http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/ Engadget Comments for Rockridge Sound's VTS-384 tube amp and speaker dock for iPod http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.tubeamplifierreviews.com]]>Nov 22nd 2009 1:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/
I wish it was made for Sansa.]]>Nov 27th 2006 8:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/Nov 27th 2006 9:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/Nov 27th 2006 10:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/Nov 27th 2006 9:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/Nov 27th 2006 11:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/
I think that separating the speakers may help. BTW, I have these very small spherical speakers from Japan that are incredible. They may even be smaller than these, but encased in aluminum.]]>Nov 27th 2006 10:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/
Personally I'd prefer a Z-Vex Imp Amp (http://www.impamp.com/) since you can use it for a lot more than just an ipod and it's slightly cheaper. It's 1w per channel, but with tube overhead you probably won't notice a huge difference between it and the 2w of the one posted.

No, I don't work for Z-Vex, I just think the Imp Amp is a cool gadget.]]>Nov 27th 2006 10:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/Nov 27th 2006 6:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/Nov 27th 2006 12:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/
http://www.genevalab.com/]]>Nov 27th 2006 6:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/
Much (unfortunately, not most) of my audio is in a lossless format (right now, FLAC). I take the audio directly out of my computer via optical digital output ($30 Turtle Beach USB device), and send it to an external tube DAC (California Audio Labs). I don't think it's possible to get much better sound for the money (OK, the DAC was expensive), and the great thing is that if the amp breaks, I can fix it myself. The only real downside is having to get up to change the volume (haven't yet figured out what to do yet about a remote for volume control).]]>Nov 27th 2006 2:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/Nov 29th 2007 2:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/Nov 27th 2006 3:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/Nov 28th 2006 7:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/Nov 27th 2006 6:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/Eric, you say that via the dock connector you get no pre-amplification, but you get line-level out.

Line-level *IS* pre-amped.

A pre-amp takes a weak signal (like a mic or guitar) and boosts it up to a specific level (-10dB for consumer line-level, and +4dBu for pro audio line-level, generally speaking). Then it gets run to a power amp for boosting up to levels for the speakers. So, ts either NOT pre-amped, OR it is line-level.

As far as the article stating "any benefit achieved by that single-ended triode vs. digital amp will likely be nullified by its compressed audio" this is not necessarily true...

It is true, "Garbage in, garbage out," but a tube amp can actualy HELP the sound. A tube amp will "warm" the sound coming out of the iPod, and the way that tubes respond to sound (voltage across the plates) it can actually smooth out some of the digital hardness, and warm up some of the cold digital charactaristics. Your average Joe isn't going to hear the difference, esp. since the sound will be only as good as the weakest link in the chain (usually the speakers), but with exceptional equipment (read, very expensive) you should be able to hear the difference. Of course this also depends upon how the tube amp is designed.

I too would probably get the z-vex imp amp over this one though. Not as nice looking, but probably better sounding in the end, for the same price.]]>Nov 28th 2006 12:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/Nov 28th 2006 11:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/Mar 7th 2007 12:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/
The sound is very good.

http://www.transcendere-audio.com/]]>Apr 13th 2007 2:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/
Do you have more information about the Transcendere? How can I access the web site?

Joe
]]>Dec 16th 2008 4:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/rockridge-sounds-vts-384-tube-amp-and-speaker-dock-for-ipod/ My Question is: Has anybody heard of (or would it be easy to build)a compact, in-line pre-amp(No Speakers) that would fit between the iPod dock connector and the male cable that plugs into the dock connector. I know there are aftermarket pre-amps (boost-a-roo) that go in-line between (and split)the iPod audio jack and headphones or speaker system, but there got to be a pre-amp option for mobile head units and ? connecting through the dock. Anybody know?

Thanks,]]>May 5th 2007 3:41PM