[CanadianMaestro]

Yeah, I recall JT saying something to the effect that all of B's amps are the same -- the difference is in application/implementation (?).

 

[Armaegis]

  Yeah, I recall JT saying something to the effect that all of B's amps are the same -- the difference is in application/implementation (?).

 
I'm pretty sure the SST models are different from their predecessors.
 

  a used BHA-1 sometimes sells for $800CAD.

 
I got the 2B+3B+4B for less than that...

 

[CanadianMaestro]

   
I'm pretty sure the SST models are different from their predecessors.
 
 

Quoting James Tanner, ca. 2003:
"All Bryston amplifiers have the same circuitry. "Fully Balanced Differential" inputs and "Fully Complementary" output stages. There is no better/best with Bryston - just choose the amount of power required".
 
(Assuming the SST's were around in 2003)

 

[Armaegis]

Oh yeah, that part I knew. I meant their overall topology; I think they didn't change too much except when they made the jump into the SST generation(s) of amps.
 
I should check out some shops and see if there are any 4B SST2 amps that I can audition. It'd be interesting to hear the difference. The nice thing with running headphones off the speaker taps is it lets me audition amps on something familiar.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

 The nice thing with running headphones off the speaker taps is it lets me audition amps on something familiar.

 
Plus it removes room acoustics as a factor.
 
Still, I will take a specialty HP amp anyday over anything like a Bryston  -SST poweramp to drive my cans.

 

[Armaegis]

Fair enough. As I mentioned earlier, I'm one of those nuts with an HE-6.

 

[Rdrcr]

  Yes and no....the BHA-1 should be sufficient to drive HE-6s…but ..it will depend on the output of your source..I'm using the balanced outs from my Bryston BCD-1…and if your phones are using the balanced outputs there should be no problem driving difficult phones as I did with my AKGs K501s, K701s(balanced) and K712 were between 9 and 10 o’clock…but with a single ended source such as my AVP there was just not enough juice and the volume was moderate when maxed out watching movies.

 
And that’s where the 2BLP pro came in…run from the balanced output of the BHA-1 I had my cake and ate it too. : )

 
I’m down to only my HD700s and AKG K550s so the 2BLP pro is used mainly for driving the surrounds.

 
Good to know.  I'm currently running my BHA-1 Balanced but, my only phones are HD650's.
 
Mike 

 

[hainss]

I drive my HE-6 in the SE of the BHA-1 with a Moon Audio Silver Dragon V3.
I think the amp drive it well, but it's the only amp that I can try. I try with a Audio GD - Phoenix, but the Bryston sound is better in my opinion.  
 
My HE-6 are new. When I compare with my HD800, it's an evidence that my HD800 is what I prefer the most. I don't know if it's because my HE-6 is not well drive...
With HE-6, I can have a good sound at one 1 clock, with my SE output. But, I really want to try it with a XLR ended. 
 
About the XLR vs SE on the BHA-1; I made some test with my stock cable of HD800 and my Moon Audio Black Dragon 4 pin XLR... I can't tell what the cable can do and what the balanced mode can do? I got more bass and dynamic with the Black Dragon XLR, and more clarity and definition with stock cable SE... I want both at the same time
 
Sorry for my english

 

[DDDamian]

  I drive my HE-6 in the SE of the BHA-1 with a Moon Audio Silver Dragon V3.
I think the amp drive it well, but it's the only amp that I can try. I try with a Audio GD - Phoenix, but the Bryston sound is better in my opinion.  
 
My HE-6 are new. When I compare with my HD800, it's an evidence that my HD800 is what I prefer the most. I don't know if it's because my HE-6 is not well drive...
With HE-6, I can have a good sound at one 1 clock, with my SE output. But, I really want to try it with a XLR ended. 
 
About the XLR vs SE on the BHA-1; I made some test with my stock cable of HD800 and my Moon Audio Black Dragon 4 pin XLR... I can't tell what the cable can do and what the balanced mode can do? I got more bass and dynamic with the Black Dragon XLR, and more clarity and definition with stock cable SE... I want both at the same time
 
Sorry for my english

Hi hainss - we've been talking via CAM
 
I'm thinking your HE-6 will show more benefit from the XLR balanced connection than your HD800's will: you get double the voltage with a strong effect on overall power. something the HE-6 needs more than the 800's do. Aside from that your observations with the 800 aren't far from what many say: more bass control and dynamics (and possibly instrument separation) which may hide a little of the other detail you're missing. That and the Black Dragon is known more for boosting low-end a bit.
 
It all points to one thing: you need to sell me your amp (just kidding lol).

 

[CanadianMaestro]

  About the XLR vs SE on the BHA-1; I made some test with my stock cable of HD800 and my Moon Audio Black Dragon 4 pin XLR... I can't tell what the cable can do and what the balanced mode can do? I got more bass and dynamic with the Black Dragon XLR, and more clarity and definition with stock cable SE... I want both at the same time
 
Sorry for my english

Tough dilemma with your Black Dragon vs. SE. Like HPs, no one cable does it all, I guess. Seems like each brings something different to the table. I would use the SE stock with classical music and genres that have a lot of stuff in the backgrd and foregrd that needs clear separation and placement. BD XLR can be used for rock, metallica, hip-hop, and whatever else has rich bass and fast transitions. Just an opinion.
 
HiFiMan makes surprisingly good stock cables SE, as my 560 cable hasn't changed from stock. (After-market XLR cables cost a lot).

 

[DDDamian]

 
Tough dilemma with your Black Dragon vs. SE. Like HPs, no one cable does it all, I guess. Seems like each brings something different to the table. I would use the SE stock with classical music and genres that have a lot of stuff in the backgrd and foregrd that needs clear separation and placement. BD XLR can be used for rock, metallica, hip-hop, and whatever else has rich bass and fast transitions. Just an opinion.
 
HiFiMan makes surprisingly good stock cables SE, as my 560 cable hasn't changed from stock. (After-market XLR cables cost a lot).

The HE-400 stock coulda been made from barbed-wire lol - got a third-party right away, but I hear they're much-improved on the next-gen cans from HifiMan like your 560.
 
You forgot to tell @hainss he needs to sell me his BHA-1

 

[CanadianMaestro]

DDD: Haven't heard the 400 on BHA-1 with stock. I guess HFMan must have listened to their customers and upgraded their stock SE. The one on 560 is darned good.
 
If you use an adaptor on your newly acquired BD XLR, lemme know how the cable sounds with your Audeze and ....?amp?

 

[CanadianMaestro]

  I drive my HE-6 in the SE of the BHA-1 with a Moon Audio Silver Dragon V

 
Please sell DDDamian your BHA-1 -- otherwise he will keep stalking the forums, like Damien Omen 3! 

 

[DDDamian]

  DDD: Haven't heard the 400 on BHA-1 with stock. I guess HFMan must have listened to their customers and upgraded their stock SE. The one on 560 is darned good.
 
If you use an adaptor on your newly acquired BD XLR, lemme know how the cable sounds with your Audeze and ....?amp?

 
 

   
Please sell DDDamian your BHA-1 -- otherwise he will keep stalking the forums, like Damien Omen 3! 

Now that is one soundtrack I NEED to get  The BD XLR for the LCD2.2's you sent me is making these strange noises in the other room, haunting and chilling, until it gets that amp I'm refusing it an adaptor, and it wants to feed....

 

[CanadianMaestro]

   
 
Now that is one soundtrack I NEED to get  The BD XLR for the LCD2.2's you sent me is making these strange noises in the other room, haunting and chilling, until it gets that amp I'm refusing it an adaptor, and it wants to feed....

Gladiator soundtrack -- amazing.
 
Idominus rex.