We’ve seen these tube-based iPod amps before, and they’re sexy, and there’s also no doubt that in general tube amplification sounds far, far better than transitorized audio. But here’s the thing: the music on you iPod is digitized anyway, will playing it back through an analog, tubed amp make it sound any better, really?

I shouldn’t think so. MP3 compression at the source would actually be more discernible coming from a tube amp, I’d wager. Maybe if you were dealing with uncompressed WAV files, which the iPod supports, it’d be better, but it’d still be digital audio through an analog amp, garbage in, garbage out and all of that.

Or am I wrong? Have any of you readers used one of these style analog tube docks? I’d love to know if there’s any real difference, we can put this debate to bed.

Vintage iPod Tube Amp/Chargerpad [Herrington]