PS - Bryston - I hate you.
(sarcasm)
Before you read - Yes, I know this is NOT double blind, and is FULL of bias. But it's MY bias, and I'm just sharing it, not validating it.
History - We're (me and my wife) having a baby in 5 months. I'm working nights so I can have weekdays off (allowing us to skip childcare). I am awake all night on my days off (until the baby is born at least). My source is FLAC ripped via Sonos to a Bryston BDA-1 and into a Rotel RSX-1560 receiver, then out to a Rega EAR headphone amp. And here is where our story begins...
I'm going to be working nights for a LONG (3-7 years) time, for child care purposes. Thus, headphones are FAR more important to me than they were a year ago. So, I end up with a Rega EAR headphone amp ($400-ish) powering some Senniheiser HD-595's (which I have had for years). Works great for TiVo and Bluray's, but I couldn't care less about music, which isn't' "me". Maybe it's the headphones??
Amazon allows me to easily get some HiFiMan HE-500's (why not?). I'm VERY impressed.
But all the reading says the Bryston BHA-1 is *THE* amp to for headphones.... So I get one (I had already fell in LOVE with the Bryston BDA-1 DAC). It beats my Rega EAR headphone amp (and shoudn't it, since it's almost 3x the cost).
As is usual for me, I over-research this and find Blue Moon Audio (moon-audio.com) for improved headphone cables, so I order the best they have (silver dragon). Once I hook it up to my HiFiMan HE-500's, my initial reaction is that "hey, this is a tad too bright (the treble is a bit painful from being too strong). But, that MUST be good, right? It's more resolution/sparkle/detail, so that's GOT to be an improvement, right??
On a total fluke, i get to borrow some Audeze LCD-2 headphones. I switch from phono plugs to XLRs, and notice the volume increases, both for the HiFiMan HE-500's and the LCD-2's.
I also notice that I have more "toe-tapping" with the Audeze LCD-2's than I ever had before!!! So Good! I *must* have Audeze LCD-2's!!! I cough up $1000 to buy them (which was a feat for me!), even though my HifiMan HE-500's are NEW!!!.
The next week, I send my BHA-1 in to Bryston to get a nifty blue LED upgrade. As I dont' have my BHA-1, I build myself a XLR to RCA patch cable so I can use the Audeze LCD-2s, but with my Rega EAR amp (stereo photo plug).
After 3 weeks of work (no real days off), I FINALLY get to enjoy my headphones/music. Only... the LCD-2's on the Rega EAR are... almost boring??? The HiFiMan HE-500's are better. I found this weird as the HiFiMan 500's were overly bright on the Bryston BHA-1. But, on the Rega EAR, they are FINE! and the Audeze LCD-2's are "dark" and missing detail.
So, all of this to say: Synergy. It's real.
Oh and by the way, the ONLY time I tapped my toe, the ONLY time I FELT excited, was when I was listening to the Bryston BHA-1, and specifically through the Audeze LCD-2's. So, everything else aside, Bryston made me LOVE the music. Without Byrston's headphone amp, it was just "okay".
No BS, and no, i don't get one damn thing free from Bryston, not even a sticker. But their equipment helps me LOVE music, not just listen to it.
Bryston, FTW!!!
