[Zynec]

While I sit hear (har har) enjoying my CK2III, I sometimes ponder building a Beta24 to power my main system. But I haven't been able to find any comments/reviews on how it compares to higher end integrateds or power amps, or indeed what a fair level of comparison would be. Can anybody provide some insight?

 

[Zynec]

bump... anyone?

 

[FallenAngel]

When I heard it at a NorCal meet, it was very VERY impressive.  Really can't go wrong with a monster amp like that.

 

[Zynec]

Thanks FallenAngel... out of curiosity what amp do you have?

 

[FallenAngel]

FirstWatt F5 driving Harbeth HL-P3ES-2

 

[qusp]

how come you are selling the F5, building the f5x? I know you were teetering on it a while ago, the pcb sure looks the business. after the AJX and semisouth circlotron  are finished i'm pretty sure i'll build it, i already have the fets

 

[tranhieu]

How does the F5 go up against the Beta24 FallenAngel? I am thinking about one of those 2, they relatively cost the same amount for a build right?

 

[FallenAngel]

qusp, selling it as I have an extra one that was supposed to be for somebody else, but that fell through.
tranhieu, I haven't compared them directly as I've never built the Beta24.  The Beta24 is considerably more expensive to build in terms of parts, but with a project of this scale, casework will be at least a few hundred dollars and going up to the many hundreds range.

 

[tranhieu]

Uhm... so soundwise which one do you prefer FallenAngel? Thanks btw.

 

[FallenAngel]

Well... that's really hard to say, I heard them at different times, in different environments, with different speakers, sources, etc.
 
I really like the F5 and think it's a fantastic amp for bookshelf speakers as well as high-end headphones (K1000 have never sounded so good).
 
The Beta24 was incredibly impressive through the custom speakers Ti Kan had, it sounded very good, filled a large conference room with music easily, and was overall a very VERY good amp.  I want to build one.

 

[Zynec]

Quote:

The Beta24 was incredibly impressive through the custom speakers Ti Kan had, it sounded very good, filled a large conference room with music easily, and was overall a very VERY good amp.  I want to build one.

I wonder if that's more power than I need.  What other amps have impressed you FallenAngel?

 

[tranhieu]

Quote:

Well... that's really hard to say, I heard them at different times, in different environments, with different speakers, sources, etc.
 
I really like the F5 and think it's a fantastic amp for bookshelf speakers as well as high-end headphones (K1000 have never sounded so good).
 
The Beta24 was incredibly impressive through the custom speakers Ti Kan had, it sounded very good, filled a large conference room with music easily, and was overall a very VERY good amp.  I want to build one.

Yeah the reason I am looking for a power amp is to drive my K1000. Though out of my balanced B22 they sound pretty good already but reading you guys' comments about how much more they can be improved with a power just makes me want to spend more

 
 

 

[qusp]

if going down that route, i recommend trying them with a something like the the F3, pretty easy to knock one together even without a pcb. or if you are adventurous perhaps read the zen v8 and 9 articles at firstwatt. in fact get a couple decent transformers over at antek, a bank of caps and run through a few of those articles, many use the same building blocks and certainly the power supply and heatsinks can be reused.