Fatman iPod Valve amp - bargain for real hi-fi?

jer330

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Apr 21, 2007
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I recently took the step into valves and bought a Fatman iDock and valve Amp from www.audioaffair.co.uk leaving my old Pioneer A400 to get dusty. I bought it for an iPod bedroom system but was surprised by the amps sound on its own, so I've ended up not using the iPod docking section and set the amp up on its own with my TT!

I wasn't under the impression that the fatMan was 'proper hi-fi' so to speak and was bought more for convenience and its aesthetic value, but I'm pleased to say it sounds fantastic as a hi-fi amp and is much warmer in sound than any transistor amp I've owned. Am I missing something here, but are all valve amps of such low power able to drive speakers such as my Monitor Audio S1's? Its only 13W but able to drive them very loudly without clipping. Anyway, overall it sounds very punchy and silky. I've not read much about them yet so I'm thinking it could be a secret 'stunner' yet to make its mark..

Now considering an upgrade to one of their higher models. Anyone else using or heard any of these?

 
G

Guest

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Its not hifi. Consider yourself all banned . Heretics..
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JamPal

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James
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Anything that sounds good is HiFi IMO. I am told they make a bloody good sound via the iDock too. Have you tried it yet?

 
G

Guest

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About 1.30 am for me. Awake at7am. Bit restless then up and out for a good walk with the pooches for an hour. Done all my chores already. So mugoftea and listening to my hifi. That speakers,amp and cd player:dude:.

I listened to my mp3 player when walking the dogs though. See i'm not that archaic.

 

JamPal

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Duvet wrote:

About 1.30 am for me. Awake at7am. Bit restless then up and out for a good walk with the pooches for an hour. Done all my chores already. So mugoftea and listening to my hifi. That speakers,amp and cd player:dude:. I listened to my mp3 player when walking the dogs though. See i'm not that archaic.
Try sitcking a couple of your favourite tunes as lossless files on yer walkman und plugging it into your valve amp. I think you will be suprised!

I have a 2g solid state walkman, so no moving parts. The sound is annoyingly good for such a cheap source.

 
G

Guest

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Far too techie me Jim. Next time you're up you'll have to show me how.:?I just rip at 160 kpsinto creative audio zen xtr

 
M

murray johnson

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I'm intrigued by how you could possibly get 13W per channel out of 2 6N1's (unless of course theres a little chip amp output stage in there after the valves!)

No matter, if it sounds ok & only costs £300 then who's to complain.

 

Uncle Ants

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Oct 11, 2005
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murray johnson wrote:

I'm intrigued by how you could possibly get 13W per channel out of 2 6N1's (unless of course theres a little chip amp output stage in there after the valves!)
Something like that, certainly a hybrid of some sort, but quite nice for the money, if a bit lacking in input options (love that valve "power" meter
smile.png
). I believe the amps further up their range are 100% valve aspirated.

 

jer330

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Apr 21, 2007
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Exeter, , United Kin
Hey good to hear some discussion going on! I'm not sure why its so powerful for the power output, perhaps its more powerful than quoted..? Anyway, been using it to play a lot of Jethro Tull on vinyl over the last few days and it sounds fantastic, very warm.. only thing to mention of course is to keep it high up if you have small children and the grills off as those valves get hot, but I guess thats a given! I've been eyeing the next model up http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=438 which looks even better but it is a considerable step up in price at 699.

Anyone else recently discovered valves for the first time?

 

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