micro iTube2

micro iTube2 by iFi audio

Still feel there’s something missing from your music? Playlist a little lack-lustre?

Try the iTube2 – bring the warmth of ‘tubes’ into your home.

The magic of tubes

The micro iTube2 is a tubed output stage, preamp, buffer and impedance matching device, all rolled into one.

Put simply, whether you are listening to vinyl, CD or a digital stream, it will add depth, bass and personality to your playlist.

Micro iTube2 by ifi Audio

Spoilt for choice.

At iFi, we love giving you options and the iTube2 is no exception.

With the iTube2, you have a choice of three key sonic signatures:

  • Single-Ended Triode
  • Push-Pull Tube
  • Classic Tube

There is no right or wrong. It’s all down to what you prefer.

Sonic-tuning

And the choices continue. We’ve add our own exclusive optional ‘sonic fining-tuning extras to add further nuances to your listening.

xBass+® cleans and restores the bass to give you a richer, deeper sound and 3D+® opens up your music to bring a live-concert atmosphere into your living room.

Micro iTube2 by ifi Audio

Hear the difference

Why did we give you a tube amp? You know how much we love them here at iFi and we know some of you do, too.

We feel the iTube2 delivers that special tube sound – it adds warmth, removes hardness and adds emphasis to instruments and vocals.

Give it a whirl in your set-up. Hear the difference.

Buffer

A buffer amplifier (sometimes simply called a buffer) is one that provides electrical impedance transformation from one circuit to another, with the aim of preventing the signal source from being affected by whatever currents (or voltages, for a current buffer) that the load may be produced with.

Impedance matching

Impedance represents the opposition that an electronic component offers to an alternating and/or direct electric current.

Impedance matching is when a device ensures that the maximum power transfer from an amplifier, for example, matches the impedance of the source.

SET / Push-Pull / Tubes

A single-ended triode (SET) is a vacuum tube electronic amplifier that uses a single triode to produce an output. This doesn’t ‘split’ the music signal and the music’s ‘pure’ nature remains intact.

A push-pull amplifier uses a pair or more of tubes/devices to generate an output. This splits the signal and then puts it together again. Some argue that the signal is not put back together with the exact purity it had to begin with.

Some feel that tube amps which deliver a classic tube sound create a warmer, more musical tone.

An important aspect of the circuit design is its direct-coupled nature (no coupling capacitor is present), achieved without a conventionally applied DC servo.

DirectDrive® equals a direct signal path which means less signal degradation. This direct signal path is unequalled in audio and is the reason why the sound is so ‘true’.

3D+ Holographic® delivers an immersive, deep soundstage. Check it out here.

XBass+® delivers a deep, tighter bass sound. Discover the details.

Only the best tube for our products. The GE5670 made by General Electric. Nothing comes close for quality.

Choose the ‘magic’ of SET, Push-Pull or Classic Tube sound – three different sonic signatures. There is no right or wrong, it’s whatever you prefer!

Retailer

Apos Inc.

California
Distributor

iFi audio USA (West Coast)

California
Retailer

ListenUp

Colorado
Retailer

ListenUp

Colorado
Retailer

ListenUp

Colorado
Retailer

Music Direct

Illinois
Retailer

Gramophone

Maryland
Retailer

Gramophone

Maryland
Retailer

Gramophone

Maryland
Retailer

Gramophone

Maryland
Retailer

Gramophone

Maryland
Retailer

Audio Advisor

Michigan
Retailer

Bloom Audio

New Jersey
Retailer

High Definition Tape Transfers

New Jersey
Retailer

ListenUp

New Mexico
Retailer

Turntable Lab NY Storefront

New York
Retailer

Audio 46

New York
Retailer

Moon Audio

North Carolina
Retailer

AudioAdvice

North Carolina
Retailer

AudioAdvice

North Carolina
Retailer

Headphones.com

Oregon
Retailer

World Wide Stereo

Pennsylvania
Retailer

World Wide Stereo

Pennsylvania
Retailer

HIDEF Lifestyle

Pennsylvania
Distributor

iFi audio USA (East Coast)

Virginia
Retailer

USA-Audio Exchange

Virginia
TubeNOS GE 5670×1
Maximum output> 7.75V (>+20dBu)
SNR119dB(A) re. 2V, buffer,
0dB Gain
DNR131dB(A) re. +20dBu, buffer,
0dB Gain
THD & N< 0.009% (re. 2V, buffer, 0dB
Gain, A- weighted)
Frequency Response< 10Hz -to > 200kHz (-1dB)
20Hz – 20kHz (+/-0.003dB)
Input impedance1M ohm Direct Tube Buffer
100k ohm Pre-Amplifier
with Volume Control
Output stage output impedance<1 ohm
Corrected output impedance<150 ohm
Input voltageAC 100-240V, 50/60Hz
Power consumption<4W idle, 10W max
Dimensions175(l) x 67 (w) x 28 (h) mm
Weight278g (0.61lbs)

IFI Audio, iTube2 , buffer, intermediario. Interesante adición económica?

Watch the full review here…

YouTube

(Click name to read original review)

iFi Itube2 class A Tube/Preamp/Buffer Overview of a Blooming Flower ?

YouTube

(Click name to read original review)

Audiophile quality

This buffer is beyond incredible. At first I wasn’t sure about it, but I am glad I gave it some time to break in. I am powering my Polk LSIM 707 towers with a Peach Tree Audio class D amp. The amplifier is powerful but wasn’t warm enough. This tube buffer made the sound perfect. Huge sound stage, punchy bottom end.

It actually made my towers blend better with my subwoofer. I am a picky audiophile. Trust me, you will love this device. Play with the settings. As amazing as my audio sounded before, it took the overall sound quality to a much higher level. Make sure you give it about 50 hours to break in before you get the true sound quality.

Amazon

(Click name to read original review)

Gigantic Improvement – Mind Blown

The iTube2 is an amazing piece of gear.

I run it in the loop of a Peachtree Nova 300, through a pair of 4 ohm Tekton Pendragons. I use it in tube buffer mode w 9dB gain.

It came in the mail yesterday. I plugged it in last night and was utterly unimpressed. In A/B comparison, it seemed to do absolutely nothing.

I left it on all night. I woke up today wondering if I could get a refund.

Then I tried it again and was absolutely knocked out by the improvement in soundstage, punch, immediacy, mids and highs clarity & overall awesomeness.

Read more…

Amazon

(Click name to read original review)

A little spice.

Perfect for my application! Have a solid state pre-amp that needed some flavor. This unit did the trick without extra noise and distortion. Some feel the change is subtle. I found it to be just the right amount. IFI has some clever engineers.

Amazon

(Click name to read original review)

best system enhancement ever

The addition of the Ifi iTube 2, has made my setup perfect and adds a flexibility for me to experiment. I am running an Airist Audio R-2R Dac hooked up to a THX AAA-789 heapdhone amplifier. This makes for a very analytical and dynamic setup that I do love. However, some headphones that I also love are a bit on the lean side of bass. Adding the iTube 2 in the mix has allowed me to enjoy these headphones for all music i push through it.

I set the bass to +12, regular amount of 3d+, and set the tube type to classic when I use my sony mdr-ex1000 IEMs. This is such a blast.

I have some Koss esp-950 electrostatic headphones. These are very resolving and clean to the max. For electrostats, these are known to be more tuned like loudspeakers. With this in mind they don’t have a very wide soundstage but have very good instrument placement. These too are a little light on bass. I set the bass boost to 6db, regular amount of 3d+ and set the tube type to classic.

Amazon

(Click name to read original review)

Great product !

Totally worth the price. I am using it primarily as a tube buffer – all three settings sound good but I like the classic best. I also am using the 3D component it is really great.

Amazon

(Click name to read original review)

POWER OF CHANGE – IFI ITUBE2 // IPOWER // DC IPURIFIER 2 – REVIEW

iFi iTube2 is a Tube PRE-AMP designed for large home systems, while iPower is a power converter that comes in handy if your source doesn’t come with a quality power brick, or if you need a replacement power brick.

There will also be a bonus product features in this review, the DC iPurifier 2. Since I have no comparisons for any of those products, I’ll try comparing them with other options out there throughout the review, but there will be no special comparison section within the review…

Audiophile-Heaven

(Click name to read original review)

Must Have

Will enhance your sound stage experience on any gear. you will be amazed! Give 2 weeks break in period before any critical listening and playing with settings. Instruments had their own space, rock solid images. Get up and walk around them. Of course for that effect your gear probably needs good synergy!

Amazon

(Click name to read original review)

Tiny audio hardware that produces great sound…

1st time to use this brand. Bought without auditioning, after reading so many rave reviews.
Sound was very good, soundstage expands sideways and sound stage deepens considerably. I was also using a new power amplifier so I cannot ascertain if the great sound was due to the latter or a combination of both.

Was surprised that this unit was that tiny…but it runs fairly warm, not sure if I need to raise it above the table high enough to facilitate heat dissipation.

One odd phenomenon:
This unit produces no sound if I turn it on 1st, before I turn on the power amplifier, DAC etc…
Now I turn on everything first, before turning on this unit. When the vacuum tube is ready (need to wait about a minute), when the tiny hole that shows red turns to yellow, then sound will come out of the speakers.
Not sure if other users have the same issue or not.

Amazon

(Click name to read original review)

Easy A/B comparison of unaltered signal vs “tubified” sound

Pros – Simple setup, Easy A/B comparison of unaltered signal vs “tubified” sound. Ability to customize audio parameters to suit your current headphones from most any source, rather than constantly swapping headphones during your listening sessions.

Cons – While still quite portable, not battery powered like the iDSD & iDSD Black Micros for TRUE portability during travel.

K. C. Norris

(Click name to read original review)

iTube2 smooths out digital sound for better listening

Using this as a tube buffer stage and it works great by adding a nice smooth analog sound to digital. I recommend it for anyone who wants ‘tube’ sound on a budget.

Scott B

(Click name to read original review)

It brought the magic back to my music!

If I had to choose a word to best describe the overall qualities of the micro iTube2, it would be magic. The power of apparently influencing events by using mysterious forces, a quality being beautiful and delightful in a way that sees remote from daily life, exceptional skill or talent!…if one is serious about their music, the micro iTube2 is a must have and should be your next upgrade!

Bansaku

(Click name to read original review)

Clear winner

It gave a nice concert hall sound…I had this going for probably five/six hours straight with no problem whatsoever…I really like this portable fairly affordable iTube2.

ngoshawk

(Click name to read original review)

iTube 2 is effective in any environment says PhileWeb

iTube 2 is a convenient, wonderfully sound preamp/buffer amplifier that can be used in various ways..

PhileWeb and iFi Japan

(Click name to read original review)

Raising warmth

A few good points of the Micro iTube2:

  • Very clear improvement of the sound, even in the case of expensive transistor amplifiers
  • Improvement by: Raising warmth, Fuller and deeper sound.
  • Interesting look, matched to a series of micro devices.

HiFi Philosophy and iFi Poland

(Click name to read original review)

iTube2 is reviewed by SFDude on Audiocircle

Kudos to iFi for designing and building a real solid unit. This is a great addition to a lot of systems that would benefit from such a device and is not really a gimmick more than an critical part of your music chain if it radically improves it. At the price of a decent pair of cables, it would be worth a try in your system if you buy from a place with a decent return policy.

SFDude

(Click name to read original review)