Tube buffer

[jmascreen]

Hi,
I am planning to add a tube buffer (ifi ube2) in to my setup. My current setup all sources are connected to Pre amp (CA c500/NADc330 or dcb1 which i change according to mood) and this goes to a dbx active crossover.

My plan is to add the tube buffer in between pre amp and active crossover. So my question is will there be any issues (compatability or any other) can arise?

 

[tuff]

Hi,
I am planning to add a tube buffer (ifi ube2) in to my setup. My current setup all sources are connected to Pre amp (CA c500/NADc330 or dcb1 which i change according to mood) and this goes to a dbx active crossover.

My plan is to add the tube buffer in between pre amp and active crossover. So my question is will there be any issues (compatability or any other) can arise?

Check with FM @dheerajin. He is using the IFI tube buffer

 

[jmascreen]

Check with FM @dheerajin. He is using the IFI tube buffer

I am already in touch with him

Should be added before Pre and after the source. It should be no gain tube buffer. Adding after pre could just ruin the buffer as it’s not supposed to handle gain and pass it on. Just my belief, others may chime in....

Well that will give me single source the tubeish sound. I am looking it for all sources

 

[sunder]

You can use Splitter. Connect all the output of the Sources to the Splitter, then connect the output of the Splitter to the Buffer.

 

[jmascreen]

Thats a good idea
Will there be any issues if connected after pre or before crossover?

 

[Kannan]

Thats a good idea
Will there be any issues if connected after pre or before crossover?

It is straight forward. Since you want the tube effect, it should be the last in the chain before amplification. In your case before the xo.
If you are going for the Little Bear/FX Audio 6J1 buffer, then it is hybrid with an active preamp inside. If so, you set the mail preamp volume to around 75% and then adjust the volume control on the buffer pre to the undistributed max and leave it there.
Now you can control the volume from your main pre.
But the best solution would be to use a zero gain buffer to avoid the gain matching headache.

In either case, the buffer should be the last in your chain before amplification, in your case before the analogue crossover

 

[sunder]

I tried between Pre & Power and between Source & Pre. The buffer between source and pre was distinctively nice.
But, no idea about after pre and before crossover.

 

[jmascreen]

Ifi tube2

 

[jmascreen]

What i know it has some jumper settings which can turn it into pre, tube etc

 

[Ravindra Desai]

Hi,
I am planning to add a tube buffer (ifi ube2) in to my setup. My current setup all sources are connected to Pre amp (CA c500/NADc330 or dcb1 which i change according to mood) and this goes to a dbx active crossover.

My plan is to add the tube buffer in between pre amp and active crossover. So my question is will there be any issues (compatability or any other) can arise?

Hello,

I checked the specs of ifi Tube 2. In strict technical terms, it is a pre-amplifier with a tube stage. It also has bass and stereo image processing.

My suggestion to you would be to use either the existing pre or the new one at any given time.
One of the many reasons would be to avoid multiple stage processing which could alter the tone of the original signal.

Regards,

Ravindra.

 

[jls001]

If you use a buffer, tubed or solid state, there's really no need for another preamp in the chain when you look at it purely from system gain point of view (unless one uses a really low gain power amp). However, if the buffer has limited or just single input, one may need an additional preamp to be used as source selector, but be aware that the presence of the additional preamp will change the overall sound signature

 

[jmascreen]

Thanks Ravindra & jls001 I got the point of having multiple preamps. Is there any no gain/impact source selectors available?

 

[Kannan]

If you use a buffer, tubed or solid state, there's really no need for another preamp in the chain when you look at it purely from system gain point of view (unless one uses a really low gain power amp). However, if the buffer has limited or just single input, one may need an additional preamp to be used as source selector, but be aware that the presence of the additional preamp will change the overall sound signature

If the buffer has no volume control, where then will he adjust the system volume?

 

[jls001]

If the buffer has no volume control, where then will he adjust the system volume?

Good point

 

[jmascreen]

Well i have i disconnected the active crossover and two power amps. Went back to dcb1 and F5T.
So can i planning to use it as pre, Any issues with F5T compatability?

 

[Fiftyfifty]

@jmascreen
Life is simple: You can bypass the preamp so that the itube2 acts as a mere tube buffer. You can also disable or set the bass, imaging and tube signature to your personal taste. Check this:
https://ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/micro-iTUbe2_manual.pdf

 

[jmascreen]

I have added the ifi itube 2 between dcb1 and f5t and played a song or two. To understand the changes which the buffer gonna bring in I need to wait for some time.
My question here is since dcb1 is also a buffer, adding tube2 does anything significally?

 

[jls001]

My question here is since dcb1 is also a buffer, adding tube2 does anything significally?

You have to tell us since you are the one listening!

 

[heliumflight]

I use MF X10 V3, makes the sound 3 dimensional and I love it!


HiFi Rig: Cambridge Audio Cxn > Musical Fidelity X10 V3 + Quad 405 MK2 + Piega Classic 3.0

 

[Hari Iyer]

Tube buffer or DCB1 will make sense only if there is a serious impedance mis-match between the source and gain device. Else adding a buffer just does further addition to the music chain which can rob you of details and transparency. Earlier i had build a DCB1 and had a volume control for it. Removing the DCB1 & volume control actually helped me with good instrument detail and overall tone of the music.