Wow. So, I have this little iFi Mini Tube ‘device’ I’ve been using for some time now. A real ‘Swiss army knife’ device which I like a lot. Well, I haven’t messed with its tube signature settings, (or any of its settings), since adding the Hagerman. But, since adding the Gold Lion 12AX7’s to the Hagerman, yes, everything is more heightened and balanced across the audible range, but actually, at times, at the expense of the tube ‘depth’ the stock Mullards had, and at times, on the edge of being a tad too bright…..for me.
Well, I’ve been thinking of swapping the stock Mullards back it just to check them out again, when it hit me…’how about changing the Mini Tube settings first’. So I did. For months now I’ve used the ‘default’ “classic tube” setting on the iFi. So I tried the SET (single ended) setting; better, richer, deeper, took the edge off, but that also took some of the ‘life’ and dynamics out of the system. I used to use that setting with digital playback before getting the Denafrips DAC and a better digital cable to calm digital playback down. So, I then tried the ‘Push-Pull’ setting and was gobsmacked at how much better everything sounded almost immediately; depth, definition without too much brightness, better soundstage, imaging, everything. Now, I never used the ‘Push-Pull’ setting as it always seemed too ‘aggressive’ to me before, and a bit too bright and forward for my taste. But for whatever reason, with the Hagerman (and current tubes) in the chain, it now sounds fantastic in that mode. I’m sitting here in amazement. Everything all of a sudden sounds ‘right’ with a flick of a switch.
Strange but true. Crazy ‘hobby’. The little iFi ‘Swiss army knife’ baffles me again at its capabilities, especially on a system as mine.
