[buson160man]

  I at present have a pair of emotiva stealth 8 powered monitors that I am using with an audio research Ls1 mk II preamp that has single ended inputs and balanced outputs that go to the powered stealth 8 monitors. I am thinking about the bryston bha-1 headphone amp/preamp. I like the option of running completely balanced to my stealth eight powered monitors. If anyone has tried the bryston bha-1 as a preamp for their powered monitors I would like some feedback about how well the preamp section works with powered monitors. I am using the new teac ud-501 dsd dac which I have found to work really well out of the balanced outputs into my desktop emotiva airmotiv 5 powered monitors using the airmotiv 5s volume controls. This set up sounds very good on Netflix movies and some you tube concerts on my computer sound system.The teac sounds a fair amount better out of its balanced outputs than through its single ended rca outputs.
  Based on my experience with the computer set up the teac should sound pretty impressive with the bryston preamp section. Dedicated preamps with balanced outputs are usually quite expensive save for units from pro orientated companies like benchmark , mytek grace and now bryston. Those units are at least approachably affordable and would probably work well with powered monitors.
   If anyone has tried any of these units with powered monitors like the emotivas I would appreciate any opinions of the sound.

 

[leatherneck]

I have a Bryston BHA-1 headphone amplifier.  I use it to drive Sennheiser HD-800's using Cardas balanced Clear headphone cable for the HD-800.  The BHA-1 is part of a complete Bryston system.
 
The BHA-1 is driven from a Bryston BDA-2 DAC.
 
I don't use the BHA-1 as a preamp but I've tried it connected to my Bryston amplifier and it works very well.  I could get along with it as a replacement for my preamp but it lacks a remote control.  
 
As a headphone amp, it's amazing.  Like other recent Bryston products it's absolutely neutral sounding and uses discrete Class A output circuits that can handle any load.
 
It's one weakness is that it lacks a remote control but I don't know of any serious headphone amp that includes that feature.
 
I see no reason why it wouldn't work for you.
 
Bud