BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER

Joker · « **Reply #160 on:** 25 Jul 2012, 09:35 pm »

Hi, after I have now enjoyed my GamuT Di150 and Phi7s with a BDP and BDA, it's time for me to go headphones and I am eagerly waiting for my BHA. Europe is on the tail end of shipments, I think. I have read through the entire thread here and was thinking back and forth between a Grado GS1000i and Audez'e LCD-2...until I came across a Sennheiser HD800. Anybody got any experience, opinion, reco? Intend to connect the BHA balanced to the GamuT (yes, two volume controls unfortunately) and would use the HD800, that has exchangeable cables, with a balanced 4-pin stereo into the BHA. Since here was so much talk about Grados & Audez'es, hope anybody has a view on the HD800s. Appreciate.

SHV · « **Reply #161 on:** 25 Jul 2012, 10:29 pm »

"hope anybody has a view on the HD800s. Appreciate."
********
I have seen four comments about the HD800 + BHA-1, all very positive. One example is #84 of this thread.

Steve

Joker · « **Reply #162 on:** 26 Jul 2012, 09:30 pm »

Thank you, Steve, did overlook them indeed. Andreas

bjski · « **Reply #163 on:** 31 Jul 2012, 01:10 am »

James are the back orders still about month? I have a nice 17 inch silver one on order.

James Tanner · « **Reply #164 on:** 31 Jul 2012, 02:51 am »

Quote from: bjski on 31 Jul 2012, 01:10 am

James are the back orders still about month? I have a nice 17 inch silver one on order.

Last I looked production told me 197 on backorder

James

bjski · « **Reply #165 on:** 31 Jul 2012, 01:29 pm »

That's fantastic news for Bryston! You must be please of the successes the BHA is generating.

I still have those Axiom's to break in.

Thank,
BJ

James Tanner · « **Reply #166 on:** 31 Jul 2012, 01:46 pm »

Quote from: bjski on 31 Jul 2012, 01:29 pm

That's fantastic news for Bryston! You must be please of the successes the BHA is generating.

I still have those Axiom's to break in.

Thank,
BJ

Hi,

Yes it has caught me a little off guard.

When I did the research on Headphone amplifiers I got the feeling that there was almost an arbitrary synergy between a specific headphone and a mating headphone amplifier. I thought maybe a headphone amp (Bryston) designed to be as sonically neutral as possible may not fly

Obviously I misjudged the market.

james

Vipers · « **Reply #167 on:** 6 Aug 2012, 05:15 pm »

In preparation for my BHA-1 arriving, surely it can't be much longer eh James? and the opening of my store, all my demo Grado's turned up today, also opened a HiFiMan account so I can demo the BHA-1 with the HE-6's, also got a Stax account, arguably the best headphones on the planet, so it will be interesting to try the PS1000's/HE-6's with the BHA-1 against a similar Stax system, would also love to get a Senheiser and Audeze on board as I've decided to have a dedicated Headphone room, but first I need to get some coffers back into the account

I have to say though it is great fun being able to buy all this great kit under the disguise of business

terrycym · « **Reply #168 on:** 6 Aug 2012, 06:21 pm »

The Hi-Fi show near Silverstone next month will have a big headphone component to it - new for this year

OgOgilby · « **Reply #169 on:** 6 Aug 2012, 09:32 pm »

Low and behold, our BHA-1 arrived today! It is set up in our bedroom and connected to the BDA-1 in our family room with a set of very long balanced cables. Didn't have much time to listen, but so far the Audeze/Bryston combo sounds amazing (fed by our BDP-1).

-Greg

Vipers · « **Reply #170 on:** 7 Aug 2012, 09:22 am »

Quote from: terrycym on 6 Aug 2012, 06:21 pm

The Hi-Fi show near Silverstone next month will have a big headphone component to it - new for this year

Hi Terry,

Found out yesterday after talking to the HiFiMan rep that there is a huge headphone show 20 mins away from me in Cambridge on September 15th.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/601003/uk-2012-head-fi-meet-september-15th-cambridgeshire

Huge list of equipment on Demo, no sign of the BHA-1 though, maybe worth coming over with one James

Personally I'm gutted as I'm at the Goodwood Revival Meeting that day otherwise I would have been there in a flash.

Btw, Terry, it's all your fault I've been chasing a Stax account, hoping to have the SR-507's and SR-007's on demo

Vipers · « **Reply #171 on:** 7 Aug 2012, 09:25 am »

Quote from: OgOgilby on 6 Aug 2012, 09:32 pm

Low and behold, our BHA-1 arrived today! It is set up in our bedroom and connected to the BDA-1 in our family room with a set of very long balanced cables. Didn't have much time to listen, but so far the Audeze/Bryston combo sounds amazing (fed by our BDP-1).

-Greg

Nice Greg, I'm not jealous, honest

The LCD-2's are the only headphone that I have not listened to yet that I'm really keen to, along with the LCD-3 of course, Audeze just don't seem to be very well represented over here in the UK.

terrycym · « **Reply #172 on:** 7 Aug 2012, 11:43 am »

Regarding Audeze, see my email earlier about Silverstone/Whittlebury.

No 009's then?
You'll need 3rd party Stax energisers next

Vipers · « **Reply #173 on:** 7 Aug 2012, 12:46 pm »

Quote from: terrycym on 7 Aug 2012, 11:43 am

Regarding Audeze, see my email earlier about Silverstone/Whittlebury.

No 009's then?
You'll need 3rd party Stax energisers next

Hopefully the SR-009's will come later once I've earned some money, definitely on my wish list though

As for Audeze, just got their UK Distribution no, maybe worth a call, saying that I think I'll go to Whittlebury and have a listen 1st.

OgOgilby · « **Reply #174 on:** 7 Aug 2012, 04:18 pm »

Quote from: Vipers on 7 Aug 2012, 09:25 am

The LCD-2's are the only headphone that I have not listened to yet that I'm really keen to, along with the LCD-3 of course, Audeze just don't seem to be very well represented over here in the UK.

Vipers - there are no Audeze dealers in our state and I purchased the LCD-2's without hearing them first. They are easily my favorite headphones of the five I have purchased over the last few years (Bose QC2, Sennheiser 545, Beyerdynamic DT880 & DT990). The BHA-1 drives the LCD-2's easily. Coming from the BDA-1 and using the 4 pin balanced connection I have the BHA-1's volume between 8-11 o'clock. Coming from our cable TV box the BHA-1 volume level is from 9 to 12 o'clock. I am using the low gain setting on the BHA-1.

I should mention that I am not a big headphone guy in general - I prefer listening to my 2 channel setup for music. I just wanted something that is closer to the audio quality of my main system for our bedroom that won't wake my wife up. The Audeze/Bryston BHA-1 setup does that and in some ways exceeds my main system (wasn't expecting that). I was a bit worried the LCD-2's would bother her since they are open - so far they haven't. I actually think I am finished buying headphone gear.

-Greg

alexone · « **Reply #175 on:** 7 Aug 2012, 09:32 pm »

Quote from: OgOgilby on 6 Aug 2012, 09:32 pm

Low and behold, our BHA-1 arrived today! It is set up in our bedroom and connected to the BDA-1 in our family room with a set of very long balanced cables. Didn't have much time to listen, but so far the Audeze/Bryston combo sounds amazing (fed by our BDP-1).

-Greg

congrats, Og! very cool hifi stuff

how long is the balanced cable exactly?

thank you,

al.

OgOgilby · « **Reply #176 on:** 7 Aug 2012, 09:45 pm »

Thanks al. The balanced cables are 90' (27.43 meters) long. They are made with Mogami W3173 wire and Switchcraft XLR's.

The distance from the upstairs bedroom's BHA-1 to the downstairs family room's BDA-1 was approximately 77' (23.4 m), but I wanted to have extra cable just in case. Routing the cables was the tough part, but it was worth it.

-Greg

MellowVelo · « **Reply #177 on:** 15 Aug 2012, 12:58 am »

Hi James,

I seem to remember reading a post from you on this thread (or possibly the equivalent thread on Audio Aficionado) in which you stated that Bryston is considering the possibility of adding some additional features, like additional inputs and outputs, to the BHA-1 so that it could essentially function as a preamp. (Unfortunately, I can't find the relevant post.) Is any more consideration being given to this idea? If so, what would be the timetable for this product to be released? What sorts of features are being considered?

Thanks!

James Tanner · « **Reply #178 on:** 15 Aug 2012, 05:39 am »

Quote from: MellowVelo on 15 Aug 2012, 12:58 am

Hi James,

I seem to remember reading a post from you on this thread (or possibly the equivalent thread on Audio Aficionado) in which you stated that Bryston is considering the possibility of adding some additional features, like additional inputs and outputs, to the BHA-1 so that it could essentially function as a preamp. (Unfortunately, I can't find the relevant post.) Is any more consideration being given to this idea? If so, what would be the timetable for this product to be released? What sorts of features are being considered?

Thanks!

Hi

Yes we thought that adding a pair of Balanced outputs on the back would allow the BHA to be a preamp as well. We will have to increase the price though so unless it is a desirable option for most we may have to look at it as an additional option rather than a standard feature.

James

MellowVelo · « **Reply #179 on:** 15 Aug 2012, 02:29 pm »

Quote from: James Tanner on 15 Aug 2012, 05:39 am

Hi

Yes we thought that adding a pair of Balanced outputs on the back would allow the BHA to be a preamp as well. We will have to increase the price though so unless it is a desirable option for most we may have to look at it as an additional option rather than a standard feature.

James

Thanks for your response, James. I definitely understand that this would increase the price, but, at least to me, this is a highly desirable option. It would be cool if this could at least be available as an additional option for those who want it.