I am looking for a one amp solution for all of my potential future headphone purchases. A Betaa 22 may be a good solution, so I figurer I should look into it. The problem is it is hard to get a feel for the price of one, so if I talk to a builder or two, I will be able to figure out if this is the amp for me.
 
I am looking for a 4 board 22. Can one be made with a single 4pin out on the front. I only ever see two 3pin outs. I don't really get the preference. I suppose there are more options on male 3pins, but I am not going to spend the money on exotic ones, so I don't see the point in the extra weight and clutter. I would need 1 set of balanced inputs. Would it be possible to have it run ACSS inputs, so I can use that to my Reference 7. I do not know if the circuitry is different, but I have read the ACSS sounds better. For style, I am a fan of simple. 
 
I know there are other custom options, but I don't know as much about what they are, so you could help fill me in on that. I appreciate any help I receive. 

http://www.ybmaudio.com/products.html

Wow $1500 is pricey.  Did you ever consider building it yourself?  I think the bare-bones beta22 with sigma22 PS is about $800-$900.  I'll be building mine this fall, and the price should work itself out to roughly $850.  By the way, isn't a single 4 pin just active ground?  I think you need the dual-3 pin for true balanced?  I might be wrong on this.. its nearing 1:45am and I've had a long day.

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wdahm519 said:

By the way, isn't a single 4 pin just active ground?  I think you need the dual-3 pin for true balanced?  I might be wrong on this.. its nearing 1:45am and I've had a long day.

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On that issue...active ground only requires three contacts, as in TRS plugs. 4 pin is enough for true balanced. That gives each channel its own dedicated ground (L+LG, R+RG for 4 pins), rather than the shared ground of TRS.
 
I also never got why people go for the unwieldy dual-XLR outputs when one will do.
 

Unfortunately with 4pin XLR there's a limited selection of plugs if you have an itch to go exotic.

I can heartily recommend a member here called 'fishski' for your build. He builds a small number of amps annually. He may take this on, you may be lucky. His workmanship is superb, his builds are a work of love more than profit.

I think there is a 4-pin baxlr now...
 

I could not find a 4pin baxlr, but based on the price of the 3 pin, I think I will pass. I think I have found a builder. The wait time is a bit long, but I think it will end up being worth it.

Thats the price for 4 connectors, one could not possibly cost more than half of that. 
 
XLR already takes TRS and makes it sad... a $9 4pin XLR from neutrik is rock solid. 

Well i figured it would be half as much, since I would only need 2 connectors. That is still a boat load of money for one part. I don't get spending that much money on something like that, because it is not the weak link in the chain. OK, lets suppose I use fancy xlr inputs. What about the wire inside of the unit, the resistors, capacitors, etc. It all has to be up to that level or it seams pointless. For that matter the xlr outs on my Reference 7 aren't that nice. So how it going to magically improve going from run of the mill xlr's to expensive ones.
 

Well baxlr is the extreme end of the scale.

I agree that you should use the Neutrik.
I've almost always used the DLX series (http://www.neutrik.com/fl/en/audio/204_1938820124/DLX_Series_productlist.aspx) for everything and they are beyond perfect.
In a pinch the XLR from Jaycar (Australian electronics hobby shop) work decently as well.
The mechanism isn't as smooth as the Neutrik but it does the job.
 
Shiny and ridiculous doesn't improve the sound all, it just makes it shiny and ridiculous  

Quote:

slowpogo said:

On that issue...active ground only requires three contacts, as in TRS plugs. 4 pin is enough for true balanced. That gives each channel its own dedicated ground (L+LG, R+RG for 4 pins), rather than the shared ground of TRS.
 
I also never got why people go for the unwieldy dual-XLR outputs when one will do.
 

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But that doesn't make sense because for true dedicated balanced output you need V+, V-, and Ground for each channel.  I think thats why you need dual 3-pin?  I feel like if you mixed it into a 4-pin it wouldn't be a "true" balanced.

As far as I know, dual 3pin setups are only actually using two of the three pins from each plug. I will look around, but I think it only needs four pins total.

 
Quote:

wdahm519 said:

But that doesn't make sense because for true dedicated balanced output you need V+, V-, and Ground for each channel.  I think thats why you need dual 3-pin?  I feel like if you mixed it into a 4-pin it wouldn't be a "true" balanced.

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Not this. 
 
Quote:

trubrew said:

As far as I know, dual 3pin setups are only actually using two of the three pins from each plug. I will look around, but I think it only needs four pins total.

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This

Indeed.

If it's a balanced build then use the 4-pin.
Saves space, looks better and makes the headphone cables less ridiculous.

If your b22 was to have an unbalanced output then I would use a 3-pin xlr for that over TRS.
This way you don't risk shorting to ground and blowing your output devices when your friend rips the jack out mid song.