[johnwmclean]

Balanced is as you say 2 extra boards and of course a quad pot.
1 Sigma22 will power 4 boards for headphone use, use bigger heatsinks and size up the transformer accordingly.

 

[haejuk]

Converting a 2 channel to a 3 channel would just require another board and some re-wiring.  But converting a 2 channel to a balanced 4 channel would require 2 more boards, re-wiring, new input/output jacks, a new volume pot, as well as the related rear/front panel work.  I also believe that the 3 channel build is sort of pointless, there is a post somewhere where jcx pretty much proves this.  People who have built and compared all three say that you are hard pressed to hear any differences between the different versions of the B22.  I would go with 2 channel or 4 channel.  Whatever works for you.

 

[haejuk]

Finally managed to complete my build.  It is my first time doing any case work, and it turned out looking halfway ok.  Listening right now and liking it.

 

[c12mech]

I've started mine.  One sigma board is done.  I only ordered two of the 4700/63 caps so I have to wait for the others to get here before I can finish the other one.  I hope to get the amp boards put together this week.  I have not decided on a case yet so for now it will be on a board on my desk.  I am planning to use a Shallco 46-step switch in an L-pad configuration for the attenuator.  That will take a few days to put together considering it has 176 resistors to connect.  Pictures will follow soon.

 

[hifimanrookie]

maybe a bit offtopic..but has anyone experience with this amp and the exellent he500 headphones? thanks guys!

 

[DefQon]

Quote:

maybe a bit offtopic..but has anyone experience with this amp and the exellent he500 headphones? thanks guys!

Yes.

 

[hifimanrookie]

​

Yes.

And? How does it pair?

 

[DefQon]

Quote:

 
And? How does it pair?

 
I have limited experience with the amp's I have tried with the HE-500 so I don't have anything concrete to how well my 3 channel b22 compares besides all the Bursons line of amp/dac (except the new Conductor) and few other OTL amp's that I own. My Bottlehead Crack pairs well with the HE-500's than my b22 does, the b22 is fairly neutral leaning towards bright sig'd, the HE-500's highs can be bright and so it will sound to bright with certain music than the Crack + HE-500. I haven't compared the two and few other amp's long enough to even make a statement about how well they both synergise but I know the HE-500 is not for me which is why I don't pay attention to it. 
 
I'd think that your 337 amp does better with your HE-500 than the HE-500 does with my b22. 

 

[hifimanrookie]

Quote:

 
I have limited experience with the amp's I have tried with the HE-500 so I don't have anything concrete to how well my 3 channel b22 compares besides all the Bursons line of amp/dac (except the new Conductor) and few other OTL amp's that I own. My Bottlehead Crack pairs well with the HE-500's than my b22 does, the b22 is fairly neutral leaning towards bright sig'd, the HE-500's highs can be bright and so it will sound to bright with certain music than the Crack + HE-500. I haven't compared the two and few other amp's long enough to even make a statement about how well they both synergise but I know the HE-500 is not for me which is why I don't pay attention to it. 
 
I'd think that your 337 amp does better with your HE-500 than the HE-500 does with my b22. 

thanks for ur honest reply..the 337 does sound heavenly with my he500! all the best!

 

[milosz]

I have built a single-chassis "3-channel"  Beta-22, with the Sigma PSU of course.  Works great.
 
Would I gain in sound quality by changing this to a two chassis, dual Sigma PSU / balanced Beta 22 (4 channel) ??
 
I had planned to move to balanced (4 channel) for a while, but now I'm re-thinking this.  An "ordinary" Beta 22 is overkill to begin with in many ways- can the balanced version really sound better?
 
I'd love to hear some comments from people who've compared the sound of  a single-ended Beta 22 to a balanced one.
 
My experience with balanced amps is that they "tighten up" the bass a little, but don't really sound that much different otherwise.

 

[cfcubed]

Quote:

   I'd love to hear some comments from people who've compared the sound of  a single-ended Beta 22 to a balanced one.

 
My opinion FWIW (read posts before & after as well): http://www.head-fi.org/t/243379/roll-call-whos-building-built-or-thinking-of-building-a-beta22/2880#post_8330932
 
Also I voted with my wallet & sold off my balanced gear (Buffalo32s, Beta22), using the $$$ for other things, in favor of gamma2 + 2-channel Beta22.  Of course the guy who bought my balanced gear voted with his wallet as well but his life & career revolves around music, he has "golden ears' & gets his hearing tested annually.  That he chose Buffalo32s / Beta22 over his much more expensive commercial gear says something about their designs/performance.

 

[milosz]

Thanks.
 
Very interesting.
 
I was thinking, "Hey!  Wait!  Why am I converting this amp to 4-board "balanced?" "    And reading in this thread has convinced me that additional sound quality improvement, if any, would be quite minimal and probably inaudible to me.
 
I bought all the additional amp board parts and also the parts for a second sigma PSU.  I have an extra Beta amp board laying around too, with bad output transistors on it; so now I just fix that, build the other channel and Sigma pSU, and I have a 2-channel Beta  to sell. I even have a Par-Metal case laying around someplace.
 
I get all the fun of building it (I really like building stuff) and then I get the money back that I put into the parts and the time.  This one, I am going to make it pretty. I wonder how a 3/16" (or even 1/4")  thick polished copper front panel would look on the Par-Metal box?  I am partial to copper.  Maybe add bubinga wood cheeks to the case, too. Bubinga and copper are a really nice combo.

 

[Senpai3330]

For anyone running a fan in their case, how are you powering it? I was planning to just use a typical 12v PC case fan.

 

[jcx]

if you put a fan in your B22 I recommend not powering it - much quieter
 
you could look at "quiet PC" articles for hints on selecting, mounting, running fans quieter if your really insist on turning it on

 

[DefQon]

jcx I know you and few others prefer the 2 channel over the 3 channel due to the nature of it's engineered design, I've got the DC offset relay installed for my 2 channel which have it's MKP swapped for Wima's and cap's Elna Silmic II's (left over from another build so why not), a nice Valab 24 stepper pot (couldn't tell a diff between a GP one), 16awg "special" spc wiring and Cardas rca jacks for input, what other upgrades would you suggest to having a completely decked out 2 channel? I have built the 3 channel and balanced and like yourself and other's could not hear a single sound difference at all and by the looks of it there is already a active ground with a 2 channel.