Keeping balance control with BeeQuiet

[phatfish]

Follow-up to the following thread:

P

Thread 'BeePre2 and the mainline'

Jul 20, 2025

I currently have a topping dx9 as a DAC for digital signals and an Eros2 feeding into the mainline and I don't anticipate additional inputs.  Very happy with this setup, but what can I say, I have the bug for another project.  8)

I think my main question is if I would lose anything adding a stock BeePre2 in the mix before the mainline in terms of (noticeable) noise or resolution?  What about a fully upgraded one? 

I know I would gain some...well gain of course, the balance control which I do really want, the sweet sweet look of some 300b's, and of course a fun new project.  Anything to...

• phatfish
• Replies: 13
• Forum: BeePre

Wanted a quick sanity check before doing some drilling.

Wiring question/confirmation:
I'm assuming the best way to keep balance control with the BeeQuiet would be to wire it directly after the input selector (same as stock without upgrades). So I would just skip page 21 of the BeeQuiet manual (not wire the 100k resistor between N5L/N4L and N1L/N2L)? Any resistor changes needed other than skipping the balance control deconstruction steps?

Drilling sanity check:
Assuming that the balance pot should be directly after the input selector my thought is to keep them next to each other, and to bump the coarse/fine pots to the left. Red lines indicate where I plan to cut the acrylic to split the layout.

Layout order: Coarse Fine Balance Inupt


Any possible issues with this move other than the obvious extra holes etc.?
It does look like I'll get the coarse attenuator kinda close to those 5W wirewound resistors. Other than possible clearance issues is proximity a problem?

Thanks for looking!

 

[Paul Birkeland]

The little plate the attenuators mount to will space those up a bit, so it's not the end of the world. Is there enough space to just put the balance pot to the right of the selector switch's stock location?

 

[phatfish]

The little plate the attenuators mount to will space those up a bit, so it's not the end of the world. Is there enough space to just put the balance pot to the right of the selector switch's stock location?

That does seem like a more sane approach...there IS room especially for an audio note balance pot (very small footprint, also 100k) which I've used on my crack. Guess, I'll mull over it a bit more, but I'm excited to finish the top plate and get building. Would prefer to drill any holes I want 1st.

Are my assumptions about the wiring correct?

 

[Paul Birkeland]

If you use the MN pot, you can skip adding the 100K resistors, as the MN pot will provide a ground reference for the 300B grids.

 

[phatfish]

Thank you Paul. I did end up drilling a hole to the right of the input selector btw. I'll update with some build photos when things are further along.

 

[phatfish]

Build update y'all.

Audio note balance pot installed in it's new home to the right of the input selector. All working and sounding beautiful. I sould be nicely set up to install the upgrades and retain the balance control.

In retrospect, I should have given myself some more room around the selector, but it wasn't too bad.

 

[phatfish]

Upgrade in place!

Basic instructions in case someone is interested in the same.

BeePree:
Removed the terminal strip N.
Wired the selector switch output directly to the Balance Pot input.
Balance pot outputs to 4L/2L + 14L/12L.

Bee2Quiet:
Skip the following steps:

Cut the four wires leaving the N terminal strip and
entering the balance potentiometer at the terminal
strip.
( ) Clip the red and black twisted wires connected to
the lower level of the balance potentiometer at the
balance potentiometer. Untwist the wires two turns,
and strip ¼" (7mm).
( ) Attach the red wire to N5L. Attach the black wire to N4L.
( ) Attach one lead of a 100KΩ ⅛W resistor (1003F) to N5L.
Attach the other lead to N4L. Solder both.
( ) Clip the white and black twisted wires connected to the
upper level of the balance potentiometer at the balance
potentiometer. Untwist the wires two turns, and strip
¼" (7mm).
Attach the white wire to N1L. Attach the black wire to N2L.
Attach one lead of a 100KΩ ⅛W resistor (1003F) to N1L.
Attach the other lead to N2L. Solder both.