Grace Digital Drops iPod Tube Amp

The PA-40Ti pumps your iPod's meager output up to 40 watts with that venerable relic of sound reproduction, the tube amplifier.

If there’s something appealing about contradiction in design, Grace Digital Audio has definitely tapped into it with its new Lars & Ivan Hybrid iPod dock, yet another dock to combine 21^st century digital music compression with a method of amplification from the first half of the last century.  The PA-40Ti, as appears in Grace’s catalog, is an iPod dock mated to a 40-watt tube amp.

The hump-shaped device features an iPod dock at its apex, straddling two glass tubes that poke out from the curvature of the box. The face of the unit has machined dials for source selection and volume, plus a power button and stereo headphone jack.  On the back, there are connections for both stereo speakers and a subwoofer, along with video output.

The Lars & Ivan Hybrid comes in both silver and grey, and runs for $449.99 through Grace Digital Audio’s Web site.