[xiaobao0707]

Hi all,

Recently, I've gained interest in an HD800 balanced + a β22 balanced (4 board I guess). The problem is that I don't possess the proficiency to build one. On the official site of AMB, it indicates that two professional builders are available : YBM and RockHoppersAudio.

Does anyone have purchased from the above builders ? What about the build quality ? And what will be the price for a 4 board ? (I know the final price depends on many factors, just like to have an approximate idea).

Or if you know other builders, plz tell me. Any suggestion will be sincerely appreciated.

Thx, Wenbin

 

[GLdgShDjKsHT]

the final price will go for around 1000$ fully balanced if you build it, but if you want to buy a new one you might double that

i'd recommend building one yourself, it's cheaper than a fully assembled one

 

[scytheavatar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eroarex /img/forum/go_quote.gif the final price will go for around 1000$ fully balanced if you build it, but if you want to buy a new one you might double that i'd recommend building one yourself, it's cheaper than a fully assembled one

That's not a very good recommendation, if you have no experience building DIY amps the β22 is almost certainly a no-no.

 

[linuxworks]

do not attempt to build a b22 and get it working to its level of spec if you are not a very experienced builder. I had a wee bit of trouble building mine (and getting it fully clean, noise wise) and I've been building for 30+ yrs now.

the layout of the boards is actually the tricky part along with wire routing. it can make the diff between a hummy amp and a noiseless one. power supply location is also VERY key.

its a great amp but certainly no 'heathkit'

btw, the cost does not have to be anywhere near $1k. if you paid that much, either the builder is charging a lot for his time (which is understandable) or you get caught up in the 'jewelry mode' of spending where you dump hundreds on metalwork.

my 2ch b22 costed me well under $500 to build. way under that amount. I cheaped out on my case and panel work but my headphones can't tell that I didn't go the jewelry route (lol).

find a competant builder first. don't try this as your first diy or even your 5th diy. its a HUGE project.

 

[JamesL]

I understand linuxworks is a very practical/no-bs type of guy.. "as long as it does what its supposed to do" ..
You can use a recycled case, skip the volume control, use cheap jacks and it'll sound the same as one in a fancy case.

However, and maybe I'm just being shallow, but I think an amp of this caliber is very much deserving of a well-planned and designed build that looks presentable and looks its worth. I don't think any self-respecting manufacturer such as Headamp or RSA would stick their BHSE or B-52 in a plain steel box with just a volume knob and headphone jack in the front, even if it meant that they could sell it at a third of the price. Likewise, I wouldn't do the same when implementing any DIY designs.

I'm not to say your approach is wrong. Trust me.. I attend an IT school where $2000 gaming rigs are built into rubbermaid crates, where an engineer's workspace is cluttered with ubiquitous black boxes that 'serve its purpose'...
but I don't think its wrong to spend money on features that don't pertain purely to it's sq.
Quality balanced ladder or relay attenuator, shielded, 2-enclosure solution with machined or punched ventilation, engraved or silkscreened panels, quality jacks with a precision fit, shielded/potted transformers, solid aluminum knob, filtered IEC inlet, etc are all things that adds a hefty cost to the build, but shouldn't be overlooked.
I've used cheap jacks that scratched easily, cheap attenuators that didn't perform well, tube sockets that didn't fit well, radioshack switches that's short-circuited, and the list goes on and on.
Even though a b22 can be built for cheap doesn't mean that it should be.

 

[linuxworks]

fair enough, james

each side has its merits.

just consider what you are really looking for. is it reference quality sound or is it that AND also some jewelry.

it can be both. but being both 'is gonna cost ya'. and people should pause and think if they NEED to throw money at looks when its what's inside that really does count.

that's what I'm trying to say. don't automatically think 'ref design needs super looking casery'. I want to help break that mind-set. its spendy for spendy's sake. I'm not into that philosophy and want to encourage others to at least *consider* function first and form second.

 

[xiaobao0707]

Thanks everyone. I think I'll follow the recommendation of not building one by myself

As for professional builder, I just found YBM and rockethoppers. Are there someone else ? Hope I can get an HD800 + B22 for less than 3000$...

 

[xiaobao0707]

and for me, sound quality is far more important than looks. Anyway, my girlfriend does not even drop an eye on my beloved rigs...

 

[n_maher]

I don't believe rockhopper is currently accepting builds, especially not something as complex as a balanced beta22. And it takes every bit as much planning and care to execute an inexpensive build as it does an expensive one in most cases so bear in mind that you're probably looking at ~40hrs of build time for any beta22. I know the few that I've built have taken at least that long. Heck the one I'm working on right now has been cased and in testing for a good 5 hours or so. Simply boxing it up and letting it rip is not an option with this amp.

So a few final points:

1) unless you're an experienced DIY'er or electronics techincian I would not recommend building this for yourself.

2) looking at the raw parts cost is a horrible way to estimate how much the build will cost in total.

3) do what works for you as far as fit and finish are concerned and don't worry about what others preach as their personal philosophy. Both ends of the spectrum have their merits, challenges and advantages. We all fall somewhere along the line and where doesn't matter really.

4) if you do "hire" someone to build one for you do a lot of research up front and make sure that the builder is qualified.

 

[penger]

I have seen YBM audio's build quality up close and that man definitely pays attention to detail. FYI the price premium is a little steeper than how much I've seen other builders charge for their work though. I'm not trying to put a knock on him but just a heads up.

 

[xiaobao0707]

Quote:

Originally Posted by n_maher /img/forum/go_quote.gif 3) do what works for you as far as fit and finish are concerned and don't worry about what others preach as their personal philosophy. Both ends of the spectrum have their merits, challenges and advantages. We all fall somewhere along the line and where doesn't matter really.

That's the kind of final answer by a mitigating intellect

thanks for that, really.

Anyway, does anyone know some builder publicly available except for ybm ?

 

[tintin47]

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif btw, the cost does not have to be anywhere near $1k. if you paid that much, either the builder is charging a lot for his time (which is understandable) or you get caught up in the 'jewelry mode' of spending where you dump hundreds on metalwork. my 2ch b22 costed me well under $500 to build. way under that amount. I cheaped out on my case and panel work but my headphones can't tell that I didn't go the jewelry route (lol). find a competant builder first. don't try this as your first diy or even your 5th diy. its a HUGE project.

For a 4 channel balanced, it will be near 1k, as an absolute minimum. The actual parts cost is $5 or 600 just to stuff the boards. Even if you do skimp on the case, jacks, wiring, volume, umbilical jacks if you do 2 case, IEC etc is going to cost you at least $100, probably more if you go for any sort of quality. You are looking at $800 if you get the cases for free.

 

[AtomikPi]

Going with a professional builder will be expensive. The only one I know of that actually is accepting orders is YBM, which charges above $2000 for a 4 board, single power supply build. You could hope a DIYer feels like building for you, but you're taking a bit of a risk on that person being able to do what he/she claims (and properly). The price could go a bit under $1000 at the lowest. Finally you could buy used; the price of going used is probably around the same as buying from a DIYer, but you avoid the whole issue of time/experience and you know you'll get a working product.

 

[FallenAngel]

If you get a recycled chassis (as in free), do your own chassis-work (which will usually take more time than stuffing boards), an absolutely bare-bones balanced beta22 will only run you about $650-$700 ($500 parts, $65 quad-pot/cheap stepper, $15 4x XLRs $5 IEC/fuse, $5 wire, $5 knob, $5-$50 incidentals/small stuff). You also don't NEED dual-chassis.

It's usually a fairly good deal buying used, most have gone for fairly inexpensive (relatively speaking - compared to custom builds).

 

[xiaobao0707]

I'll then waiting someone to let go his/her lovely B22 then