Fatman iTube Carbon Edition 2
The basics
The Fatman iTube Carbon Edition 2 is an all-in-one vacuum tube amplifier with on-board iPod dock. The Fatman has 28W of amplification, two pairs of stereo inputs and a 3.5mm jack for other MP3 players and mobile phones. It comes with a pair of separate speakers.
The good
Airships, dinner jackets and after-dinner cigars were once the epitome of sophistication - now they’re now harder to find than a Chelsea pensioner with a pulse. At least valve amplification is still raging against the modern world, with the Fatman iTube pumping out analogue sounds that are warmer than a toasted crumpet and richer than a Rockefeller. This iPod dock can handle all flavours of Apple up to the iPhone 3G (it even has a video out cable), letting you pretend you’re in an Agatha Christie mystery while you sip some port and nod your head gently to some new-skool grime.
The bad
Sonically, nothing at all. Practically, the Fatman weighs a scale-wobbling 6kg and, like all tube amps, takes a few moments to warm up. Also, if you can find it without the speaker set, you’ll get even better sounds by pairing it with some decent British loudspeakers.
The bottom line
You spend hundreds of quid on iTunes and Amazon downloads so don’t be shy of forking over a few more to listen to them as nature intended, on the coolest iPod dock around.
User comments (8)
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nice_tech11 December 2009
An inspired impulse buy...went for decent speakers, stands and cables as well and you need to be prepared to use minimal compression when you build your iTunes library. Remote feels a cheap though.
Report as inappropriatefat_man16 January 2010
Recently bought the dock and amp but took the advice of not buying the speakers. Any recommendations on particularly good speakers to look in to?
Report as inappropriateVinny21 February 2010
Have just ordered this tube amp and intend to use it in my bedroom pairing with a pair of brand new Usher S520. As the Usher S520 is not exactly a very sensitive speakers, any idea if this pairing would work?
Report as inappropriateJamie10 March 2010
I don't own these Fatmans, but i own the iTube ValueDock, and it is amazing, I decided to go for q acoustics 1010i's and they are a beauty, I also went for a q acoustics sub just to break all the windows in the house, but i would highly recommend those speakers, great detail on them, or maybe the 1020i's would be better, there just a tad more expensive, i am also told that the MERCURY F CUSTOM's are good speakers to pair with the amp. but anyone thinking about buying a fatman, go for it, you will not regret it.
Report as inappropriateMr. K.B. McDermont19 March 2010
No comment as of yet
Report as inappropriateDes12 June 2010
i m still deciding whether to get B&W Zeppelin or this Fatman coupled with either Tannoy F1 Custom or Q Acoutics 2010s.. anyone happen to know which setup would give better sound?
Report as inappropriateMilo23 November 2010
recently bought this with q acoustics 1010i, very impressed but would like more bass. would be very interested how jamie linked the sub to the itube as there is no subwoofer output on the carbon edition and it has same outputs as the valve dock and dont know the connections on the sub. the sound is great and clear cant complain one bit just my preferences for more bass ;)
Report as inappropriatefunkedup09 January 2012
I have recently purchased one of these, in fact, it should arrive tomorrow. I am paring it up with a set of Bower & Wilkins DM610 bookshelf speakers. I used to run these on my Teac system and the sound was amazing. I am looking forward to seeing how this set up compares to my parents B&W Zeppelin which is awesome for a product of it's size.
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