Schiit Audio’s New $99 Tube Buffer, Buf

Schiit Audio has never been shy about rethinking how and where tubes belong in modern systems, and its latest announcement—centered around a new concept called “Buf”—continues that pattern. Introduced as part of the company’s “Tubes Anywhere” initiative, Buf is positioned less as a traditional component and more as a modular building block: a compact, affordable buffer stage designed to bring tube functionality into places it typically hasn’t gone before at this price point.

At its core, Buf is a small, standalone tube buffer intended to be inserted into a signal chain without the complexity—or cost—of a full tube preamp or amplifier. The idea is straightforward: give users a way to incorporate tubes into a wider range of systems, including solid-state rigs, desktop setups, or even unconventional configurations, without requiring a wholesale change in architecture. In that sense, Buf reflects Schiit’s broader design philosophy, which has long emphasized modularity and user-driven system building. 

From a market perspective, this is an interesting move. Tube-based products have typically required a degree of commitment—both financially and in terms of system matching—that can limit their appeal. By contrast, a low-cost, modular buffer opens the door to experimentation. At roughly $99, Buf sits firmly in entry-level territory, lowering the barrier to entry for users curious about tube integration without positioning itself as a permanent placement like a power amplifier or even a pre.

Optional tube implementation has been a pretty central theme to most of Schiit’s analog options. They have offered solid state “tubes” in the past that allow for even their fully tube-based pre amplifiers to go solid, if the users desire. Now the inverse can be true as well.

Full release below.

More info: Schiit Audio Buf

“TUBES ANYWHERE
Introducing Buf, a flexible, affordable tube buffer

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.”