RRP: $599.00, $499.00 at Amazon.com

The Fatman iTube Red-i is a new tube amp and speaker combo from the Fatman range. As with all Fatman products, the build quality is exceptional and it is clear that the designers have put a lot of thought into the design process. The amp is encased in a brushed aluminium chassis that is built to last. Along the top deck of the amp we find an iPod dock that will support your iPod/iPhone to the left and a complement of three tubes to the right. The transistor is housed in a black cylindrical cover in the centre. On the front panel we find a volume control, power button and source control. The design is minimalist and really makes the amp stand out from the crowd.

On the rear panel, we find two pairs of quality speaker binding posts which accept the banana plug speaker connectors that come with the unit. We also find two phono inputs and a 3.5mm miniature jack input which means there is plenty of potential to connect auxiliary devices such as a CD player or laptop alongside your iPod/iPhone. The iTube Red-i also come equipped with composite and s-video outputs so that video enabled iPods or iPhones can be connected to a suitable TV or monitor. All these connection options mean that the iTube Red-i could form the centre-piece to a home entertainment system if that is what you want it to be!

The iTube Red-i comes with its own set of speakers which have metallised red speaker cones which again stand out from the crowd. An IR remote control allows you to control the iTube Red-i from the comfort of your desk/couch. It will also allow you to navigate the iPods’ menu remotely.

Soundwise, the iTube Red-i lives up to the excellent reputation that Fatman have built in the high-end iPod docking station market. The tubes add warmth and detail to the selected output. The bass has a reassuring thud while the mids and highs display a clarity that few amps in this price-range can match. The soundstage is broad and has a decent depth and vocals come to life and have room to breathe. The included speakers are well matched to the iTube system, and perform well at all volume levels. When we crank up the volume, the iTube Red-i handles it well with the 25w per channel output more than enough to get the party bopping along nicely. A nice feature, that shows the amount of thought that the clever people at Fatman have put into their amp, is the fact that the included speakers have GSM shielding. This prevents your iPhone interfering with the audio signal if you get a phone call or message while it is connected to the amp. All things considered the iTube Red-i does not disappoint when it comes to audio performance.

Once again, Fatman have nailed it and produced an excellent little amp that in this price range does not break the bank. For those looking to add some tube-y goodness to their iPod or iPhone, the iTube Red-i come highly recommended.

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