Modern Meets Retro: Tube Amps For Your iPod
July 29th, 2005
IEEE Spectrum Online has an excellent review of the N&S Valveworks iPod amplifier:
“Even when pushed hard by demanding musical material, tubes overload gracefully, and although the sound at that point is audibly distorted, it still has a singing tone that is almost impossible to duplicate with solid-state circuits. That’s why many recording engineers continue to use vacuum tubes in their studios and most premium musical instrument amplifiers also employ tubes. Within the consumer electronics sphere, hundreds of mostly tiny companies make vacuum tube equipment for residential listening systems as well. N&S is one of those companies. Another such company, PsiberAudio of Singapore, has also announced a tube-based iPod amplifier; its iTube SE15 retails at US $900.”
(Thanks to NonsenseNation for emailing the link)
Other tube amps available are the Concertino by Goldster Audio ($3700.00), and the iTube SE15 by PsiberAudio ($900 + $100 for the recommended passive pre-amp). I can’t vouch for the sound quality of any of these, but agree with Spectrum about tubes in general. The Concertino is absolutely beautiful, and integrates the signature iPod “look” masterfully, but I have to admit that I really dig the 50’s bakelite-esque aesthetic and central docking station of the N&S.
After buying one of these guys, you’ll definitely appreciate free MP3s, and with that famous rich, round sound from tubes now coming from your solid-state gizmo, might I recommend some music from the Let’s Surf the River of Blood post.
