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Posted

Sick! That will be one hot mutha (in more ways than one!) The B22 is perhaps the supreme SS headphone amp, but you'll need to have one hell of a source to really see what it's capable of.

Posted

I didn't have a chance to compare them directly, or hear a balanced B22. My listening consisted of comparing AMB's B22 and Dynahi, sourced from a DAC1. I was using my W5000. The B22 had a bit more force and directness to the bass, which made the bass sound more prominent. As far as detail and transparency in the upper end, they were indistinguishable in this test. My guess is that the bass difference could have been due to the additional dampening provided by the B22's ground channel. So perhaps with both in 2-channel, they would sound the same.

Given all that, both sound a bit bassier/warmer than my amp, more or less the same old Dynalo vs. Dynahi difference. The B22 definitely sounds more like the Dynahi than the Dynalo. My amp did a good job showing me what an $8000 source is capable of, but I did wonder if the B22 wouldn't do just a touch more. If I had a top class source like that, I would tolerate all that class-A heat to be sure I was getting everything my source had to offer. But with a "regular" source my "mere" dynalo does a good enough job, without making my room into a BBQ pit :D

Posted

Thanks, Iron_Dreamer. Your impression gives me some reference for B22 since I used to own an upgraded Balanced Reference. I wonder how much it would cost to have a balanced B22 built. LOL.

Posted

Thanks, Iron_Dreamer. Your impression gives me some reference for B22 since I used to own an upgraded Balanced Reference. I wonder how much it would cost to have a balanced B22 built. LOL.

Salty, I'm sure we can find a way to let you hear the β22. I've finally got mine behaving well, it had some low level trafo hum with low impedance cans which has now been cured. I'm pretty pleased with how I was able to adapt the interior layout to accept the shielding.

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As far as how much it would cost to have one built, I'd figure somewhere in the $800 to $1000 range for a 3-channel version, probably $1200 to $1400 for balanced, but that's really a guess as I haven't talked with Marshall about how much he's charging and he's the only one that I know of who's building them.

Posted

Thanks, Iron_Dreamer. Your impression gives me some reference for B22 since I used to own an upgraded Balanced Reference. I wonder how much it would cost to have a balanced B22 built. LOL.

If you built it, depending on parts...somewhere in the $1500-$2000 department (that's a questimate since I have not been keeping track, but I do know that it cost about $600 to get the parts minus a case for the 3 channel b22). If someone made it for you... well I know what I would charge ;)

Posted

6 channel...so it will be a 4 channel balanced and then you could also use it as two 3 channel single ended amps. ;)

Phenomenal. :dance:

Posted

If you built it, depending on parts...somewhere in the $1500-$2000 department (that's a questimate since I have not been keeping track, but I do know that it cost about $600 to get the parts minus a case for the 3 channel b22). If someone made it for you... well I know what I would charge ;)

Someone should make one and call it the Beta "Deuce Deuce". Paint the case camo and PuT ThAt sHiT uP 4 SaLe G~~~.

word is bond yall, fuckin militant hip hop amp only, strictly 4 my NuKkAhZ dogg. beta double D comin to your town take your girl yall, sheyat.

Posted

Someone should make one and call it the Beta "Deuce Deuce". Paint the case camo and PuT ThAt sHiT uP 4 SaLe G~~~.

word is bond yall, fuckin militant hip hop amp only, strictly 4 my NuKkAhZ dogg. beta double D comin to your town take your girl yall, sheyat.

I have no idea what the hell you just said. Was that english? ;):laugh:

Posted

Nate and thrice, thanks for the info. Now, is there any sonic benefit for 6 channel balanced configuration over 4 channel configuration?

The only reason to 6 over 4 is to have two three channel single ended amps built in...the 2 additional channels will be ground channels and not used in the balanced configuration.

Posted

The only reason to 6 over 4 is to have two three channel single ended amps built in...the 2 additional channels will be ground channels and not used in the balanced configuration.

Ah, got it. Hmmm, choices, choices.
Posted

Does it include the PS? How about an enclosure? There's a lot left unsaid in that ad and I'm not sure it includes everthing you would need to build the complete amp. That is a pretty low price though.

Posted

based on what is listed in the ad, it includes a case for the psu but not the amp itself. i will shoot him an email, since i also doubt you could get the amp up and running for under $500... i will shoot amb an email too. and perhaps send a pm on headfi to someone who has bought one.

Posted

Actually, it's not only $15k, but it's not even finished yet. There is still the crossfeed and some other circuits that need to be worked on. It will probably end up around $20k. I'd like to hear it, but also A/B compare it against other amps using the same DAC. In a few months I might be around the area and will ask Sleestack about auditioning it. I'm sure it'll be amazing, but I want to find out just how amazing it is by doing direct comparisons, say against a balanced B22.

I've spoken to Mikhail about this and if he had to build another SS1 the same as Sleestacks he would really need to charge $25,000+

Posted

I've spoken to Mikhail about this and if he had to build another SS1 the same as Sleestacks he would really need to charge $25,000+

I'd really like to know what the hell is in there to justify that... KA-RAZY!
Posted

in general custom amps will cost a lot less than equivalent production amps. i bet your mcalister amp would cost 4x as much as you paid if it was production philodox :) but still, yes, it better do oral and make burgers for that much money.

Posted

"need to charge" ;D

curious as to the value of the parts (probably acquired wholesale) and the man-hours to build.....

I realize other factors at play in that $25K price tag such as overhead, R&D, and he's in business to make a profit.

Anyone care to guess....

I've not clue, but here's my guess... I've a hard time imagining the parts cost him more than $3,750 and requiring more than 80 hours to build.

Posted
I'd really like to know what the hell is in there to justify that... KA-RAZY!

Seriously, for that price it better come with a one pound nugget of pure platinum inside.

Posted

Seriously, for that price it better come with a one pound nugget of pure platinum inside.

It might...

SP-- never know what's inside :D

Posted

in general custom amps will cost a lot less than equivalent production amps. i bet your mcalister amp would cost 4x as much as you paid if it was production philodox :) but still, yes, it better do oral and make burgers for that much money.

Exactly... BUT STILL. :D
Posted

based on your price guesstimates, wouldn't jrossel's kits defy logic?

At least on the surface that would appear to be a pretty amazing price if it does include all the amp and psu parts even without a case which I find hard to believe that it would since 4 beta22 boards aren't fitting in anything in the 1455 Hammond series. And if that includes the trafo as well it's miraculous. Please let me know what the results of your email to jrossel are.

P.s. You can't edit your posts after something like 5 minutes. It keeps the riffraff from saying one thing only to go back and edit it later. :)

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