[Niteshade]

If you have a tube amp hanging around and don't like the sound or it's damaged- we can make a new amplifier from it using a low power push-pull circuit. Our 5-Tube design does sound different than standard push-pull architecture.  It's for people who want an efficient amplifier running in class A, do not want the heat and enjoy the virtues of single ended and push-pull amplification. It's right in between sonically!

Providing your own iron shaves hundreds off the price. New 5-Tube LPPP (Low Power Push-Pull) amplifiers can be made as well, of course.

If you've tried single ended amps and push pull amps- here's something new. The end of the rope hasn't been reach yet!

If this isn't for you, please visit our web site. 

I'd like to hear from you if you've got questions!

[Niteshade]

I like tube technology because tube equipment can be designed around minimalist, efficient circuits and can be point to point wired. There is no need to use printed circuits and tube gear holds its value better over long periods of time.

Not all tube gear is created equal. Tube amplifiers can be made with an extremely high degree of sonic accuracy. Many believe more so than a solid state amplifier.

In all fairness, there are extremely good solid state amplifiers and it has been said that prime examples of both technologies are indistinguishable from each other.  I believe this to be a true statement.  That said, I do believe that the sonic performance per dollar award on the economy end of the spectrum goes to tube technology.

If I were to purchase an amplifier, I would choose a  tube amplifier that was point to point wired. I would want the amplifier to be made from easy to locate components as well. I would want it voiced as transparent as possible, fast and engaging. 

I would choose this tube amplifier over the best solid state amplifier in the world because I know it would retain its value over the decades, be easy to refurbish even after 40 years and be incredibly reliable.  Not only that- but tubes are user serviceable. If a tube goes bad, **I** can replace it! What's more precious that that?

Longevity and ease of repair should always be large factors in determining what kind of equipment to purchase.

[Niteshade]

Yeah- I can do without these. 

The empitome of our throw away society

[Niteshade]

Things to avoid when purchasing tube equipment:

1] Printed circuits
2] Amps with integrated circuits installed
3] High levels of negative feedback
4] Difficult to adjust bias systems
5] Extraordinarily elaborate enclosures (flashy amps cost ALLOT more or sonics can be compromised if they don't)
6] Cheap amps with potted transformers (transformers overheat due to bad potting material)
7] Amps that look hard to open up (they usually look GREAT, but opening them is a pain and usually causes cosmetic damage)
8] Amps with glued down capacitors (filter caps HAVE to be clamped if they are not mounted to a printed circuit board)

I am going to harp on my dislike of printed circuits with tube technology. They are necessary for some applications and it would be illogical to dispute that.

Did you know that early solid state amplifiers were point to point wired? 

The same printed circuit technology lies within a $50.00 boombox or a $5,000 amplifier. The board material might change if you are lucky. Overall, both items are assembled at least 90% the same.  Printed circuits were designed because many new technologies are complex. They make mass production easier due to reduced assembly time. The best tube gear is not mass produced. I would believe if one were to purchase something special, they would want it made extraordinarily well and not run of the mill. I DO NOT want something designed to cheapen assembly in my expensive tube gear.

Completing the sentence: I like tube technology because I can easily find tube gear that does not fit the list of "Things to avoid when purchasing tube equipment".  There are 8 things to avoid on that list and it's easy to do.

Sounding good is only half the battle. If your investment is made cheaply, I don't care how good it sounds! It's worthless to me.

[Niteshade]

Why tubes? aka: Fire Bottles

Over the past few days people have been discussing tube and transistors to great lengths and it's been very enjoyable to read.

More later...

[Niteshade]

Ok- I had to have some time to digest all the posts. 

Here is a fact: A tube amplifier can be designed to sound like whatever you want. All that hinders performance is how much you want to pay for it.  Ok- That wasn't quite right, but mostly correct: Good circuits have to be implemented or else that pile of expensive parts and eye candy won't do a thing for you.

In a nutshell- what makes fire bottles alluring is the massive amount of component AND circuit options available to you. I will expand on this theme over time.

Fact #2: Tube Amplifiers do NOT have to have a signature! They can have precise bass control, they do not have to sound overly warm, etc,etc,etc... These are wives tales! Every bit of it! Don't let anybody tell you differently. This is just unbiased fact. Most amplifier limitations, no matter what's under the hood driving them is due to the design that ties everything together. 

Tube technology does have many inherent positive qualities that solid state technology does not have at present- but I do believe SS technology will catch up. I am not against transistors, I just don't like most of what I see now....  FYI: All I ever designed and worked on was solid state technology in college. 

[Niteshade]

What fire bottles have to offer:

A] Amplifiers up to 2KW can be made with ONLY 4 power tubes per channel! (1KW per channel!!)
B] What sound signature do you want? Don't want any or very little? That can be arranged.
C] Do you like to be spared the expense of repair shops just because a transistor blew, that could possibly take out at least 50% of the amp?
D] Point to Point Wiring

That list is small but it conveys volumes. Topic "B" includes circuit design, multiple topologies and a MASSIVE choice of components at your disposal. Tube technology is about choice. Too many choices can boggle the mind- but I dislike people believing that a tube amp or preamp cannot sound the way they want it to. That's not true. Actually, that's completely impossible.

Fact "A" represents something people rarely know about. There are tubes that can process MASSIVE amounts of power and they do it better than any other technology. High power tube amps do not always look like pinball machines. Far from it. Want a tube amp that can smoke a planar array with ease? It can be done. Smoking your speakers isn't wise- I'm just stating that difficult to drive loads are not an issue.

"C" Refers to the the ease of which tubes can be replaced. All you do is pull them out of their sockets. No soldering iron required. The amp does not have to be opened up. (For people new to tube amplification.)  Tubes do not go bad often unless they are defective from the factory or the amplifier is set up improperly. Well designed tube amplifiers rarely go bad in and of themselves.

Point to point wiring is an absolute necessity for tube amplifiers and preamplifiers. (Read previous posts.)  Not to beat up on the dead horse too much more- I still have to get in that point to point wiring is ***THE BEST WAY** to wire tube equipment. Again, it has to be done right just like anything else.

If you're going to spend thousands on a good audio system- learn how it's made. As I stated in an earlier post- the sound doesn't mean a hill of beans if it's constructed poorly and/or made from substandard materials. Tube technology currently offers people amps and preamps with superior construction standards and a wide array of the highest quality construction components available.

Just because something has tubes in it doesn't mean it's wonderful or superior in any way.  Circuits and build quality denote the value of tube equipment.

[Niteshade]

By stereotyping I'm talking about generalizations brought upon by poor tube amplifier examples.

What I have heard people mention:
Heavy signature
Mushy sound
Poor speaker control
Muted high end
Too bassy/boomy
Sounds warm
Runs too hot
Tubes blow too often
Biasing is a pain
This "Bloom" thing.... Everybody has a different perspective on exactly what bloom is....oh well.

Guess What!?! I **AGREE** that there are amplifiers that have one or more of these qualities. It's an undeniable fact. 

All tube amplifiers cannot be judged by this list. Many can, but not all!

There are many circuit implementations to use. I have made amplifiers purposely with signatures and purposely without them. I have made amplifiers that can extract the tonality of specific tubes placed in them and ones where you can't tell much of a difference, no matter what's plugged in it.

I don't like it when tubes generate allot of heat. Heat dissipation can be controlled through proper spacing and by designing the circuit so it doesn't stress the tubes.

Tubes blowing too often: Either the amplifier is causing it or the tube was defective. Most tube failures are from gas accumulation. This causes hissing/popping noises and with power tubes the plates will glow red at a bias point where they never did before, some will have thermal runaway problems as a result.   Never purchase cheap tubes. Get ones that most people say they have had good luck with. Read reviews. Many people believe NOS tubes are the best. While I believe many are excellent, I strongly urge you to look for good NEW tubes that cost less. Good tubes can last for years. Never spend too much on tubes (unless you want to!).  If there is a justifiable quality difference in between, say a $40 and $80 tube, then try it out. I would hope the $80 one will last at least 2x's as long. Again- do some research.

Much of the list has to do with signature tonality. Let's revisit that:
Tubes in general do not have to sound like anything, as I alluded to earlier.  I personally prefer amplifiers that are broad banded, linear, transparent and have good speaker control. One of the best ways to obtain good speaker control is to have a well regulated power supply.  Another approach is through the use of feedback circuits. Large power supplies that use solid state diodes will provide the best HV regulation and promote good speaker control. 

The  "warm" generalization: A "FAT" tone is something else you may have heard about.  It's an esoteric tone and some people like it. If the amp is not purposely made to sound this way, it's generally due to an overloaded/weak tube rectifier. Output transformer characteristics, feedback circuits and power supply design have allot to do with this tone.

Muted high end: Created by too much negative feedback. Some designers in an effort to promote a higher damping factor will ramp up the feedback ratio. It's called, "Robbing Peter to Pay Paul". Sacrifices were made, compromises are the result.

Biasing: YUCK! Right? Only DC biased amplifiers have to be biased. Cathode biasing is 100% automatic. DC biasing is a pain when you're told to use a volt meter and a tiny screwdriver to make minute adjustments. Because this is something very specific to my work, let's just say it doesn't have to be this way and that is a fact. Cathode biasing is great for amps 30 watts/channel and under. 

Mushiness: That's simple: A poor amplifier design or a speaker issue. Some speaker systems have powered subs or some kind of bass augmentation apparatus. CHECK THIS OUT! A change in amps can mess things up! Amps with more bottom end can mess up bass augmentation systems! In a nutshell, this has to do with upsetting your system's synergy.   As stated above, a poor amplifier design will sound mushy. It's typically a power supply or driver issue. Worn out tubes will do this too.

Bassy/Boomy: Related to mushiness. Typically it's a feedback and/or power supply issue. Poor driver circuits (unbalanced) can cause this too. If the amp isn't right for the speaker, even with a properly made amplifier- this effect can happen. If a speaker has a 'dark' tone and the amp is dark as well- it adds up to a problem. Amp power output and speaker sensitivity should be looked into as well.

Bloom:    Uh....call it what you like.    Define it as you like! I never use the term. I take the term VERY literally and believe it to describe sound staging ability. When a flower blooms, the petals project themselves outward. I don't take it to have anything to do with harmonics, musical misrepresentation,  etc... This is my opinion. I will not use this term because it means too many different things to people. I suggest you not use it either for the same reasons. If somebody speaks of it, ask them to elaborate on the sound they're hearing in more specific terms.

As you can see- stereotyping tube technology is NOT good! There are reasons for everything and as long as the designer knows there are reasons for all these things, they can be controlled.

I forgot to mention: What makes fire bottles alluring is the fact that things we do and do not like can be acted upon to make the BEST amplifier for your sound system/tastes!

FLEXIBILITY! is what tube technology is all about.

[Niteshade]

Flexibility is possible due to the limitless circuit variations and nearly limitless parts combinations. 

We have:
Push Pull
Push-Pull Parallel
Self-Splitting Push Pull
Single Ended
Single Ended Parallel


and all the variations of those basic circuits.

May favorites are push-pull and single ended parallel. These two have the largest number of possibilities because power output does not have to be an issue.  Let's Include Push Pull Parallel in on that too.

Does an efficient amplifier sound better than a less efficient one? That's a poor question because it's too vague.

Let's change it to a statement: An efficient amplifier from 20 watts up WILL perform better than an inefficient 20 watt and up amplifier. Efficient amplifiers do not place as much stress, or demands on their components per watt. Stress is better distributed throughout the entire system. Think of those old railroad cars you see in the movies where two people are working the handle instead of one. Think of a paddle boat with two paddlers instead of one.

Push-Pull amplifiers sound GOOD! Maybe the one(s) you listened to was undesirable, but that does not mean they all sound bad. Push pull amplifiers can be just as clean as single ended amps. In fact, during heavy music demands, they are cleaner. I get questions from time to time about system upgrades and that the individual needs more power, but they would like to stay with a single ended amp. If you want to stay with single ended sound, then a single ended parallel (SEP) configuration is best. I will have a VERY nice example of one soon. The key to clean power is load distribution and that equates to better efficiency.

Single ended amplifiers are great for people who do not require any more than 15 watts per channel. I like them because of the low parts count. They're wonderful if you like expensive tubes! SE amps are often regarded as organic and smooth. They have a good top and bottom end with a non-aggressive tonality. Music flows from a SE amp. To me it's like water from an artesian well, rather than a pumped well.

High power (70 watts & up) is best left to the push pull parallel topology. Typically power demands are split evenly 4 to 6 ways per channel. Due to the large power supply and lower impedance power section, damping factor is naturally increased. Those who crave accuracy, an amp that can drive difficult loads and want good speaker control- here you are. Standard push-pull amplifiers that use two power tubes per channel have good speaker control, but not as much as a push pull parallel circuits. Some designers try to force better control and get it, but at the expense of tone quality. It's not good for force a circuit to do something better left to a different kind of circuit. That last sentence is probably one of the most important things I've said.

I have an entire section on self-splitting push-pull amplifiers. You must likely have already read it. For those who have not, it's the only circuit that's in between a push-pull and single ended design. They have a very linear, clean, transparent output naturally and are far more efficient than single ended amplifiers. They sound more like a standard push-pull, but still have a taste of that single ended silkiness.

I'll get into parts next time. 

[Niteshade]

I select parts that are commercially available on an ongoing basis. Discreet components will never be discontinued. A 5 watt wire wound resistor will be around long after we're all pushing daises. That means specialty components, such as some kind of epoxy covered module designed to do the job of 5 different components or whatever is out of the question.

More later...

[Niteshade]

I always use commercially available discreet components that have a name brand. Anything I make equipment out of is easy to locate and not made by some obscure outfit. Why don't I use the super expensive capacitors, resistors, etc.. in my basic designs? I don't feel their use is always justified. If you're going to buy something from me and ask, "Why on Earth did you spend $100.00 on coupling capacitors?!?" What could I say? Because their reviewed well, because some people can hear a difference? Granted, there are upgrades I can vouch for, but they will be justified.

I do not like cheaply made parts. My background is in electronics manufacturing as well as a few other things. I have been developing circuits and repairing them for over 20 years. Using cheap parts is careless AND stupid. Using parts not well suited for the job at hand to save some money is also not smart.

Capacitors:
There are different kinds of capacitors: There can be several 1uf 300v models as an example. The component modifications are made for either their physical environment or electrical environment. For example: high temperature caps, caps made to handle pulses well, etc...  Tube audio demands a high quality capacitor that's made for a warm environment and capable of handing a wide frequency response linearly. I'm speaking of coupling capacitors. For the power supply, capacitors that can handle surges well are beneficial.  When it comes to coupling caps, I see ALLOT of debating going on! Why don't people ever talk about commercial capacitors? What about Mallory, Vishay, Nichion to name a few?

Did I ever mention that there has NEVER been a support component parts failure on any of my amplifiers? Support components are resistors and capacitors. I had one power transformer go bad, but that was a manufacturer's defect. Not a bad track record for over 5 years in the amp business!

[Niteshade]

This is an extension to the last topic regarding parts selection.

Providing all the parts being used are the appropriate ones for the job AND working within specification, how does an amplifier get its voice?

The circuit provides most of your amplifier's voice. As many of you have and will find out- just because something has tubes in it does not mean its better than something else that's solid state. NEVER buy something just because it has tubes in it! For that matter, never buy something just because it's solid state.  I'm not getting into the tubes vs. transistors debate now. Far from it, in fact.

As I stated in an advertisement for my NS-30, amplification should be advertised from the bottom up. At least 90% of an amplifier's delivery qualities emanate from the design. Yes- an amplifier made with lousy parts can sound much,much,much better (many of them do) than an amp with the best of everything in it. Fresh vegetables mean squat if the cook can't make vegetable soup!

Now- when there's a good circuit AND good parts, the pair is undeniably superior!

I, personally, develop equipment using customized circuits. I do not like the Williamson design, or the Mullard push-pull topology found in a Marantz 8B and a couple of others. A good streamlined circuit is ideal for two reasons:

1. There are fewer components. Shorter signal paths are superior to long ones. Fewer components equate to a lower probability of break downs and there are no stability issues.

2. Modifications and upgrades are easy to accomplish without making a mess of the circuit.

Everything I make is based on circuit streamlining. There is no better design philosophy. I believe point to point wiring is superior to printed circuits. Many people don't care whether their tube amp has printed circuits in it. Don't be one of them! Good point to point wired amplifiers retain their value longer than those made with printed circuits. It's a fact.

Looks like I went off on a tangent.

Part II:

Good sound is dependent on knowing how to get the best performance out what is available to work with. Different amp designs have different parameters to deal with. That means each model has special needs. An example: The EXACT same phase splitter components cannot be used in an NS-50 and an NS-30. Internal voltages are different and that has to be taken into consideration. Output transformers can change based on requests (upgrades, etc...) . Homogeneous designs cannot be used. Amplifiers have to be tuned up and individual attention is necessary. Performance does come form the hart! This is one BIG, ENORMOUS reason why I don't like mass produced amplifiers. If a person loves what they do, what they make will undeniably demonstrate that!

[woodsyi]

Impressive staying power on your soliloquy!

[Niteshade]

This has been a fun project!  People can jump in whenever they want!


How do you get THAT sound?

What we know so far:

1] TLC AKA: Tuneups!!
2] Good parts
3] The right circuit for the job

Next: A good plan!

Design according to your part's strength's! (The word weaknesses was purposely left OUT)  Only think of what your parts can do well. The first word every engineer should have in their vocabulary is improvise. Improvising is not compromising. The word describes how to get what you want out of something even if the parts are not exactly what you had in mind. I see many designs start out with a fear of things that can go wrong. Oh...what a mistake! I'm not talking about safety issues, I'm talking about performance issues. NONONONONONO!!!!! Start out only thinking of your pile of part's POTENTIAL! Sorry- lots of capitols. I know that's supposed to mean shouting to you bulletin board frequenters. I'm not shouting, but trying to impress upon you the importance of destroying 'what-if' statements that have a negative connotation. Did you know improvising can lead to better products?  Let's say you need a 1K resistor but there's only 2K resistors around. The designer will parallel two of these together and make a 1K resistor. There you go! Something better was just created because that resistor assembly can handle twice the current of what was initially saught after (unless they wanted a high wattage 1K, naturally.) You get the point.  That was a very simple example, but it can get considerably more complex.  Improvising is simply finding out how to get what you want without compromise. In fact, the goal should always be to make something better. Remember this: improvise is a cousin to the word improve.   

Efficient designs based on a component's strong points is what makes superior products. 

[Niteshade]

How many of you and your friends know about Niteshade Audio?

We're one of the few companies that prides ourselves on providing amplification that's ALL custom made. Nothing we build is mass produced or comes from Asia.

What constitutes Niteshade Audio:

1. Streamlined circuits that promote high resolution audio
2. 1950's standards industrial build quality- there is nothing better
3. Individual tuneups for every item sold (insures a perfect product)
4. Custom circuits that will provide decades of reliability
5. The highest performance per dollar ratio
6. Custom designs for reasonable prices
7. Guaranteed individuality. There is no better place to get something special
8. We treat our customers the 'old school' way, with respect and one on one consulting

Please view our web site!

[Niteshade]

Just wondering- Have you looked at our web site?

We have amplifiers from 4 watts to 100 watts per channel. Single ended AND  push-pull designs are available! Take a look at our tube preamplifier as well.

Options and Upgrades? Ohhh Yeah! 

Custom work is not a problem.

[Niteshade]

Niteshade Audio Options Guide:

Carbon Composition Resistors: Known for their warmth and naturalness. This was the first mainstream resistor type used within the audio industry.

Choke Based High Efficiency Power Supply:  The optimal way to reduce the amount of AC noise that can reach sensitive parts of the audio circuit. They also increase power supply efficiency by storing energy, much like a capacitor.

Tube Rectification: A great option for those who like a slightly warmer tone. We offer a parallel-tube rectifier circuit as well to double the outgoing current. This is a step towards obtaining that 'classic' tube warmth people talk about.

Integrated W/ Two Switched Inputs: The best method to obtain inputs we know of. A high current toggle switch is used to change inputs instead of a low current rotary switch. This method completely eliminates any noise that can be created by a poor switching network. We also provide the most linear volume control available to make selecting a desirable volume easy.

Tunable Biasing: An approach to biasing that is fun and easy to use. There is no better way to find the power tube's sweet spot than fine tuning it in. Use this option to increase your amplifier's performance and efficiency at the same time. We pre-set the bias and make it easy for you to make fine adjustments.

Variable Loop Feedback: There is no better way to 'sculpt' an amplifier to your preferences. This function takes into consideration your speaker's characteristics and makes it possible to continually adjust the amplifier's feedback to conform to your entire audio system and tastes. Imagine having the ability to change the main characteristics of an amplifier- it's like having hundreds of amps in one! Don't swap the amp, turn the knob instead.

Pentode/Triode Switching: Use this option to go between pentode and triode modes. Many enjoy the ability to switch between the two because both modes have distinct sonic signatures.

Switched Tube or Solid State Rectification: Another method to obtain varying sonic differences from your amplifier. Tube rectification tends to add some warmth. Diode rectification provides better voltage regulation and higher power levels for big tubes (KT-88, etc..). A fantastic way to have it both ways with a flip of a switch. There are times when one mode is more appropriate than another for your listening pleasure.

Tube voltage regulation for driver/voltage amp stages:A method of providing a precise, regulated voltage to the driver and voltage amplification stages. It also 'decouples' these stages from the main power supply providing more sonic accuracy and a level of extra filtering.


There are more too! If you have specific capacitor types, etc... I'll be glad to incorporate them.

[jhm731]

"Cathode biasing is great for amps 30 watts/channel and under."

What biasing do you use on amps over 30 watts/channel?

I tested Mcintosh MC275 Mk.V last year and it ran hot and the SQ was poor.

What do you have in this power range that runs cool and sounds better?

[Freo-1]

Blair,

My favorite sounding vintage gear (for moderate power) are the Fisher integrated amps and receivers.  I've got a Fisher KX-200 that sounds better (to me) than most equipment regardless of price.

What, in your opinion, makes these sound so good, and what do you offer that provides that level of performance?

[James Romeyn]

Blair generously spent about an hour w/ me on the phone.  From that, perusing his web pages related to power amps, word from a user & more, Blair seems like the real deal.  Meaning a reliable & qualified tube amp source for beer budget prices.  A good analogy may be to describe Blair as the tube amp version of Duke LeJeune of AudioKinesis loudspeakers, one of the nicest & most knowledgeable people you'll meet.  I've narrowed my choice to Atma-Shere (highest load sensitivity) or Blair's Niteshade. 

Blair:

A vendor who will remain unamed rebuilds Scott amps employing the small-tube EL84 & says this particular driver tube has certain qualities elevating it to the pantheon of the best tube drivers.  What sayest thou of the EL84, esp in the context of my 30W needs?

Cheers!