Pair of Custom-Made Classic Williamson Monoblocks

2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the introduction of the legendary Williamson amplifier into the American audio market.  Developed in England after World War II, the Williamson was the first true high-fidelity amplifier, offering excellent power and amazing bandwidth with vanishingly low distortion.  In 1949, Melvin Sprinkle, an acoustical engineer, and David Sarser, a violinist with the NBC Symphony, proposed an American version of the Williamson employing readily available components that didn't have to be specially ordered from the UK.  They dubbed it "The Musician's Amplifier" in honor of its ability to render instruments and voices with a truthfulness that would please even the most demanding professional musician.

The heart of the original "Musician's Amplifier" was the legendary Peerless S-265-Q output transformer.  My version employs a superb copy manufactured by Heyboer of Michigan that exactly duplicates the sterling qualities of the original.  The custom power transformer and choke are also made by Heyboer.  A custom-designed, heavy-duty PCB isolates the signal tubes from the chassis, avoiding unwanted resonances and ensuring reliable operation.  The sturdy Belton octal sockets are mounted to the board with standoffs to prevent the transfer of heat, guaranteeing years of trouble-free use.  The original circuit has been slightly modified to ensure rock-solid stability and optimal performance.  The amplifiers are capable of 22 watts per channel at less than 1% distortion, and the frequency response is flat from 30Hz to 40kHz.  

The amps are self-biasing, but the output tubes must be perfectly balanced to achieve best results.  The front panel meter makes this easy, but test points are also included for checking the output tubes' static bias.  The amps are highly "tunable" and different colorations can be obtained with a wide range of signal and rectifier tubes, including KT66, 6L6GC, 7581a, 5881 or 807 (with adapters, not included), along with any brand of 6SN7.  With suitable adapters you can also use two 6J5s in place of each 6SN7.  Almost any 5 volt rectifier tube can be used, including the 5AR4/GZ34, 5V4/GZ32, GZ37, 5U4, 274B and 5R4.

The amps have been thoroughly tested and broken in, and come with a complete set of premium tubes--a $500 value consisting of Gold Lion KT66s, Genelex GZ34s and new-old-stock GE 6SN7GTBs.  Unlike many so-called "budget" amps, there's no need to "upgrade" anything to obtain the best sound!  Due to the special construction of the Heyboer/Peerless transformers, the secondaries must be wired specifically for 16, 8 or 4 ohms, but the output impedance can easily be changed by swapping out the provided octal plugs.  Also included is a digital multimeter for checking the bias, an operating manual and a complete set of schematics.

Please note that these are NOT integrated amplifiers and need a preamp or adjustable source to operate.

How do they sound?  In my opinion, the "Musician's Amplifier" is in a class of its own among tube amplifiers.  Although limited in power, it delivers a rich, full-bodied sound, rock-solid imaging and an astonishing level of realism.  It's the most "natural" sounding amplifier I've ever had the pleasure of hearing.  You not only hear the "whole" instrument, but you sense the presence of the performer behind the instrument.  These are definitely "meat on the bones" amplifiers.  Each source recording is reproduced with honesty and accuracy.  At the same time, it is never "analytical" but completely balanced in every respect and utterly unfatiguing, offering hours and hours of uninterrupted musical pleasure.

If you don't agree that these are some of the best tube amplifiers you've ever heard, or if for any reason they don't work in your system, you can return them for a full refund within 14 days of delivery *at no cost*.  The only requirement is that they must be in pristine, original condition, and *must* be repacked exactly as shipped or I will not refund your money.  Also, I fully guarantee these amps and will provide repairs if necessary for as long as you own them.

Feel free to inquire about the compatability of these amplifiers with your current system.

Update 8/12/24--Added some customer testimonials:

"The strength of these amps are a natural tone, body and musicality that draws you into the music...The sound is closer to the purity one hears with a really good SET amplifier, but with better control, better extension, more output power, AND they handle greater musical complexity."
David M., Silver Spring, MD

"Best reproduction of the banjo in folk music I have ever heard...Piano passages are beautifully reproduced, the attack and decay of notes seems live...The overall presentation is everything I could ask for from an amplifier.  Music just seems to flow from them."
Roger H., Boulder, CO

"These are a perfect match for my room and stand-mounted ProAc speakers...I can't think of a better vehicle for the blend of jazz, Americana, and classical music that I prefer.  If dimension and natural sound are what you are seeking, look no further."
Paul M., Ormond Beach, FL

"Supremely musical.  These amps convey all the nuances that different artists bring to a familiar piece of music. This rare quality sets them apart from most other amps I have heard. 'The Musician’s Amplifier' is aptly named. Highly recommended."
James K., Rehoboth Beach, DE

"...[I]f you value transparency, pacing, speed, soundstage clarity, effortlessness, grace, bass articulation and clarity, I don't know how you could do better than what I'm hearing out of these amps without spending 3x more. They are limited in power, but give you more than enough headroom to work with most speakers. They are joyous ... and addictive."
Kelly S., San Francisco, CA

Added 9/4/24:
Come on, all you watchers!  Give them a try!  With free shipping, premium components and premium tubes, I'm selling these practically at cost to get the word out.  There is absolutely no risk to you except schlepping them back to UPS if they don't work out for you.  But if you have tube-friendly speakers I guarantee you'll be blown away by them.  All my other customers have been, and those testimonials are the real deal.  I'm not a big manufacturer or a dealer.  I make these for other people because I believe they offer some of the best sound, tube or solid-state, that's available.  I listen to mine every night on my ProAc Response 2's, and they are incredibly satisfying.  For this price you simply will not find a better push-pull tube amp.  So take a chance and give me your feedback!