FX-Audio Tube 02 Pro Review (Headphone Amp)

[peniku8]

Or send the four $20's to me.

I'll take the BIC lighter then.. man those things always disappear...

 

[m8o]

Just like the Pass ACA , the beautiful tonality of a violin added to every wiggle of the input waveform. (hehe)

 

[PeteL]

Well, I admit this is WAY cheaper than using a MiniDSP Flex to create this particular distortion effect.

But, only with the MiniDSP Flex or something better can you demonstrate just how dysphonic other reproductions (such as accurate ones) of the same recording can be.

Euphonists should recognize that each distinct recording (in fact, each rendition of that recording) is optimized by different parameters, and only something like the Flex can provide that in a space efficient way.

And we could share our euphonia! Imagine everyone publishing their 10 favorite distortion settings for Dylan's "The Complete Basement Tapes" on twitter! I mean on the blockchain. Whatever kids are doing these days, the MiniDSP Flex makes it posisble! The Future Beckons!

May I ask how you add distortion effects with Flex? I only have the 2x4 HD and haven’t seen a plugin like that, is it like open source app?

 

[Helicopter]

I have no interest in this product, but damn, they need to fire their front panel designer. He/she took a basically very attractive product and made it cheap looking and butt ugly with all the white or light gray coloring. Use much smaller fonts for the brand and model number, omit the stupid marketing description and horizontal bar, and you have a winner from an appearance standpoint.

It is not as bas as some of the other FX audio stuff, but I agree; it is almost like they want their stuff to look cheap.

 

[Helicopter]

Thanks Amir and FX Audio. This is the sort of thing that tempts me for no good reason. I love that they include GE JAN tubes. If they arrive in good condition, they might last a long time.

 

[Helicopter]

Here's a peek at the insides from their ad copy:

 

[Dmitri]

Thanks Amir and FX Audio. This is the sort of thing that tempts me for no good reason. I love that they include GE JAN tubes. If they arrive in good condition, they might last a long time.

Glad I’m not the only one who despite all good advice to the contrary is still tempted into making less than well considered purchasing decisions. ; )

I love the smell of smoldering $20’s in the morning...

 

[PeteL]

What does Euphonic even mean?… I have a Freya+ Tube preamp. It sounds really good. Does it sound different thans the other modes? I wouldn’t know, because it don’t have the same gain, but it doesn’t sound distorted, tubes don’t have to. It does have measurably higher THD than the other SS stage tough. It don’t matter to me, it’s a good sounding preamp tube or not.

 

[KxDx]

The amp simply does what audiophiles are asking: deliver them distortion and tons of it.

Ok that may be the best line you ever posted.

 

[PeteL]

Ok that may be the best line you ever posted.

Well, not this audiophile, who are « THE audiophiles »? Aren’t everybody contributing to this forum passionate about audio?

 

[mhardy6647]

I have no interest in this product, but damn, they need to fire their front panel designer. He/she took a basically very attractive product and made it cheap looking and butt ugly with all the white or light gray coloring. Use much smaller fonts for the brand and model number, omit the stupid marketing description and horizontal bar, and you have a winner from an appearance standpoint.

The funny thing is that the other "FX Audio" little two-tube boxes are less aesthetically handicapped (as it sounds like you may have already known)! I was surprised by the change when I saw this reviewed FX-02.

Here's an "FX-06J" for comparison.
EDIT: One will note the somewhat jaundiced glamour lighting of those poor pentodes with a couple of amber LEDs.

 

[SuicideSquid]

For $80, you get something that performs well in its non-tube respects, and performs like tubes where you expect it to.

Seems like a good value to me, if that's something you're after. I have a similar little tube headphone amp and yes, it colours the sound, but I like it. Certainly sounds better than the headphone jack on my laptop. Doesn't sound as clean as the headphone output on my recording interface.

Zero problem at all with enjoying tubes in a reasonably-priced product if you're clear about what you're getting. No one is getting misled or ripped off or convinced to believe in magic by an $80 product. If someone ripped these guts out and put it in a fancier box with a $2,500 tag on it, that's a different story.

 

[mhardy6647]

Here's a peek at the insides from their ad copy:

How concerned should I be to see those... umm... semiconductor devices that are made to be mounted to a heat sink... that aren't mounted to a heat sink?

They even highlight two of them!

Just curious...

 

[PeteL]

For $80, you get something that performs well in its non-tube respects, and performs like tubes where you expect it to.

Seems like a good value to me, if that's something you're after. I have a similar little tube headphone amp and yes, it colours the sound, but I like it. Certainly sounds better than the headphone jack on my laptop. Doesn't sound as clean as the headphone output on my recording interface.

Zero problem at all with enjoying tubes in a reasonably-priced product if you're clear about what you're getting. No one is getting misled or ripped off or convinced to believe in magic by an $80 product. If someone ripped these guts out and put it in a fancier box with a $2,500 tag on it, that's a different story.

Except that according to Amir’s listening impression, it sounds like c**p. Sizzly, grungy… Don’t sound like fun to me.

 

[mhardy6647]

Whoa.
This product has...

Dude.
I'm sold.
I hate that jaded, lackadasical capacitance.

 

[_thelaughingman]

Whoa.
This product has...

View attachment 188600

Dude.
I'm sold.
I hate that jaded, lackadasical capacitance.

I'll take "colored sound" for $20 Alex. Sheesh, they had to go and label something "enthusiast" grade. SMH

 

[wwenze]

Random thought while reading this review...

The solution to poor output drive is usually a good buffer, usually not-tube. This will allow the "tube performance" to be unaffected by load impedance and etc.

So to tube lovers, do you want to hear the tube's own sound when unhindered by the load, or prefer to hear the interaction between the tube and the load?

 

[KEFCarver]

How concerned should I be to see those... umm... semiconductor devices that are made to be mounted to a heat sink... that aren't mounted to a heat sink?

They even highlight two of them!

View attachment 188599

Just curious...

Good observation, but it may be that they used a part that was rated with a higher power dissipation just so they didn't need a heat sink. For instance, using an LM7815 voltage regulator instead of an LM78L15 where the LM78L15 would probably do the trick, but more margin is provided by the LM7815's larger package...?

 

[mhardy6647]

Good observation, but it may be that they used a part that was rated with a higher power dissipation just so they didn't need a heat sink. For instance, using an LM7815 voltage regulator instead of an LM78L15 where the LM78L15 would probably do the trick, but more margin is provided by the LM7815's larger package...?

I am sure that the components are all operated very conservatively with respect to their ratings.


In all seriousness -- I do hope that's the case. Otherwise the 20 dollar bills & lighter might actually be the superior investment.

 

[ExUnoPlura]

What does Euphonic even mean?… I have a Freya+ Tube preamp. It sounds really good. Does it sound different thans the other modes? I wouldn’t know, because it don’t have the same gain, but it doesn’t sound distorted, tubes don’t have to. It does have measurably higher THD than the other SS stage tough. It don’t matter to me, it’s a good sounding preamp tube or not.

Euphonic is meaningless gibberish for audio quality, but effortless, and enchanting for all to see, when applied poetically. Personally, I prefer to enjamb like precision German machinery. Halt. Stop.