Neuhaus Laboratories recognizes that many people’s music collections are on their computers, not racks of CDs.
And so unlike other amplifier manufacturers, Neuhaus’ tube amps are designed first and foremost to be hooked to a computer as their main music source, not a CD player or turntable.
Now Neuhaus has taken the next logical step. It’s the first company to add Bluetooth to an audiophile-quality tube amp. Now you can enjoy super high quality music streaming from an iPhone or iPad.
Trust me, it’s the best thing you’ll ever hear from your iPhone, ever.
Neuhaus’ brand new T-1 tube amp is the successor to the highly-regarded T-2 amp, which I reviewed last year and went bonkers over. I ended up acquiring the T-2 from Neuhaus and use it as the stereo in my office. I’m known to the other tenants as “the guy who plays his music loud.”
The T-1 is half the physical size of the T-2 and almost half its price — $495 from $795.
But it still sounds the same: big, beefy and beautiful. It also adds Bluetooth. The result is a hi-fi component that’s plug-and-play with Macs and Windows PCs – and now iPhones and iPads.
The T-1 brings the audio snob experience to computer music. It combines an audiophile tube amp with a high quality Digital to Analog Converter (DAC), which bypasses the computer’s own digital-to-analog circuitry (often crappy).
Plug the T-1 into your computer via USB or the optical/Toslink plug, and its DAC converts your AACs and MP3s into the warm, rich sound associated with old analog gear.
The T-1 is a hybrid: it has a vacuum tube pre-amp and solid solid state power amp. It uses the same DAC as the T-2 amp.
“It still has the sound quality of the T-2 but we add bluetooth for the convenience,” explained Neuhaus founder George Golick.
The T-1’s Bluetooth connection couldn’t be easier to set up and use. Press the wireless button on front and pair it by coding “0000.” Done.
Both the iPhone and iPad make for great gateways to internet music. I was able to sit on the couch and listen to a bunch of streaming internet radio stations, which sounded great through even though the bit rates are often low. You can also stream Pandora, Last.fm, Spotify, Youtube and a host of other online media services. If a friend comes over with some new music on their iPhone, they can stream it to the amp.
The T-1 features a host of other connections. It has a USB jack, two RCA-style input jacks, and an Optical/Toslink/SPDIF port. You can wire up your Mac or Windows PC via USB; your Apple TV or Airport Express via Toslink; and a DVD or CD player through the RCA-style analog inputs; an iPad or iPhone via Bluetooth.
The Optical/Toslink port makes the T-1 compatible with the Airport Express for wirelessly streaming music across the house via Wi-Fi. Altogether, the range of input options make it compatible with a wide variety of media devices and music setups.
The T-1’s design is clean and simple. It’s built like a tank with a stainless steel body and a flat black steel tube cage. The black piano finish on the front shines like, well, a black piano. It has just two big chunky knobs on front (custom made in Japan): one for volume, the other for the input source. No need for tone controls or fussy EQs.
The amp outputs at 18 watts, so it demands very efficient speakers – the more efficient the better. I hooked it to a pair of older Polk Audio speakers circa the late ’80s, which are OK, but I’m in the market for something better. I also have it wired to a crappy, off-brand subwoofer.
It still sounds gloroius.
Neuhaus argues its amps are reasonable priced for components of this quality. Given that a good tube amp cost upwards of $1,000, and a seperate DAC costs several hundred, $495 for the T-1 is pretty reasonable.
Wireless Bluetooth and warm, rich, vacuum tube sound. To coin an old phrase, it sounds like a match made in heaven. Available directly from Neuhaus Laboratories.
Specifications
T-1 Amplifier is a Hybrid Tube Amplifier
Output- 18W x 2
Frequency Response-10Hz-250KHZ
Output Impedance-4ohm-16ohm
Harmonic Distortion-0.03%(1KHZ)
Input Sensitivity-0.3V
Input Impedance-50Kohm
Signal to Noise ratio-85db
Accepts both 120V and 230V
Power Consumption 60W
Weight-8.8lbs 4kg
Dimensions-8.7 (W) inches x 10.6 (D) inches x 5.9 (H) inches
Tubes 2-6N2
Stainless Steel Case
Japanese ALPS Motor potentiometer
Steel Black Piano Black Glossy Finish Front Panel
Mirror Stainless Steel Body
Removable Flat Black Steel Tube Cover
Volume Remote Control
Slow Start Power On
Optical/Toslink/SPDIF Input w/Cirrus Logic 24bit/96kHZ DAC
USB w/ C-Media 16bit/44kHZ DAC with X2 modulation for hi-frequency quality
Anti-pop noise solution embedded on both chips
2 Rear RCA style input jacks
Headphone Amp Specifications
Output impedance:16-32 ohm
Frequency :40Hz-15KHz
Sensitivity :100uV
1/4 inch standard input
