Tubes Anywhere

 

April 29, 2026, Corpus Christi, Texas. Schiit Audio announced today the immediate availability of Buf, a $99 tube buffer designed to wreck the measurements of high-measuring gear (and perhaps bring some musical enjoyment back into that kinda gear).

 

“That’s cheeky, but essentially correct,” said Jason Stoddard, immediately after writing the above words. “Buf is a tube buffer. It adds a ton of low-order harmonic distortion, without adding a bunch of noise. It destroys the big perfect of ‘measurement gear.’ At the same time, lots of people, including those who use Audio Precisions all day, think it sounds better. So we figured we’d make this thing and let you find out for yourself.”

 

Despite its low price, Buf isn’t a toy. It’s a serious tube buffer, with 100V on the plate, 100% linear power supply, high-end parts like Panasonic film caps, and unique Schiit Coherence™ topology, which maintains absolute phase and even allows for switchable gain.

 

“It’s not just another cathode follower,” explained Jason Stoddard. “It’s more akin to our Lyr and Vali tube amps, but it’s different than both—a simple Class A stage optimized for line level use, rather than driving headphones.”

 

Buf connects into virtually any system—RCA in, RCA out—and is easily bypassably simply by turning it off. When turned off, Buf connects the inputs directly to the outputs with a relay, a complete bypass.

 

Unlike many tube buffers, at any price, Buf also allows for gain. Buff offers either 0dB or 12dB of gain, selectable via a front panel switch. This allows for more flexibility in many systems. 

 

Like all Schiit products, Buf is made in the USA on our own SMD assembly line in Corpus Christi, Texas. The chassis is made in California.

 

Buf is backed by an industry-leading 3-year warranty, excluding the tube, which is covered by a 90-day warranty.

 

Buf is available now at schiit.com for $99.

 

 

Since its founding in 2010, Schiit has grown to be the leader in affordable high-end audio, with a broad portfolio of unique analog and digital technologies spanning a wide range of products, from DACs and preamps to power and headphone amps, from $49 to $3499.

Schiit's unique digital technologies include Forkbeard™, the unified control, visualization, and optimization platform; Singular™, Multiform™, True Multibit™, and Mesh™ DACs, using proprietary digital filters based on closed-form math, Unison USB™, a purpose-built UAC2 audio interface based on 32-bit Microchip microprocessors, and Autonomy Architecture™, a modular, upgradable platform to help customers preserve the value of their DAC investment.

 

Schiit's unique analog architectures include the Nexus™ discrete differential topology, Continuity™ transconductance-equalizing output stages, Coherence™ DC-coupled hybrid topology, Halo™ mixed-mode motion feedback, and a focus on proprietary, low- or no-feedback, fully discrete, highly linear gain and power stages. 

 

Schiit designs and produces its products in the USA, including on our own dedicated SMD assembly line in Corpus Christi, Texas.

 

Denise Martin, [email protected]