[loopyground]

Marius, bobNL or anyone else with a BHA-1 and HD800 combo I've got a quick question if you don't mind.

Over the last few weeks I've been running in all my new headphones for the shop and this evening I thought enough was enough and I had a little shootout, HD800's v LCD-2, both cracking headphones with very different personalities, but it was more the BHA-1 I have a question on, I'm using high gain fed by RCA's from a Naim streamer at the moment, until my BDA-1/BDP-1 pairs up with the BHA-1 when my version 2's arrive, anyway, on the BHA-1 I found that when moving the volume from say 9 o'clock to 4 o'clock there isn't much change in the overall volume with the biggest change happening in the last 10%, does anyone else find this? in fact with the HD800's and LCD-2's you have to be on almost maximum volume to get what I call a good listening level, and with the HiFiMan HE-6's there really isn't enough volume to drive them properly.

My BHA-1 has had a problem in the past and I'm wondering if this lack of apparent volume and subtle volume control is correct compared to others? or I guess I may just be deaf

What volume do most people listen at?

Cheers,

Hi Vipers:

I have the BHA-1 and HD800’s and on low gain and balanced (stereo 4 pin) and I am set at about 9 o’clock listening to Eagles Hotel California right now with plenty of volume.  I tried single ended and I then needed to move up to 10 o’clock for similar volume level.  I think the balanced output is just awesome compared to going single ended which is still very good.  To me the BHA-1 and HD800’s are a match made in heaven.  I temporarily have no loudspeakers until my Bryston Signature Edition Model T loudspeakers are delivered so I’m spending plenty of time listening on headphones!!! 

BTW I have read with interest your new venture and admire you for taking the plunge.  It is a long time ago but I used to live in Harpenden working at Imperial Chemical Industries in Welwyn Garden City, Herts.  No stores like yours when I left England to emigrate to Canada in 1967!!!  Good luck with your store!   

Cheers

Extra Information
Sorry but I should have mentioned I am running single ended Canare interconnect 12 metres from the tape monitor of my Moon P7 preamp to the BHA-1 on my desk.  I wondered if i would have to tear my house apart now to put in a balanced interconnect but i know it would be better but the single ended works so well I hate to renovate!

[bobNL]

Hi Vipers,

Use the single ended headphone out and my BDA is connected to the BHA by XLR interconnects. With this setup, and the low gain setting, anything above 9 oclock will blow my eardrums to bits. My BCD is (also) connected to the RCA so I gave that a try. I agree, in the low gain setting nothing much happens between say 10 and 2 oclock. When I switch to the high gain setting volume increases (for obvious reasons), but it is also more responsive tot any turning of the volume knob. Perhaps RCA works bettter with the high gain for some reason.

Never noticed this because I mostly use the BCD through the BDA.

Looking forward to a new balanced cable for my HD800's. Am also interested in your experience with the BDA2 (hope its not much better than the BDA-1).

Cheers,
Bob

[RLL1]

I'm running XLR from DAC to BHA-1, with HD800's using SE output. BHA-1 is set on low gain. Volume above 9 o'clock is too loud for my ears.

Rick

[myview]

Hi Vipers,

My BHA-1 is fed the analogue signal from:
- the RCA out of my BDA-1 to which my BDP-1 and BCD-1 are connected
- (additionally), balanced XLR directly out of my BCD-1

I just toggle between 'RCA' and 'Balanced' as source on my BHA-1.

I don't have my HD800 with me because I had loaned it to a friend.  I use a balanced (4-pin XLR) HE-6 instead, which is a more diifcult load than the HD800.  On either 'RCA' or 'Balanced' setting on 'source' on the BHA-1, I set the BHA-1 on 'high gain' and listen mainly with the volume at between 9 and 10 o'clock.  This is already sufficiently loud for me.

Hope this helps

[Marius]

HI Vipers, Paul,

I've noticed a similar volume sensitivity: from about 7 to 9/10 o'clock the volume increase is about the same as from 10 to the max. Using SE in- and output right now. Hi gain gives a bit more spice, but the volume increase-Delta is about the same. I find the setting between 10 and 12, of course depending on source material, most comfortable.

I've noticed also, that like the BP26, the BHA1 still plays very softly, when volume is 0%..... So where Bryston technicians tell me that this issue is caused by total gain in the Amp-chain, (and the amps might be too strong for the speakers, 28b's and ESL63 in my case) the BHA1 causes this on its own....

Curious to notice that apparently the HD800 is so very sensitive it plays music with voume at 0%, and still the difference between 10 oclock and later is so very small 
James, care to comment please?

Cheers,
Marius

Ps will check this when my balanced cables arrive.

[Vipers]

Thanks for the replies guys, seems to be a difference of opinion there, my findings are very similar to Marius's, I almost wish that at 9.00 o'clock it blew my ears off, it takes until I get to 95% to achieve that.

I think what I need to do is put it in a 100% Bryston rig and remove the Naim streamer and give it another go, I'd imagine balanced from the BDA-1 will help no end.

I'll give it a try tomorrow and see what happens.

Thanks again.

[loopyground]

Thanks for the replies guys, seems to be a difference of opinion there, my findings are very similar to Marius's, I almost wish that at 9.00 o'clock it blew my ears off, it takes until I get to 95% to achieve that.

I think what I need to do is put it in a 100% Bryston rig and remove the Naim streamer and give it another go, I'd imagine balanced from the BDA-1 will help no end.

I'll give it a try tomorrow and see what happens.

Thanks again.

Hi Vipers:

Just out of curiosity I took the output of my BDP-1 / BDA-1 single ended via my 12 metre single ended Canare interconnects to the BHA-1 with much the same 9 o’clock setting single ended and 10 o’clock balanced volume settings for more than enough level just as I found when taking the signal from my tape monitor on my Moon P7 preamp. 

I’ll be really interested to hear your results when your gear is set up the same way as the above.  Your only difference will be a much shorter interconnects to the BHA-1 which could only be beneficial.  I have to have the 12 metre interconnects unfortunately.

Interestingly I believe the sound directly out of the BDP-1 / BDA-1 is a little more spacious and dynamic than when I take the signal out of my tape monitor on my Moon P7 preamp.  This requires more listening time to be sure but I’m glad I tried it.

Cheers,
Roger

[James Tanner]

SHOOTOUT:

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/Magazine/equipment/1212/headphone_amplifier_shootout.htm

james

[bobNL]

 



Bob

[Marius]

HI Paul,

did some more earwork, and adding to the previous, I hear a sudden volume-increase between 4 and 5 o'clock.... approaching your 95%, because then it is too loud definitely .

keep us up to speed with your findings please.

Marius

Thanks for the replies guys, seems to be a difference of opinion there, my findings are very similar to Marius's, I almost wish that at 9.00 o'clock it blew my ears off, it takes until I get to 95% to achieve that.

[Vipers]

SHOOTOUT:

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/Magazine/equipment/1212/headphone_amplifier_shootout.htm

james

Excellent review James, you couldn't ask for much better against the established competition the BHA-1 was up against, I particularly like the below ideas though, time to get your R&D department doing some overtime -

'I'd like to see Bryston introduce another model sitting above the BHA-1 with multiple balanced inputs, higher maximum output, a remote control and a volume control covering a wider range of output levels.'

[Vipers]

Thanks again loopyground and Marius, Hopefully this afternoon I will get a chance to move my BCD-1 into the headphone room and do some furhter experimenting as at the moment I have to say that my BHA-1 isn't capable of driving my HE-6's at a volume I find listenable.

[Joker]

Thanks again loopyground and Marius, Hopefully this afternoon I will get a chance to move my BCD-1 into the headphone room and do some furhter experimenting as at the moment I have to say that my BHA-1 isn't capable of driving my HE-6's at a volume I find listenable.

Hi Vipers, pls see my posting #450 here that documents my setup. In your case I assume the Naim source might be the "gap". The "problem" with these components is the vicious circle you create: you need to spend a lot on cabling to really unlock the potential of all these components

[Vipers]

Hi Joker, thanks for that, I seem to be getting somewhere now, and yes looks like you are right, RCA's from the Naim streamer into the BHA-1 certainly seem to be holding the BHA-1 back, normally I wouldn't mix Naim with Bryston but it seemed like a good source to feed all my headphone amps which it seems to be other than the BHA-1.

Just now I took my BCD-1 and plugged that into the Balanced inputs of the BHA-1 and queued up the same song on the Naim streamer and one the BCD-1 and flicked between the RCA and Balanced selector, leaving the gain on high for both, WOW, what a difference balanced from the BCD-1 was, massively louder but also far more clarity and detail, it was a different league. Also when using the balanced connector from my HE-6's it went up another level, a fully balanced BHA-1 really is something quite special, which makes me realise that I need to sort balanced cables pronto for my LCD-2's and HD800's to really hear them at their best with the BHA-1.

So progress made, but there still isn't much improvement in volume between 10-2, but I guess that is just the way the volume works on the BHA-1?

Thanks.

[Joker]

Hi Joker, thanks for that, I seem to be getting somewhere now, and yes looks like you are right, RCA's from the Naim streamer into the BHA-1 certainly seem to be holding the BHA-1 back, normally I wouldn't mix Naim with Bryston but it seemed like a good source to feed all my headphone amps which it seems to be other than the BHA-1.

Just now I took my BCD-1 and plugged that into the Balanced inputs of the BHA-1 and queued up the same song on the Naim streamer and one the BCD-1 and flicked between the RCA and Balanced selector, leaving the gain on high for both, WOW, what a difference balanced from the BCD-1 was, massively louder but also far more clarity and detail, it was a different league. Also when using the balanced connector from my HE-6's it went up another level, a fully balanced BHA-1 really is something quite special, which makes me realise that I need to sort balanced cables pronto for my LCD-2's and HD800's to really hear them at their best with the BHA-1.

So progress made, but there still isn't much improvement in volume between 10-2, but I guess that is just the way the volume works on the BHA-1?

Thanks.

Hi Vipers, I hear between 9-10 max. Beyond that I'd be afraid my ears would blow away ... and I feel I'm hearing loud already.

[loopyground]

Hi Vipers, I hear between 9-10 max. Beyond that I'd be afraid my ears would blow away ... and I feel I'm hearing loud already.

Hi Vipers and Joker:

Just measured the level at 9 o'clock setting with my meter (between the drivers) set on slow response and C weighting and that gave an average of 70dB playing Eagles Hotel California.  At 10 o'clock more like an average of 80dB which is way too loud for me.  I now going single ended from my BDP-1 / BDA-1 to my BHA-1 and 4 pin balanced into HD800 'phones.  Previously I took the signal from my preamp tape monitor but found things sounded more spacious and dynamic directly out of the BDA-1.  This is likely because of a slightly higher level.  9'oclock now gives an average of 70dB and is now too loud for me and I'm an old fart!!!  Comfortable listening level on this track would now be closer to an average of 65dB and slightly below 9'oclock.
Cheers

[James Tanner]

For those who speak German 

For those who do not - really nice pictures

james



http://www.open-end-music.de/vb3/showthread.php?t=5068

Bester Gruß,
Otwin Maas

[TONEPUB]

James, thank you for sending us one for review.  Still breaking in, but pretty awesome so far!

[Joker]

For those who speak German 

For those who do not - really nice pictures

james



http://www.open-end-music.de/vb3/showthread.php?t=5068

Bester Gruß,
Otwin Maas

Bravo!!! Once again I am happy to see my BHA / HD800 choice confirmed. I couldn't agree more with the findings and I think, James, that readout (incl. Otwin's additional forum comment) WARRANTS a translation!

P.S.: maybe James you did overlook my earlier question regarding the power consumption of the BDA and BDP? Since Bryston now specifies that I think first time with the BHA? At least I didn't see it yet for the other two fine components I own from lovely Bryston. Thanks!

[bobNL]

Great review!
Well deserved, still happy as a bunny with the combo  .

They have also connected the BHA directly to some active speakers.
Abacus, never heard (of) them but the reviewers seemed happy.

Anyone have eperience to share on using the BHA as a preamp?
Still considering a B4SST2. If only it had a mute button  .

Cheers,
Bob