[mousike]

Simply a good match

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Simply a good match

Absolutely.

 

[longbowbbs]

Guys, give Audience SE power cord + interconnects, SRA VR Series ISOBase, and Hifi Tuning Supreme fuse a shot at with the BHA-1. The net result balances the LCD-3 nicely and here is a quick pic of the combo...

Love the Ultra SS's under your Berkley!

 

[mousike]

Thanks~ 
 
I have HRS Damping Plates on top of it as well...the Berkeley is renowned as a converter but its not in a very solid case. These little tweaks helps to bring down the noise level further. 
 
The BHA-1 has been ON since I have it and its performing very well with ARC Ref CD9 as a source but I am also toying with the idea of trying out Decware Zen Taboo MkIII with VCaps and UFO Widebandwith transformers included. Not sure if will play well with my source and headphones. If it works out I may keep both amps for a different flavor in SS and tubes.
 
Thoughts?
 
Cheers!

 

[James Tanner]

Hi James,

I thought I'd take the time to tell you I received my BHA-1 and am blown away. The build quality is truly excellent, switches and volume pot feel fantastic. Turns out the balanced question was semi irrelevant because this thing has made my HD800 scale up hugely, plugged in single ended. It's like I'm hearing my music for the first time all over again (which of course is sacred).

Please pass my compliments to the entire Bryston team, you folks are doing really fantastic work.

Ian

 

[Amish]

It's a pretty big jump when going balanced over SE with the Bryston. Once I tried balanced cables I could never go back to SE.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Balanced is nice on the BHA. But it's not gonna make an average HP sound great. Much depends on the gear upstream, and on how loudly one listens to music. Let's not under-rate the SE output. But more choice is better than none, and that is where BHA really outshines the competition, apart from its sonic excellence.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Hi James,


I thought I'd take the time to tell you I received my BHA-1 and am blown away. The build quality is truly excellent, switches and volume pot feel fantastic. Turns out the balanced question was semi irrelevant because this thing has made my HD800 scale up hugely, plugged in single ended. It's like I'm hearing my music for the first time all over again (which of course is sacred).


Please pass my compliments to the entire Bryston team, you folks are doing really fantastic work.


Ian

+10.

 

[ziggysp2000]

Oh I may very well end up with a balanced cable, looking at Cardas Clear Light terminated in 4 pin XLR potentially.... but I'm in no rush. I'll let this joy of increased sound die off before I do it again!!
 
Having said that I do not need more volume, so if if I become convinced there's no other significant sonic improvement (to justify an extra $500), maybe not.
 
I'd be buying on blind faith. Some people say there's an improvement, others say there isn't. Makes it tough.

 

[Amish]

Balanced is nice on the BHA. But it's not gonna make an average HP sound great. Much depends on the gear upstream, and on how loudly one listens to music. Let's not under-rate the SE output. But more choice is better than none, and that is where BHA really outshines the competition, apart from its sonic excellence.

Agreed. If I'm listening to my Grado's then I have to use SE and the Grado's sound amazing on this amp. I have to admit I have not been a big fan of my 325's which i have owned for 4 years now but paired with the Bryston they are wonderful.
 
Of course I'm normally sporting the LCD-2's balanced though.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

I had my PS-500 stock cable retermed to balanced 4-pin Neutrik a while ago, by Grado Canada. It made a small improvement in imaging, but not by that much, and seemed to be track-dependent. It didn't hurt it, though, and I would still recommend bal to Grado users of higher models like the 500, esp when paired with BHA. It's cheap to reterm the amp end of a cable, rather than spending hundreds on a new cable altogether. About $50 materials and labour, from a qualified tech.

Cheers

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Oh I may very well end up with a balanced cable, looking at Cardas Clear Light terminated in 4 pin XLR potentially.... but I'm in no rush. I'll let this joy of increased sound die off before I do it again!!

This article might make your decision a bit easier. Basically, a Cardas Clear cable made no diff to HD650 SQ.

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/headphone-cable-measurements-part-one

 

[ziggysp2000]

This article might make your decision a bit easier. Basically, a Cardas Clear cable made no diff to HD650 SQ.

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/headphone-cable-measurements-part-one

Yeah, well this is it right? Negligible differences. I just wish I knew of a tech here who could re-terminate my cable... I am not familiar with one. I know the HD800 stock cable already has 2 ground wires anyways, they are just both attached to the sleeve. Would be easy... I'll look around. For $50 the test is worthwhile....

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Make sure the tech has the BHA pin diagram. Eliminates any potential boo-boo.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/560499/new-headphone-amplifier-from-bryston/1455#post_10722803

 

[ziggysp2000]

Yeah, I've called around to various shops, no one can / will do that here.
 
I live in a very barren audiophile landscape.