[Drsparis]

Report:  Bryston BHA-1 running Sennheiser HD800 and Audeze LCD-X

My BHA-1 just arrived yesterday, and I've had headphones glued to my head since it arrived.  I've been enjoying the sound of a high-quality balanced amp on both my Senn's and LCD-Xs.

The sound on both cans is amazing -- ironically, it closed the gaps between both headphones. I originally got the LCD-X to offer a counter-point to the airy, open sound of the Sennheisers.  But on this Bryston amp, it filled in the gaps of the lower registers of the HD800s, and seem to have cleaned up the sound of the LCD-X a bit (sound a touch more accurate).  On the previous amp (Benchmark DAC2 HGC), both cans sounded great, but each had a distinct "character".  On the Bryston, they ironically sound much more similar -- although each one is a clear improvement, so I'm not at all complaining.

TL;DR: For anyone looking at this amp for either the HD800 or LCD-X, all I can say is "Wow, holycr4p!"

Note:
The one oddity of this amp is that it doesn't really have a "zero" volume.  Even with the gain switch at "low" and the volume turned all the way down you can still hear the music clearly (although softly) with the source at line-level.   I never really thought of the HD800s as sensitive, but both headphones come through pretty loud by the time you get past the 7 or 8 o'clock position on the volume control.  
- if you have really sensitive cans (the LCD-X are pretty damn sensitive), you may want to make sure you have a source where you can adjust the output.

Don't take this as a negative -- both headphones sound amazing, but I was surprised that the amp seems to have so much headroom that the listenable range is within a rather small turning range on the volume pot.

[edit: fixed spelling]

Just received my second hand unit a couple of days ago and with and wow. Through the hd800's this amp has a looot of transparency(not that the 800's lack in that department) but most of all incredibly impactfull bass.

The reason I tagged this post was to specify that my unit came with modded(by bryston for 35$) gain. I believe the high setting is somewhere between the stock low and high gain and the low gain is even lower. Makes ciems doable with this amp. Miracles sound great!

 

[Kiats]

Just received my second hand unit a couple of days ago and with and wow. Through the hd800's this amp has a looot of transparency(not that the 800's lack in that department) but most of all incredibly impactfull bass.

The reason I tagged this post was to specify that my unit came with modded(by bryston for 35$) gain. I believe the high setting is somewhere between the stock low and high gain and the low gain is even lower. Makes ciems doable with this amp. Miracles sound great!

 
I agree - the HD 800 does have its outstandingly wide soundstage filled in and sounds more natural. The same way that the Beyer T1 sounds much more lush and smoother. The Bryston is is quite amazing. It even drives my HE-6 very nicely.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Was experimenting with my BHA-1, using all my HPs. Including the bargain SR60i. Wow. It makes the 60i sound amazingly smooth. With an RS1i, I'm in heaven. Everything I throw at it sounds divine.

 

[Trance_Gott]

Has someone tested the BHA1 with the Hifiman HE6?

 

[R-Audiohead]

  Has someone tested the BHA1 with the Hifiman HE6?

Moon Audio as a whole recommends it.
 
Would like an HE-6 someday... part of the reason I went with this amp.
 
Unfortunately I do not have the specific links of the reviews I read, but they are out there

 

[Lappy27]

  Has someone tested the BHA1 with the Hifiman HE6?

In a mini meet of Montreal headfiers about two years ago (august 2012), We had the chance to try the HE-6 with my Bryston BHA-1. The owner of the HE-6 used to drive them with HiFiman EF-6 headphone amp that he brought with him at the meet. The EF-6 is supposely an amp made for the HE-6. He also run LCD-3 on the same amp at that time. He largely prefered the LCD-3 to the HE-6 and found the latter not that impressive...until he heard them on the Bryston!
 
He even considered buying a Bryston amp afterward (in fact, he made a trade up for a Bryston + cash for his LCD-3 with another headfi member). He wasn't the only one to be impressed by the combo as it was vote as the best sounding match of the meet. I was really impressed by the air and instruments separation of the HE-6 with the Bryston. The you are there feeling was fantastic BUT we had to really push the Bryston to his maximum output to obtain good sound level. On certain recording, the dynamic was somewhat lacking. Obviously, the max potential of the HE-6 wasn't reached. Despite sounding fantastic and way better than with the EF-6. I repeated this experience at a fellow headfier house afterward and same conclusions. Fantastic resolution and musicality but with the feeling that we hold the HE-6 dynamic capabilities. These headphones should sounds out of this world with a more powerful amp (most people drive them with speakers amp).

 

[Trance_Gott]

I now have additionally a SPL Phonitor 2 because the BHA1 has one in my oppinion big handicap. It hums with low impendance phones like t5p and w3000anv and although a little bit with LCD-XC. This is a no go for me! The phonitor2 can drive all phones dead silent. From Bryston I don't get any answer about the problem. They modified my low gain to lower db. That's good for volume control but no effect on lowering hum. So for all people want to drive low impendance phones go for another amp.

 

[WilCox]

I now have additionally a SPL Phonitor 2 because the BHA1 has one in my oppinion big handicap. It hums with low impendance phones like t5p and w3000anv and although a little bit with LCD-XC. This is a no go for me! The phonitor2 can drive all phones dead silent. From Bryston I don't get any answer about the problem. They modified my low gain to lower db. That's good for volume control but no effect on lowering hum. So for all people want to drive low impendance phones go for another amp.

 
Sorry about the hum problem with your BHA-1.  I don't think that is typical though.  I've had my BHA-1 for almost two years and have had absolutely no problems with any of the headphones I've tried.  No hum out of Beyer T50p or Shure SE535, SE425, E4C.  Note that mine is a stock unit with no gain mods.
 
I bought the BHA-1 to drive my HD800, HD650 and LCD-2.  The amp seems to tuned to mate perfectly with these headphones.  
 
Best of luck in resolving the problem.

 

[Trance_Gott]

Hum was there although with no gain mod. It is not loud but noticeable when no music plays.

 

[fradoca]

   
 
I bought the BHA-1 to drive my HD800, HD650 and LCD-2.  The amp seems to tuned to mate perfectly with these headphones.  
 

 
i totally agree.the hd650 really shines with the bha-1 in balanced mode.Even  with the Lcd-3.With the hd800 in balanced mode i still prefer to drive them with my hbpa2 current driven headphone amp.
But the bha-1 is such a great product to be my alternative headphone reference amp in my little mastering studio.

 

[fradoca]

Mr Tanner,
i'm using the BHA-1 as my new reference headphones amplifier for critical listening sessions and gear evalutation for my reviews.The BHA-1 it's really an excellent amplifier! I think that Bryston, on the BHA-1 manual,should point out that the high gain setting correspond not only to an increase of volume output but also to an increase of power output! With my hd650 and hd800 in balanced mode i can clearly hear at the same sound pressure level that the high setting has more bite and focus because of more power output.Transients are sharper and the bass is more articulate.

Then i'd like to know if Bryston is planning to release maybe next year a BHA-2 with some new features like stepped volume control,more power output etc I ask you this because there are some new balanced amps on the market that could be serious contenders for a product like the BHA-1 (Violectric V281, Simaudio Moon HA430, a new balanced reference amp from Northstar Design coming out in september etc)

i can clearly state that i'm a high satisfied Bryston customer and user!

I'm just curios to know if Bryston wants to put out a new amp,

Please let me know what you think.

thanks
 

 

[kn19h7]

I would highly appreciate if their next headamp has an unity gain mode...

 

[James Tanner]

  Mr Tanner,
i'm using the BHA-1 as my new reference headphones amplifier for critical listening sessions and gear evalutation for my reviews.The BHA-1 it's really an excellent amplifier! I think that Bryston, on the BHA-1 manual,should point out that the high gain setting correspond not only to an increase of volume output but also to an increase of power output! With my hd650 and hd800 in balanced mode i can clearly hear at the same sound pressure level that the high setting has more bite and focus because of more power output.Transients are sharper and the bass is more articulate.

Then i'd like to know if Bryston is planning to release maybe next year a BHA-2 with some new features like stepped volume control,more power output etc I ask you this because there are some new balanced amps on the market that could be serious contenders for a product like the BHA-1 (Violectric V281, Simaudio Moon HA430, a new balanced reference amp from Northstar Design coming out in september etc)

i can clearly state that i'm a high satisfied Bryston customer and user!

I'm just curios to know if Bryston wants to put out a new amp,

Please let me know what you think.

thanks
 

 
 
Hi There,
 
No we do not have any plans for a BHA-2.  A lot of our customers are using the BHA-1 as a preamplifier so we were looking at adding a remote volume control but it would mean a redesign so we have not gone down that path.
 
If you need more power than the BHA-1 we would recommend going to a power amplifier like our 2.5B SST2 with the caution that high power into headphones can cause serious ear damage!
 
Glad you are enjoying the BHA.
 
james

 

[Kiats]

Hi There,

No we do not have any plans for a BHA-2.  A lot of our customers are using the BHA-1 as a preamplifier so we were looking at adding a remote volume control but it would mean a redesign so we have not gone down that path.

If you need more power than the BHA-1 we would recommend going to a power amplifier like our 2.5B SST2 with the caution that high power into headphones can cause serious ear damage!

Glad you are enjoying the BHA.

james

James, another very happy and satisfied customer here in singapore. It's a dream with the Bricasti M1 DAC. My T1, HD 800 and HE-6 just sing with that dream combo. I hope that one day, the Abyss will join them. And I have every confidence it will sing as well. In fact, I was on the verge of selling my LCD 3 because it did not have sufficiently an organic bass and presence. But that all changed when the BHA-1 came along. The LCD 3 was saved.

I hope one day to buy your digital player too. Especially now that the firmware supports dsd. Sadly, the price here is about 25% or more than in the US. That I cannot stomach. Perhaps one day when the price is more saner, I will be able to bring myself to get one.

 

[James Tanner]

James, another very happy and satisfied customer here in singapore. It's a dream with the Bricasti M1 DAC. My T1, HD 800 and HE-6 just sing with that dream combo. I hope that one day, the Abyss will join them. And I have every confidence it will sing as well. In fact, I was on the verge of selling my LCD 3 because it did not have sufficiently an organic bass and presence. But that all changed when the BHA-1 came along. The LCD 3 was saved.

I hope one day to buy your digital player too. Especially now that the firmware supports dsd. Sadly, the price here is about 25% or more than in the US. That I cannot stomach. Perhaps one day when the price is more saner, I will be able to bring myself to get one.

 Thank you for the feedback Klats - ENJOY 

 
james