fatman carbon 2 - is it good enough as a hifi amp?

[admin_exported]

Hi all,  

Currently, I have a cyrus setup:
8x
prex vs
2x smart power+ running in mono

and some spendor s5e floorstanders, 87db 8ohm.

I really like my setup, as mono blocks with pre-amp and the cables i use i get a very highly detailed sound, very good timing and the pre-amp and mono's with cables take the brightness down a touch.

However, i love the analogue, warm sound too - valve's normally produce this sound but i dont want to sell my cyrus to replace it with a v.expensive tube amp - i still really like my cyrus gear. So i'm looking to just dip my toe in the valve water again but i still want VERY good detailed sound. 

 

I am therefore very interested in a fatman carbon 2. Could i really use this £250 valve amp to give me warm, analogue yet hifi detailed sound? In my situation i won't be using souly as an mp3 dock which it is advertised as and people only ever really talk about is as an ipod dock.
I will be using it with my cyrus cd8x which is normally a very detailed and decent cdp. So i'm seeing this fatman as an amp to sit along side my hifi kit not an MP3 dock. Even though the various ipods in our house will be used on it and possibly my DAP with FLAC or squeezebox. 

Can it really cut the mustard? Is it just suited to making mp3's sound good or will it really compliment a cdp like the 8x and drive my fairly effecient spendors and make the music sound audiophile superb?

 

 

[drummerman]

Hi Oldskoo1. The Carbon is not a pure valve amplifier, it simply uses valves in the pre-amp stage. The rest is conventional solid state.

It does sound nice with some Rega's, giving some of that bloom that many associate with tube amplifiers. It's no miracle amp though and I'd be very surprised if you're happy with it as a permanent replacement for your current system. It does after all only cost little.

Regards

 

[Anonymous]

I'm going to have a listen to it at the weekend and might just go for it just for the crack.ÿ

ÿI know its not fully valve but for £250 its wort ha punt i think.ÿ

ÿ

Anyone else got any views?

ÿ

Because of what you said i definatly wont go for the 182 and 252 the more expensive fatmans. If i find the carbon 2 to be any good i might upgrade after a while.

ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

Well i've changed my mind.ÿ

I think i'm going to go with the fatman 182, which is pure valve, class a i believe.

ÿ

Its only 18w per channel - do you think it will drive my spendors at 87db?

ÿ

I've only listened to the carbon, briefly and even though its a hybrid i can see why people rave. I'm expecting the 182 to be v.nice! Don't forget i'm after a pleasing, musical sound not the ultimate detail. I'm sure the 182 is v.good. ÿ