[AVU]

Picked up one of these from Nikongod at the last NYC Head-Fi Meet for $90.  
 
Loving it.  
 
Put in some NOS RCA's - nothing too fancy, just good solid American tubes - and running this as an impedance match between my eastern electric minimax dac (which has an impossibly HIGH output impedance running with an e80cc) into a (yes this is highly strange) Pico Slim amp (which obviously has an incredibly LOW  imput impedance requirement) to JH13 iems.  I use the Pico Slim because it's the best amp I've found for the JH13s, and those are now my sole headphones.
 
Sound was good before, but after the tube buffer addition, it's considerably improved due to the impedance matching.
 
Very happy camper.
 
To upgrade (sidegrade) to the Anedio D2 would require selling all this nonsense first, so I'm now more likely to stick with this setup for a while.  Also, with multiple caps, tubes, and op amps to roll, I can change the sound every few months and convince myself that it's another "upgrade"

 

[DMR14]

Hi, I am interested in this product since I have a few 6sn7 tubes that i can use. Question that I have is whether I should place it between preamp and poweramp or DAC and preamp. Seems like the opinions are divided but want to know the users experiences..

 

[yangian]

Sorry, anyone can explain to me a little bit what's this for:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DYHU0G0/ref=s9_hps_bw_g23_i2
 
Thanks!

 

[HeatFan12]

  Sorry, anyone can explain to me a little bit what's this for:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DYHU0G0/ref=s9_hps_bw_g23_i2
 
Thanks!

 
That is a tube buffer.  It goes between your solid state gear to give it some tube love.  That one uses the 6SN7 tubes.  Excellent.  I have the 6J1/6AK5/EF95 one.
 
Cheers!
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 

[yangian]

   
That is a tube buffer.  It goes between your solid state gear to give it some tube love.  That one uses the 6SN7 tubes.  Excellent.  I have the 6J1/6AK5/EF95 one.
 
Cheers!
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

Thanks! But I'm still not quite clear. So it goes between DAC and amplifier? Can it use with tube amplifier? Anyway, I have no idea what's its function? Could you explain a little bit to me what's different of this with a DAC or amplifier?

 

[HeatFan12]

Hi yangian,
 
It goes between amp and source.  If your source is a DAC or DAP.  It goes between them.  You plug in your source to tube buffer and from there into amp.  Remember input--> output--> output--> input.
 
Cheers!

 

[yangian]

  Hi yangian,
 
It goes between amp and source.  If your source is a DAC or DAP.  It goes between them.  You plug in your source to tube buffer and from there into amp.  Remember input--> output--> output--> input.
 
Cheers!

Thank you very much! What's the help of this guy? From the review on Amazon, it seems it'll benefit the soundstage, right? Could you give me any resource of introduction of buffer processor? I tried gooling it without found any helpful resource. Appreciate!

 

[HeatFan12]

  Thank you very much! What's the help of this guy? From the review on Amazon, it seems it'll benefit the soundstage, right? Could you give me any resource of introduction of buffer processor? I tried gooling it without found any helpful resource. Appreciate!

 
 
Let's do this the easy way.  What is your source and amp?  I have tried the buffer with speakers and headphones.

 

[HeatFan12]

Just wanted to add and I found another pic of the rear.  In the top pic I am using the DX50 as source via line-out.  It is connected to the Yaqin tube buffer (input).  The output of the buffer then goes connected to the amp (NFB-16) via line-in.  Hope that helps.
 
Cheers!
 
 

 

[yangian]

  Just wanted to add and I found another pic of the rear.  In the top pic I am using the DX50 as source via line-out.  It is connected to the Yaqin tube buffer (input).  The output of the buffer then goes connected to the amp (NFB-16) via line-in.  Hope that helps.
 
Cheers!
 
 

Wow! This looks so beautiful! I use a tube amplifier to drive a HD600. Anything benefit to have this guy? Thanks!

 

[HeatFan12]

Thanks!!!
 
I only use the tube buffer with solid state gear.  I have never paired it up with a tube amp though.

 

[yangian]

  Thanks!!!
 
I only use the tube buffer with solid state gear.  I have never paired it up with a tube amp though.

Yeah. This is what I understood with your initial statement. So what's the benefit of this paired with SS amplifier vs a tube amplifier only? Or what's difference of sound with and without this guy for a SS amplifier? Thanks!

 

[HeatFan12]

I initially purchased it and used it with speakers for a while.  I like to call it 'takes the edge off' the brightness.  I have moved it around a lot through the years.  Right now I have it in between an integrated amplifier that I use as a headphone amp and a cd player.
 
A tube amp connected directly to a source accomplishes the same thing.  Since I don't use it with speakers anymore, I find uses for it with ss gear.

 

[yangian]

  I initially purchased it and used it with speakers for a while.  I like to call it 'takes the edge off' the brightness.  I have moved it around a lot through the years.  Right now I have it in between an integrated amplifier that I use as a headphone amp and a cd player.
 
A tube amp connected directly to a source accomplishes the same thing.  Since I don't use it with speakers anymore, I find uses for it with ss gear.

Thank you, brother for the explanation!

 

[HeatFan12]

  Thank you, brother for the explanation!

 
 
Good times brother!