Bryston Headphone Interface

srb · « **Reply #480 on:** 9 Dec 2011, 09:06 pm »

Quote from: Fsonicsmith on 9 Dec 2011, 08:51 pm

..... is the choice of op-amp utilized the single most critical aspect of the BHA-1's ultimate sound quality and how would the other factors be ranked either ahead of or behind the choice of op amp and in what order?

Is the op amp really completely proprietary and if not, are you at liberty to disclose what changes are made to someone else's chip?

The last reference I saw was James' posting of the preliminary product literature (http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=52308) which stated that the four operational amplifiers were fully discrete and not an opamp chip.

Steve

James Tanner · « **Reply #481 on:** 9 Dec 2011, 09:51 pm »

Quote from: Fsonicsmith on 9 Dec 2011, 08:51 pm

I have a geeky question for Bryston's chief engineer in charge of this project, Stuart Taylor. Perhaps Mr. Tanner would be so kind as to relay this question to him; is the choice of op-amp utilized the single most critical aspect of the BHA-1's ultimate sound quality and how would the other factors be ranked either ahead of or behind the choice of op amp and in what order? In other words, can you rank from most important to least important the various parts and design choices you made when designing this head amp? Is the op amp really completely proprietary and if not, are you at liberty to disclose what changes are made to someone else's chip? And lastly, are you certain that all the input and output flexibility of the BHA-1 creates no compromises whatsoever in overall SQ and if so, how are you certain? Sorry in advance. If you don't care to answer all of these, would you please answer my first question-that one is the most important one to me.

Hi

Yes the Class A discrete operational amplifiers are our own design and we have been using variations of them for over 20 years now.

James

SoundGame · « **Reply #482 on:** 10 Dec 2011, 01:04 am »

Quote from: srb on 9 Dec 2011, 09:06 pm

The last reference I saw was James' posting of the preliminary product literature (http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=52308) which stated that the four operational amplifiers were fully discrete and not an opamp chip.

Steve

You must have eyes like a hawk to be able to read off that image...to blurry for me and I have 20/20 vision...

srb · « **Reply #483 on:** 10 Dec 2011, 01:11 am »

Quote from: SoundGame on 10 Dec 2011, 01:04 am

You must have eyes like a hawk to be able to read off that image...to blurry for me and I have 20/20 vision...

I had increased the browser's zoom to 250% to read it - it was quite blurry but readable.

Steve

won ton on · « **Reply #484 on:** 10 Dec 2011, 10:05 pm »

James.......question about headphone amp. if you get it with the built in power supply can you still plug it into the main mps-2. also will the one without the built in p/s come with the same power cord to plug in as the one from the mps-2 to bp-26 thanks

James Tanner · « **Reply #485 on:** 11 Dec 2011, 12:23 am »

Quote from: won ton on on 10 Dec 2011, 10:05 pm

James.......question about headphone amp. if you get it with the built in power supply can you still plug it into the main mps-2. also will the one without the built in p/s come with the same power cord to plug in as the one from the mps-2 to bp-26 thanks

Hi - there will be a plate on the back which will either have a standard power plug or a special pin connector to plug into the MPS-2. You would have to change out that plate to move from one power option to the other and remove/install/disconnect the internal transformer.

james

Fsonicsmith · « **Reply #486 on:** 15 Dec 2011, 08:30 pm »

Quote

We hope to be in production in January 2012.

james

What does this mean in real world terms? In other words, when will my Bryston dealer likely have one in stock for me to audition or buy.

James Tanner · « **Reply #487 on:** 15 Dec 2011, 08:48 pm »

Quote from: Fsonicsmith on 15 Dec 2011, 08:30 pm

What does this mean in real world terms? In other words, when will my Bryston dealer likely have one in stock for me to audition or buy.

Hi,

Honestly I do not know - we made some changes to the layout of the front panel and in doing so discovered a terrific new circuit topology ideally suited for the BHA-1 headphone amp. So long story short we tried this new circuit - love it and now have prototypes being built. I will have one at the CES show in January for demo and display and we should be able to start building units shortly after that.

My apology on the delay but when you find a better way you gota go that way

james

Vipers · « **Reply #488 on:** 15 Dec 2011, 10:48 pm »

Quote from: James Tanner on 15 Dec 2011, 08:48 pm

My apology on the delay but when you find a better way you gota go that way

james

I know you're right James but I'm a little gutted as I was going to order my BHA-1 tomorrow with a hopeful early Jan delivery.

Not to worry as I now it will be worth the wait

James Tanner · « **Reply #489 on:** 15 Dec 2011, 10:57 pm »

Quote from: Vipers on 15 Dec 2011, 10:48 pm

I know you're right James but I'm a little gutted as I was going to order my BHA-1 tomorrow with a hopeful early Jan delivery.

Not to worry as I now it will be worth the wait

Yes sorry about that - get the order in though as they are starting to pile up - my fault

james

mkaiser · « **Reply #490 on:** 16 Dec 2011, 11:31 pm »

Quote

I know you're right James but I'm a little gutted as I was going to order my BHA-1 tomorrow with a hopeful early Jan delivery./quote]

LOL, your gutted, i pre-ordered mine over 3 months ago.

Mark

Vipers · « **Reply #491 on:** 17 Dec 2011, 10:45 pm »

James, Today I got the chance to listen to the highly thought of HiFiMan HE-6's, which are regarded as possibly the toughest headphones on the planet to drive, when I plugged them into the BP26 headphone out I was surprised at the lack of volume available, totally unusable, would the SP3 headphone out offer similar performance to the BP26 or is it a totally new design which would offer superior performance?

More importantly, I take it the BHA-1 could drive them OK? in the end I used the Schiit Lyr and they sounded pretty awesome, if you haven't already, it maybe worth getting a pair of HE-6's to try.

Thanks.

James Tanner · « **Reply #492 on:** 17 Dec 2011, 11:30 pm »

Quote from: Vipers on 17 Dec 2011, 10:45 pm

James, Today I got the chance to listen to the highly thought of HiFiMan HE-6's, which are regarded as possibly the toughest headphones on the planet to drive, when I plugged them into the BP26 headphone out I was surprised at the lack of volume available, totally unusable, would the SP3 headphone out offer similar performance to the BP26 or is it a totally new design which would offer superior performance?

More importantly, I take it the BHA-1 could drive them OK? in the end I used the Schiit Lyr and they sounded pretty awesome, if you haven't already, it maybe worth getting a pair of HE-6's to try.

Thanks.

hi Vipers,

No the SP3 is similar to the 26 so the new BHA-1 is the much better option for those phones.

james

Vipers · « **Reply #493 on:** 18 Dec 2011, 08:54 pm »

Excellent, good to know James, although to be honest I'm still hoping to go with the Grado PS1000's, did I read a little while ago that you had a pair of these? If so have you tried them on the BHA-1?
Thanks.

James Tanner · « **Reply #494 on:** 18 Dec 2011, 08:57 pm »

Quote from: Vipers on 18 Dec 2011, 08:54 pm

Excellent, good to know James, although to be honest I'm still hoping to go with the Grado PS1000's, did I read a little while ago that you had a pair of these? If so have you tried them on the BHA-1?
Thanks.

Yes listening to them as I write this ..... Superb phones

James

Vipers · « **Reply #495 on:** 18 Dec 2011, 09:02 pm »

I'm not jealous, honest

Hoping to get mine ordered tomorrow, would you say they would benefit from the BHA-1 over the SP3 headphone out?

SoundGame · « **Reply #496 on:** 18 Dec 2011, 09:12 pm »

Quote from: Vipers on 18 Dec 2011, 09:02 pm

I'm not jealous, honest

Hoping to get mine ordered tomorrow, would you say they would benefit from the BHA-1 over the SP3 headphone out?

The Grado's are not as power demanding as many of the other headphones out there. The are only 32ohms but, as was brought up before, the standard headphone amps in Bryston components such as the BP26 and SP3 have been designed for 50ohm headphonne loads and up - so the Grado's would not be optimized in the standard headphone jacks but the BHA-1 should handle them better. How much of a difference - perhaps James can just switch his plug on his phones and report back to us on his actual impressions....?

BrysTony · « **Reply #497 on:** 18 Dec 2011, 09:45 pm »

Here is what the BHA-1 does to a person as reported in the January 2012 issue of Stereophile by Kalman Rubinson from the 2011 CEDIA Expo: "When I first arrived at the Indiana Convention Center, I came upon Bryston's James Tanner, feet up, eyes closed, oblivious to all the manic activity around him, listening to music via a prototype of Bryston's new headphone amp." Man, I wish I had a job like that!

won ton on · « **Reply #498 on:** 18 Dec 2011, 09:49 pm »

James. could you tell me how long the cable is on the grado ps-1000's.i'm considering them and sennheiser 800's. i just listened to a pair of grado ps-500's might consider them too, but they only have a 5 ft. cable. i need at least 10 ft.

SoundGame · « **Reply #499 on:** 18 Dec 2011, 10:13 pm »

Quote from: won ton on on 18 Dec 2011, 09:49 pm

James. could you tell me how long the cable is on the grado ps-1000's.i'm considering them and sennheiser 800's. i just listened to a pair of grado ps-500's might consider them too, but they only have a 5 ft. cable. i need at least 10 ft.

My Grado SR80's have about 5.5ft from the Y in the cable to the connector pin tip and I assume the ps1000's would be similar but Grado sells a 15ft extension cord that they guarantee will not degrade the performance of any of it's headphones - it sells for about $30, though I haven't tried personally.

http://www.gradolabs.com/page_accessories.php?item=aabfee4357ed427ff3e18e30fdbd15c0