Amplifiers and Pre-Amplifiers

[#1]

I want to be like Jake Roadhouse and use a tube amplifier, but I listen to almost all of my music on the iPod, with a docking station. My room is small, and really what I want is to have something that looks cool but sounds warm.

Any recommendations?

[#2]

I also would like to be like Jake Roadhouse. I hope he graces us with his online presence and recommends a great product

[#3]

Get the iPod HiFi!  Mark Levinson, eat your heart out!

http://www.apple.com/ipodhifi/

[#4]

Where's the tubes?

[#5]

phsoffer,

I dont know exactly what your budget is but there is a fun little product that just came out that looks neat.  I also happen to know that a dealer in the Bay Area sells it, so it may be worth a demo.

Here is a pic:



It is called the "Fat Man" iPod dock and although I cannot vouch for the sound, it has a cool look and fits an iPod.  Let us know how it sounds if you go out for a demo

[#6]

wow, George. That ipod dock looks soo cool. So you have a link? I can't seem to find their website? 

[#7]

If you are spending that kind of money, you should start with a better source. Compression kills the sound.

[#8]

I would definitely second what Robb said. MP3 is a lossy compression algorithm.

If you still want to run an iPod through a tube amp, you can really find any tube amp with a stereo input on it and start from there. The iPod has an 1/8" stereo jack on it and even if the tube amp in question does not have an 1/8" jack itself, you can find 1/4" and RCA adapters for 1/8".

[#9]

Apple HiFi is better!!

[#10]

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Robb wrote:

If you are spending that kind of money, you should start with a better source. Compression kills the sound.

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Apple supports a lossless codec on the ipod: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Lossless

-Adam