Bee2Quiet Stepped Attenuator/Constant Current Source Upgrade for BeePre2 - Bottlehead

Bee2Quiet Stepped Attenuator/Constant Current Source Upgrade for BeePre2

$349.00

This upgrade kit is for the current production BeePre2 only (10" x 16" chassis). It will not work at all with the original BeePre (12" x 12" chassis).

The Bee2Quiet replaces the stock volume and balance control on your BeePre2 with a stepped attenuator featuring stereo coarse and fine controls with thirty-six 1.5dB steps for a total of -52.5dB attenuation. Note that the upgrade removes the balance control completely from the circuit.

We provide all the parts you need, including the high quality rotary switches, Vishay Dale metal film resistors, and the required hardware. As with every Bottlehead kit, you'll also receive an extremely detailed manual and support from our forum.

In stock, ready to ship

Pairs well with

Additional details

More information

With the new BeePre 2.0 circuit, we redesigned the original BeeQuiet to work appropriately in its new circuit position. When the Bee2Quiet attenuator and C4S active loads are added simultaneously, we are able to further optimize the attenuator impedance characteristics compared to only offering the attenuator as a stand alone upgrade. The end result is improved resolution, a little tighter bass and a blacker background. Once this upgrade is installed you can also install the BeePre2 output upgrade for a greater sense of bandwidth and dynamics and the addition of balanced XLR outputs It typically takes anywhere from a day to a couple of weeks to get your kit ready to ship.

We felt that an “ultimate” attenuator for the BeePre needed to be done to a higher standard and we felt that it would be reasonable to make the kit similar in price to the other high end attenuators on the market. So we got very high quality rotary switches and PB put his math degree to work coming up with a very useful thirty-six 1.5dB steps, yielding a total -52.5db of attenuation. Yes, you read that right, 36 steps. We accomplish this with two six position switches, one a stereo coarse control with 9db steps and the other a stereo fine control with 1.5 db steps. Simply set the coarse control in the general range you want to listen and then use the fine control to get the level perfect.

The switches are populated with Vishay Dale metal film resistors, a resistor that has remained a favorite of ours over the years for attentuator use. The BeeQuiet coarse and fine stereo switches replace the stock carbon pot volume and balance controls in the BeePre.

With the new BeePre 2.0 circuit, we redesigned the BeeQuiet to work appropriately in its new circuit position. When the BeeQuiet attenuator and C4S active loads are added simultaneously, we are able to further optimize the attenuator impedance characteristics compared to only offering the attenuator as a stand alone upgrade

This manual is divided into two sections, as the C4S active loads can be installed and evaluated on their own prior to installing the BeeQuiet attenuator.

Customer impressions

Installed the BeeQuiet and upgraded the caps to ClarityCap MR 10uf 400V. 

I am sure it is a combination of both upgrades, but WOW does it sound great. Clarity, and detail is vastly improved from the stock configuration, very immersive sound stage, and the caps have not had any time to open up yet. I am impressed, it blows my Extended Foreplay III out of the water.

Bottlehead, what an incredible preamp you came up with, I couldn’t be happier!!!!

 Thanks

 Debra

–debk on the Bottlehead Forum
Person using a screwdriver to attach hardware to a Bottlehead amplifier kit chassis plate.

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FAQs

Please read our FAQs page to find out more.

Why install this upgrade?

When we put the upgrade prototype in our production prototype BeePre the bass punch and dynamics became like Wow! Can’t say for sure why, as both the stock pots and the BeeQuiet are about the same impedance at around 50K ohms. So this is another case where we won’t try to come up with some far fetched theory. We will just suggest strongly that you build the BeePre with the stock volume and balance pots first, then install the BeeQuiet upgrade and share your impressions.

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