[DefQon]

Yeah indeed. Building the amp is not hard. The enclosure/case part is the final step in DIY that takes the most time and sometimes most expensive part of the project if you want a perfect finished product.

 

[haejuk]

The enclosure was a pain to do.  I found a really old drill press in my dad's basement that fit a hand drill and used that to do my casework.  You can probably find one at your local home improvement store.  A triangle file and a couple of round files also helped a great deal to make larger holes and rectangular holes (like for the IEC power entry).  Of course my B22 was not a real pretty creation and it was made from aluminum, so it was relatively easy to file out the larger holes.  I was always planning to get some custom front panels done to give it a professional look, but once it is done and working, I really didn't care

 

[greeny]

Anyone had considered using wood or acrylic for the panels instead?? Is it feasible?? Both are much easier to work with...

 

[haejuk]

I am fairly sure you could get something like that to work.  I did get a plastic front panel made for my O2 amp and I was in contact with the same guy to make similar front panels for my B22 and S22, but I never got around to planning them out!  I think the only thing you would need to do is ground the volume pot to the metal part of the case with a wire (if you are doing a 2 chassis build, not sure about single enclosure).

 

[mvrk10256]

Does anyone have an estimated finished cost (not including housing) per board?
 
Also has anyone messed with the gamma dac?

 

[preproman]

Long live the Beta22.  Later this month I hope to get mine re freshed so to speak..

 

[greeny]

Quote:

Does anyone have an estimated finished cost (not including housing) per board?
 
Also has anyone messed with the gamma dac?

 
What do you mean by the finished cost per board? You can get the kit from glassjar for abt $100 per board with the parts? You'll have to solder it yourself though.

 

[mvrk10256]

Quote:

 
What do you mean by the finished cost per board? You can get the kit from glassjar for abt $100 per board with the parts? You'll have to solder it yourself though.

 
Answer I was looking for thanks. So realistically you will spend $300-$340 on just the naked hardware for a 3 channel setup. 

 

[Greed]

Quote:

 
Answer I was looking for thanks. So realistically you will spend $300-$340 on just the naked hardware for a 3 channel setup. 

 
No. You also have to factor in - casework (both chassis and external parts), power supply transformer and board/s, wiring, solder, soldering iron (if you don't have one), misc. tools. I might be missing something. 

 

[mvrk10256]

I have all the tools. Forgot the PSU....
 
Quite a expensive DIY. 

 

[Greed]

Quote:

I have all the tools. Forgot the PSU....
 
Quite a expensive DIY. 

 
Definitely. I wouldn't recommend it if you are trying to build an amp on the cheap. This design is top-notch even though it is dated. It still competes very formidably within the <$1K price range. 

 

[haejuk]

Quote:

Does anyone have an estimated finished cost (not including housing) per board?
 
Also has anyone messed with the gamma dac?

 
I built myself a Gamma2 dac right after I finished my B22.  The only challenge was soldering the surface mount parts.  Some of the legs are just so tiny and it is impossible to see if there are any solder bridges!

 

[jcx]

skip the 3rd channel - its a technically flawed idea that somehow caught the imagination of of many - but fails to improve many of "flaws" it claims to be addressing when looking in detail at the engineering theory and at measurements of other "3-channel" amps
 
if you worry about gnd contamination and channel crosstalk there is no debating that rewiring with 4-pin "balanced" headphone connector and dual mono amps (separate, dual V, "passive gnd" power supplies for each channel) actually do improve the numbers

 

[mvrk10256]

Quote:

 
I built myself a Gamma2 dac right after I finished my B22.  The only challenge was soldering the surface mount parts.  Some of the legs are just so tiny and it is impossible to see if there are any solder bridges!

I have the grub dac kit in my mail box right now. Planning on hard wiring it to my Bravo. I always just use a bright lightbulb to check solder bridges, and the smallest .15" Weller tip. 
Quote:

skip the 3rd channel - its a technically flawed idea that somehow caught the imagination of of many - but fails to improve many of "flaws" it claims to be addressing when looking in detail at the engineering theory and at measurements of other "3-channel" amps
 
if you worry about gnd contamination and channel crosstalk there is no debating that rewiring with 4-pin "balanced" headphone connector and dual mono amps (separate, dual V, "passive gnd" power supplies for each channel) actually do improve the numbers

Thanks for that. I was wondering the same thing. I am a EE, but my focus is primarily in energy systems - electric motors, batterys, and the such. 

 

[greeny]

Quote:

skip the 3rd channel - its a technically flawed idea that somehow caught the imagination of of many - but fails to improve many of "flaws" it claims to be addressing when looking in detail at the engineering theory and at measurements of other "3-channel" amps
 
if you worry about gnd contamination and channel crosstalk there is no debating that rewiring with 4-pin "balanced" headphone connector and dual mono amps (separate, dual V, "passive gnd" power supplies for each channel) actually do improve the numbers

 
It's kinda too technical for me.. but since i already got my 3 boards... might as well!!