T L Audio FATMAN iTube MkII User manual

USER MANUAL
ENGLISH
iTube MkII Valve Ampli er
This 25 watt class-leading award-winner now
features a USB input.
iTube MkII Valve Ampli er
Fatman by tL audio

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iTube MkII Valve Amplier
iTube MkII Valve Amplier
In the box .................................................................3
Safety instructions.................................................4
Amplifier connections .........................................5
Speaker connections ...........................................6
Connecting the ValveDock ................................7
Front and back controls ......................................8
Remote control ......................................................9
Dr Feelgood - symptoms and cures ............ 10
Specifications ...................................................... 12
Service.................................................................... 12
From us, to you…
We’d like to congratulate you on your excellent taste in choosing the Fatman iTube
MkII by TL Audio. We’ve put many, many years of audio engineering experience
and a whole lot of love into bringing you a marvel of modern engineering that will
enhance your listening experience, and in its own small way, your life.
To make sure you get the best performance from your system please read this
owner’s manual thoroughly and use your iTube MkII only in accordance with its
instructions. Treat it well, and it should reward you with many years of loyal service
and excellent sound quality.
Contents
Fatman by tL audio

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USER MANUAL
ENGLISH
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Here’s what you’ll find inside
• iTube MkII Vacuum Tube Amplifier
• iTube MkII iPod ValveDock
• High quality, directional Speaker Cables
• Audio Cable - Connects the iTube MkII amplifier to the iPod ValveDock
• Aux Audio Cable - connects another source like a phone, MP3 player, CD player or computer.
• Video Cable - connects your iTube MkII to your television
• Remote Control - Use the Fatman Remote Control to play, pause, forward, rewind, shuffle and more
In the box

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iTube MkII Valve Amplier
iTube MkII Valve Amplier
They’re Important, So Please Read Carefully!
Please DO...
• Keep these instructions in a safe place for future
reference - you may need ‘em.
• The iTube MkII works best on a clean, dry and flat
surface. Try it, you’ll see.
• The iTube MkII needs room to breathe, so make
sure its new home has adequate ventilation. Don’t
put it on beds, sofas, rugs, enclosed bookcases /
cabinets or anywhere else where its ventilation
may be obstructed and it can overheat.
• Make sure that your iTube MkII is connected to the
correct power supply as indicated on the unit.
• Unplug your iTube MkII when it’s not in use for a
long period (we’re talking days, not hours).
• Always make sure power cables are placed safely
and not obstructing a walkway.
• If you move your iTube MkII from a cool to a warm
place, condensation may form on the surface of
the vacuum tube. It’s nothing to worry about, but
allow 1 hour before you switch it on again. This will
avoid leakage or a blow-out of the vacuum tube
due to too much sudden heat.
• You really should get your iTube MkII serviced by
an authorised service engineer if:
1. The power supply or cord is damaged
2. It drops or is struck by a falling object
3. It’s exposed to rain or moisture
4. Liquid is spilt on it
5. It’s not operating normally or shows a sudden
change in performance
Please DON’T...
• Don’t put your iTube MkII anywhere near water – it
hates it. So avoid placing it near bathtubs, sinks,
washing machines, swimming pools, saunas,
jacuzzis, kettles, precariously balanced pints of beer
etc.
• Expose it to direct sunlight or to extremes of
temperature or humidity.
• Don’t leave it near direct heat sources such as
radiators, stoves, gas fires, naked flames or candles.
• Never drop the unit. It’s delicate, so don’t apply
excessive force to the controls or place heavy
objects on top of it either.
• Don’t let too much dust gather on your iTube
– give it a regular wipe with a soft dry cloth. If
necessary, use a slightly damp cloth but DO NOT
use solvents.
• The iTube MkII has valves, and they can get hot.
Don’t touch the tubes and keep away from babies
and children.
• Don’t try to remove the cover or the back - there
are no user-serviceable parts, and you don’t want
to risk an electric shock.
NOTE: Any unauthorised changes or modifications
to this equipment render the manufacturer’s warranty
null and void.
Safety Instructions

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• Before connecting anything to or from your iTube
MkII, switch OFF the power to the iTube MkII and
to the components you want to connect.
• Make sure that all connections between the iTube
and other components are made correctly, so
L(left) goes to L, R(Right) to R, + to + and - to -.
Don’t forget to refer to the owner’s manual of each
component that you want to connect.
• Always turn OFF the power switches when you’re
connecting or disconnecting from the mains.
• Disconnect the power supply from the mains if
you’re not planning to use your iTube MkII for a
while eg holidays.
• Any speakers you connect should have an
impedance of 4-8 ohms – if it’s not written on the
back of the speaker, check with the manufacturer.
Amplifier Connections

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iTube MkII Valve Ampli er
iTube MkII Valve Ampli er
• Connect to your speakers using high quality, bare
(stripped) speaker wire. If your speaker wires are
not connected properly you may hear no sound at
all, or if the wires are mixed up, it will sound weird
with a disturbing loss of bass.
• When using bare speaker wires, fit at least 1.6mm
of insulation inside the speaker terminals
so that there’s no bare wire showing.
• Make sure the wire holders are firmly screwed in to
stop the wires from becoming loose. If wires touch, the
speakers or the unit could be damaged. That’s bad.
Speaker Connections

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Connecting the ValveDock
Backrest
LED
Power Indicator
S-Video
Video Out Power
Line Outputs
Red is right channel, White is left channel
Video Output
Connect the video cable (yellow) from the video
output connector (yellow) of the iTube to the video
input (you guessed it, probably yellow) of your TV.
Audio Output
Connect the audio cable from the twin audio outputs
of your CD player or other source to the audio inputs
of the iTube.
S-Video Output
Use an S-Video cable (not included, sorry) to connect
the S-Video output of your iTube to the S-Video input
of your TV.
Power input
Connect the supplied power cable between your
iTube and the mains supply.
Remote power
Use the on switch on the remote control to turn
on your iTube MkII.

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iTube MkII Valve Amplier
iTube MkII Valve Amplier
• Power switch
Press to on for power - the
indicator will light up while
the power is on. Later on, try
pressing it off to give it a rest.
• Source
For switching between
different sound sources –
iPod dock, CD player, pre-amp,
external DAC, whatever.
• Volume control
Full control - you can turn it
up… or you can turn it down.
The Front
Note: Before you switch on, set the volume control to the lowest
setting to avoid damage to the speakers. Just in case you don’t, the
speaker-protection circuit will mute the volume for a few seconds
after the power is switched on.
Speaker
Outputs
AC Power
Input
Voltage
switch
Source VolumePower Switch
USB
Input
5 MINUTE RULE!
Your iTube MkII
should only
be re-started 5
minutes after
switching off to
avoid damaging
the tubes.
The Back
Line Inputs
Red is right channel, White is left channel

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• iPod control
Some iPod functions can be controlled using the iTube MkII’s remote.
Play/pause song Press play/pause
Turn off iPod Press and hold ‘Play’
Skip to next song Press ‘Next/fast forward’
Start a song again Press ‘Previous/rewind’ once
Play previous song Press ‘Previous/rewind’ twice
Fast forward song Press and hold ‘Next/fast forward’
Rewind a song Press and hold ‘Previous/rewind’
The Remote Control
Power On/Off
Stop
SelectMenu
Menu Down
Mute
Backlight
Previous
Play/Pause
Shuffle
RepeatMenu Up
Volume
Bass Treble Next

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iTube MkII Valve Ampli er
iTube MkII Valve Ampli er
Your iTube MkII should give you years of trouble-free
audio fitness, but if it isn’t performing as it should, it
could be due to one of these simple problems. If you’re
still having trouble, please contact your authorised
dealer or service centre.
Dr Feelgood
SYMPTOM DIAGNOSIS CURE
Won’t turn on when the
POWER switch is pressed
Power adaptor isn’t connected properly Mains supply is off Make sure the power cable is firmly plugged in and mains
is switched on
No sound The volume control is turned all the way to the left
The connection wires are not connected securely to the
INPUT terminals.
Speakers are not connected properly
Turn the control to the right to crank up the volume
Make sure the cords are fully inserted at both ends
Check that the speaker cables are connected correctly (pg4)
No sound from left or right
speaker
One or both speakers are not properly connected
iTube Dock input isn’t properly connected
Check both speaker cables and ensure they’re connected
securely
Check the connections between your source and amplifier
are correctly and firmly connected
The acoustic image is unsta-
ble (sounds unnatural or
weirdly bass light)
The positive and negative polarities of the unit and speak-
ers aren’t matched
Remove the speaker cables and re-connect them correctly
(pg4)
iPod volume doesn’t effect
audio volume
iPod is already at maximum output Use your iTube MkII’s amplifier volume control when your
iPod is docked

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SYMPTOM DIAGNOSIS CURE
Crackling sound from
speakers
Bad connection
A problem with your audio source
Check docking station connection (or the 3.5mm cable con-
nection if using). Make sure it’s using‘line out’‘audio out’or
‘headphone out’from your source, NOT‘speaker out’
Test the 3.5mm cable with another audio source eg CD
player, MP3 player
Sound is distorted Volume level on iTube is too high
Sound source is distorted
Turn it down a bit (well, if it makes it sound better…)
WAV and MIDI files are often poor quality and distortion
sounds worse through a quality system – try a different
audio source eg CD
Radio interference You may be too close to a radio tower Try moving the speakers to different positions
Remote control doesn’t
work
Low battery
Remote’s not in range or pointing the wrong way
Replace battery
Point the remote at the dock from no more than 20ft
distance
TV cannot display Bad connection
iPod video set up is incorrect
Check dock connection.
Check iPod video set up
SYMPTOM DIAGNOSIS CURE
Won’t turn on when the
POWER switch is pressed
Power adaptor isn’t connected properly Mains supply is off Make sure the power cable is firmly plugged in and mains
is switched on
No sound The volume control is turned all the way to the left
The connection wires are not connected securely to the
INPUT terminals.
Speakers are not connected properly
Turn the control to the right to crank up the volume
Make sure the cords are fully inserted at both ends
Check that the speaker cables are connected correctly (pg4)
No sound from left or right
speaker
One or both speakers are not properly connected
iTube Dock input isn’t properly connected
Check both speaker cables and ensure they’re connected
securely
Check the connections between your source and amplifier
are correctly and firmly connected
The acoustic image is unsta-
ble (sounds unnatural or
weirdly bass light)
The positive and negative polarities of the unit and speak-
ers aren’t matched
Remove the speaker cables and re-connect them correctly
(pg4)
iPod volume doesn’t effect
audio volume
iPod is already at maximum output Use your iTube MkII’s amplifier volume control when your
iPod is docked
SYMPTOM
DIAGNOSIS
CURE
Crackling sound from
Bad connection
Check docking station connection (or the 3.5mm cable con-

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iTube MkII Valve Amplier
In accordance with our policy of continuous development, we reserve the right to change specifications without notice. Photographs are
for illustration only and actual product may vary. E&OE.
iPod / iPhone not included. iPod is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc.
Compatible with iPhone (2G, 3G, 3GS), iPod Nano (3rd, 4th, 5th Gen), iPod Touch, iPod Classic
Fatman by tL audio
[email protected] www.fat-man.co.uk
Max output power: 25Wx2
Frequency response: 20Hz-20KHz (±1.5dB)
Distortion: ≤0.5%
Signal to noise ratio: ≥86dB
Input sensitivity: 200mV
Input impedance: 100KΩ
Output impedance: 4Ω /8Ω
iTube MkII Size (WxHxD): 260mm x 145mm x 130mm
ValveDock (WxHxD): 155mm x 130mm x 123mm
Weight: 4.3kg
Tubes: 6N1 x 2, 6E2 x 1
Type of amp: Hybrid
Inputs: RCA pair x 1, USB x 1
Specification
Please contact your local authorised dealer or reseller.
Service