technabob » vacuum tube

neuhaus t-2 usb tube amplifier: simply expensive. I meant exquisite.

lambert v. — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:53:50 +0000

Neuhaus Laboratories designed the T-2 with ease of use in mind, but of course with the high quality audio output that we’ve come to expect from Neuhaus. Okay I admit this is the first time I’ve heard of them. But they seem legit, packing 8 vacuum tubes in a simple yet tasteful case, with only 2 self-explanatory knobs to mess with – volume and audio source.

The T-2 has a stereo output of 20 W. It connects to your players via gold-plated RCA jacks as well as USB, and its speaker connectors are gold plated as well. The T-2 also has a headphone jack, so you can enjoy the concert quality audio and go deaf in style. An integrated “Slow Power On” feature preserves the life of the amp’s parts by – wait for it – dary. I meant by forcing the amp to power up slowly.

The T-2’s steel cover and side panels are actually removable, so you can stare at the tubes unimpeded if you wish.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

You can read the rest of the specs and also purchase the T-2 at Neuhaus’ website. The amp sells for $795 (USD). Analog ain’t cheap.

[via Uncrate]

arch audio t2 vacuum tube radio plays am, fm, mp3, wma

technabob — Tue, 19 May 2009 12:20:59 +0000

I was making the regular rounds of my favorite Asian technology sites when I came across this intriguing hybrid of modern and classic technologies.

The Arch Audio T2 radio combines the warm analog sounds of a tube-based amplifier with the modern digital sounds of MP3 and WMA files. The radio features a beautiful retro-inspired case, but is timeless enough to blend into any 21st century decor.

Just plug your SD/MMC or USB flash drive into the front of the T2 radio and you’ll be listening to your latest digital tracks. If you’re feeling more analog, of course, there’s built-in AM and FM tuners, controlled by a nifty orange backlit manual dial to remind you of the olden days of radio. While the T2 has a beefy (for its size) 15-watt output and a ported MDF-construction speaker enclosure for some extra low-end, the downside is that it’s only got a single (two-way) speaker – so no stereo for you!

Arch Audio also includes a wireless remote that lets you adjust volume, bass and treble, change tracks and flip between inputs (and yes, there’s an AUX input too). This definitely isn’t your grandpa’s old Zenith.

While this unusual radio is made in China, and I discovered it over on a Korean website, the good news is that I managed to find a handful for sale over on eBay. At $339 (USD) they’re not cheap (especially since they sell for about $125 in Korea), but at least the guys selling them are including free shipping to the U.S. for that price. You’ll also need to keep in mind that the T2 runs on 220-volt power, so you’ll need ask the seller for a step-down adapter if you want to use one on 110-volts.

[via Early Adopter]

create your own profanity

alisha k. — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 12:30:35 +0000

If run-of-the-mill, every day profanity just isn’t good enough for you–maybe you’re the type who yells KRAF! when you stub a toe–then you just might be the target market for the Super Electrofluorescent Profanity Machine, which will merrily generate random four-letter words for you at the rate of one per second.

The machine, which was constructed from fluorescent vacuum tubes, also tells time. Just in case you want it to do something slightly less hypnotic but more useful. It is the opposite of cheap at $125, but if you are one of the twelve people with money to burn in this economy, and you’re like me, you might just find this hilariously random and therefore awesome.

The four-letter word generator is available from koolatron’s Etsy site.

rare elektronika-7 vacuum tube clock shows up on ebay

technabob — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:20:43 +0000

When I first spotted this dot-matrix numbers on this clock I thought it was a modern-day blue LED display. But lurking beneath the surface of this timepiece is something far more interesting.

What we actually have here is a very rare Russian relic from the early 1980s. The Elektronika-7 (Электроника-7) clock was built using vacuum tubes, not LEDs to drive its unique bluish-green display.

The old industrial clock uses 16 segmented tubular vacuum fluorescent displays (VFDs) to form its digits.

This extreme rarity can be yours if you manage to score the winning bid in the next few hours (currently at $150 plus shipping). Check out the auction over on eBay for more details.