Headamp Blue Hawaii Special Edition - Page 175

Of course spritzer is correct until you sight a schematic or strip the unit down there’s no 100% certainty to know whether this is indeed a fully balanced DAC.

But... going from the Esoterics own literature it clearly states “fully balanced”.

In the output stage they state symmetrical buffers for each +/- signal lines for differential balanced (XLR) and then paralleled for single ended (RCA).

 

 

Edited by johnwmclean - 10/4/12 at 2:06pm

This has been discussed before but, from esoteric japan's product page:

<<These powerful discrete buffer output circuits are laid out symmetrically for each of the hot/cold signal lines to construct a rich and fully balanced configuration for XLR audio outputs. >>

And the electrical diagram from the international product page: http://esoteric.teac.com/resources/pdf/k-01.pdf
Edited by arnaud - 10/4/12 at 2:21pm

What's the worst that can happen if someone changes the EL34 tubes in any kind of blue hawaii without re-biasing the amp with a multimeter?

Wonder how this would sound with the HD800 custom colored

It would sound like an explosion...when your HD800s exploded.

 

 

I did exactly that when I got a quad of SED EL34's but I only did it after advice from Birgir. After I put them in I ran the BHSE for about four hours and it ran like a dream, and the SQ was amazing. I have read that not biasing the tubes shortens their lifetime but I don't know for sure. I used the BHSE without biasing the tubes for about two weeks without any problems but after I saw the video Justin did I decided to bias them.

 

 

Thanks.  I have a quad of SED winged C EL34 that I bought from a respected forum member a year or two ago, but I have been afraid to try them.  I'd like to save my Mullard XF2 from wearing out too fast, by only using them when I really need that sound.  So swapping in the SED could save some wear and tear on the good tubes.  My KGBH that luvdunhill built is running higher than normal voltage rails and a custom CCS, and sounds marvelous with the XF2 and SR-009, so I'm not sure the SED will be as enjoyable.  I'd at least like to give them a try.

So Spritzer, can you undress one and find out if it's balanced or not? I'm too unskilled to do so.

 

Best regards.

Thank you jwmclean! You're more than positive!

THank you very much arnaud.

 

There are no Esoteric dealers here so no K-01's to rip apart.  Given how much they stress the "fully balanced" in their documentation it probably is just that but I'll wager that the output stage is a steaming pile of ***** as in all other Esoteric gear. 

Wow!

Thanks for the expert opinion Spritzer!!!

Guess I wont be buying any overpriced steaming piles of *****.

(not that I could afford to...)

I don't know what's inside the K-01 but it does sound pretty good. With me having the K-01, I'm not offended about Birgir's thoughts on Esoteric gear infact I'm pleased about them. I say that because when there are any upgrades available on Esoteric equipment, Teac make them rather than an owner having to buy a new player which is just aswell because I've no intentions of getting anymore gear, apart from new headphones every so often. Birgir, if you could write your dislikes about Esoteric equipment, then Teac might see them and make the improvements needed.

I take it you've never talked to an audio engineer?    Going by what the ex-dealer here says Esoteric are an utter pain to deal with.