Tube amps and iPods

No troll. An opinion. Using a mid-fi source like an iPod with a tube amp, which presumes that using a tube amp will transform the playback quality of an iPod into something better...or higher fidelity, seems like an oxymoron to me. The same goes for iPods used with audiophile-grade solid state amps. I will admit it's fun marketing, albeit without substance.

As Leonard Bellezza, co-owner of Lyric HiFi, said in the article. “Everybody has an iPod. So anything you can attach to an iPod sells.”

Exactly. All sizzle and no steak.

I'm interested to hear from those who believe the iPod is a source that would benefit from tube amplification on any level...either high end or mid-fi products such as those mentioned in the referenced article.

if (a) your music is saved using apple lossless and (b) you take the data from the line out of the ipod rather than earphone jack, you have the start of a HDD-based digital source that is at least in the same ball park as other HDD systems. i am convinced that, with a good USB DAC (e.g., Wavelength), you can achieve results that are undeniably "high end."

i have no idea whether the tube ipod dock discussed in the NYT today would achieve the same results, but i don't think it's fair to say that an ipod can't be part of a high end digital front end.

I've seen a tube amp docking station at a local Mac store. It was black and silver but I don't think it was one of the ones in the picture accompanying the article. Cute as a button. It waas hooled up to an equally cute little speaker system like youfind with PCs. I don't know how it sounded. I think it's funny that the NY Times story has the category title "Novelties" in the header.

Some posts above suggest that a "lower" fidelity source cannot be assisted by a better component downstream. If this is true, then it logically follows that the source should always be the best component. Sounds like Tvad is a true "Linnie" like myself.

...it logically follows that the source should always be the best component. Sounds like Tvad is a true "Linnie" like myself.
Markphd (Answers)

If that's the definition of a Linnie, then I am one, yes.

Tvad,

I, for one, believe the iPod is a source that would benefit from tube amplification. While I don't run my iPod through my main rig, I do have a laptop hooked up, and I stream various Internet radio stations at bit rates from 64k to 224k, very similar to typical iPod output. These streams were made far more listenable when I added a tube preamp. I'm not exactly sure why that's the case, but I'm guessing the tubes take the edge off the compression artifacts, while possibly adding some beneficial harmonics of their own.

The biggest difference between my setup and using an iPod would be the DAC. While I have a pretty inexpensive Firestone Audio FUBAR DAC, it may be better than the Wolfson in the iPod, and regardless it doesn't have to run through the amp as in the iPod. I'm sure the iPod, though, would receive the same benefit running through the tubes as my laptop/DAC does.

Does it sound as good as my vinyl or CDs? Of course not, because no compressed medium does. But there's great stuff on the Internet, and anything being streamed at 128k or above is definitely worth a listen.

David