Take a look at the new Niteshade Audio NS-40

Niteshade · « **on:** 1 Oct 2010, 02:06 am »

NS-40 Base Model

Dressed in crimson red pearl!

Stay tuned- more photos and information coming up!

Niteshade · « **Reply #1 on:** 1 Oct 2010, 02:19 am »

New modular internal wiring

Mariusz · « **Reply #2 on:** 1 Oct 2010, 02:24 am »

Nice match for Beacon preamp on tour - minus the wood sides tho.

jtwrace · « **Reply #3 on:** 1 Oct 2010, 02:27 am »

Quote from: Niteshade on 1 Oct 2010, 02:19 am

New modular internal wiring

Yep, time for the PCB.

Niteshade · « **Reply #4 on:** 1 Oct 2010, 02:35 am »

Features:

*40+ watts per channel from 20 to 20,000hz
*Extra heavy duty power supply. EMI shielded power transformer. VERY low noise.
*Turret board modular construction
*A streamlined circuit reduces signal processing for better micro-nuance amplification.
*Braided, tinned copper wiring provides excellent signal paths and contacts
*Perfectly balanced phase splitter circuit provides added gain, power and clarity
*Tunable biasing assures quick and easy tube rolling or replacement
*Variable feedback matches the amp perfectly to your speakers

Listening impressions coming next!

Niteshade · « **Reply #5 on:** 1 Oct 2010, 02:42 am »

Turret boards are clever little devices. They allow modules to be made ahead of time.

This may evolve into PCB's... I will maintain point to point wiring to the sockets and to all external connections.

Hebrew Hammer · « **Reply #6 on:** 1 Oct 2010, 02:52 am »

looks great Blair!!!!

Guy 13 · « **Reply #7 on:** 1 Oct 2010, 03:12 am »

Quote from: Niteshade on 1 Oct 2010, 02:42 am

Turret boards are clever little devices. They allow modules to be made ahead of time.

This may evolve into PCB's... I will maintain point to point wiring to the sockets and to all external connections.

Hi Blair.
You should be ashamed of yourself, asking so much money for so little under the hood ! ! !
Of course, this is a joke.
Nice work Blair, I like the simplicity of your wiring.
Nice layout for the tubes - transformers and the Ferrari red color look awsome.
How about picture of the back ? From under, the back panel look very populated.
Now, the only thing we need to see, is your new re-design front plate.
Can you make this one integrated ?
Guy 13.

Niteshade · « **Reply #8 on:** 1 Oct 2010, 12:46 pm »

Listening impressions & technical details:

Tune up and burn in sessions are my favorite part of the job. Setting up an amp so it operates at peak performance is thrilling especially when expectations are exceeded. The NS-40 actually did exceed my expectations and they were high to begin with. I rated this amp at 40 watts per channel. However, my watt meter was reading averages of up to 50 watts per channel before clipping. When the amp does break up, it's very late. The power supply is an amp's foundation. This particular model has 220 clean watts of high voltage to utilize.

I never liked the stereo-typical consensus of tube sound: Warm, soft, less detailed, weak bass and highs, etc... My goal was to design an amplifier that has superior bass control and performance while maintaining an excellent, linear presentation throughout the audible spectrum. Accolades to the power supply again but this time we move ahead to the driver and splitter stages. In a push pull system we want both tubes to be driven equally to take advantage of the power tube's full rated output capacity. Not only that, but a balanced drive reduces output distortion significantly. This is one of the ways we obtain high power with a low noise figure that can handle micro-nuances with ease. All Niteshade circuits are concise to increase performance and reliability. I have always maintained that the best tube amp performance is acquired by designing around the way a component actually works. In another words, it is possible to make a tube function better by providing exactly what it needs to function perfectly and nothing more. It takes time and patience to design like this so that "band-aid" circuits can be eliminated. The NS-40 will reward you with a presentation that is enveloping, fast, broad and accurate. There is nothing flat about the sound stage and it will not be compromised by heavy bass or transients. What captivated the most was how rich the sound is. I never liked reedy or thin presentations. Richness provides a sense of depth and makes vocalists sound forward and lush instead of distant. Our tweaked single gain stage voltage amplifier can take some of the credit for such a good performance. Power supply grade coupling capacitors are being used that further push efficiency up, thus allowing more detail to be amplified. These caps are self-healing and capable of handling high current. This particular job is child's play to them, therefore upgrades are unnecessary.

I designed this amp to transcend all genres of music, meaning it will not shy away from anything. There is enough power and control of that power to drive speakers down to 87db. The NS-40 is very quiet making it perfectly suited for speakers in the 95+ db range.

Variable feedback and tunable biasing are standard features designed to adjust the amp perfectly to your speakers and to make tube rolling and replacement exceptionally easy. I do not believe a more user-friendly approach to tube amplifier design exists.

Niteshade · « **Reply #9 on:** 1 Oct 2010, 12:50 pm »

Yes, I can make this an integrated amplifier. A list of upgrades:

1] Integrated with at least two inputs
2] SE (Super Edition) upgrade
3] Hand-crafted wood wrap
4] Choose any color you like
5] DC filament upgrade (included in the SE upgrade)
6] Switchable tube/solid state rectification

Niteshade · « **Reply #10 on:** 1 Oct 2010, 05:59 pm »

Hand-Crafted wood wrap comes in several varieties

This is just a few! Dress the NS-40 up any way you want.

MaxCast · « **Reply #11 on:** 1 Oct 2010, 08:57 pm »

Can you make it bridgeable to 80w

Niteshade · « **Reply #12 on:** 2 Oct 2010, 12:13 am »

Hmm...I'll have to look into it. Would it be better to get a mono block?

Guy 13 · « **Reply #13 on:** 12 Oct 2010, 04:12 am »

Quote from: Niteshade on 1 Oct 2010, 02:06 am

NS-40 Base Model

Dressed in crimson red pearl!

Stay tuned- more photos and information coming up!

Hi all.
In your opinion and/or with your experience what would be a realistic and/or ideal number of inputs for an integrated amplifier and/or pre-amplifier ?
CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, TV, iPod, Reel to reel, Phono (LPs), DAC, tuner, casette...
Blair supplies as an option two inputs on his amplifiers, is that enough for today's multitude of different media sources ?
Guy 13

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #14 on:** 12 Oct 2010, 05:02 am »

Quote from: Guy 13 on 12 Oct 2010, 04:12 am

Hi all.
In your opinion and/or with your experience what would be a realistic and/or ideal number of inputs for an integrated amplifier and/or pre-amplifier ?
CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, TV, iPod, Reel to reel, Phono (LPs), DAC, tuner, casette...
Blair supplies as an option two inputs on his amplifiers, is that enough for today's multitude of different media sources ?
Guy 13

As I look for Hi-Fi music I want just one input for a CD/SACD player. The usual adagio ''less parts are more fidelity'' are good to me.
Regards, Gustavo

>Never go to a psychiatrist, adopt a cat or dog from the street. On the streets they live only two years average.

Guy 13 · « **Reply #15 on:** 12 Oct 2010, 09:09 am »

Quote from: FULLRANGEMAN on 12 Oct 2010, 05:02 am

As I look for Hi-Fi music I want just one input for a CD/SACD player. The usual adagio ''less parts are more fidelity'' are good to me.
Regards, Gustavo

>Never go to a psychiatrist, adopt a cat or dog from the street. On the streets they live only two years average.

Hi Gustavo.
O.K. for one source, but if you want to to listen to your speakers or to your heaphones, you still have to switch the interconnects from one amplifier to the other, unless you do not consider headphones as HI-FI ?
Please comment.
Guy 13
My Vietnamese wife never went to see the psychiatrist, she adopted five (05), yes, five dogs from a vendor on the street.

Niteshade · « **Reply #16 on:** 14 Oct 2010, 11:00 am »

Guy,

More inputs are available, but they add to the price. I chose a two input system because it provides the most flexibility per dollar. Going above two inputs is very labor-intense due to wiring a rotary switch and all the extra chassis drilling and wiring work.

It takes many steps to install a single wire in a point to point system.

1. Measure x1
2. Cut x1
3. Strip x2
3. Crimp x2
4. Solder x2

That's eight steps for a single wire! They go by fast, but add up a few hundred steps and you'll see why it takes so long to make an amp. There is more than wires to contend with as well.

bunky · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 Oct 2010, 01:21 pm »

Next monday it will be two weeks since i ordered my NS-40 with the DC filament option. i called Blair yesterday to inquire about the Status of my order and he told me that he had just recieved my transformers and would begin work on my amplifier starting next week. i thought my order would have been close to being finished but i was mistaken. i will wait with great anticipation to recieve my NS-40 so i can evaluate it. if it sounds as good as it looks i will be a very happy man....WCW III

dangerbird · « **Reply #18 on:** 23 Oct 2010, 01:42 pm »

WCW,,I think you're gonna' be so happy that it will take a plastic surgeon to remove the smile from your face.

jtwrace · « **Reply #19 on:** 23 Oct 2010, 01:53 pm »

Quote from: bunky on 23 Oct 2010, 01:21 pm

i thought my order would have been close to being finished but i was mistaken.

This seems to be a common issue with Blair. In his defense, quality takes time. Hopefully you'll be happy and the wait will be worth it. If not, then you...