Bryston Headphone Interface

zeeman · « **Reply #260 on:** 19 Jul 2011, 06:00 pm »

I sold Sennheiser and Grado for years and it amazes me that someone can listen to both and prefer the Senns. Grado's sound like Bryston. Accurate and transparent. Try the GS-1000i or PS-1000i models. These models sound like high end speakers and don't have the "in-the -head" sound of other headphones.

James Tanner · « **Reply #261 on:** 19 Jul 2011, 07:00 pm »

Quote from: zeeman on 19 Jul 2011, 05:51 pm

Hi James!

How does the HP-1 perform on the higher end Grado's and can you post a pic of the back panel for hookups? It looks like it will do a superb job on any headphones above 16 ohms, so 32 ohm Grado GS-100i's should work great I assume. I will be ordering one from Audio One as soon as it becomes available.

I have tried it on 2 sets of Grado's already and they work great.

james

SoundGame · « **Reply #262 on:** 19 Jul 2011, 08:12 pm »

Quote from: James Tanner on 19 Jul 2011, 07:00 pm

I have tried it on 2 sets of Grado's already and they work great.

james

James - would you mind naming the Grado models you tried AND could you share what differences you hear with listening through the BHA-1 vs. the standard Bryston headphone jack on say the BP26? It would be interesting to know how much improvement it will provide on low vs. higher ohm headphones. I would think the differences would reveal themselves much more with more difficult headphones i.e. one's that the standard headphone jacks on Bryston preamps can't adequately handle. Thanks.

zeeman · « **Reply #263 on:** 19 Jul 2011, 09:28 pm »

Dual mono. Sick! This is exciting as I just moved into a nicer but smaller place and am really starting to spend more time headphone listening.

zeeman · « **Reply #264 on:** 19 Jul 2011, 09:41 pm »

Quote from: James Tanner on 26 Jun 2011, 08:24 pm

Hi larevoj,

We considered and tested the battery approach but feel the direction we are going is the better choice for us.

james

I wouldn't worry about the built in power supply Larevoj. Bryston's are as quiet as you can get and wont lose performance as the batteries start to die.

zeeman · « **Reply #265 on:** 19 Jul 2011, 09:48 pm »

Another question James. Will the new Bryston remote control the volume of the BHA-1?

James Tanner · « **Reply #266 on:** 19 Jul 2011, 10:35 pm »

Quote from: zeeman on 19 Jul 2011, 09:48 pm

Another question James. Will the new Bryston remote control the volume of the BHA-1?

No sorry the volume pot is not motorized.

James

James Tanner · « **Reply #267 on:** 19 Jul 2011, 10:41 pm »

Quote from: SoundGame on 19 Jul 2011, 08:12 pm

James - would you mind naming the Grado models you tried AND could you share what differences you hear with listening through the BHA-1 vs. the standard Bryston headphone jack on say the BP26? It would be interesting to know how much improvement it will provide on low vs. higher ohm headphones. I would think the differences would reveal themselves much more with more difficult headphones i.e. one's that the standard headphone jacks on Bryston preamps can't adequately handle. Thanks.

SR 325 and GS 1000. I am still experimenting but I would say the dynamic contrasts and transients would be what I notice most between the preamp and the BHD - the more difficult to drive the more noticeable it is of course.

James

SoundGame · « **Reply #268 on:** 20 Jul 2011, 01:50 am »

Quote from: James Tanner on 19 Jul 2011, 10:41 pm

SR 325 and GS 1000. I am still experimenting but I would say the dynamic contrasts and transients would be what I notice most between the preamp and the BHD - the more difficult to drive the more noticeable it is of course.

James

Dynamic contrasts (would that be both micro and macro?). Transients is well expected with the ease of power delivery that the BHA-1 would deliver. How about at the extremes - air and low extension. Please continue to report James as you formulate an opinion.

I've got Grado's myself - just the SR80, which are great for the money, hence my interest in the models you chose to tryout. Cheers.

larevoj · « **Reply #269 on:** 20 Jul 2011, 04:16 am »

Quote from: zeeman on 19 Jul 2011, 09:41 pm

I wouldn't worry about the built in power supply Larevoj. Bryston's are as quiet as you can get and wont lose performance as the batteries start to die.

Hi Zeeman, after further research I think external PSU (MPS-2) will be a better option for me vs. one with battery supply. Battery life expectancy is one consideration but will have to worry about recharge time, use time, etc. and if/when the head phone amp shuts down for recharge - I will be stuffed!

James - the LCD-2 (R2) is relatively hard to drive. Did you made any comparison on with BP26 headphone out? Any significant improvements?? Here a link on the headphone details - http://www.audeze.com/driver-update-and-leather-headband

myview · « **Reply #270 on:** 20 Jul 2011, 05:45 am »

The LCD-2 is hard to drive compared to some headphones but it is considered an easy load as compared to the Hifiman HE-6 (which, like LCD-2, is an ortho). James did say that the BHP-1 could adequately drive the HE-6 (but did not elaborate). If so, it should have more than sufficient power to drive the LCD-2. Whether the headphone out of the BP26 can drive the LCD-2 has never been discussed so perhaps James will give his input. I am, however, of the opinion that to optimise a pair of top class headphones, one needs a top class headphone amplifier - which I hope the BHP-1 will be one.

Also, as far as I can remember (I follow this thread closely), there's no mention from James ever that the BHP-1 would run on battery.

Quote from: larevoj on 20 Jul 2011, 04:16 am

Hi Zeeman, after further research I think external PSU (MPS-2) will be a better option for me vs. one with battery supply. Battery life expectancy is one consideration but will have to worry about recharge time, use time, etc. and if/when the head phone amp shuts down for recharge - I will be stuffed!

James - the LCD-2 (R2) is relatively hard to drive. Did you made any comparison on with BP26 headphone out? Any significant improvements?? Here a link on the headphone details - http://www.audeze.com/driver-update-and-leather-headband

larevoj · « **Reply #271 on:** 20 Jul 2011, 06:05 am »

Quote from: myview on 20 Jul 2011, 05:45 am

Also, as far as I can remember (I follow this thread closely), there's no mention from James ever that the BHP-1 would run on battery.

FYI - http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=91385.msg906408#msg906408

I do think a well design external PSU like MPS-2 to BHP-1 has its benefits versus battery supply.

Yes...I will like to know how well BHP-1 can drive ortho like HE-6 and LCD-2 V2

myview · « **Reply #272 on:** 20 Jul 2011, 06:12 am »

I am sorry - my mistake. What I should have said was more recently, the idea for BHP-1 to run on batteries seems to have been (implicitly) superceded by options for power supply - either with it coming supplied with a PSU or via a connection to the MPS-2.

Quote from: larevoj on 20 Jul 2011, 06:05 am

FYI - http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=91385.msg906408#msg906408

I do think a well design external PSU like MPS-2 to BHP-1 has its benefits versus battery supply.

Yes...I will like to know how well BHP-1 can drive ortho like HE-6 and LCD-2 V2

Vipers · « **Reply #273 on:** 20 Jul 2011, 10:47 am »

Quote from: larevoj on 20 Jul 2011, 06:05 am

Yes...I will like to know how well BHP-1 can drive ortho like HE-6 and LCD-2 V2

+1 from me also.

I'm looking for a pair of headphones to match with the BHA-1, I've done far too much research tbh, and it looks like I'll go for a seperate Stax system aswell, but for the BHA-1 it is the HE-6's that are looking like my favoured can so I'd like to know if the BHA-1 will be sufficient enough to drive the HE-6 to get the maximum performance from them, if it can succeed with the HE-6's, from what I gather, then it will drive every other headphone no problem.

James Tanner · « **Reply #274 on:** 20 Jul 2011, 11:03 am »

Hi Folks,

It is difficult to get some of these phones without an unlimited budget but I have had a number of requests from reviewers so I think we should be able to get a very good over-view of the BHA with these different phones.

james

Vipers · « **Reply #275 on:** 21 Jul 2011, 12:58 pm »

Can't wait to hear your findings James, I think if you can blag a pair of HE-6's from somewhere and the BHA-1 can drive them as good as any of the competition then I'd say it would eat every other pair of headphones alive, which I'm sure it will

mikemalter · « **Reply #276 on:** 23 Jul 2011, 01:19 am »

Quote from: James Tanner on 14 Feb 2011, 07:24 pm

Crossfeed we are looking at - balanced outs to where - you mean an XLR output for the headphones? - if so that's covered

james

Seriously, balanced and crossfeed?

Possibly an impedance switch as some headphones are harder to drive than others.

When you say XLR connectors, will it be a balanced out, or just the connectors?

Vipers · « **Reply #277 on:** 4 Aug 2011, 09:17 pm »

James,

Are you guys any closer to a release date with the BHA-1?

I hope your not waiting for Dolby approval on this also

Thanks.

James Tanner · « **Reply #278 on:** 4 Aug 2011, 09:30 pm »

Quote from: Vipers on 4 Aug 2011, 09:17 pm

James,

Are you guys any closer to a release date with the BHA-1?

I hope your not waiting for Dolby approval on this also

Thanks.

Yes we are going to show it at the CEDIA Show next month and will be ready to go.

Got my new Grado PS1000 headphones today - trying them out tonight.

james

myview · « **Reply #279 on:** 5 Aug 2011, 12:38 am »

Hi James,

Is there going to be a crossfeed function on the BHA-1? If so, great!