[Bonesy Jonesy]

Well, metal is all about distortion and loudness but I have heard it being reproduced well on a more warmer stat set up of a Kgst/007 combo. Just didn't have that wide, airy soundstage that I was expecting. It could have been due to the less than ideal seal of the ear pads as my then pair of 007s had a loose headband..
Hahahaha...well, I do find rap music to cause more distortion even with my lesser dynamic set up yet I still enjoy the occassional 2 or 3 rap tunes
The vinyl route is very tempting but the need to keep the records clean and the extra hassle in handling and storing them is keeping me away..for now. But I would wholeheartedly believe it's worth the effort to plug it into your BHSE rig - I can vouch that the record will sound better tha digital

 
I have tried the vinyl route with my headphone systems with quite a high quality Origin Live Turntable, Tonearm, Dynavector MC Cartridge and fully balanced (input and output) Chord Electronics Phono Stage and found that I had to really turn up the volume knob to over 70% (normally only 30 to 40% with my CD Transporter and DAC rig). 
 
It also didn't sound as good (less detail, sound stage, separation of instruments etc.) as my CD rig even when using 180g and 200g records and cleaning them on a Keith Monks RCM.  So I sold it.

 

[astrostar59]

   
100% agree with Peter's comment with well recorded rock and metal to some of the tracks I heard at CanJam London.   In fact I was able to listen to a lot of different music genres (including Trans and R&B no less) and they all sounded at least great with some sounding absolutely amazing. 
 
Of course like any high end HiFi system the better the production source the better it will sound as most high-end HiFi systems can be very revealing and make poorly recorded and produced materials sound very bad and unlistenable.   I have this problem with my Chord Blu CD Transporter & QBD76 DAC. But when I put in Gold Disc Master recordings...wow they sound magical as I have often compared one of these CD's to the standard recorded CD and notice quite a big difference.
 
Like an old saying goes....rubbish in rubbish out.      And you wouldn't put low quality fuel from a small back street garage with old fuel tanks and pumps into your Ferrari or Lambo would you  

Totally agree here. My thoughts over the last 3 years of 007 and 009 ownership with various (gradually better amps) is the 009 in particular are a fast and revealing headphone. This is fantastic to have and brings us closer to the music and tiny details that can be loss in other systems. However IMO it can lead to sibilance in some recordings especially in a digital source. I have gone down the warm sounding DAC route to mate with my system. Is my DAC coloured? Maybe. Are incredibly transparent DACs like MSB coloured? Maybe as well. But it is all about system synergy and getting the sum of the parts to fit together. If anyone finds they are track swopping and their listening sessions are short it may be too much sugar on the cake?
 
Agree on some rock material, but listen to some Rammstein. It is very well recorded and even though there are screening guitars it plays great and loud as well with the 009s.
 
I think some high end HPs have a built in warmth and softer treble to compensate for the current trend of brighter sounding DACs. The LCD range comes to mind for example. Nothing wrong in that, it makes system matching easier IMO.

 

[bmichels]

 
Totally agree here. My thoughts over the last 3 years of 007 and 009 ownership with various (gradually better amps) is the 009 in particular are a fast and revealing headphone. This is fantastic to have and brings us closer to the music and tiny details that can be loss in other systems. However IMO it can lead to sibilance in some recordings especially in a digital source. I have gone down the warm sounding DAC route to mate with my system. Is my DAC coloured? Maybe. Are incredibly transparent DACs like MSB coloured? Maybe as well. But it is all about system synergy and getting the sum of the parts to fit together. If anyone finds they are track swopping and their listening sessions are short it may be too much sugar on the cake?
 
Agree on some rock material, but listen to some Rammstein. It is very well recorded and even though there are screening guitars it plays great and loud as well with the 009s.
 
I think some high end HPs have a built in warmth and softer treble to compensate for the current trend of brighter sounding DACs. The LCD range comes to mind for example. Nothing wrong in that, it makes system matching easier IMO.

 
Is the Audio Note UK DAC 5 Special  the warm sounding DAC that you found to mate the BHSE/SR009 possible sibilance ?  With HUGO+BHSE+SR009 i often have ear ringing
 
Any suggestion for a more "obtainable" warm sounding DAC (but still precise and detailed)

 

[astrostar59]

   
Is the Audio Note UK DAC 5 Special  the warm sounding DAC that you found to mate the BHSE/SR009 possible sibilance ?  With HUGO+BHSE+SR009 i often have ear ringing
 
Any suggestion for a more "obtainable" warm sounding DAC (but still precise and detailed)

I don't own the BHSE, as I have the KGSShv Carbon. My Audio Note DAC 5 is very smooth and has almost no issues in the treble region. The BHSE with stock tubes is very 'excitable' up top IMO, so with some DACs may lead to brightness issues on the 009s. This has been fixed by some I have spoken to using NOS tubes and / or buying a smoother DAC. Others however have no issues at all. Complex subject but not sure if you have tried NOS tubes yet? Might be in for a treat.

 

[Rossliew]

   
Like an old saying goes....rubbish in rubbish out.      And you wouldn't put low quality fuel from a small back street garage with old fuel tanks and pumps into your Ferrari or Lambo would you  

 
That's a very good analogy to use and spot on i must say! We won't be fully utilising the strengths of the BHSE/009 combo with poorly recorded material but sadly what i listen to mostly is 320Kbps metal tunes off Spotify...may not be ideal for this said combo sadly
 
 

   
I have tried the vinyl route with my headphone systems with quite a high quality Origin Live Turntable, Tonearm, Dynavector MC Cartridge and fully balanced (input and output) Chord Electronics Phono Stage and found that I had to really turn up the volume knob to over 70% (normally only 30 to 40% with my CD Transporter and DAC rig). 
 
It also didn't sound as good (less detail, sound stage, separation of instruments etc.) as my CD rig even when using 180g and 200g records and cleaning them on a Keith Monks RCM.  So I sold it.

 
Somehow, from my recollection of music listened to with my modest vinyl rig previously (Rega RP6/Exact MM cart with Schiit Mani phono stage) to my dynamic headphone rig listening to mostly new pressings of metal vinyl, i found them to be dynamically alive and more textured with greater depth of staging. Hard to describe but somehow they sounded more "real" if there is a better word for it..
digital music is just so much more convenient and saves storage space lol..

 

[mulveling]

Most of our Stax headphone amps are built to accommodate modern balanced digital sources pushing out at least 4V. The BHSE and my Carbon have low enough gain to not be overwhelmed by these hot sources. But when you have vinyl setup with a high-end low-output MC cartridge, say 0.3mV (my preferred cartridges are this), then even a phono with 66dB gain (which is high for an active MC+MM stage) only gets that 0.3mV up to 0.6V (it's hard to say what that 0.3mV spec actually translates to in real terms, but still...). That's 16.5dB lower than a 4V source, which is extremely significant. So you may find yourself really cranking the volume knob to get decent volume. Or you may find your setup just doesn't have enough gain at all for louder listening. 
 
I think in that scenario, a SUT (say 1:40, which yields +32dB) combined with a hot MM stage (> 40dB) is probably a better bet. It's a bit different than a traditional hi-fi where you'd have both a preamp and power amp to supply the extra gain as necessary. I guess alternatively you could also consider adding a high quality preamp with some additional gain -- but that's adding extra active stages.
 
It's pretty crazy though, to think that on a vinyl source w/ Stax, that tiny 0.3V signal would hit +70dB gain, get attenuated by the volume control, and then get another +54dB or so of gain from your Stax amp...124dB gain from start to finish if you max out the volume control 

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Has anybody changed their BHSE from 115V to 230V / 240V power supply ?   If so, how much did it cost ? 
 
Or has anybody bought a 110V to 240V transformer for their BHSE and it has worked ok ?.    

 

[Rossliew]

Has anybody changed their BHSE from 115V to 230V / 240V power supply ?   If so, how much did it cost ? 

Or has anybody bought a 110V to 240V transformer for their BHSE and it has worked ok ?.    

Believe it's better to let Justin do the conversion as I understand it's not a simple nor straightforward task.

Headamp uses a voltage transformer with their BHSE when attending events in countries which are not natively 115v when they don't have any 230v demo units. They used it with the BHSE at canjam Singapore if not mistaken.

 

[icebear]

  Has anybody changed their BHSE from 115V to 230V / 240V power supply ?   If so, how much did it cost ? 
 
Or has anybody bought a 110V to 240V transformer for their BHSE and it has worked ok ?.    

I use a 115 to 230V step up transformer to power a GSX-mk2, obviously not a BHSE but same workshop

Get a confirmation from Justin and if you go for a transformer, get a regulated one, that keeps the output voltage stabil no matter what variation comes in from the powerline.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Believe it's better to let Justin do the conversion as I understand it's not a simple nor straightforward task.

Headamp uses a voltage transformer with their BHSE when attending events in countries which are not natively 115v when they don't have any 230v demo units. They used it with the BHSE at canjam Singapore if not mistaken.

Thank you Rossliew.   Much appreciated.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

 
I use a 115 to 230V step up transformer to power a GSX-mk2, obviously not a BHSE but same workshop

Get a confirmation from Justin and if you go for a transformer, get a regulated one, that keeps the output voltage stabil no matter what variation comes in from the powerline.

Thank you icebear.   Much appreciated.

 

[Rossliew]

I use a 115 to 230V step up transformer to power a GSX-mk2, obviously not a BHSE but same workshop
Get a confirmation from Justin and if you go for a transformer, get a regulated one, that keeps the output voltage stabil no matter what variation comes in from the powerline.

Best is get a really good quality one that won't fail suddenly while in use...

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

 
Thank you icebear.   Much appreciated.

Forgot to ask..... No problems then with the difference to US and European frequencies i.e. US 60Hz, Europe 50Hz ! 

 

[icebear]

As long as the sticker on the back of the psu says e.g. 110V 50-60hz, you are OK.
Certain machine parts (e.g. pumps) use the cycles to determine the speed at which they are running.
I had to exchange a pump from a 220V 50hz to a 220V 60hz version and run the Miele with a step up 110 to 220V at 60hz now.
You should not have any issues with the cycles on the BHSE psu.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

  As long as the sticker on the back of the psu says e.g. 110V 50-60hz, you are OK.
Certain machine parts (e.g. pumps) use the cycles to determine the speed at which they are running.
I had to exchange a pump from a 220V 50hz to a 220V 60hz version and run the Miele with a step up 110 to 220V at 60hz now.
You should not have any issues with the cycles on the BHSE psu.

Thank you icebear.   Much appreciated.