Tube buffer with Tube amp

[psychoanima]

Just recently I have discovered the existence of tube buffers.

Did anyone had or still have one in his hifi chain? I read somewhere that they make sense for SS amps to give warm sound, but what about tube amps? In general is there any benefits adding tube buffers/preamps in chain with tube amps?

I am having small single ended tube amp that has already preamp inside, but will I benefit at all with a tube buffer between dac and tube amp since tube buffer in theory should not add gain to the final sound but only widen the sound?

[Nearlymusical]

I had a Musical Fidelity X10.V3 back in the day, it was used between CD and headphone amp. I was trying to soften the sound from my CD player, but in the end the effect was too subtle.I think I was using a Linn Ikemi to X-cans v3. I quickly googled the MF X10 and there is a quite a bit of discussion on various fora from way back - you may get something from those in addition to anything from folk here

[Docfoster]

I once had a Musical Fidelity one. [edit: it was the one just mentioned above] Bought it on impulse. Looked and felt lovely. When I got it home and plugged it in I literally could not hear any difference. But my flat mate could detect with 100% accuracy when it was on. Including when I forced him to do it blind, or even when I tried to trick him.
So it must be a personal thing. Or I have cloth ears.
And an electronic engineer friend scoffed at me for introducing a “distortion box” into my chain. But what the hell do they know about these things…?
Good luck with it.

[Nigel]

I use an ifi itube 2 as a buffer with an Audio Innovations Series 500.

Slightly different in the fact it has a special feature,

"Open up the sound stage with the 3D Holographic Sound wide setting, enjoy a sound field that is outside of the speakers with front to rear depth."

[psychoanima]

I use an ifi itube 2 as a buffer with an Audio Innovations Series 500.

Is it possible to roll tubes with ifi?

I read many stories about musical fidelity x10-d and modifications that can be done, quite impressive. There are even chinese clones based on x10-d

[Nigel]

I had the Musical Fidelity X10 D with Mullard valves and Rock Grotto mods. Years ago now but I didn't think it offered any real improvements. Mushy sludge. I thought it better without but that wasn't with a valve amp at the time though. Also, my cd player wasn't as good.

[Nigel]

You could change the tube on the ifi if you wanted.

[Nigel]

Quick story on the ifi itube 2.

I initially purchased one secondhand. Used it with my Exposure X and loved it. I was about to buy a Series 500 so sold the ifi. Anyway, the deal for the Series 500 fell through. Total nightmare but worked out OK in the end, thank God for ebay's buyers guarantee.

Anyway, I soon realised how much I missed it in the chain so brought another brand new one from amazon. This developed a fault after a few weeks, probably the valve, so I rang the ifi helpline. They came around to my house and gave me another one within an hour. Turned out their UK HQ at the time was only half a mile away!

[psychoanima]

Ha ha, neighborhood to wish for!