While this thing certainly looks like some sort high-end audiophile device, it’s actually a cheap desktop speaker for your computer that’s just masquerading as a schmancy tube amp.

Created by Japan’s Hanwha, the tube look-a-like speaker plugs into the USB port and audio jack on your computer, and lights up in a cool blue when powered on. Now don’t expect tube-amp quality sound from this thing – it only cranks out an anemic 0.35W per channel, and frequency range is spec’d at just 100Hz to 10kHz. Hoo-boy. I think my old Sony Walkman can do more than that through its headphones. Good thing it only costs ¥2,280 (appx. $25 USD).

So now that I’ve got you all excited to buy one,  you’ll have to head on over to Japan’s Rakuten if you want one of these. I think I’ll stick with my slightly less crappy computer speakers for now.

[via AV Watch]

---

categories: audio  home entertainment  technology

tags: amp cheap japan metal sound speaker tube usb vacuum tube

December 24th, 2009 comment stumble it! digg it! by: technabob

---