DS Audio TB-100 Tube Phono Equalizer

HiFi News found the TB-100 more open and transparent than the solid-state energisers, with music separated clearly while retaining a coherent whole. The review also heard an in-room sense of presence and freedom from artifice, though it does not directly assess hum or hiss at high gain.

The valve equaliser's strongest appeal is its natural, involving tonal character. Vocals were said to be markedly more lifelike and natural than through the solid-state models, and Dylan's performance conveyed striking in-the-room presence.

The TB-100 delivers convincing mass and power, and its presentation remains musically persuasive. However, HiFi News found transient attack slightly slower and the lowest registers less slam-heavy than the solid-state energisers.

HiFi News praised an especially open and deftly separated presentation, making individual voices easy to follow without pulling the image apart or creating a hole in the middle. Positioning stayed coherent, and the spatial improvement was likened to a major system upgrade.

This is a dedicated energiser/equaliser for DS Audio optical cartridges, with one RCA input for a single compatible turntable. It must not be used with conventional MM or MC cartridges, although users can choose standard RIAA output or a 20Hz subsonic-filtered output and select 30Hz or 50Hz bass roll-off.

The TB-100 uses a dual-mono arrangement with independent grounding and power transformers for each channel to reduce crosstalk. Its four exposed, carefully matched ECC82 valves and separate amplification and buffering duties suggest a thoughtfully executed tube design, though the review offers little comment on long-term durability.

At £17,500, the TB-100 is a substantial specialist purchase positioned below the middle of DS Audio's energiser/equaliser range. HiFi News presents it as a complementary, softer-sounding option alongside the far cheaper DS-E3 rather than making a strong claim that it is a standout value against alternatives.