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FX Audio Tube-P1 Amplifier

FX Audio Tube-P1 Amplifier

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Product Description
From FX Audio, the Tube-P1 is a versatile, inexpensive amplifier with a compact footprint. It has nearly all your amplification needs covered: along with working as a powerful speaker amp, it functions as a headphone amp and a phono preamp Read More

Customer Reviews

3.7
(10 reviews)
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(6)
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JDM_WAAAT
44
Jan 3, 2019
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This was the most surprising piece that I bought in all of 2018. Not only is it a phenomenal speaker amp, but it delivers quality tube sound to both budget and high end headphones, even the notoriously hard to drive HD6XX. It provides plenty of power for the 6XX, but I think the 58X shine a little bit more on it. M1060C resolve detail to a level that's almost to a fault. It's quite something. Oh, and for a special treat, plug some Koss KPH30i, PortaPro, or KSC75 in... and enjoy the warmest, most relaxing sound you can get for under $150 (for both headphones and amp). I've tried it with both the FX Audio DAC-X6 and the Emotiva Big Ego DAC, both work well. I really like that it has phono input as well, I got to play around with that with my old ATH record player, and it seemed to work well. That's not my primary use for it, so I haven't spent much time with it in that configuration. I'm happy with the build & construction of the unit, it seems solid. The only thing I don't like are the ugly silver screws on top of the unit. The fit and finish match other FX Audio products like the DAC-X6 and DAC-X3. Currently it sits atop my TXA 789 AAA, using the SE passthrough from the Emotiva Big Ego. The P1 is powering Elac B6 bookshelf speakers, which sound better than they did on my PS Audio Sprout. They pair extremely well with this amp. I would pair bassier speakers like the B6 or B6.2 with the P1 to get the most out of the sound. Overall, I end up using the THX 789 AAA more for headphones than I do the P1, but the versatility of the P1 is unmatched. Especially at this price point, or even at its MSRP of $170. I do use the P1 to drive headphones when I'm not looking for the hyper-analytical experience of the 789, which is about 40% of the time. The P1 is a great "do it all" amplifier features warm, clear, and distinct tube sound. It's a worthy contender for the best single investment any budget audiophile can make.
CaptMarcus
21
May 6, 2019
JDM_WAAATHow did you connect it to the DAC X6?
Simon1961
0
Feb 11, 2022
JDM_WAAATHi, I am finding it impossible to locate a source for replacement tubes. Do you know anywhere?
pozo
11
Jan 10, 2019
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One of the truly great audiophile bargains! This amp provides a warm, tube sound and manages to bundle a headphone amp, a phono amp, and an integrated amp with multiple input for less than the price of any *single* one of the components. I use mine to drive a $1K pair of loudspeakers (Zu Audio Omens) and the match is quite nice. Standout qualities: SOUND: instruments are well-separated, vocals are natural and warm. Good imaging and a well-defined sound-stage. At 2.5 Watts, these will not bring the house down-- you really need to pair these with a reasonably efficient speaker-- but you will be rewarded with exceptional sound. The Chinese tubes are actually quite good, and trying others from my arsenal did not improve the sound. The amp is dead quiet! Listening to choral, orchestral, and jazz at medium levels provides one with a true audiophile experience. BUILD QUALITY: very, very nice. Buttons have nice tactile feel to them; volume control is smooth and completely silent. Circuitry mutes the first 20 seconds, avoiding any ringing or pops often encountered in other tube amps. Nice touch. For its ridiculously low price, this unit is well-built and quite impressive. APPEARANCE: There are a set of warm glow LEDs at the bottom of each tube that enhance the 'tube' look. These are not egregious and actually present a nice, elegant touch. The unit looks and feels like something that could have cost much more. (No one will mistake this for a $$$ boutique tube amp, but it is much, much nicer than the price would suggest.) CONCLUSION: one of the great audiophile bargains --a no brainer. Anyone wanting to experience the 'tube sound' on a limited budget should look into this.
FN2187
2
Jun 25, 2019
"the speakers i use need about 60 W to work, and if you ave 120 W like i do now, they "come alive", i not going to go backwards" This statement is likely inaccurate. Unless your speakers are incredibly inefficient, small, or you're trying to fill a decently large room with 'loud' sound, this amp would be more than adequate. If you using this at a desk, this amp is capable of more than any normal person would need. It wouldn't surprise me if the Tube-P1 had the same, if not more power output than a standard "60W" imported solid state amplifier.
RicardoAzenha
13
Jun 26, 2019
FN2187these speakers are a 3 way stereo system and the are not made for desk, they are for lessening in a room at about 3 meters away from you ( according to the owner’s manual). I use them because it was my 1rst "hifi system" that I ever bought, and they have perfect imaging at the desk. It’s very rare that I go all the way up on the volume, and max out my system, so I do understand you point, but I need more than 120 w RMS, the amplifier that i have now has 160 RMS I’m not going to a lower "power" product because it can damage the equipment if I, or someone else in my house accidentally cranks the volume all the way, and the new amplifier clips ... Furthermore, I’m a firm believer that you can be way better served with more power as back up, for when the woofer part for your speaker needs to move. Massdrop just released a new D class amp, with around 200 W that can be set as a monoblock, I think I will give it a go 😊
FN2187
2
Jun 25, 2019
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Great sounding Tube Amplifier - Debatable Quality of Power Supply
General Review: *This is my first tube amp, so bear with me on this* *This portion of the review was written with HifiMan Sundara's as the listening device.* This amplifier has everything I would expect from a tube amplifier. The sound is definitely warmer than the solid state amps I listen through, and makes listening to music over a long range of time MUCH easier. The build quality of this is actually surprisingly good. The front plate is CNC milled, and the remainder of the chassis is quite sturdy. I poked around in the inside (when I was having issues, as noted below) and was definitely impressed by the quality of parts and layout of the board. From my very extensive history with Chinese imported electronics, this amp impressed me quite a bit. In terms of electrical design, I cannot comment as I do not have the equipment on hand to test. On item I noticed about the tube amp was how enjoyable it made acoustic and percussion music. Much like when I first had the chance to listen to my MG-IIIA's, this tube amp brought a very 'natural' tone to acoustic and percussion instruments. Without a doubt, this will be my go-to amp when listening to many of my older soundtracks and 'non-electronic' music. Something I was generally expecting was the mild attenuation of treble and mids, leading to an bass heavier tone. This definitely came into play, and I am in no way disappointed by it. With this I was expecting the treble to be cut in a way that left it somewhat unclear, which is not the case. The treble remains very clear, as well as the mids. The bass is not too heavy and seems just about right for general listening. Now, there is one fairly large caveat to this product, the power supply. As soon as I opened the package, I could tell the device was a total piece of garbage. I pushed on and plugged er' in. For the first night, Listened to it quite a bit. I ran some small ML bookshelfs, HD 6XX's, and HiFiMan Sundara's, and had no issues. As a couple days went by, I noticed that the power output to speakers had gone down significantly, as well as the headphone output (though still listenable). There eventually came a point where the power output to speakers was unusable. Although the power supply showed no signs of distress, I had a very good feeling that it was the culprit. I went ahead and ordered a 12V 10A power supply and waited. Upon arrival, I plugged it an and WOW. The power output was actually significantly higher than anything I had experienced with it in the past. The one thing to take away from this is: If your're going to buy this amp, just expect to get a 10A power supply ($18) to go with it. Soon I will plug these into my maggies to give them a go, I'll update this once I've listened to it enough to compare it to my existing amp. Otherwise, this little guy can power a pair of bookshelfs like no other. Overall, if you're willing to drop another $20 on a new power supply, I would definitely recommend this. I'd say even with the $20 power supply, there's still quite a large gap in price between the massdrop tube-p1 and any other competing tube amp to where I would easily say this is the best option if you're on a budget. If you're just wanting a headphone amp, The little dot may be comparable, but I do not have any experience with it. Edit (04/2020): Welp, the amp seems to have kicked the bucket. I just contacted the manufacturer for information on the warranty. They seem to typically offer a 1-year on their equipment so I'm hoping for the best. Will update once I get some information.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
josborne326
0
Jul 8, 2019
FN2187I'm having an issue with the sound quality on my amp as well and am wondering if the power supply could be the culprit. Can you share a link (or details) on where you purchased another power supply? I'm willing to give it a shot.
hectorgull
25
Jul 21, 2019
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amazing little fellow I'm impress
well after playing music for over 20 hours I must say tat I'm impress, one thing I did and I highly recommend is to head to Amazon and get this: https://www.amazon.com/BINZET-Adapter-Converter-Regulator-Flexible/dp/B00Z9X4GLW/ref=pd_rhf_dp_s_rp_c_1_2/134-3145269-3590554?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00Z9X4GLW&pd_rd_r=36214c5f-ffb7-4aee-98be-0fc23f227aa9&pd_rd_w=5tAgW&pd_rd_wg=lds6Q&pf_rd_p=4b985ee3-c51c-45b0-b742-d73501cbd701&pf_rd_r=ZGVFZ8KSHSJSDWAS5VBG&psc=1&refRID=ZGVFZ8KSHSJSDWAS5VBG it needs more than 6 Amp so I got me a 10 Amp power supply and boy it sings beautifully, is driving my old B & W DM 603 S2 speakers nicely, no tube rolling yet but the ones that it came with are doing just fine, soon I will switch to my Monitor Audio speakers and see how the combination works.
Recommends this product? Yes
m_suts
40
Jan 31, 2019
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I guess we'll start with the positives first. The build quality is quite good for a budget Chi-Fi amp. It has a nice heavy black metal chassis. That's about where the good parts end for me. Immediately as I turned on the amp, to my horror, bright red LEDs lit up under the tubes. Ugh. The mark of bad tube gear is artificially lighting the tubes with LEDs. Already I began to question the quality of the amp before even hearing it. On top of that, the volume control is digital, with subtle silent clicks on the wheel for each volume level as you turn the knob. A tube amp with digital volume control? Something's not right there. I hook up my DAC (SDAC) and speakers (Cerwin Vega E26f) and press play. Expecting some decent sound aaaaand oh god it sounds horrible. Pinched, bright, and extremely unpleasant. I double checked to make sure my speakers were wired in phase (they were). I double checked every connection to make sure they were sitting properly (they were). I plug in my headphones (Sennheiser HD 6XX) to see if the brightness was noticeable there (it was). Finally I decided to swap out the Chinese tubes for some Soviet-era tubes I ordered, as well as broken-in tubes I had on hand, and somehow the sound got even worse with the replacements. I was stunned. I listened for about an hour and a half, hoping that my ears would adjust and I'd maybe start to like the sound of the amp, but no dice. I turned it off, plugged in my old trusty Sanyo receiver that my dad gave me, and - ahhhh, that's more like it. Full bass, pleasant mids, and clear treble without harshness... like I'd expect out of any half-decent amp on sensitive speakers like these. I'm pretty stunned at how awful this unit sounded. There was nothing warm about it. Basically the antithesis of what a tube amp should sound like. I'm not exaggerating when I say the $20 Lepy 2020A mini amp sounds better than the FX-Audio Tube-P1.
(Edited)
rastus
1391
May 5, 2019
m_sutsCrap tubes; they ship with functional test tubes...
Rectifier
30
Jun 8, 2019
m_sutsThose notches or steps that you feel when turning the volume control doesn't necessarily mean it is a digital control. Likewise, a truly digital volume control can have a smooth turning knob with no bumps. I would say the chance of this type of component having a digital volume control is extremely unlikely. I agree that LEDs under tubes is tacky and cheesy. Also LED spotlights on the front panel especially BLUE are a very offensive trend.
matt314
1
Jun 29, 2019
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Sad
I never thought you could make a Klipsch Forte II down bad but this amp manages to do exactly that. Very thin sound, no low-end, all-around disappointing.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? No
Paraglider
67
Jan 9, 2019
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Price was good for a speaker and headphone amp. Unlike the DarkVoice the headphone and speaker outputs do not both operate simultaneously. I like that. When I plug in the headphones I am well set to make a Skype or Google phone call. I have rolled both tubes and find the ones it came with to be better than those I got with the DV. The standard Chinese tubes it came with work just fine. The phono input will overdrive the output if you give it a Line level signal. I might have to try a guitar on the Phono input to see how it works as a stereo guitar amp. ;^) I would buy this again if I wanted another tube amp.
wuwei128
2
Jan 4, 2019
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dan-theman
78
Jul 4, 2019
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Dead on Arrival
Sort of stinks. I had high hopes but 1 channel arrived dead. It claims to have been QCed, but that may mean something different in Chinese.
Asatiir
115
Mar 14, 2019
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