[David1961]

With this batch of BHSE's shipping soonish, I guess it's about that time to start thinking about how I'm going to hook this stuff up. Anyone have cable recommendations or advice on the best way to connect an Invicta to the BHSE? XLR or RCA?

Also what cables does the BHSE come with? Are there any other adapters or cables needed to use with the 009s?

I've never used the invicta, but while using the 009's with the BHSE, and the BHSE's stock Mullard tubes are being used, I found the best results were from copper RCA's.

AFAIK, the only cables that comes with the BHSE, are the power cord and umbilical cord.

 

[Bones13]

I will order some Blue Jeans Cables (XLR) to connect my pre-amo to the BHSE. Pre amp will allow my sources to go either to the BHSE or to the speaker system. I will have a set of RCA cables from my non music server computer directly to the BHSE to listen to that computer with.

 

[Rico613]

With this batch of BHSE's shipping soonish, I guess it's about that time to start thinking about how I'm going to hook this stuff up. Anyone have cable recommendations or advice on the best way to connect an Invicta to the BHSE? XLR or RCA?

Also what cables does the BHSE come with? Are there any other adapters or cables needed to use with the 009s?

 
I prefer balanced XLR interconnects whenever possible.  Audioquest beat a couple other brands I tried, including Blue Jeans.  The AQ Columbia provides the best SQ for the $$, but their silver cables sound better if you have a DAC that warrants the added expense.    I think Wireworld would be a good second choice.  The dealer mark-up on cables are considerable, so shop around for their best price, you will be amazed . . .

I like a 15' length on my headphone cables, so I got the Stax extension for the 009s

 

[jm1122]

I've never used the invicta, but while using the 009's with the BHSE, and the BHSE's stock Mullard tubes are being used, I found the best results were from copper RCA's.



AFAIK, the only cables that comes with the BHSE, are the power cord and umbilical cord.

 


You mentioned stock Mullards. Do you prefer XLR with the EL34PH tubes?

I actually have a quad of EL34PH's keeping my 009s company during the wait.

 

[David1961]

I've never used the invicta, but while using the 009's with the BHSE, and the BHSE's stock Mullard tubes are being used, I found the best results were from copper RCA's.



AFAIK, the only cables that comes with the BHSE, are the power cord and umbilical cord.

 


You mentioned stock Mullards. Do you prefer XLR with the EL34PH tubes?

I actually have a quad of EL34PH's keeping my 009s company during the wait.

Hi jm1122,

Yes, I prefer to use my silver cable XLR's while using the PH tubes, and copper RCA's when I was using the stock Mullard's and SED's.

 

[arturo71]

  I recently put down my deposit on a BHSE.  Given the wait time, not sure if I should put in order for headphones and use other amplification, or wait closer to the date of delivery of BHSE.  Out of curiosity, for those of you in on the current batch or waiting on order, I have two questions:
 
1) What electrostatic headphones do you have now (if any)?  Curious if you bought the headphones or basically waited/waiting until your BHSE order is closer to being done?
 
2) Assuming you have electrostatic headphones already, what amplification are you using with them currently until your BHSE arrives?

 
My advice is that you buy a second-hand Stax amplifier and you use it until the BHSE arrives. Then you can sell the Stax amp almost at the price you paid for it.
 
My upgrade path was: Lambda 404 and Stax 007tII (which I bought from different owners), then I bough a SR007A, then BSHE, then SR009, then I sold the Stax 007tII. They were all second hand except the BHSE.

 

[statfi]

Not really as really just asking how "soon to be" owners of bhse handled it. But I guess the audience that can answer this question is limited.

'(Extremely) happily listening to my 009s for going on two years with my moderately sick SRM-T1. My old Lambdas are here, but 009s are so much better. Maybe one of the new BHSE owners will sell you their old rig while you're waiting. Not I: mine does need fixing.

 

[Phil95]

I recently put down my deposit on a BHSE.  Given the wait time, not sure if I should put in order for headphones and use other amplification, or wait closer to the date of delivery of BHSE.  Out of curiosity, for those of you in on the current batch or waiting on order, I have two questions:


 


1) What electrostatic headphones do you have now (if any)?  Curious if you bought the headphones or basically waited/waiting until your BHSE order is closer to being done?


 


2) Assuming you have electrostatic headphones already, what amplification are you using with them currently until your BHSE arrives?

 


1. Stax SR009 -bought it before I heard of the BHSE
2. Stax SRM007-tII -very good value for the money, but you have to change the original EH tubes for NOS RCA (not too expensive); the SQ improvement is dramatic.

Regards

 

[statfi]

'(Extremely) happily listening to my 009s for going on two years with my moderately sick SRM-T1. My old Lambdas are here, but 009s are so much better. Maybe one of the new BHSE owners will sell you their old rig while you're waiting. Not I: mine does need fixing.

(Entered previous, awkward post from an iPad with which I am all thumbs.)
My BHSE is on order and am eagerly awaiting it.  However, I was happy I had even my flawed SRM-T1 to hear these wonderful headphones while waiting for the BHSE.

 

[rgs9200m]

 

  I recently put down my deposit on a BHSE.  Given the wait time, not sure if I should put in order for headphones and use other amplification, or wait closer to the date of delivery of BHSE.  Out of curiosity, for those of you in on the current batch or waiting on order, I have two questions:
   
  1) What electrostatic headphones do you have now (if any)?  Curious if you bought the headphones or basically waited/waiting until your BHSE order is closer to being done?
   
  2) Assuming you have electrostatic headphones already, what amplification are you using with them currently until your BHSE arrives?

 


1. Stax SR009 -bought it before I heard of the BHSE
2. Stax SRM007-tII -very good value for the money, but you have to change the original EH tubes for NOS RCA (not too expensive); the SQ improvement is dramatic.

Regards

Phil, could you please elaborate on what tubes you used for the 007t and how you went about this? Does it need to be sent back to Stax or a good service place for biasing or whatever?
Thanks in advance.

 

[David1961]

I've heard both the 007mk1's and my 009's with the SRM-007t and SRM-717, and with both headphones I thought the SRM-717 sounded the better of the two Stax amps.
I once had the SR-007mk1's along with the SRM-007t, and because I was so disappointed with the SQ of that combo, it didn't bother me letting them go. I've heard someone else's 007mk1's with my BHSE, and I was regretting letting my 007's go, ( headphones only ) but since using the PH tubes with my BHSE driving my 009's, I no longer think about the 007's.

When I had the SRM-007t, the first time it needed new tubes, I sent it off, but the second time I did it myself.
I didn't bias the tubes, I just plugged them in and the amp sounded no different to how it did when I sent it off.

 

[rgs9200m]

Thanks David. Stax always says that you should send the amp back to them, but I was wondering if just getting a balanced set of tubes would be just as good as biasing.
Any info on this would be interesting. Thanks in advance for any comments or a pointer to comments on this on headfi or elsewhere.

 

[dailydoseofdaly]

I've heard someone else's 007mk1's with my BHSE, and I was regretting letting my 007's go, ( headphones only ) but since using the PH tubes with my BHSE driving my 009's, I no longer think about the 007's.

I switched from the sed to the ph's in my kgbh nearly a month ago now and the mk1's seem to really sound great with the new tubes as well my 009. The tubes do appear to have more detail than the sed, however I'm not noticing a treble roll off, which vary well be system dependent and suits me fine because that was my one concern with adding the ph's regarding the o2

 

[David1961]

Thanks David. Stax always says that you should send the amp back to them, but I was wondering if just getting a balanced set of tubes would be just as good as biasing.
Any info on this would be interesting. Thanks in advance for any comments or a pointer to comments on this on headfi or elsewhere.

Hi rgs9200m,

I haven't had the SRM-007t for about 4 years, and it must be at least 6 or 7 years since I did the tube changing.
However I got the tubes ( a quad ) from Watford Valves and just inserted them into the SRM-007t, and the amp worked OK even though I didn't do any biasing, but like I've said, I was never happy with how the SR-007's sounded while driven by that amp.
I decided to do it myself because the first time I sent that amp off to have the tubes changed, ( which wasn't done by Stax) it cost me over £200.

 

[Phil95]

  Phil, could you please elaborate on what tubes you used for the 007t and how you went about this? Does it need to be sent back to Stax or a good service place for biasing or whatever?
Thanks in advance.

Hello rgs
 
I'm afraid the whole story is French, and therefore it won't effectively guide you. I heard of such NOS RCA tubes in a French web site (http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/casques-haute-fidelite/club-des-heureux-proprietaires-de-casques-stax-t29819561.html) and ordered them to some sort of free-lance purveyor (alain@Passion-Audio-Tube.com)! The total cost was 105.5 (euros) for a quad of 6CG7. But I'm sure you can get such tubes in the States, from Grant Fidelity for instance.
 
Changing the tubes is child's play, and setting the bias and balance is fully explained somewhere in Head-Fi (same procedure as the BHSE, just need a voltmeter and a small screwdriver)
 
Rgs (Regards!)