[preproman]

   
For starters, if you see a KGSSHV Carbon on spritzer's site, you know that you won't have to wait a while for it to ship.  I know the delays aren't really HeadAmp's fault though, as they build amps in batches.  Also, spritzer's reputation as an amp builder is glowing.
 

 
So thats makes you feel safer?  I thought you talking about the build quality of the BHSE.  I understand about the delays - I'm in the middle of one right now - my 2nd.

 

[Rhamnetin]

  So that makes you feel safer?  I thought you talking about the build quality of the BHSE.  I understand about the delays - I'm in the middle of one right now - my 2nd.

 
Not necessarily about the BHSE, but about the KGSSHV Carbon I was (sort of).

 

[preproman]

The build quality of both are A+ worthy..

 

[astrostar59]

On price, if buying from Birgir, unfortunately he is outside of the EU so big tax to pay for me in Spain.
 
Comparing like for like, aside from sound quality which I can't comment as I have not heard the Carbon, but I have heard (and love) the BHSE, the casework on that amp is magic. I don't need to say anymore on that.
 
If the price is 4600 US v 5800 US for the BHSE than that is closer than I thought. But on the BHSE you need to factor bette than stock EL34s to get the right performance from it. And tube life going forward.
 
If I go for a Carbon, I would like it to be full size as I am concerned (paranoid?) about the heat. My house gets to 30°C inside for July / August.
Caps don't like heat, or should I say, die quicker in higher temperatures....

 

[Rhamnetin]

  On price, if buying from Birgir, unfortunately he is outside of the EU so big tax to pay for me in Spain.
 
Comparing like for like, aside from sound quality which I can't comment as I have not heard the Carbon, but I have heard (and love) the BHSE, the casework on that amp is magic. I don't need to say anymore on that.
 
If the price is 4600 US v 5800 US for the BHSE than that is closer than I thought. But on the BHSE you need to factor bette than stock EL34s to get the right performance from it. And tube life going forward.
 
If I go for a Carbon, I would like it to be full size as I am concerned (paranoid?) about the heat. My house gets to 30°C inside for July / August.
Caps don't like heat, or should I say, die quicker in higher temperatures....

 
I'd like to add, that's $6,600 if you want the BHSE with the Alps RK50 volume pot.  Exactly $2k more than the Carbon.  But damn, the BHSE in purple is the most beautiful amplifier I've ever seen.

 

[astrostar59]

   
I'd like to add, that's $6,600 if you want the BHSE with the Alps RK50 volume pot.  Exactly $2k more than the Carbon.  But damn, the BHSE in purple is the most beautiful amplifier I've ever seen.

Unless the Carbon from Birgir comes with the RK50, it is not relevant.

 

[purk]

  Unless the Carbon from Birgir comes with the RK50, it is not relevant.

The volume control and ultimate transparency are important to you, I suggest you to contact Birgir and request a quad DAC-T or Goldpoint stepper.  

 

[astrostar59]

  The volume control and ultimate transparency are important to you, I suggest you to contact Birgir and request a quad DAC-T or Goldpoint stepper.  

Sorry Purk, you got me wrong. What I mean't to say is if we are comparing the Carbon at 4.5K and the BHSE at 5.8K that is correct. If we then add the RK50 the BHSE climbs to 6.8K. So what I am saying is compare the base BHSE with standard pot. This is a level playing field then.
 
Having said that, the casework on the BHSE is fantastic, so I would value that alone as 1K on top. Makes the carbon more or less the same in money IMO. Does that make sense? Regardless, I would love to hear a carbon. No doubt reviews will flood in soon. It is all good, the more great Stat amps available the better IMO, and having a choice of no tubes suits some.

 

[theboch]

  It is all good, the more great Stat amps available the better IMO, and having a choice of no tubes suits some.

 
As well as having an amp built with in-production parts. As far as I know the BHSE also uses parts which are not produced anymore. We just can be lucky that guys like Justin, Birgir and Kevin have purchased enough stock of those parts in the past.

 

[mulveling]

  Sorry Purk, you got me wrong. What I mean't to say is if we are comparing the Carbon at 4.5K and the BHSE at 5.8K that is correct. If we then add the RK50 the BHSE climbs to 6.8K. So what I am saying is compare the base BHSE with standard pot. This is a level playing field then.
 
Having said that, the casework on the BHSE is fantastic, so I would value that alone as 1K on top. Makes the carbon more or less the same in money IMO. Does that make sense? Regardless, I would love to hear a carbon. No doubt reviews will flood in soon. It is all good, the more great Stat amps available the better IMO, and having a choice of no tubes suits some.

I agree with this. The casework on the BHSE is truly in a higher class, and the Mjolnir Carbons at the 4.6K price are shipping with a very cost-effective pot, not an RK50. The problem with a new BHSE has always been the looong wait time and inevitable delays -- other than that, it's a pretty fabulous deal.
 
I'll just have to wait a bit longer myself to observe the sound of the Carbon. I've heard very good things on its sound from the talented fellow building mine. I keep hearing references to the T2 voicing, which makes me giddy.

 

[theboch]

I agree on the case work of the Headamp BHSE. This is why I have ordered one from Justin, even though I already own a Birgir BHSE (I "lovely" call it the black mothership). And I think I will "never" part with on of those amps because I just love them. They are like collectors pieces. Especially the one from Birgir is a unique peace which does not exist a second time in this form.
 
While Birgirs amps use reasonable parts for the volume pot and the case, I just know that they have all the goodness in the parts which define how well it amplifies and I am not paying for a marble case and automatically extruding tubes... I just pay for the sound!...

 

[purk]

  Sorry Purk, you got me wrong. What I mean't to say is if we are comparing the Carbon at 4.5K and the BHSE at 5.8K that is correct. If we then add the RK50 the BHSE climbs to 6.8K. So what I am saying is compare the base BHSE with standard pot. This is a level playing field then.
 
Having said that, the casework on the BHSE is fantastic, so I would value that alone as 1K on top. Makes the carbon more or less the same in money IMO. Does that make sense? Regardless, I would love to hear a carbon. No doubt reviews will flood in soon. It is all good, the more great Stat amps available the better IMO, and having a choice of no tubes suits some.

I think we are in the same agreement here.  My point was you can improve the performance of the Mjolnir Carbon a tad by adding the quad DAC-T attenuator.  That alone will put the Birgir's carbon above 5K or near it, so the difference is more or less 8k.  This is not considering Paypal fee and shipping cost by the way from Iceland.  I don't think Justin charges paypal fee...so you save a bit there as well.

 

[purk]

  I agree on the case work of the Headamp BHSE. This is why I have ordered one from Justin, even though I already own a Birgir BHSE (I "lovely" call it the black mothership). And I think I will "never" part with on of those amps because I just love them. They are like collectors pieces. Especially the one from Birgir is a unique peace which does not exist a second time in this form.
 
While Birgirs amps use reasonable parts for the volume pot and the case, I just know that they have all the goodness in the parts which define how well it amplifies and I am not paying for a marble case and automatically extruding tubes... I just pay for the sound!...

Not sure how much you paid for your Mjolnir BHSE, but I think if you can wait...the case work on the BHSE is totally worth it alone.  It really is a work of art.  Soundwise, I doubt there are much of difference.  The BHSE maybe a tiny bit better given a higher quality volume control.  However, Birgir does from time utilize exotic resistors...caps.

 

[theboch]

  Not sure how much you paid for your Mjolnir BHSE, but I think if you can wait...the case work on the BHSE is totally worth it alone.  It really is a work of art.  Soundwise, I doubt there are much of difference.  The BHSE maybe a tiny bit better given a higher quality volume control.  However, Birgir does from time utilize exotic resistors...caps.

 
Yeah my order for the Headamp BHSE is already in. Current batch. I also think there will not be a lot of difference in SQ. But as I stated: I think I will keep both (I know. Crazy...). Birgirs is somehow also beautiful in its own way and as you said I think he stated back then, that he used some nice modern parts where possible.

 

[Nishy]

Carbon and Jazz!  (for potential jazz lovers)
 
I am thoroughly enjoying my Carbon from Birgir bought a couple of months back. I bought it to simply get the best off my SR 009 + Hifiman 901s and without going into whimsical details (which I am not capable of), I can say that it meets my enjoyment - very thoroughly.
 
Also, while I enjoyed briefly my 007m2 amp from Stax (came with the 009 from the dealer and thus my backup), and it is a perfectly decent amp at a decent price by and large, the Carbon is expansionist in all directions and of course is a beefier machine in sound and weight (and price); I think the 007 has slightly more functionality. 
 
Across a range of jazz (and some classical) - mostly trios/quartets/some big band/vocals, the Carbon+my hardware gives me great soundstage (significantly better than I expected), great clarity and separation of instrumentation, good controlled bass (I hear Ray Brown's underlying bass beautifully), lots of detail but it is all within the overall sound picture. On some enjoyable quasi jazz (some of it being quite quasi given his early days) a la George Benson in his popular croons, the rich orchestral sound and voice is most pleasing and you can hear lots of synthesizer sound and other bits tinkling across the soundstage (indeed the twanging of the guitar is very realistic and revealingly edgy in places). On single instrumentals (eg Yo Yo Ma cellos in say the fabulous Silk Road ensembles, or say Anne Akiko Meyers' violin tracks), you get a very juicy string sound and a very realistic portrayal in those exotic Silk Road instruments - here the sound spectrum is arguably more diverse than standard music. The recording qualities do show up on the Carbon but few albums to me, if any, sound bad by any general standard; some sound superb. This is all in my opinion.
 
All in all, I am delighted and very content. I also love my HM 901s, a significant improvement on the already great 901. Even the old 801 sounds very fulsome. Most of my tracks are FLAC 96/24 or 44/16. 
 
Niggles: occasionally George Coleman's sax comes across as slightly trebly "bright" on the eardrum (I turn down the volume then) but this may also have something to do with live recordings etc. or indeed my ears. 
 
Regarding the discussion on the exterior looks of the BHSE, I would say I prefer that to Birgir's quite satin-like simplicity and nice orange LED button (I have the full case Carbon), but if that means less tube purchases, less maintenance, less price tag, bigger unit and definitely comparable sound, even if the last 50 yards of BHSE is better in some way, so be it for me. I bought it for the sound and it exceeds my expectation. 
 
And last but not least, it was a pleasure for me to deal with Birgir through a fellow Head-fier; he was patient and explanatory and on who's advice I independently took a risk. Shipment etc. was spot on from Iceland to Austria. I had considered a couple of alternatives but I feel I made a great choice soundwise after near-daily playing for these last few months. 
 
N.