[Niteshade]

Niteshade Audio Dual Mono 6L6 Stereo Power Amp, Classic Series

Some people like mono blocks and others like stereo configurations. Our present design will allow the benefits of both to be present and then some. I like this amp because it's so overbuilt. In fact, the vintage transformers came from a matched pair of  mono block amps. The outputs are large, and are the mass of most 60 watt transformers. Extra laminations and copper equate to splendid linearity and efficient energy transfer between tube and speaker.

There will be no stopping this amp. She runs extremely cool and quiet. No stress means great sounding music and a very,very long life. Our two most valuable controls are included: Tunable biasing and Variable feedback. Finding the operational sweet spot of the tubes is easy- meters and measurements are unnecessary. Variable feedback allows precision system tuning by allowing the amp to exactly match up to your speakers.

Dual mono designs are not too popular commercially. They're very expensive to build and time consuming. I doubt you will locate another any time soon. Was it worth it to make? Absolutely! This 50 pound amp provides an incredible sound stage and also displays its strength through sheer speed and ultra high resolution. Complex music will not slow her down one iota. This amp will be your favorite and is a fantastic collector's item.

Price: $1875.00 plus $35.00 reduced shipping to the Lower 48.

[Niteshade]

I made a special amp last year and you might remember it- a big red one with a massive Baldwin power transformer. The dual mono amp shown here is within the same quality class. Dual power transformers provide a tremendous amount of current and run coolly.  The amp actually drives higher than 30 watts, so this is a conservative rating. Output iron is oversize and is nearly the same mass as 60 watt transformers. This is not your run of the mill amp.

[Niteshade]

Thirty watts per channel is an understatement. There is enough power to produce an easy 60 watts/channel with the power supply configuration we chose. With that kind of backing and extra-large output iron, you're going to have the time of your life. Excellent speaker control at low frequencies, superbly defined highs and mids justify the weight. All iron is extremely high quality, American made. This is a very,very rare amp configuration designed solely for high performance.

[Niteshade]

Up to 25% off with trade-ins!

We'll take any audio gear! All solid state & electro-mechanical items must be in good working condition. Tube amps are welcome dead or alive.

It's a great chance to upgrade and get a true classic, rare amplifier. There are no too many dual mono amplifiers made with vintage very large American made transformers. Performance is exactly the same as mono blocks, but it takes up 50% less space.  Friendly with vintage 6L6's too! If you like the HK Citation II or Marantz 8B, you will love this amp. The sound quality is amazing!

Have something to get rid of that is worth 25% of the listed price? We'll gladly accept it.

[Niteshade]

I never mentioned how a new design is brought fourth and perfected. Designing amplifiers is thrilling and actually fun. Sure, it's hard work and involves considerable resources. With that in mind, it has to pay off. Have you ever watched a movie through a two channel system? Movies have complicated soundtracks, even many of the old westerns are complex. Just the other day I was watching a John Wayne film, El Dorado. That was a fairly busy movie. Plenty going on and a multitude of  scene styles. One of the biggest jobs an amplifier has is to break down what is coming through it and present it with real-time accuracy. Think of an amp as a kind of demultiplexer. A demux's job is to separate and route. A single audio channel can have hundreds of things going on. People talking, glasses sliding on a bar, a piano playing (with its multiple strings being struck). It adds up fast, even in a western.  I want the sound from my speakers to be readily identified and in sync with what is on the screen.  I am not talking about mouth and speech delays. I am referring to seeing something happen and being able to hear it clearly, in fine detail, as if I were there in person.  Sometimes it's the simple things that draw your attention. A knock on a door that sounds like your door. I was fascinated by the sound of John Wayne walking across a saloon floor and hearing the grit, concisely and precisely being crushed under his boots. Audio and video has to work in unison to bring a movie inside your living room. Demuxing is not easy for an amplifier. There can't be any bottlenecks creating undue compression. Parts cannot be mismatched that can boost or attenuate specific frequencies.  Just like a high performance engine, amplifiers have to be tuned. Tubes do not like to be under driven any more than over driven. Power supplies have to be swift, clean and have good recovery times (regulation). Most of all, sound doesn't want to wade through a sea of components, complex feedback circuits, complicated phase inverters nor multiple amplification stages. I thought you should know how I view what an amplifier's job is, what I look for in designing my gear and how good designs are critiqued.

I know it can be tough choosing an amplifier. Knowing the designer's ideals is a step in the right direction. Knowing how those intentions are carried through is more important. My engineering philosophy is conservative. Circuits should be made to perform optimally with as few components as possible. For a system to work well, it has to be balanced without the aid of multiple 'crutches'. Think of it this way- you don't fix a scale that's leaning one way by applying a constant pressure in the opposite direction. That adds more parts. Instead, you find out why the scale is unbalanced and balance it so it works properly. Amplifier circuits are no different. I don't like crutches. I like circuits that perform their jobs precisely. Such a philosophy does add up to more time in research and development. The balance must always be level without aid.

It's been nice chatting with you! 

[Niteshade]

Dual mono is a GREAT way to go if you'd like to see what the next level of performance is like, but do not have room for two mono blocks. The iron on here is worth a fortune and it's huge. I don't know who gets this- but whoever does, it will most likely be your last amp.

[Niteshade]

Sale Pending....