Description
Digital audio solved accuracy. It never solved warmth. That is what a vacuum tube does to a signal: the 6K4 tubes in the T9 soften the hard edges that digital conversion leaves behind and hand back a sound that is warmer and sweeter than the source had any right to be. It is a deliberate colouration, and once you have heard it, you know why the format survived the transistor.
Underneath the glow is real power. A TPA3221 amplifier stage delivers 100W per channel into a 4 ohm load, which is enough to drive any passive speaker between 3 and 8 ohms without apology, and a dedicated low frequency output lets you add an active subwoofer for a 2.1 system. The digital path is built from an AC6926C, CM6542, MS8412 and NE5532 chain, so the T9 works as a DAC and an amplifier in one box rather than forcing a stack of separates onto your desk. Bluetooth 5.0, USB, coaxial, optical and stereo RCA cover phones, computers, televisions and CD players, and the sampling ceilings are 24-bit 96 kHz over USB, 24-bit 192 kHz over optical and coaxial, and 24-bit 48 kHz over Bluetooth.
The measurement side is not an embarrassment either. Total harmonic distortion sits at 0.07%, signal to noise ratio is 98 dB or better, and frequency response runs 20 Hz to 20 kHz within plus or minus 1 dB, with treble and bass adjustable by 6 dB in either direction. Two analogue VU meters dance in warm light across the front of a 115 x 98 x 54 mm aluminium case, and the tubes themselves can be rolled: 6J1, 6J2, GE5654, 6J3, 6J4, 6J5 and 6AK5 are all compatible, which turns the amplifier into a long-term experiment.
Data can be perfect and still sound cold. The tubes are the correction.
Key Features
- ✦ 100W per channel into 4 ohms from a TPA3221 amplifier stage
- ✦ Replaceable 6K4 vacuum tubes, compatible with 6J1, 6J2, GE5654, 6J3, 6J4, 6J5 and 6AK5
- ✦ Integrated 24-bit DAC with AC6926C, CM6542, MS8412 and NE5532 chips
- ✦ Bluetooth 5.0, USB, coaxial, optical and stereo RCA inputs
- ✦ Sampling up to 24-bit 192 kHz over optical and coaxial
- ✦ Drives passive speakers from 3 to 8 ohms with no matching drama
- ✦ Low frequency output for a 2.1 system with an active subwoofer
- ✦ Analogue VU meters and independent treble and bass controls
- ✦ Compact aluminium chassis at 115 x 98 x 54 mm
Technical Specifications
- Model: Tube T9
- Amplifier IC: TPA3221
- Output power: 100W x 2 into a 4 ohm load
- Supported speaker impedance: 3 to 8 ohms
- Tubes: 6K4 or 5725, 2 pieces
- Replaceable tube types: 6J1, 6J2, GE5654, 6J3, 6J4, 6J5, 6Zh1p, 6AK5
- Chipset: 6K4, AC6926C, CM6542, MS8412, NE5532
- Inputs: Bluetooth 5.0, USB, coaxial, optical, stereo RCA
- Bluetooth sampling rate: 24-bit 48 kHz
- USB sampling rate: 24-bit 96 kHz
- Optical and coaxial sampling rate: 24-bit 192 kHz
- Supported formats: MP3, WMA, APE, FLAC, WAV
- Total harmonic distortion: 0.07%
- Signal to noise ratio: 98 dB or better
- Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, plus or minus 1 dB
- Treble and bass adjustment: Plus or minus 6 dB
- Output mode: Passive speakers, active subwoofer
- Power supply: DC 18 to 30V
- Dimensions: 115 x 98 x 54 mm
- Certification: CE, FCC, RoHS
Where It Belongs
The T9 belongs on a desk, a shelf or a small hi-fi rack where one compact box has to do the work of three. Fed by a phone over Bluetooth it is the warm half of a nearfield setup with a pair of bookshelf speakers; fed by USB from a computer it is a DAC and amplifier in one, which removes a cable and a power supply from the desk; fed by optical from a television it doubles as the audio backbone of a living room, with the low frequency output adding a subwoofer when the room asks for one. Audiophiles who swap tubes the way other people swap headphones will find seven compatible types to experiment with, and anyone who simply wants analogue meters moving in warm light gets that too, without giving up modern inputs.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can it drive my speakers directly?
A: Yes, if they are passive and between 3 and 8 ohms. The amplifier delivers 100W per channel into 4 ohms, which covers the majority of bookshelf and small floorstanding speakers.
Q: What is the difference between the three versions?
A: The versions differ by power plug and accessory bundle. With EU plug and US plug variants include the appropriate mains lead, and the only-unit option is for buyers who already have a supply.
Q: Can I use it with a subwoofer?
A: Yes. There is a dedicated low frequency output, so a 2.1 configuration with an active subwoofer is straightforward and the bass extension improves markedly.
Q: Do the tubes need replacing?
A: They are consumable and replaceable. This amplifier accepts 6K4 or 5725 as standard and can also run 6J1, 6J2, GE5654, 6J3, 6J4, 6J5 and 6AK5, so tube rolling is part of the design, not a workaround.
Q: Does it work with headphones?
A: This model is built around speaker and subwoofer output rather than a headphone stage. For private listening, feed a separate headphone amplifier from the RCA output of your source.
Q: What power supply does it need?
A: A DC 18 to 30V supply. Use one with adequate current headroom rather than a marginal laptop brick, and the amplifier will stay clean when the bass asks for current.
Q: Will it sound different from a normal amplifier?
A: Yes, and that is the point. Solid state amplifiers aim for neutrality; the vacuum tube stage adds even-order harmonic character, which most listeners describe as warm and sweet.
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