AIYIMA T1 Pro Tube Preamp Review

[amirm]

This is a review and detailed measurements of the AIYIMA T1 Pro tube preamplifier with tone controls and Bluetooth support. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $75.

Build quality is a step above budget products in its class. Case feels sturdy and controls have good feel. Nice to see a tone control defeat (how I tested it). Volume setting in the picture is "unity gain." (again, how I tested it). Back panel shows what you expect:

Nice to see trigger output. Power is provided by a small switching adapter (a bit larger than the size of a phone charger).

FYI I told the company in advance of sending the amplifier that I expect it to not measure well. Company to their credit, still wanted it tested/reviewed so here we go.

AIYIMA T1 Pro Preamplifier Measurements
Let's start with our usual dashboard with 2 volts in/out:

Large amount of harmonic distortion is what you expect to see and it delivers on that. Dialing down the input however, sharply reduces that:

So if you are after that tube sound, you would want to listen at elevated volumes.

Frequency response is nice and flat:

The bass does droop a bit, indicating capacitive loading. We can see that effect easier by lowering the input impedance of the analyzer:

Channel separation is good for the category:

Distortion is frequency independent which is good:

Conclusions
Objective performance of the T1 Pro is as expected: the tube stage adds significant amount of harmonic distortion. At some level, this is the intended function of the product. If you want to see what this type of distortion sounds like, this is a cheap way to test the waters.

------------
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/

 

[amirm]

Reserved for @AdamG to kindly post the specs.

Manufacturer Specifications:

 

[Rja4000]

Thanks

One should see that as a cheap effect device, which may be fun playing with.

And, contrary to some so-called "high end" expensive devices, you may choose to use the effect or not at any time by just removing it from the chain.

 

[AdamG]

This is like wanting to drive a Stanley Steamer Car? I guess if you have the itch. May as well scratch it for the least amount of Scratch…

Many thanks for the Review Boss.

 

[LTig]

Reserved for @AdamG to kindly post the specs.

Manufacturer Specifications:

View attachment 385657

I'm wondering what the 4 opamps in the 2 NE5532 chips are used for.

 

[Grotti]

I wonder if the channel differential would be less if selected tubes were used.....but this would easily cost more than the device itself: not a realistic option.

 

[Rja4000]

One should see that as a cheap effect device, which may be fun playing with

At -50dB THD, effect may be a bit shy, though...

 

[TonyJZX]

This is like wanting to drive a Stanley Steamer Car? I guess if you have the itch.

think of it as Stanley Streamer car.... with android auto and apple carplay

i mean we MUST have bluetooth onboard... that's not an option delete item

 

[welwynnick]

Not bad for a tube preamp.

It looked like the SNR might be pretty good?

 

[Snafu]

More information about the tube type used here:

6186, Tube 6186; Röhre 6186 ID6003, Vacuum Pentode | Radiomuseum.org

Tube 6186 or Röhre 6186 ID6003, Vacuum Pentode, Miniatur-7-Pin-Base B7G, USA 1940 and RF/IF-Stage shown. Radio tubes are valves.

www.radiomuseum.org

 

[Ze Frog]

For $75, for someone who just wants to try tubes it's not so bad really.

 

[Ken Tajalli]

I think it is a well-designed device.
Ask yourself, who would want a tube preamp?
I bet it would be someone who wants to hear that tube warmth, that tube magic, in a system that is mostly low distortion otherwise(sterile?).
To that end, this item provides the goods. Its distortion and FR are smooth, noise is kept at bay.
Those who want this device, they want to Hear a difference, so there you go!
I am voting FINE, and mean it.

 

[KenA]

It’s interesting isn’t it. This device does exactly what it’s intended to do, and for a very reasonable price. People that buy it hopefully know what and why they are buying ie should expect to get as per measured and how it sounds - it’s tubes. So why is it rating ‘poor’?

 

[JeremyFife]

Cute, cheap, fun, distorts - why not, if you want tubes. I don't, but it's not for me.

I assume that level of distortion is audible, otherwise what's the point.

 

[Tell]

Objective performance of the T1 Pro is as expected: the tube stage adds significant amount of harmonic distortion. At some level, this is the intended function of the product. If you want to see what this type of distortion sounds like, this is a cheap way to test the waters.

Or one could just run PKHarmonic inside EqualizeAPO if you want to have a go at it, it'll be completely free!

 

[Ze Frog]

It’s interesting isn’t it. This device does exactly what it’s intended to do, and for a very reasonable price. People that buy it hopefully know what and why they are buying ie should expect to get as per measured and how it sounds - it’s tubes. So why is it rating ‘poor’?

I think largely because this forum is largely based around a specific set of parameters, which is certainly no bad thing as it allows a window into the engineering of products. Regarding things like tube amplifier's it's a job to really judge unless comparing against tube amplifier's really as a lot of it's apparent weakness in the standardized measurements is just natural to the specific technology. It's not so much the item is 'poor' perse, although in relation to what is the standard it is, I mean no tube amplifier is ever going to be at top of the amplifier measurements league table, but most people who appreciate tube gear are aware of its limitations measurements wise but still enjoy such gear.

 

[DanielT]

Thanks for the review Amir, but you forgot a picture. How do the tubes glow in the dark? Tube glow, the cozy factor so to speak.

____

Those who want this device, they want to Hear a difference, so there you go!
I am voting FINE, and mean it.

It’s interesting isn’t it. This device does exactly what it’s intended to do, and for a very reasonable price. People that buy it hopefully know what and why they are buying ie should expect to get as per measured and how it sounds - it’s tubes. So why is it rating ‘poor’?

Cute, cheap, fun, distorts - why not, if you want tubes. I don't, but it's not for me.

I assume that level of distortion is audible, otherwise what's the point.

You are on the same track and I agree. For $75 plug in a distortion factory and test the tube sound.

My suspicion is that it will later be sold, but it doesn't matter because you have satisfied your curiosity about how tubes sound. It seems to be "bad" enough, which is "good" if you're going to hear that almost mythical tube sound.
Or you don't hear it, with the AIYIMA T1s SINAD around 50? Distortion at about the same level as a good speaker, so what do you hear in that case, really? That if you even have speakers with as low as 0.3% distortion.

By the way. It is possible to construct a tube based pre amp with transparent sound, but what would be the point of that? It would probably be an unnecessarily expensive pre amp. Unless someone electronics savvy DIY takes it on as a fun project, but that's another matter.

 

[Ken Tajalli]

By the way. It is possible to construct a tube based pre amp with transparent sound, but what would be the point of that? It would probably be an unnecessarily expensive pre amp. Unless someone electronics savvy DIY takes it on as a fun project, but that's another matter.

You are on the right track with DIY.
Yes with the right circuit, indeed one can DIY a transparent DIY tube preamp, I doubt if a neat one can be DIYed with chips and printed circuit boards and all that shebang.

 

[ajax247]

This is like wanting to drive a Stanley Steamer Car? I guess if you have the itch. May as well scratch it for the least amount of Scratch…

Many thanks for the Review Boss.

I have ridden in a Stanley Steamer, and it was eye opening! Amazing low end grunt, no brakes to speak of, a high seat with no glass obstructing the views, everything done in a moist fragrant cloud — totally epic! A beast to maintain and keep watered though. And — unlike amps with lots of (curated?) distortion — not reproducible with DSPs.

 

[Guddu]

This is a review and detailed measurements of the AIYIMA T1 Pro tube preamplifier with tone controls and Bluetooth support. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $75.

View attachment 385648

Build quality is a step above budget products in its class. Case feels sturdy and controls have good feel. Nice to see a tone control defeat (how I tested it). Volume setting in the picture is "unity gain." (again, how I tested it). Back panel shows what you expect:

View attachment 385650

Nice to see trigger output. Power is provided by a small switching adapter (a bit larger than the size of a phone charger).

FYI I told the company in advance of sending the amplifier that I expect it to not measure well. Company to their credit, still wanted it tested/reviewed so here we go.

AIYIMA T1 Pro Preamplifier Measurements
Let's start with our usual dashboard with 2 volts in/out:
View attachment 385647

Large amount of harmonic distortion is what you expect to see and it delivers on that. Dialing down the input however, sharply reduces that:
View attachment 385651

So if you are after that tube sound, you would want to listen at elevated volumes.

Frequency response is nice and flat:
View attachment 385652

The bass does droop a bit, indicating capacitive loading. We can see that effect easier by lowering the input impedance of the analyzer:

View attachment 385653
Channel separation is good for the category:

View attachment 385654

Distortion is frequency independent which is good:
View attachment 385655

Conclusions
Objective performance of the T1 Pro is as expected: the tube stage adds significant amount of harmonic distortion. At some level, this is the intended function of the product. If you want to see what this type of distortion sounds like, this is a cheap way to test the waters.

------------
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/

Thanks @amirm, as always.
It would have been helpful to see how this one perform as solid state pre-amp without tubes, there isn't a solid state mode but it does work without tubes however the signal gets weaker.