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April 19, 2008 - 12:59pm
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The Wadia iTransport is the only iPod cradle that can deliver the bit-perfect streams of lossless files on your iPod to an S/PDIF interface for D/A conversion by an external DAC. All other cradles at best will buffer the analog output from the iPod DAC (which isn't bad, but certainly not hi-end). The iTransport goes for about $380, and, of course, you'd still need an external DAC. With a budget of $1000, I'd suggest picking up the amp and speakers and holding off until you could justify the extra pieces. But do at least get a decent cradle. The earphone jack will use the internal amplifier which is only fair in performance. The Usher and Cambridge combo will probably sound great.
The Wadia i-transport really is tempting although it would surely break the bank in conjunction with a stand-alone DAC. So my follow-up question would be: What constitutes a reputable ipod cradle? There's just so many of these things lying around. Do any of them have a better reputation than others, or are they all pretty much equally undesirable?
Arcam seems to have the best engineered dock, although I've never heard it. Everybody and their brother makes a dock these days, but I think that's more because the iPod is popular than it is because the iPod is a high fidelity source, at least through the analog outputs.
Saving your pennies and getting the Wadia and a DAC would be the way to go, imo. I know this would effectively double your expenditure, but it would be truly high-end, especially in combination with your chosen amplifier and speakers.
Audio Advisor has the Fatman dock on sale for less than half price. Not a lot of watts, but gets you the very cool tube factor. Check it out here.
Thanks so much for your help, Charly. The fat man has certainly got a great look to it and some rave reviews. What a great price to get people started with tubes. If I get this set-up would I be able to run the Usher speakers through it with any kind of volume and be able to put off purchasing an integrated amp until I've get the funds for some other components? Saving a few bucks here would mean I could conceivably get even better speakers that are more efficient. Any suggestions? Rega R1?
Yeah, the Fat Man could be a pretty good solution for you.
I've heard the R1s and like them a lot. If you can stretch a little (now that you're saving money on the amp/dock), I also recommend that you give the Paradigm Reference Studio/20s a listen.
With bookshelf speakers, always be sure to budget for some good stands (generally $2-300). Yes, they're worth it.
So I set up my system for the first time today. I'm very happy with the results. This is what I ended up with:
Fatman iTube - $407.15 shipped from amazon
Rega R1 Bookshelf Loudspeakers - $341 w/ local pickup from ebay
This puts me under my budget at $748.15! There are some great bargains to be found out there. My next upgrade will be a turntable with a built in phono-amp (probably from Pro-Ject) to plug into the second input on the itube.
When I turned this system on for the first time, playing my favorite piece of recorded music (Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto #1 with Van Cliburn on piano) I heard a sound that was far and above anything I've heard before. Which was what I was going for.
Thanks for your help, guys, I never would have found the iTube on my own, but it's a handy, handsome amplifier with decent upgrade potential and with the nice warm sound I love. I think I'm addicted to this hobby.
Excellent! I'm especially pleased to hear you'll be getting a turntable.
Welcome to the hobby! I hope it brings you many years of joyful listening. Sounds like you're off to a good start.
Congratulations!
Yes! That's going to be so much fun.
Avoid ipod amplifiers:often if no always they use to interface the analog i-pod output that is the same that connect your micro earphone connector to an aux input of any amplifier.
At 250$ you find out the Teac wap 5000 that reads any usb electric DB device connected by usb input.
Over that is have a fantastic optical output to connect an external dac as upgrade.
Over a remote graphic controll with media player included.
With quality external DAc you'll suprise many audiophiles with only MP3 files at 128kb/s.
That means only the low quality of cd players today.
The iPod requires that a USB-connected device must authenticate prior to streaming unencrypted digital data over that port. This authentication insures that "protected" content on the iPod cannot be copied. The Wadia iTransport was the first device to provide such access. As far as I know, Alpine is the only other vendor to offer this capability. As Johnpatrick has discovered, the audio quality from the iPod DAC isn't all that bad.
A reason to don't buy ipod?
In any case with the analog output only the memory based ipod sounds well.
Avoid ipod with HD inside.
My first question is: Do you need a preamp for the fatman? If not can you bypass it & use your own? If yes then:
My next question is question is which will sound better for a budget system:
PLaying CDs on a fairly new Samsung DVD player with and Adcom GFA 5300 amp OR:
Fatman with Ipod & Lossless or AIFF conversion?
FYI I have Rotel rc972 preamp & a Diamond wharfedale speakers w/ a Cambridge Soundworks Sub. (And I don't mind the fact that I have to physically put in CDs... yet)
OK, so let me rephrase that:
Would anyone use this for a purpose without and ipod?
Becuase $350 is a great deal for an intergrated tube amp regradless of the ipod, right?
If fact you can get the amp alone without the dock for about $150 on ebay....
Am I crazy? or is this a REALLY good deal for a standalone integrated amp?
Even at only 13 WPC and only two line level inputs, this amp and dock are a bargain at $350. And if the amp is available at $150 and the power and number of inputs meets your needs, I suggest snapping it up while the price is this low. I had a look at their web site where there is a warning on the home page regarding unauthorized copies. Be sure you're buying from a trusted vendor.
Only the amp is available for $130 right now. (Bidding ends in 4 hours) I'm concerned that it might not be able to be used with a remote control without the dock. Can you find any info about that. I'm stuck.
And BTW its appears that its uses transistors & tubes. Does that mean its not as good a full tube amp?
It does appear that the remote only works with the dock. The amp design is described as being "hybrid" which implies a mix of solid state and tubes. I wouldn't worry about it. All descriptions I've seen on the sound of this amp use all those adjectives associated with tube sound.
Hi there, I've been using the iTube for about a week now, so I think I can answer your question. If all you want to use is the integrated amp (great idea, by the way, since that's where all the magic seems to be happening) the remote control is irrelevant. The remote doesn't interface with the amp at all. On the amp there's a switch for power, a dongle for input 1&2 and a volume nob.
Sounds like a great deal assuming you're getting the real thing. Like Charly said, there is a warning up on their website. Hope you win the auction!
[Edit] Out of curiosity I went to eBay to see what you were looking out. It's not a fatman! There's a conspicuous lack of logo on the front (may be a plus, I find the logo annoying and my girlfriend is designing a new front panel), and it says "HTC," on it. It may be an OEM version of the same thing, which means it would be just as good before the logo is lasered on as after. Or it may not. Buyer beware I guess. If you do get it be sure to post your experience!
I cannot thank you enough for checking the ebay site. I messaged the seller he said
"There are 2 itubes which are made in the same factory in China. Which one is Fatman with logo and the other one is without logo which I sell. Thanks."
In other words this is a fake, unless I believe they are really made in the same factory.
I think you just saved me $130. I'd be better off getting the real deal for $350 or upgrading to the "Carbon" for $499- because of the remote volume control.
Thanks Again,
Louis
EVEN MORE JUICY GOODNESS even the real fatman is NOT a pure tube amp!
Look at:
<http://www.fat-man.co.uk/docs/product/itube_spec.htm>
for confirmation that the valves are used only as pre-amps. Two ECC85s cannot be used to produce 13W per channel! This device must have a solid state (likely an IC or two) power amplifier stage.
This is a little bit of a con, even if there are some audiophile merits to using valves for the pre-amp stage - they could be a little more "honest"!
Still, I gotta say, I loooove the iPod dock they've produced! As the reviewer says, true geek retro.....