[lmswjm]

Looks like you can get a set of Jades for $1499 Paypal'd @ Head-Direct right now on their site.

 

[immtbiker]

OK. Try it and let us know the results.

Back on topic.

 

[erikzen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Lambda Pros out of the BHKE were the surprise of the meet for me. And +1 for Kerry being one of the Good Guys.

Agreed on both counts!

I've heard the Lambdas with other high end amps and they never sounded as good as with Aaron's amp.

 

[Towert7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif I owe Kerry big time.

Who is Kerry?

 

[The Monkey]

The guy who built Aaron's amp.

 

[Towert7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey /img/forum/go_quote.gif The guy who built Aaron's amp.

Yea, that I know.
But is he a random guy off the street or..... perhaps a startup business guy or...

 

[davidhunternyc]

^^^ I kind of agree; it is a bit confusing. I asked Aaron to describe his Blue Hawaii more and it seems that Kerry and Justin are guys who took the original Blue Hawaii and customized it somehow. As far as the skin is concerned, Aaron's Blue Hawaii is unique but I don't understand the internal differences at all. I would like to learn much more about Kerry's, Justin's, Aaron's Blue Hawaii (BHKEJA) here. I should probably do a "search" on the subject. It kills me that I did not hear the Blue Hawaii at the meet. Aaron is being modest, but I am sure his system was the best-sound-at-show.

 

[El_Doug]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Towert7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yea, that I know. But is he a random guy off the street or..... perhaps a startup business guy or...

youve met him at least once before, at the NYC meet fall 2008. very nice fellow, soft spoken, friendly as can be. just a DIY'er who loves the BH

 

[Towert7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by El_Doug /img/forum/go_quote.gif youve met him at least once before, at the NYC meet fall 2008. very nice fellow, soft spoken, friendly as can be. just a DIY'er who loves the BH

Oh ok. Now that rings a bell!
I'm the worst when it comes to remembering names.

 

[pabbi1]

Kerry is, if I may, a DIY supremus, well known in the DIY stat circles. Guys off the street don't build the Blue Hawaii.

For reference, all Blue Hawaii circuits are this, more or less. Just because the board looks a little different, I believe most of the psu is very similar, and the amp board the same, based on Kevin's board patterns in the Headwize post. Sure, there may be small deviations, but, doubtful any major departures.

Just for reference, here is a shot of my (now departed) BH.

Blue Hawaii

The BHSE (internal photos are available on other forums), is a pretty radical design difference, but faithful to the overall design. The BHSE is exclusive and proprietary to Headamp (Justin), and schematics are not publicly available. To my ears, it sounded very similar, if not exactly like the BH, (from the opportunity I had listening to ASR's at the Dallas meet), but addresses manufacturing, support and aesthetic improvements over the original.

The Vulcan is the only BH derivative that I know of, so, there are really not any different versions of BH. In fact, since my implementation of the psu design was fail, Kerry was generous enough to provide me a BH psu of his build (promise I'll power on tomorrow, Kerry).

Otherwise, there is nothing even remotely close in circuit concept except the Stax T2, the original inspiration for this amp.

eXStatA is completely, radically different in design philosophy.

 

[immtbiker]

Brand new unfinished Blue Hawaii amp section with all new parts:

Notice the 2 separate transformers (1 AC, 1 DC)

Some of the add-ons that were invented by Kerry, were separate umbilicals for AC and DC. Also, after getting a small shock on his first attempt, he decided to create an protective circuit that would shut down the high voltage, if the umbilical is disconnected from the amp.
Kerry also built a P/S chassis the same exact size as the amp so they would be stackable.
While discussing color choice, I picked a color that is the exact color of my motorcycle "Sapphire Blue Metallic Flake". Kerry seeked out coaters and fortunately stumbled on a motorcycle detailer in the Bronx that
knew my bike exactly, and then applied multiple coats to match my motorcycle paint job, along with a coating of metallic flake. He then re-assembled the amp and originally used cheaper JJ Electronics EL-34's just in case of implosion, then at the meet, when we knew the amp wasn't going to catch on fire, he installed and biased 2 matched pairs of matched Mullards. It is still a work in progress as we have some heat issues to deal with, and Kerry is going to add some single ended inputs.
When all is said and done, I want Kerry to silk screen his name on it (since it is a one off). I asked him to call it a BHKE Blue Hawaii Kerry Edition), but he is too modest to name it after himself.

So the amp has been used for one year and it is the same amp that everyone heard at the Spring Meet 2009, he just built a new P/S to meet my requirements.
He does not want to build amps for a living (because then it would become a chore, rather than an labor of love, but his next project is a 1-box, so it will be easier to bring it around, He has to work out the heat issues of a 1-box.
Kerry worked with Dr. Gilmore closely so there would be little or no variations.

I am extremely thankful that I was at the right place at the right tiome (the diner after the fall meet in Harrison, and since we have history, he did me this solid.

I can't thank Kerry enough. I owe him and his family a nice homeade barbecue dinner in the summer.

 

[davidhunternyc]

Thanks pabbi1 and Aaron for the explanations. Have either of you had a chance to hear side-by-side the BHSE and the BHKE? Are there significant differences in the sound signature?

 

[immtbiker]

Not me. But I can say that Justin's amp's output was beyond belief. His amp is the first time that I ever heard the O2's MkI sound fantastic. It shows that synergy is just as important as any component you can ever own.
You can have the best CDP in the world, but without the right IC's, PC and amp, the weakest link will destroy possible perfection.

 

[davidhunternyc]

Just thinkin'... Are there any solid-state electrostatic amps out there that are as "great" (whatever that is) as the Blue Hawaii?

 

[El_Doug]

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidhunternyc /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just thinkin'... Are there any solid-state electrostatic amps out there that are as "great" (whatever that is) as the Blue Hawaii?

no

though both the KGSS and eXStatA are DC-coupled, they do not have anywhere close to the voltage swing of the BH