[shipsupt]

When was the last time a cable discussion was brief?   I agree, better to have the cable discussion in a cable thread, they'll be happy to discuss the BHSE there.

 

[Bones13]

I was intending to just state my plans, certainly not start a "cable" discussion, mainly how I was going to use the three inputs in my system.

 

[jcx]

balanced? - a major issue is "the pin 1 problem" - http://www.rane.com/note165.html
 
maybe Justin can tell us more about the BHSE XLR outer shell metal shield to case conductivity quality?
 
4 screws may be OK, but paranoia would involve selective plating for a conductive surface on the Al that the XLR would make 360 degree contact with

 

[Point489VAC]

I'm pretty sure we are actually having a discussion about XLR connections on the back of the BHSE and not cables although tangentially, cables are involved. Balanced connections vs. single ended. Simply put, balanced connections have technical advantages that single ended connections don't and fully balanced circuits also carry advantages.

Besides, to have an actual cable discussion would lead to madness wouldn't it?

 

[Point489VAC]

I'm also getting a kick out of this because at least it has changed the channel from "when do I get my BHSE"? I realize that by merely mentioning it I may however, have switched the channel back for some.

Isn’t it a bit like Christmas morning though (or birthday, or whatever day one might receive gifts)? I mean it’s exciting knowing that somewhere, this little custom made piece of audio gear is currently warming up and going through it’s paces just for you!

Some day soon, likely without announcement or fanfare it will arrive on your doorstep and won’t that be great? I’m pretty pumped actually.

 

[Phil95]

  I'm also getting a kick out of this because at least it has changed the channel from "when do I get my BHSE"? I realize that by merely mentioning it I may however, have switched the channel back for some.

Isn’t it a bit like Christmas morning though (or birthday, or whatever day one might receive gifts)? I mean it’s exciting knowing that somewhere, this little custom made piece of audio gear is currently warming up and going through it’s paces just for you!

Some day soon, likely without announcement or fanfare it will arrive on your doorstep and won’t that be great? I’m pretty pumped actually.

"likely without announcement"... an announcement would be better, for I'm often away from my home. This is why I asked for a shipment number, as recommended by FedEx, to track the BHSE's journey.

 

[Phil95]

Certainly a very useful post there Phil95, hope you feel better now that you got that off your chest !

With my sincere best regards,

Arnaud

Maybe my post is useless. But Astrostar59 (#5891) certainly isn't. Read it carefully.

 

[justin w.]

  balanced? - a major issue is "the pin 1 problem" - http://www.rane.com/note165.html
 
maybe Justin can tell us more about the BHSE XLR outer shell metal shield to case conductivity quality?
 
4 screws may be OK, but paranoia would involve selective plating for a conductive surface on the Al that the XLR would make 360 degree contact with

 
i mask the back of the panel so it has no powder coating, and use the XLR jacks that have the pin that pierces into the panel which is also tied to pin 1

 

[arnaud]

 
Maybe my post is useless. But Astrostar59 (#5891) certainly isn't. Read it carefully.

 
Justin's reply (#5892) provides you with all the information you should really need at this time.

 

[Point489VAC]

See. There we go. We're off that nasty technical XLR (cable) discussion and back to good old "where's my BHSE" discussion. Sorry about that... I blame myself.
 
In thinking about this we all know that there are many different companies that ask for 50% or even 100% up front when you order a product. Often, those companies give you an approximate time of delivery and often those times are, well, optimistic at best. I just ordered a carpet for the office and it was 75% upfront, no refunds or returns, and I have no idea when it's going to arrive. It would be nice but I don't expect it. Maybe it will come this week but likely not.

One thing I have some experience with is ordering furniture for clients. Often we are ordering from Europe and Italy in particular. They will tell you approximately six months but really it means a year or more. I'm pleasantly surprised when something comes in faster but I've never seen it faster than eight months. They typically don't communicate with you, they want 50 - 100% downpayment and you may not know it's coming until a truck driver calls you the night before. I'm not saying it's great business practice but rather that it's accepted business practice when you are ordering from a small design company that specializes in limited production or custom work. It's not that they don't like you it's just that they are small and busy.
 
If the company is large enough and you are purchasing a product that is mass produced you can often get things instantly with full payment or you can order them with no payment. Think along the lines of IKEA or most things you would order from Amazon. These companies have mass market down to a science. Watching video of that large Amazon fulfillment center with the robots zipping back and forth gathering "stuff" is quite remarkable! Smaller manufacturers, especially ones that have met with some success, have a hard time because they are not large enough to carry stock and they have likely grown beyond the "one-off", custom model of manufacturing. Did I read correctly that Justin is boxing up the BHSE product for shipping himself?
 
I don't really know where Head-Amp is as a company but it sounds like it's one or two people at most. It also appears that there is significant interest in the BHSE in the audio community and likely demand has outstripped production. Between the people who are interested in the product, have ordered the product and have paid for the product there must be a substantial back-log. They also have other products - likely more bread and butter products, emails, trade shows, book keeping, accounting and a million other headaches that come along with having a successful small business. I suppose one other thing to throw into the mix is that if he hired a mess of people to expedite production and delivery the likely cost of this product would double.
 
From the client side there is a respectable leap of faith in providing any money to a small company and when kept in the dark about production time-lines the natives do get restless. It certainly is a long time from order to completion and likely longer than anyone would have imagined or preferred however, at a certain point you know the product is being made and now it's in testing and "burn-in" which means it's coming soon. Your continued patience is appreciated.
 
The bottom line with all of these smaller manufactures and design companies is that you either want the product and are willing to deal with whatever process they have as a company or you don't want the product and move on to another supplier with a different product. This process works for Head-Amp and it clearly works for some of the people who have ordered - perhaps the majority of people but for a few, they are getting a bit edgy and twitchy given the time frame and the commitment of money. I myself have been in that camp because I don't know Head-Amp or Justin. I think we had a few emails and a phone call. I had never even heard of Head-Amp or the the BHSE before. In fact the last pair of headphones I had was about thirty years ago and I believe they were made by Radio Shack. I believe this new pair will be an improvement.
 
In what is likely a desperate attempt at changing the channel once again, I got interested in this because of the recommendation of a studio that uses Studer Master Recorders in restoration and archival transfer work. They use the STAX ear speakers and the STAX amplifier for detail work in previewing audio tracks. I started looking around simply to see what other people were interested in and the BHSE kept popping up in conversations and it appealed to me. After some consideration, and a discussion with someone who suggested I simply order the STAX amp, I thought I would order a BHSE to be built. It's more interesting and unique and by all reports it sounds different than the stock STAX amp.
 
Now - I wait. I'll continue to wait until I get it and then I'll share what I think about it once I've heard it with one of the Studer Master Recorders and the Weiss.

 

[justin w.]

Thanks for posting your experiences. I've thought a lot in the past couple of years about where I would like to go with the business, and it's not mass production and distribution. I would much rather create pieces of art and not worry about costs involved in the design or parts, so long as there are a few people who want to purchase it. There is plenty of stuff available in lower price ranges that other companies are already manufacturing.

 

[justin w.]

  "likely without announcement"... an announcement would be better, for I'm often away from my home. This is why I asked for a shipment number, as recommended by FedEx, to track the BHSE's journey.

 
I will send out tracking #s when the packages are shipped. Delivery to France will probably take 3-5 days

 

[Point489VAC]

Justin - I think it's wise to be small and "made to order". There are two modern successful models of business and they tend to be at opposite ends of the spectrum - small, design and quality driven businesses that create unique and exceptional products and enormous, mass produced, design and quality driven businesses (Apple, for example). Where people often get into trouble is the middle ground where they don't have the economy of scale, the capital or the staff to succeed. Typically they also have poorly designed products of questionable quality. Businesses fail constantly in this zone.

I ordered my BHSE knowing that this was more a business driven by one individual concerned with technology, design, quality, art and passion. Take your time. Get it right.
 
Stick to the plan. It works.

 

[Bones13]

I ordered my BHSE knowing that this was more a business driven by one individual concerned with technology, design, quality, art and passion. Take your time. Get it right.

 
I do some minor DIY, and I fully appreciate the talent, time and passion that Justin puts forth to make these Amps.  Worth the $$$ and wait time.  Anytime a larger manufacturing thing goes on, the trade offs are started.  Once the passion is removed, then lower quality components are used, or other parameters are adjusted for ease of construction, or lower production cost.
 
Accept no substitute ! 
 
(now if you can build your own better amp, go for it. I know I cannot.)

 

[Point489VAC]

I'll second that!
 
Waiting is half the fun!