and proceeded to give it a try in my setup.  What I have noticed first of all, in my speaker setup, I use two M&K subwoofers....I have two DAC's so I can A/B between the two......I have the I Tube set to buffer mode, with no DA or 3D setting turned on, and I hear a slight delay in the low end sound with the I Tube and DAC it is connected to, I do not hear the delay in my setup with DAC and no I Tube.  It sounds like the bass has lost speed!
 
Anyone have a speaker setup with subwoofers to compare what I hear?  I do like the sound of the I Tube through my headphones as well, even though I have a headphone tube amp in the chain.
 
At this point I am not happy with the speaker/sub output......don't know as I could keep it with the results I am getting.  I do notice a definite difference in sound when I listen without the I Tube.......placement of instraments and an analog smoothness to the sound, which I do like!

 

[ostewart]

I dont know what's happening with the delay, maybe contact iFi for clarification.