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Pocket-Size Vacuum Tube Head Amp and DAC
A portable vacuum tube headphone amp that fits in your pocket? Is that even possible? Nothing is beyond the capabilities of the geniuses at Woo Audio.
The all-new TUBE mini from Woo is an ultraportable, balanced design, vacuum tube headphone amplifier and DAC that delivers an impressively powerful sound in half the size of the average smartphone. Now you can grab your favorite full-sized headphones and enjoy the best sound quality anywhere you like.
It's cool to look at, too. Amaze your friends! The front panel window shows off the tiny but powerful pair of vacuum tubes inside.
"Easily One of the Best Sounding Portable DAC/Amps"
"With an incredibly large output that is able to reveal a pristine sound, the Tube Mini is easily one of the best sounding portable DAC/amps I’ve heard," raves Alex Schiffer is his July 27, 2023 review for audio46.com.
"Using the Tube Mini for your tablet or laptop is the best way to use it. You’ll also get the most out of its output when listening to high-impedance over-ear headphones. It really makes the Tube Mini more of an entry point for tube amps, rather than an amp dongle."
"It’s Not a Gimmick, It Actually Sounds Fantastic"
"Woo Audio’s Tube Mini pulls off the very impressive feat of being a tube amp that’s as affordable as it is portable. Better still: it’s not a gimmick, as it actually sounds fantastic. It’s combining the best of the new (a high res DAC with DSD and MQA functionality) with the old (vacuum tube analog warmth)," reports majorhifi.com, July 27, 2023.
"Props to Woo Audio for bringing high quality tubes down to a price point that the mid-fi crowd can afford, and to a size that the HiFi crowd can take with them."
"Sounds 'Tuby' Enough, and Portability is Maximum"
"The Woo Audio TUBE Mini is the perfect DAC/AMP if you want to listen to your full-sized headphones when your regular desktop DACs and amplifiers aren’t available," observes Lieven, headfonia.com, February 26, 2024. "The TUBE Mini has enough power to drive almost all of your favorite headphones, and it does it in a musical way with a tube twist."
"What this device does is extremely unique, and something that its target clientele is certain to appreciate. The output power is surprisingly strong, the sound is just 'tuby' enough and the portability is at a maximum," notes audio-head.com, July 27, 2023. "I think most purchasers will be pleasantly surprised by the unique proposition involved here. A very fun listen for almost any full-size headphone."
Small Device – Powerful, High Quality Sound
Can a small device deliver high-quality, powerful sound? This question kept Woo Audio's engineers motivated and led to the creation of two of the smallest products Woo ever offered, the WA8 Eclipse and WA11 Topaz. But the pursuit to go smaller continued. In late 2019, the company created a powerful solid-state amp that was pocketable. But it lacked Woo Audio's vacuum tube roots.
A eureka moment came when engineers placed the Eclipse and the Topaz amps side by side and wondered, "Can we engineer a portable vacuum tube amp/DAC based on these two products?" They focused their engineering efforts on achieving this vision.
Mighty-Drive Technology Plus Vacuum Tubes
At the heart of the TUBE mini are traditional vacuum tubes combined with Woo Audio's innovative Mighty-Drive technology. The result is the warm sound of vacuum tubes and the superpower of MOSFET amplification for an effortless sound that comes alive with full-sized headphones. There are three technologies working seamlessly in TUBE mini. These consist of a power management system for plug-and-play setup, a tube headphone amplifier, and a high-resolution lossless DAC. All of these are present in an impossibly small design.
On full display are the vacuum tubes. Each tube is designed to amplify one channel (hence a pair for left/right stereo) combined with the powerhouse of MOSFET in a balanced architecture Woo Audio calls Mighty-Drive. The result is a unique sound not found in any solid-state or small tube amps.
Reliable, Robust, Maintenance-Free Vacuum Tubes
Vacuum tubes aren't the fussy, delicate components you might expect them to be. Vacuum tube technology has been in use since the early 1900s for a wide range of applications from AV consumer equipment, to medical imaging, to mission-critical military devices. Tubes are therefore reliable, robust and maintenance-free, capable of many thousands of hours of operation.
In audio component applications, tube microphonics from external mechanical vibrations can transfer to the tungsten heaters and thus become audible in the signal path. In order to reduce mechanical vibration, the tubes in TUBE mini are intricately mounted on a spring-loaded suspension system similar to seismic damper systems found in earthquake protection measures.
Optimized DAC for Streaming
The TUBE mini's internal ESS SABRE DAC is optimized for streaming music services and lossless playback of all Hi-Res formats. It delivers Woo Audio's signature sound with an unparalleled listening experience faithfully reproducing the music you love as it was originally recorded.
Free yourself from complicated electronics. Simply connect your favorite headphones and music player to the TUBE mini and enjoy high-fidelity sound everywhere you want.
Balanced and Unbalanced Headphone Outputs
For no-compromise sound quality with compatible headphones, the TUBE mini includes a 4.4mm balanced output. It also includes a standard 3.5mm unbalanced output for use with the widest range of headphones and IEMs.
Important Note: The 4.4mm balanced output is not compatible with headphones and IEMs with unbalanced cables. Never connect unbalanced headphones to the balanced input / output using adapters. This may cause damage to amplifier or malfunction. For headphones and earphones with unbalanced cables use the 3.5mm unbalanced output instead.
