I have been contemplating building a "Honey Badger" amp for my next project. Is there any reason why this might be a poor choice? This would be my first discrete amp build. Is the popular consensus that this is a very high quality amp when built correctly?
I just want to know what choices are available to me before I commit to one. I would prefer an amp that has PCBs or kits available for purchase.
Thanks.
I just want to know what choices are available to me before I commit to one. I would prefer an amp that has PCBs or kits available for purchase.
Thanks.
The Honey Badger is very nice amp with good documentation, very nice PCB, commonly available parts and great design based on the Blameless amp design. I highly recommend it.
Not soapboxing my design , but with 2 + years more experience .. I have not
exceeded the Badger by much in the THD category. I did improve clipping
behavior on both the "new" Badger (V2.4), and my newest creation.
The sound character is in the careful selection of parts and the build quality.
Many knowledgeable/ helpful builders + 2 great books that use this amp's
topology in their literature (Bob Cordell and Doug Self).
OS
exceeded the Badger by much in the THD category. I did improve clipping
behavior on both the "new" Badger (V2.4), and my newest creation.
The sound character is in the careful selection of parts and the build quality.
Many knowledgeable/ helpful builders + 2 great books that use this amp's
topology in their literature (Bob Cordell and Doug Self).
OS
Just check the numbers who have participated in the group buys to get an idea of the support it has. You won't be alone in building and I don't doubt you won't be alone in the support you will receive.
Abs
Abs
There aren't many options as well suited for a first discrete build as the Honey Badger. Take your time to ensure proper parts placement and you'll likely have it working first try. I've built a number of amps and the HB is currently driving my mains.
Several of Rod Elliot's projects are also suitable for first timers with boards available. I haven't built them but have built some of his projects on per board. There's a wealth of information on his site Elliott Sound Products - The Audio Pages (Main Index). Terry (still4given) has built at least one of his amps but I believe he prefers the Honey Badger sound.
Ok, time for you to order your boards! Avoid analysis paralysis.
Several of Rod Elliot's projects are also suitable for first timers with boards available. I haven't built them but have built some of his projects on per board. There's a wealth of information on his site Elliott Sound Products - The Audio Pages (Main Index). Terry (still4given) has built at least one of his amps but I believe he prefers the Honey Badger sound.
Ok, time for you to order your boards! Avoid analysis paralysis.
The HoneyBadger has great documentation and support. The Combination of the diyAudio 'deluxe 4U chassis' , HoneyBadger PCB. and Universal v3 PSU board is going to be as close to a kit as you can find.
Jump in. The water is fine. 😀 😀 😀
Thanks for the input you guys. It sounds like a really good choice for someone in my shoes. That deluxe chassis is going to put a dent in my wallet though... Ouch!
The Deluxe is expensive, but what it costs in $$ it saves in time, convenience and ease of building.
You will be pleased with it.
You will be pleased with it.
I am also contemplating the Honey Badger amp. But since I'm new to DIY, I have no idea what "really good" actually means, in this context. What commercially available amps can it be compared with, sound quality / reliability wise?
Thanks!
Thanks!
The Honey Badger, properly built, is as good or better than any commercially available AB amp. It's an astoundingly nice design.
The context of DIY has little to do with it - There are good amps and poor amps in commercial offerings and in DIY. This is a good (well, excellent, really...) amp no matter how you measure.
The context of DIY has little to do with it - There are good amps and poor amps in commercial offerings and in DIY. This is a good (well, excellent, really...) amp no matter how you measure.
I have similar design but with lower voltage. This is the conceptual schematic.
You don't regret if you build Honey Badger for your first build. May be the second build for another amplifier you will regret if you not carefully choosing it 😀
You don't regret if you build Honey Badger for your first build. May be the second build for another amplifier you will regret if you not carefully choosing it 😀
Thanks, 6L6. I have a pair of Dynaudio Special 25's that I'm currently driving with a Rotel RSX-1067. Am I likely to get a noticeble improvement in dynamics, staging and imaging with the HB? That's what I'm after and DIY'ing seems like a very nice way to get there. I can get my hands on a brand new Bryston 4B-SST2 for less than €4k, but that's still out of my budget range. If I can approach that level of quality and reliability DIY'ing, that would be fantastic!
The HB will be significantly better than the Rotel and will be remarkably similar to the Bryston, if not a bit better.
Reliability is a function of the following -- good thermal control,followed by good thermal control, and also a bit of good thermal control. Get heatsinks suitable to the rejected heat requirements, have a well-ventelated case, have good thermal interface on the transistors (the Keratherm in the store are amongst the best avalible anywhere) and buy capacitors of at least one voltage rating bigger than you need. Do that and it will last many, many years.
Reliability is a function of the following -- good thermal control,followed by good thermal control, and also a bit of good thermal control. Get heatsinks suitable to the rejected heat requirements, have a well-ventelated case, have good thermal interface on the transistors (the Keratherm in the store are amongst the best avalible anywhere) and buy capacitors of at least one voltage rating bigger than you need. Do that and it will last many, many years.
Thanks, 6L6!
That's the kind of info I was looking for. The HB will have enough power to properly drive the S25's. And, if I understood correctly, there is the option to have it work in pure class-A longer. And also tailor the frequency roll-off at the top-end a bit by means of changing a capacitor. So, all in all, I think this might just be what I'm looking for.
The big case (4U) from the DIY-audio store, will that be big enough (size of heat sinks) for a larger (ca 30+ Watts) class-A window?
That's the kind of info I was looking for. The HB will have enough power to properly drive the S25's. And, if I understood correctly, there is the option to have it work in pure class-A longer. And also tailor the frequency roll-off at the top-end a bit by means of changing a capacitor. So, all in all, I think this might just be what I'm looking for.
The big case (4U) from the DIY-audio store, will that be big enough (size of heat sinks) for a larger (ca 30+ Watts) class-A window?
i wished that the honey badger did have a SOA protection circuit on board....
you never know how newbies play them loud into clipping that is gives up eventually...
you never know how newbies play them loud into clipping that is gives up eventually...
yes, but with newbies, "loud" is what they seek always...
my first badger build went up in smoke because of that...
i am old, i do not play loud, but the owner was young and......
my first badger build went up in smoke because of that...
i am old, i do not play loud, but the owner was young and......
Bad speakers ? or some other fault ? My 2 pair badger prototypes survived shorts ..
drunken "dysfunctional" abuse.
My other 4 pair NJW 0281/0302 "prebadger" ... I hooked 2 pair speakers and
partied all day (40C tennessee hot ! ) - no magic smoke ??
They had the huge Genesis stealth heatsinks .....
OS
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