Hi-Fi: Fatman ITube 452 Amplifier – Review – 75
Despite the march of time and the development of newer technologies, valve amplifiers have managed to survive and are once again a part of the hi-fi mainstream.
There are some very valid reasons why this is so. Good valve-based products possess a very un-strident and easygoing sound quality; new valve devices are much easier to maintain than their predecessors (more reliable electronics and self-biasing have helped); and then there is the dramatic appearance – no boring black boxes here.
There is definitely something magical about walking into a darkened room to listen to your favourite CD or record and gazing upon all those glowing tubes – I know it makes me want to reach into my drinks cabinet for a glass of 12-year-old Scotch whisky and relax.
Luckily for me, I managed to stave off alcoholism to review the iTube 452, Fatman’s latest and greatest valve amplifier.
Those readers with photographic memories may remember my review of the dinky little 12wpc iTube/iPod dock way back in 2006. Fatman has produced a rather more serious 45wpc component in the 452, and although both amps share the iPod valvedock, the 452 is a much more substantial piece of audio equipment.
For a start, at 23kg it is as heavy as all hell, and the build quality has taken a few steps forward too. I noticed the heavy casework and excellent machining of the raised gold valve plinth immediately, and the very good quality speaker binding posts at the rear. Semi-circular in shape, the iTube 452 is meant to be a talking point and not hidden away behind glass doors.
Less substantial is the iPod valvedock, but of course it is only there to connect your favourite Apple and as such doesn’t require battleship-grade build quality.
A pretty bog-standard remote is supplied, but this only operates the iPod dock and not the amp proper. No problem for me; the tactile nature of the 452 actually made me want to reach out and touch it.
I substituted my 250W solid state integrated with the 452, connected my Raysonic CD128 and the valvetube dock and began my three weeks of listening sessions.
Cables used were Nordost Superflatline Mk2s for my loudspeakers, while both the iPod dock and CD player were attached with Nordost Blue Heaven interconnects.
Having three weeks over the Christmas break with the 452 allowed me to really get to grips with it’s sonic signature, and I’m happy to report it came through with flying colours.
The sound quality is simply excellent for an amp in this price range. The sweet treble combined well with a veil-free midrange and warm, bouncy bass register. I was particularly taken with the 452′s reproduction of vocals. Albums such as Lamb’s What Sound and Sea Change by Beck have some very honest and lifelike vocal tracks on them, and the sophisticated iTube 452 handled these with aplomb.
It’s certainly an impressive product. There are some very good solid state alternatives to consider in this price range of course, but the sound quality on offer courtesy of the Fatman iTube 452 will be a real tough act to follow.
GARY PEARCE
TECH SPECS
ITube 452
Integrated Amplifier/iPod Valvedock
$4999
Type: Vacuum tube amplifier
Source Inputs: 4
Output Power: 45W x 2 (self bias)
Frequency Response: 20Hz-20KHz +/-1.0dB
Distortion: <1%
Signal to Noise Ratio: >86dB
Size: 420 x 265 x 154mm (D/W/H)
Weight: 23kg
CONTACT:
Pros
- Beautiful piece of valve objet d’art that sounds as good as it looks
Cons
- Only four inputs
- No Component available from iPod dock. But who cares about video when it sounds this good?
Verdict:
- The tube revival shows no sign of slowing with the arrival of the Fatman 452
This Review is from Tone Issue 75.
Loading ...