[gooberdude]

I'm expecting delivery of a sweet looking '09 NS-15, that Tin Ear listed here in the classifieds. My current amp is a mid 70's CONN organ console integrated amp w/8008 tubes & i'm ready for a change.

I need a preamp & wondering what others have tried & enjoyed. A Beacon __ preamp is a possibility. Has anyone tried a full Niteshade set up?

I've wanted an SAS Audio labs 10A for some time, but open to anything up to $2K.

My speakers are Hawthorne Audio Sterling 15" co-axs w/15" Auggie's powered by a Rhythmik sub amp. MAC speaker wiring. C Venhaus ac cords. RAL interconnects.

I need 3-5 rca inputs.


matt

[Niteshade]

A Beacon Two is a good choice. Additional inputs can be placed on it as well.

The Two has a nice, full bodied tone that will compliment that amp perfectly.

If you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them.

[gooberdude]

Thanks!  I will be in touch. 

The Beacon II on tour is here in town, and i'll hopefully get to hear it within a few days.

I've never had a matching amp & preamp combo.


matt

[guest1632]

A Beacon Two is a good choice. Additional inputs can be placed on it as well.

The Two has a nice, full bodied tone that will compliment that amp perfectly.

If you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them.

Hi Blair,

You might also suggest to him a Beacon 3. I suggest this because it will have more detail than the Beacon 2. If that's my correct understanding from you with that special circuit in it.
He says his budget is up to 2 Grand, and a Beacon 3 is roughly $1500 if memory serves me right.

Ray Bronk

[gooberdude]

I'm definitely leaning towards the SAS 10A. I've never heard or owned one, but you're not the 1st person to mention how compatible it is with difft amps. it sounds like a piece of gear to grow with.

I should get an audition of the Beacon II in a few days, looking forward to it.

Hi Ray!  I wasn't aware NS had other preamps, i can only find the I & II on the website.

Within a week i'll have a good idea of the Niteshade sound.

[Hebrew Hammer]

The Beacon is a fantastic pre IMO.. I plan on doing a very thorough writeup with it... Got my old man coming out tomorrow night to hear it... Blackmore is coming out Wednesday night.. Jim from Osage and Kent from PFO is coming out next Thursday..

The Beacon on my pieces are an incredible match...

[guest1632]

I'm definitely leaning towards the SAS 10A. I've never heard or owned one, but you're not the 1st person to mention how compatible it is with difft amps. it sounds like a piece of gear to grow with.

I should get an audition of the Beacon II in a few days, looking forward to it.

Hi Ray!  I wasn't aware NS had other preamps, i can only find the I & II on the website.

Within a week i'll have a good idea of the Niteshade sound.

Hi, Well, the Beacon 2 is nice according to the reviews. The Beacon 3 has a separate stage that, Blair can explain it, will as a result can bring out more detail, and other good stuff. I didn't want to go to much further, because I don't want to rain on his parade for the Beacon 2. It's no slouch, and for a grand, it gets the job done. One problem with the SAS stuff, might be impedance matching with SS amps. It's roughly in the same pricepoint as the Beacon 3. The Beacon amps will work with SS amps with no problems as well as tube amps too.

Ray Bronk

[Niteshade]

I will work on getting some details about the Beacon Three on the web site. 

Essentially, it looks like a Beacon Two but has three 6SN7's. The insides are different in that the gain stage is totally isolated from the output stage. It's a fantastic preamp and excels at micro-detail pickup.

Thanks for mentioning the Beacon Three Ray!

[guest1632]

I will work on getting some details about the Beacon Three on the web site. 

Essentially, it looks like a Beacon Two but has three 6SN7's. The insides are different in that the gain stage is totally isolated from the output stage. It's a fantastic preamp and excels at micro-detail pickup.

Thanks for mentioning the Beacon Three Ray!

Hi Blair,

It's a preamp, that I am setting my sites on for the future. Have you considered using a FET there instead of another tube, or would that change the sound totally? Could that third stage be added to an existing Beacon two?

Ray Bronk

[Niteshade]

The Beacon Two is a Beacon Two...it's a different animal than a Three, so you couldn't convert it. I have made a power supply upgrade that works on both models.

A FET or transistor based output is a possibility for the Three. However, that would be new model since it's hybrid. The sound would most likely be different. Seeing that a hybrid model would require additional parts and labor, the price point will change too. Hybrids will be a summer R&D project since there are too many irons in the fire now. A phono preamp is in the immediate mix as well as a new line of communications gear + vintage HF transceiver upgrades.

You know- we can buy time for cell phones, amusement rides, etc.... Why can't we buy time for ourselves? Unfortunately there is not time for Time Machine R&D now.

[guest1632]

The Beacon Two is a Beacon Two...it's a different animal than a Three, so you couldn't convert it. I have made a power supply upgrade that works on both models.

A FET or transistor based output is a possibility for the Three. However, that would be new model since it's hybrid. The sound would most likely be different. Seeing that a hybrid model would require additional parts and labor, the price point will change too. Hybrids will be a summer R&D project since there are too many irons in the fire now. A phono preamp is in the immediate mix as well as a new line of communications gear + vintage HF transceiver upgrades.

You know- we can buy time for cell phones, amusement rides, etc.... Why can't we buy time for ourselves? Unfortunately there is not time for Time Machine R&D now.

Hi Blair,

Yep, just to busy to get all you need to get done. You anticipated my next question for the Beacon Three. So is this power supply a ready upgrade, or is it already built in to the purchased Beacon two?

Ok, lol, I'm done now.

Ray Bronk

[Niteshade]

The new power supply is an upgrade and available for all Beacons Two and up.

[guest1632]

The new power supply is an upgrade and available for all Beacons Two and up.

Hi Blair,

So is there a sonic difference with the upgraded supply? if so, what is the difference?

Ray Bronk

[Niteshade]

Actually, the power supply upgrade will entail a different audio circuit as well. It will not be much different, but will be made to take advantage of a higher plate voltage that is regulated.

Some improvements:

1. Improved bass performance
2. Improved imaging
3. The ability to drive **anything**
4. Excellent for our future phono stage
5. More detail in complex passages

This can be thought of almost as a Super Edition upgrade, but made specifically for preamplifiers.

[guest1632]

Actually, the power supply upgrade will entail a different audio circuit as well. It will not be much different, but will be made to take advantage of a higher plate voltage that is regulated.

Some improvements:

1. Improved bass performance
2. Improved imaging
3. The ability to drive **anything**
4. Excellent for our future phono stage
5. More detail in complex passages

This can be thought of almost as a Super Edition upgrade, but made specifically for preamplifiers.

Hi Blair,

hmmm, I should have asked you the upgrade cost. Forgot about that. So you take a basic Beacon Two, $1,000, and add this supply upgrade, how much? Also, so you can't just add that third "Interstage" to make it a Beacon Three? That's later. Just thinking.

Ray Bronk

[Niteshade]

The supply upgrade price will be available shortly. Actually, it will be called the Super Edition upgrade for Beacons Two on up.

Adding tubes changes the model since the circuit is different, that is why a Two can not be made into a Three. Each model has a different architecture.

[Steve]

Hi,  One problem with the SAS stuff, might be impedance matching with SS amps. It's roughly in the same pricepoint as the Beacon 3. The Beacon amps will work with SS amps with no problems as well as tube amps too.

My apologies Blair, for the intrusion on your forum, but I would like to clear up what appears to be some confusion.

My preamplifiers work fine with SS amps of 20k ohms and higher input impedance (Z). Of course if the SS (or tube) amp's input Z was 1k ohms, that would be another story.

Hope this clarifies any confusion, and again apologies to Blair for the intrusion. 

Cheers.

Steve

[Niteshade]

Hey Steve- no problem.  A while ago I welcomed other industry participants to post here if they had information to share.

Hope everything is going well for you!

[gooberdude]

As a follow up, I decided to order a Beacon IV SE preamp from Blair. 

It'll be loaded with options like dual volume controls, separate bass & treble tone control, 4 inputs/2 outputs and a bunch of upgraded parts like Audio Note tube sockets, DH Labs rca's, Furutech iec inlet, etc.

Working with Blair has been great, and once i heard the synergy of his Beacon II with my Niteshade amp it was an easy decision.

i also sent my NS-15 amp into blair to get the DC filaments tweak & tunable biasing added, and a few other upgrades.

its hard to beat the $ value that Niteshade gear represents, IMO.

matt