Hi I don't think the SE upgrade is officially available as yet at least not in the states. If I remember correctly the tube becomes specially selected NOS 5670's utilizing special sockets with compatibility circuits in-built as well as noise filtering in-built.
The volume control in the DP777 is one of the best kept secrets out there period. I sold both my MFA Reference Pre's (the Reference and the Baby Reference) which I owned simultaneously once the iTube came along.., I will explain. The MFA Ref TVC's were flat out the finest volume control units I had heard and that includes the ARC 40th Anniversary 2 Chassis Pre, Concert Fidelity (USD $24K), and they (MFA units) flat smoked the Allnic L/H 3000 (the one with the bigger mk2 transformers), made the allnic literally sound flat out wrong/ just wrong is all I can say.
Having said all that I disagreed with the Stereophile review of the Baby Ref in one point and one point only; both the ref and the baby ref have a signature (in contrast to the reviewers stance) and as someone who owned them both I knew it well. It was a beautiful fullness which was delivered to the sound, not a coloration but literally a corporeal body to go along with the musical event. That is why I bought the baby ref (for the second system). Unlike the reviewer in Stereophile, I do NOT agree that they are perfectly transparent (not sure those were his exact words) and the DP777 as well as Pure Musics 64 bit volume control illustrated that quite easily to my ears. There is a very slight micro shading of low level detail/information with the TVC's that the AMR laid bare. Specifically things like a singers breath and or inflection when singing.
The trade-off was the body :) So, the delimma, detail or body? I chose body hence the 2 MFA units. Then came along the iFi iTube and it did EVERYTHING the MFA units did PLUS it was as transparent with the AMR as the AMR alone. So I sold both MFA units and now I use the DP777 volume control into the iTube set at 0dB gain and in buffer mode with 3D on and it is phenomenal.
In case you didn't know.., the guy (Thorsten Loesche) who deigned the Reference transformers for MFA is also the man behind AMR/iFi :) So he was able to electronically bring the benefits of the transformers with complete transparency to the iFi line. Caveat.., the iFi is NOT transparent if you engage the 6dB mode. If your' system is lean or sterile, the +6dB may work for you.
All that to say that if you add the iTube to the AMR you may find that is all you will ever need. I have not looked for a pre since as I have heard NONE that can beat that combination and I have listened to a great many very very expensive preamps. Hope my 2 cents worth can be of some help :) |
The AMR distributor in the states told me the SE upgrade would ship toward the 3rd week of June. |
Joman; Good to know, thanks. |
Audiofun, thanks for the tip on iFi iTube, I am very tempted to try it and am trying to overcome my reservation of adding a zero gain device to enhance the sound as I had tube buffers before. This implies an additional set of expensive interconnects and the reservation that something gets "lost during the translation". Which ICs do you use between transport and DAC, DAC to iTube and iTube to amp(s)?
I am using NordOst Valhalla as PC and hope to add more body with a HiDiamond P4 shortly, loosing some speed and maybe resolution in the process. |
I promise you wont lose anything and I also hold that simpler is NOT always better :)
I make my own highly sheilded high band-width interconnect and digital cables.
FYI, the iTube is LIGHT YEARS ahead of former buffers I have tried in the past such as the Musical Fidelity to the point they should not be compared (IMHO). |
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Hi Audiofun, would you care to share your insights on your DIY ICs? And to which known brands IC have you compared them? Anychance of making your own magnetic cables? I have the HFC CT1-E throughout my system and love to have a CT1-U comparable cabling.
Back to the SE upgrade, none has one yet? |
On audiofun's endorsements, I ordered the iTube, got it today and will evaluate it more for a couple of weeks.
Between my NAD M51 and ATC P1 power amp, these are my initial findings: after level-matching from going balanced to single-ended, I do feel some transparency is lost with the iTube as a straight buffer with no gain (so am glad to confirm the M51 preamp is doing a good job). This is also the case/worse when using it as a preamp with gain.
The "digital antidote" feature is subtle. It mildly softens/rubs out the sharpest leading edges of treble notes, like layering in a low-powered unsharp-mask filter in Photoshop. Tried this on some songs that have clear peaks but the M51 doesn't need this affect as it's not screechy-sounding in the first place, and honestly, where sections of music do have piercing notes, they should be reflected accordingly! If your gear is sounding annoyingly peaky all the time, then maybe something else needs fixing rather than attenuating transients.
The last feature - the 3D HolographicSound - works as described and is novel/fun to play around with, in both "normal" and "desktop" mode. I need to listen to less electronic music to get a full take on it.
Don't get me wrong, I am NOT an accuracy above musicality freak at all. I do favor naturalness and fidelity.
Guess I'd put it like this, when we're all following the same JRiver setup guides, turning off all DSP and playback options, and eschewing treble or bass controls in our pre-amps...but ignoring say room acoustic treatments which are much more dramatic, what are we doing?!
My summary of the iTube is that it's really only suited for single-ended DACs with pre-amp sections that are bad in all the areas it addresses! |
Hi JazzOnTheHudson, some comparisons have been to Murray James, FIM Gold, Argento (CRAZY EXPESNIVE!!!!) and I always go back to my design. Not sure exactly what you are referring to by "Magnetic Cables". DIY cables can be as good and better than aftermarket if you know what you are doing and start out with superior materials. Do not fall for the Continuous Cast marketing non-sense. I am not going to get into that except to say do some googling and find out what and why that inferior form or wire manufacturing was created. Leave it to the cabling liars (oops sorry marketers) to completely obfuscate the truth.
Loftarasa; I will state that my experience with the iTube is completely to opposite of yours. I find the 3D Holograhic indispensable and absolutley transpatent in zero gain mode. Again, it bettered both my MFA Reference and Baby Reference and Equaled "No Preamp" (i.e. using PureMusics 64 bit volume control in conjunction with a wide dynamix range 24/176.4khz recording and -6dB on PM) as far as transparency. I can't speak for your system but the iTube is ABSOLUTELY transparent over here. Listening to Enya via my SP10-MK3/AMR PH77/AMR dP777 and iTube and i defy anyone to hear a loss of detail when the iTube is installed (if it were out of my system which it never is :).
I have never needed to use the digital antidote with the AMR.
One thing to note, the wall wart IS orientation sensitve, the cord leading from the wall wart should be aligned with the ground plug receptacle on your wall socket. This is easily heard if it is in the wrong configuration.
I have found this to be the case with all of my amplifiers Reimyo PAT777, Graaf Modena, both Graaf GM 200's, Acoustic Reality Thaumaturges and the EAR 1001 REFS and my own 230 watt monos.
The MFA Reference units are some of the finest volume attenuators out there, the Concert Fidelity Pre is world class and I still went with the iTube. I know nothing of NADs gear having never purchased it, perhaps it is simply not sympatico.
YMMV |
@audiofun, your gear is higher-end than mine and I don't doubt your claims about the iTube's performance in your system.
But I'm sending my iTube back as it's not adding enough value for me. Having to go from variable balanced to fixed output single-ended may be a factor in my evaluation (different output stages, different cabling, voltage levels, SNR, CMMR things), though.
Fiddling with the wallwart connector thing sounds bizarre; not quite what you're onto there.
My last comment is I know iFi are coming out with the iTube mini, where we should expect higher performance (for higher outlay). That in itself may also suggest the iTube's most obvious use-case is computer/desktop/second-systems. I'd be interested in that if it supports balanced inputs/outputs and/or I switched to a fixed output DAC.
Cheers.
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Loftarasa; I totally understand that all things don't work in all systems and you are correct, the iTube Mini is on the way and as I understand it, that you unit will sport S.E. and TRUE Balanced inputs and outputs along with multiple inputs. The Mini will also sport a better analog volume control and a better power supply, although the P.S. included with the current iTube is already quieter than a battery supply.
I have always contended that the iTube used with its own volume control and/or in +6dB gain is absolutely NOT transparent :)
Question for you... If you went to "fixed" S.E. were you using the iTube as a preamplifier? If you were (using the iTube as a volume control) then I TOTALLY understand your comments/findings and agree with them. That is a great feature to have in a lower end system (not being a snob) or as a backup in the case that your preamp is in the shop for repairs or the such.
Back to the music., listening to Reference Recordings Rachmaninoff on 200gram vinyl as I type this :) |
Hi Audiofun, I played around it with again last night. I agree with you; in Preamp mode (both 0 or 6db gain), it's deleterious. The loss is much less detectable when in buffer mode, but here I preferred 0db to 6db. I also agree the Digital Antidote feature is not really my cup of tea and that the 3D feature is pretty neat. So I think we're on the same page, except for me, going from balanced to single-ended is too much of a net loss. I may wait for the iTube mini.
I'm no E.E. but I still don't quite get why switching the orientation of the wallwart will make any difference -- I mean, it's converting AC so electrically, how can it matter? |
The polarity issue would take way more time to get into and explain than I have :) Let your ears be the judge, try it oriented in both positions and ponder what you hear :)
Just so you know I am not one of those people as it relates to high end who believes everything can be explained. FYI, I have no idea why some power cords sound better into my SP10MK3's power supply than others ??? well, ok.., I have some ideas ... |
@Audiofun: by magnetic cables I mean those that I have in my main system: High Fidelity Cables.
@Loftarasa: it makes a difference if you swap the hot and the neutral when you turn the walwart. Even fuses have a direction! Read about the after market fuses on this and other forums. As I mentioned many times, upgrading stock fuses yield, after dedicated lines and audiophile wall sockets, the highest return.
Back to the topic: anyone have the SE upgrade installed? |
Loftarasa: I agree with everything you've stated :) |
