Tube buffer in tape loop@

yeah, it's very versatile. maybe unfortunate from a purist's perspective but there is so much great music whose recording/mastering job might disagree with one's system. i personally prefer having a way to tweak and color as needed, but (equally important, imho) it's also totally inaudible when flat on my setup.

I agree; good to have the option, especially at such a low price.  Unfortunately out of stock in the UK, and a 6-8 week lead time if I were to order from the US

I got a Yaqin SD-CD3 tube buffer and I use it in my tape loop with no problems. I have a Krell KRC-2 pre and and KSA 300S amp running Thiel CS6 speakers. I got this thing because it was a cheap way to see if inserting tubes in the signal path would have any benefit. It turns out that I like what it does and I use it most of the time. It adds a little sparkle and depth but is quite subtle. It doesn't darken the sound or add any sort of veil.

I ordered new tubes (Mullard design new production) to see what difference a different set of tubes will make. I used to have a recording studio with several tube mic preamps and I was surprised how much difference a different set of tubes could have in those units.

My philosophy is that assembling your audio system is a project in managing distortion. All kinds of distortion is added in the recording chain and each subsequent step in the playback chain has its own issues. If a tube buffer adds some second and fourth harmonics and that is pleasant then so be it.

The tube buffer is a completely different thing than a tone control. The buffer doesn't alter the frequency balance as far as I can tell. It just makes the instruments a little more focused in the soundstage and it makes instruments like acoustic guitar sound a little more like what we think an acoustic guitar should should sound like (more sparkle if that makes sense).

On a side note, my experience with the Yaqin was so positive that I have ordered a Black Ice tube DAC. This unit won a shootout in Arizona against some other well regarded DACs and I suspect that the Fosgate designed tube output stage adds a touch of pleasant harmonics. I have a PSA PerfectWave II DAC and transport that sounds really good but for 800 bucks I decided to try the Black Ice. We'll see what happens.

Thanks, that's very interesting.
I e-mailed Shiit UK, who told me that after all, they have these units in stock.  I think I'll start off by ordering one of those, and keep the tube buffer in mind for the future.
At present, Amazon UK shows the Yaqin to be "currently unavailable"

The "danger" involving tape monitoring is in setting the monitor position in such a way as to create a feedback loop.  You cannot do that if you correctly route the signal from out>in, out>in, and your preamp doesn't have Tape In on its selector switch as well as a monitor button.  My CJ PV11 does, so I hve to be careful to avoid selecting Monitor 1 and Tape 1 at the same time...that would be a feedback loop!  I use my Schiit Loki+ in the Tape 2 Monitor loop, and have my DAC plugged into Tape 1, so that works.