Tortuga TPB.V1 Tube Preamp Buffer Review

[dasdoing]

That sounded sweet in the mastering part of the video. I’ll bet this device can push the harmonics way over the fundamental when it is cranked to full tilt?

Distortion that doesn’t suck FTW.

A shame the AB-ing wasn't volume matched. but it sounds great, yea

 

[redshift]

A shame the AB-ing wasn't volume matched. but it sounds great, yea

It’s interesting how the dist indeed brought the sound “forward”. Ah, these mysteries of the human auditory system.

It would have been fun playing with it…

The world needs “mastering” DSP configs/codes that is shareable for every digitized song, like, ever. Similar to that of cover art.

I’ll bet mastering engineers would go nuts with that and I’d be all smiles.

 

[mhardy6647]

That sounded sweet in the mastering part of the video. I’ll bet this device can push the harmonics way over the fundamental when it is cranked to full tilt?

Distortion that doesn’t suck FTW.

https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Electronics/90s/1994/EN-1994-06.pdf

Way less than 1600 smackers, too...

 

[dasdoing]

It’s interesting how the dist indeed brought the sound “forward”. Ah, these mysteries of the human auditory system.

I hear it as more immersed. the forward feeling is due to loudness imo

 

[redshift]

https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Electronics/90s/1994/EN-1994-06.pdf

Way less than 1600 smackers, too...

Does it sound good?

 

[dasdoing]

it doesn't realy make much sense to be strictly against saturation in the audio chain, since it is aplied in the production chain anyways*.
you can argument that it is like boosting bass; only that instead of more bass you like more saturation then was aplied by the engineer.
personaly I wouldn't do it...but


*some will go as far as throwing the master threw a tape machine. an audiophile would get a heart atack seeing that lol

 

[redshift]

it doesn't realy make much sense to be strictly against saturation in the audio chain, since it is aplied in the production chain anyways*.
you can argument that it is like boosting bass; only that instead of more bass you like more saturation then was aplied by the engineer.
personaly I wouldn't do it...but


*some will go as far as throwing the master threw a tape machine. an audiophile would get a heart atack seeing that lol

I’m a fan of loudness and tone controls, but I’d also like to have effects in my streamer.

Ideally included as a bunch of settings as downloadable content provided by the mixing/mastering engineer to each song.

It would have been awesome to have those guys go bonkers and not having to appeal to the mediocre.

 

[dasdoing]

It would have been awesome to have those guys go bonkers and not having to appeal to the mediocre

I see where you going with that.
but it would be like asking Picasso to provide a half finshed paiting with some extra colours in the package lol

 

[redshift]

I see where you going with that.
but it would be like asking Picasso to provide a half finshed paiting with some extra colours in the package lol

Right. It could all be equally bad.

Ok, every hotshot engineer can upload their settings to some incompetents mix/master bodge job to GitHub. Your streamer pulls them and you’ll choose song and DSP setting.

Patreon your fave engineer and get access to the hottest releases.

Happy?

 

[dasdoing]

Right. It could all be equally bad.

Ok, every hotshot engineer can upload their settings to some incompetents mix/master bodge job to GitHub. Your streamer pulls them and you’ll choose song and DSP setting.

Patreon your fave engineer and get access to the hottest releases.

Happy?

 

[redshift]

 

[mhardy6647]

Does it sound good?

Depends on how far one turns those "tube sound" knobs

EDIT:

By the way -- and I am just musing here; thinking out loud, as it were -- I wonder if Tortuga ever made a line of pro mixers...

Raymond's last day as the band's sound technician -- Gary Larson, The Far Side

 

[redshift]

Depends on how far one turns those "tube sound" knobs

EDIT:

By the way -- and I am just musing here; thinking out loud, as it were -- I wonder if Tortuga ever made a line of pro mixers...

View attachment 141387

I’m sure this is how I’d feel most of the time being Raymond.

 

[EricBrodersen]

One of the main uses of a buffer is to keep one device from loading down another. An example would be if the impedance match between two components is not optimal. So how well does this work in driving long cables from a pre-amp to an amplifier? How well does this work as a buffer?

 

[levimax]

One of the main uses of a buffer is to keep one device from loading down another. An example would be if the impedance match between two components is not optimal. So how well does this work in driving long cables from a pre-amp to an amplifier? How well does this work as a buffer?

A good buffer will impedance match without doing anything else...this device fails miserably as a buffer. You could build an op amp based buffer with just a few compnents for a few dollars that would have orders of magnitude less distortion.

 

[Trevor]

A good buffer will impedance match without doing anything else...this device fails miserably as a buffer. You could build an op amp based buffer with just a few compnents for a few dollars that would have orders of magnitude less distortion.

Any recommendations for a SS buffer with passive volume control? Would it make sense to use that with a DAC with high output impedance of about 1.2K ohms (Denafrips Ares)?

 

[levimax]

Any recommendations for a SS buffer with passive volume control? Would it make sense to use that with a DAC with high output impedance of about 1.2K ohms (Denafrips Ares)?

Usually passive volume controls don't have buffers, I don't know of any but maybe someone else does. A buffer plus passive volume is more or less a regular pre-amp so lots of choices. The 1.2 K ohm output impedance, if you didn't have a passive volume control, would be fine with most power amps (10X 1.2 K ohms = 12 K ohms minimum input impedance) and a good quality 24 bit or 32 bit digital volume control is actually better than any analog volume control so that might be a solution for you as well.

 

[Trevor]

Usually passive volume controls don't have buffers, I don't know of any but maybe someone else does. A buffer plus passive volume is more or less a regular pre-amp so lots of choices. The 1.2 K ohm output impedance, if you didn't have a passive volume control, would be fine with most power amps (10X 1.2 K ohms = 12 K ohms minimum input impedance) and a good quality 24 bit or 32 bit digital volume control is actually better than any analog volume control so that might be a solution for you as well.

Ah, thank you. If a passive preamp had an input impedance of about 12K ohms then can it have an output impedance low enough for a power amp having an impedance of 50K ohms? Is 24-32 bit volume control on an iPad using Spotify? Thanks for your advice.

 

[levimax]

Ah, thank you. If a passive preamp had an input impedance of about 12K ohms then can it have an output impedance low enough for a power amp having an impedance of 50K ohms? Is 24-32 bit volume control on an iPad using Spotify? Thanks for your advice.

I am not an expert on passive pre-amps.... I always use active components. If you can get in touch with @solderdude (maybe he will get notified because of this post) he is an expert on passive volume controls and impedance matching and maybe he can chime in. I believe most modern music players like Spotify use a good quality volume control, maybe someone can confirm about Spotify. I know for certain Foobar 2000, J River, and Roon all have good digital volume controls.

 

[solderdude]

Any recommendations for a SS buffer with passive volume control? Would it make sense to use that with a DAC with high output impedance of about 1.2K ohms (Denafrips Ares)?

1.2k is in balanced mode. 600 ohm in SE.

Why the desire to use passive volume control ?
Balanced or SE ?

You will need an amp with an input sensitivity of around 1V (SE) and 2V balanced.
The output resistance is part of the passive post filter and essential for the muting circuit it seems.
I would assume the output resistance is ohmic.
This means a load above 10k will be fine but you will loose some output level (about -1dB).
Both the load the Ares 'sees' will vary depending on the volume control as well as the 'new' output resistance of a passive volume control will vary depending on the volume setting.
How this will work out depends on the Length (capacitance) of the used cable and power amp.

Why not direct it directly and use digital volume control ?
Or use a 'normal' pre-amp ? I mean the power amp is also an amplifier. Why would adding buffer or few times gain amp be such a horrid ?