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Great for your 2.0 system
I use this primarily for my desktop bookshelf speaker setup. The bass boost is awesome. The different tube settings are fun to play with and does help smooth out my speaker's highs a bit. This product does get hot (it's a tube pre-am), so try not to stack anything close to it if you don't want to expose your other devices to extra heat.
The original iTube became the 'go to' tube buffer for any and every home audio system. iFi has redesigned the micro iTube2 with new parts and new circuitry using trickle-down technology from the flagship Pro' series. Only the GE5670 tube remains.
The micro iTube2 is a tubed output stage, tube preamp, tube buffer AND an impedance-matching device all in one. There is nothing like it. You can put the micro iTube2 before a solid-state preamp and another one after it, creating the effect of tubing the whole audio chain. Or you can choose to simply use the micro iTube2 as a very high-quality preamp by itself.
The micro iTube2 sounds by and far, like a tube amplifier done right with the inimitable magic of tubes. Tonality and heft, especially in the mid-range and bass frequencies are increased to elevate the whole audio system from 100k to 1k. The micro iTube2 injects a serious does of tube magic into any audio system.
'Magic' of SET, Push-Pull or Classic Tube sound
In the magic of tubes' listening stakes, the iTube2 offers the listener the choice of different key sonic signatures:
a Single-Ended Triode power amplifier;
a Push-Pull tube power amplifier;
a classic tube amplifier
Just to note from the iFi team, there is no 'right' setting. We advise you to set according to your systems synergy and your listening preferences.
XBass+ matrix for Speakers, new and improved
XBass+ for Speaker's is quite different to its sister technology XBass+ for Headphones. The only similarity is in philosophy as the ability to enhance your Speaker listening is quite different to enhancing Headphone listening.
The former gives each and every audio system adjustable levels of bass control to enhance listening enjoyment through speakers that have limited bass extension. iFi has taken great care to ensure no degradation in sound quality occurs
20 Hz (6dB): For speakers missing only the lowest bass notes (below 40Hz)
20 Hz (12dB):
For speakers missing some bass notes (below 80Hz)
OFF: XBass+ switched out.
3D Holographic+ matrix for Speakers
The latest 3D Holographic+ matrix for Speakers offers something quite special. It takes high-end systems to another level of performance. It was drawn from theoriginal ground-breaking work of Alan Blumlein, the father of stereo.
Firstly, it corrects the fundamental spatial distortion in recordings. And secondly, it increases the width of the soundstage beyond that of the speaker placement.
30½+ This matrix adds an extra 30½ to redress the narrow placement of speakers (eg either side of a PC monitor).
+ This matrix recreates original 'width' of the soundstage and is the recommended DEFAULT setting.
Off 3D+ switched out.
Brand-new PCB, Direct-Coupled for purest signal path
The iTube2, in-line with the late st iFi products, is Direct-Coupled.' This means no output coupling capacitor for the purest, most direct signal path.
Furthermore, the iTube2 is virtually a whole new product as the circuitry and components have been radically changed and it now is more closely connected to the Pro iCAN. Trickle-down from flagship range? A definite yes!
Reference class parts quality
The iTube2 employs Japan TDK C0G type capacitors. These are complimented by Japan Panasonic ECPU Film Capacitors explicitly designed for audio use with extremely low distortion (<0.00001% @ 1V/10kHz).
The iTube 2 also uses ELNA SIlmic capacitors. These and other parts are only found in components with an extra '0'' to the price.
The proof is in the listening. The best tube buffer/pre-amp out there just pulled even further ahead.
Running silently in the background iPower 15v
Every iTube2 comes with the very-new iPOWER (15v) which is a remarkable-quiet, advanced DC power supply that features:
Active Noise Cancellation+½ drawn from military radar technology
12-Element Output Array/6-Element Input Array
Measured on the Audio Precision 2, the iPower has an astonishingly low audio band noise floor of just 1uV while it has the ability to power the iTube2 to putout a maximum 7.75v which is quite remarkable.