[mikebauer]

You can tame your HD 800's with soft silicon. Put your hands over both phones and hear what that sounds like. Back off your hands until you hear the balance you want. Use ( mash on ) "Mack's Pillow-Soft" silicon earplugs on the outside of the phones to match where your hands still had contact with the HD 800's. The Mack's are cheap -- 4$ for 12 -- and remove easily.
 
I found that a lot of the problem with the HD's for me came from their over presentation of the sound image. I need sharp focus -- what the thread author talked of with electrostats, but as noted, more openness in the sound -- but not so much that i'm at an amphitheatre hearing the Busch Quartet recording from 1939 blatted out into the void. Which is slightly how the the HD's slightly mush up the mid-tones -- mid-tones coloring up the wave and making the highs muddy and therefore too harsh sounding.
 
Yes, the Sennheiser's now look retard, but you're listening in the dark and they're on your ears and it's all inside your head now anyway, no?
 

 

[mikebauer]

Quote:

A balance control is a passive potentiometer. I can't imagine it's having ANY significant effect on the sound quality.
It's debatable whether it would ever prove useful but I can't see its being a negative.
 
 

I have .5 db loss in one ear. We got rid of the tone controls ( and balances and all ) and were sooo pure, and then started using tubes as warmers and cables as coolers to achieve the same effect: no gain in sound quality, of course, compared with the cleaner sound of short-distance wiring inside the pre-amp... one with good resistors of course.

 

[Zoom25]

I currently have the LCD-3's. I plan on getting the TH-900 next and I might also consider the HD800 next. I liked the LCD-3's with the BHA-1 and BDA-2/Arcam D33 after coming from Emotiva mini-x-a-100 and Marantz CD5004. Even the D2000 single ended sounded decent.
 
I am a bit torn on picking up the Mjolnir with LCD-3 and maybe getting another amp for TH-900 like Soloist SL, which I have to yet audition, although I hear it's supposed to be good.
 
The BHA-1 with both DAC's suited both D2000 and LCD-3. It gave the LCD-3 some kick and a sense of life. Although at the same time it completely tamed the treble of D2000. No sibilance, almost grain free. Bass was deep and so well controlled. Couldn't really tell the sonic signature of the BHA-1 in the 4 hour I had with it as it kicked the LCD-3 a step up and brought the D2000 down.
 
 

 

[BournePerfect]

I'm in-my BHA-1 should be arriving later this week. I'll compare my thoughts on the HD800/Mjolnir pairing vs HD800/BHA-1 pairing in addition to Maxvla's excellent write up here. I also ordered a balanced LCD 2.2 for heck's sake since it's supposed to mate perfectly with this amp. I'll keep you posted on my thoughts later this week.
 
-Daniel

 

[Zoom25]

Quote:

I'm in-my BHA-1 should be arriving later this week. I'll compare my thoughts on the HD800/Mjolnir pairing vs HD800/BHA-1 pairing in addition to Maxvla's excellent write up here. I also ordered a balanced LCD 2.2 for heck's sake since it's supposed to mate perfectly with this amp. I'll keep you posted on my thoughts later this week.
 
-Daniel

 
Looking forward to it.

 

[MoonSung]

Anyone know how the bryston with gungnir pairs with LCD2s and HE500s? both running unbalanced?

 

[adidino]

Surprised the Bryston BHA-1 isn't more popular around here. It's at a good price point and well built. Haven't heard this amp myself yet but curious why it's not getting much love on headfi.

 

[MoonSung]

  Surprised the Bryston BHA-1 isn't more popular around here. It's at a good price point and well built. Haven't heard this amp myself yet but curious why it's not getting much love on headfi.

Bryston isn't a head-fi sponsor?

 

[adidino]

  Bryston isn't a head-fi sponsor?

Think so but not many owners. Like the post above from Dec, I'm also curious if anyone used the Bryston with the HE500.

 

[Gowry]

  Think so but not many owners. Like the post above from Dec, I'm also curious if anyone used the Bryston with the HE500.

I have the Bryston with the HE500. What would you like to know? I like the combination a lot. There is definitely some slam to the bass with this pairing. The treble is very airy. The mids aren't sweet and aren't forward either. 

 

[Dave74]

I have the Bryston with the HE500. What would you like to know? I like the combination a lot. There is definitely some slam to the bass with this pairing. The treble is very airy. The mids aren't sweet and aren't forward either. 

I like the combination a lot as well. It also pairs very well with my Alpha Dogs. The bass slam is very good and very well controlled. I find it is a much better pairing than when I was using my Lyr with my HE500's. The Lyr has been packed up and put into my basement since getting the BHA-1.

I love this amp. Very high build quality and 20 year warranty as well. I'm surprised is isn't a a lot more popular, especially since you can use it ballanced or SE.

 

[dmacg]

I like the combination a lot as well. It also pairs very well with my Alpha Dogs. The bass slam is very good and very well controlled. I find it is a much better pairing than when I was using my Lyr with my HE500's. The Lyr has been packed up and put into my basement since getting the BHA-1.

I love this amp. Very high build quality and 20 year warranty as well. I'm surprised is isn't a a lot more popular, especially since you can use it ballanced or SE.

I agree, I am really enjoying my BHA-1 / HE-500's.  I must say, the discussion regarding balanced and unbalanced listening and the "vast" improvement in the balanced mode largely escapes me.
I really find the differences to be very little. It is there, but not to any degree that some have described. Perhaps it's a case of hearing what you expect ? Just my opinion of course. Actually, the most interesting listening I have done lately has come about with the purchase of a 4 year old PS Audio GCHA. A $1k amplifier in its day. Very defiantly over looked by many here on Head-Fi I believe. Comparing the two, yes the Bryston is better, but WOW, that GCHA is a serious piece of work. Considering that it only cost me $400.00 to pick up 2nd hand, I could not imagine a better amplifier for that kind of $. I have the Asgard, Valhalla,and Magni from Schitt and the Little Dot III. I was going to buy the Mjolnir, and decided last minute on the Bryston as it will also run my other non balanced phones. I certainly made the right decision I believe. It's fantastic. All are unique to themselves and contribute to my education of being able to hear what the synergy of an amp/headphone combo is capable of, both good and bad. I digress... thanks all that contribute.

 

[KmanChu]

I like the combination a lot as well. It also pairs very well with my Alpha Dogs. The bass slam is very good and very well controlled. I find it is a much better pairing than when I was using my Lyr with my HE500's. The Lyr has been packed up and put into my basement since getting the BHA-1.

I love this amp. Very high build quality and 20 year warranty as well. I'm surprised is isn't a a lot more popular, especially since you can use it ballanced or SE.

 
Dave,
 
I am curious how you like the BHA-1 with your Alpha Dogs vs other amps? I am currently looking for a more definitive amp for my ADs and whatever else I may decide to pick up (possibly Audeze)  and the Bryston is pretty high up on my list. My concern was that with the ADs being very neutral that the BHA-1 + AD would be rather flat sounding and too clinical. Would you be able to recommend the BHA-1 as a definitive amp for the ADs? Is there a big advantage in running balanced vs SE?

 

[Dave74]

   
Dave,
 
I am curious how you like the BHA-1 with your Alpha Dogs vs other amps? I am currently looking for a more definitive amp for my ADs and whatever else I may decide to pick up (possibly Audeze)  and the Bryston is pretty high up on my list. My concern was that with the ADs being very neutral that the BHA-1 + AD would be rather flat sounding and too clinical. Would you be able to recommend the BHA-1 as a definitive amp for the ADs? Is there a big advantage in running balanced vs SE?

I love the BHA-1 with my AD's, it's almost like the BHA-1 was designed for plannars  I have not tried my Lyr as I put it away before I got my AD's.
 
The only other amps I have tried with my AD's are the Concero HP > Pico Power > AD's and Concero HP > AD's, this is my portable set up as I work out of town.  The AD's straight out of the Concero HP doesn't seem to drive them as well as the Concero HP > Pico Power > AD's. If I didn't have the BHA-1 for at home use I would be happy with this combo. 
 
I certainly wouldn't call the BHA-1 and AD combo flat or clinical, I would say it is a smooth sound signature, similar to the HE-500's but with more bass. I'm sure the DAC you are using will also make a difference in sound quality and sound sig.  
 
I don't really notice much of a difference between the balanced and SE cables with my AD's, besides having to increase the volume about 6db on the dac.  The BHA-1 has tons of power though, and since going balanced I found that I had to turn the volume down to around -10 to -13 on the M-DAC, with the BHA-1 on low gain and the volume dial at about 9:00.  The biggest improvement from going balanced that  I noticed was when I added the balanced XLR cables between the M-DAC and BHA-1.  The nice part about the BHA-1 though is that you have the option to run it balanced or SE.

 

[MariusValentin]

Thank you for the review ,very informative indeed. That helps me to choose the right amp for my HD 800.