Fatman iTube
Anyone who knows anything about high quality audio whether it’s home hi-fi or studio recording knows that valve tubes produce a much warmer natural sound than a solid state device such as a transistor - FACT.
For years value tubes were used in radios and television sets until the transistor was invented and became the overwhelming choice in the 1960’s for manufacturers to use in their equipment fueled on by the need to build things more cheaply and smaller. Some manufacturers continued to produce very high quality valve amps supported by a small number of valve manufacturers mainly in Russian and China, but they tended to be very expensive although far superior to most solid state amplifiers.
If anyone had said to me two years ago, that they were going to build a valve based docking station for the iPod and it was going to sell by the lorry load, I think I would have told them they were mad and it would never work (I would love to have seen how this product would have faired on Dragon’s Den). But he we are in 2006 approaching christmas and Fatman (TL Audio) has done just that and all for the ludicrously low price of £299.
All the reviews we have read so far suggesty that this amp gives the iPod real soul producing wonderful vocals with oodles of warmth and plenty of power for most listening tastes; I say most because one or two heavy rock fans may want more, but for most of us the 13 watts per channel the Fatman iTube produces should be more than enough with a good pair modern day efficient speakers.
So there we have it - a valve based product that is set to go mass market and sure to be high on a lot of people’s christmas wish list. Who would have thought the Apple iPod would resurrect one of audio’s long best kept secrets.
For more information on the iTube visit Fatman by TL Audio