My initial impression of the headphone amp was done with a pair of LCD 2.2’s with a Silver Dragon cable, and compared it with the same cans, but with a Silver Dragon XLR cable (separate cable, not just an adapter). With the BHK the sound was not fatiguing, but just lacked the definition and separation I get with the balanced cable. The sound was also not as “up front” on the BHK. However, I have now tried the BHK with my HD800’s and the stock Sennheiser cable and the sound is much more in focus and quite pleasing. I have been keeping the 800’s on the shelf because I always felt they were a little too sterile, but I’m sensing more warmth with the BHK. Different cans for different amps. So, all-in-all it’s been a good day already, and I look forward to breaking it in.
Elk/PS Expert
I found that the detail and the sound stage that I had heard - almost immediately - with the preamp proper were missing from the headphone portion - the sound was clear but sterile. However based on the comments regarding break in for the headphone amp - I’ll give it a little more time
I have been listening to headphones using the BHK pre-amp. However, until I saw some earlier posts,
I did not recognize that I need to break-in the headphone stage separately from the main pre-amp and have
not done so. I shall do a few days of break-in and then report if I hear any changes.
When the headphone jack is plugged into the pre-amp, the speakers immediately mute, silently.
Volume adjustment had the “clicking” I and others have described.
As I said in an earlier post, I do not listen through headphones at all, so I can not offer a comparison.
What I did hear, I would describe as “black.” There was no background noise at all–just music. To me it
sounded good.
Separately, having used the pre-amp over this weekend, I have made a few ergonomic notes.
There is no visual cue that the unit is in Standby Mode. My DirectStream DAC also has no visual way to know that it is in standby.
This isn’t good or bad…just a difference from some of my other components. I also came to appreciate the BHK’s remote,
which also can control the DAC (and other PS Audio components). It is far more elaborate than the DS DAC’s and it is back lit, as shown in the photo appearing in an earlier post.
I would like to reply to a post by another forum member, stating that I was neutral on the BHK. If what I wrote came off that way,
then I failed to describe my impressions accurately. I think this is a wonderful pre-amp; compared to the pre-amp I already have it offered no sonic degradation. The components I have are matched to work well together. My Mark Levinson pre works well with my Manley 300B tube power amps to deliver the sound I’m looking for, and so on. I merely reported that I heard no change…substituting the BHK Signature caused no sonic variation. To me, that makes it an excellent pre-amp.
ms012873 saidI merely reported that I heard no change…substituting the BHK Signature caused no sonic variation. To me, that makes it an excellent pre-amp.
I am curious as to why you would want the BHK if it offers no improvement over what you currently use?
magicknow
I would like to reply to a post by another forum member, stating that I was neutral on the BHK. If what I wrote came off that way,
then I failed to describe my impressions accurately. I think this is a wonderful pre-amp; compared to the pre-amp I already have it offered no sonic degradation. The components I have are matched to work well together. My Mark Levinson pre works well with my Manley 300B tube power amps to deliver the sound I’m looking for, and so on. I merely reported that I heard no change…substituting the BHK Signature caused no sonic variation. To me, that makes it an excellent pre-amp.
You were very clear.
Purpose of a summary being to save words and allow knowledge at a glance, it would be my words that confuse.
Suggested summary format was Persona Identity, Post Identification Index, Comparison Amplifier / Baseline, Rating relative to Baseline / Comparison Amplifier.
I don’t even want to put together the summary, it was merely a suggestion, to handle the large amount of unstructured but very valuable information herein, and lack of previous summaries with BHK Amps etc.
Apologies for any lack of clarity or upset caused by this approach (including brevity and / or lack of clarity, on my part).
Paul McGowan saidmuralido saidI have seen some provide editing suggestions for the manual and I took the time to go through the entire document and provide editing suggestions, but I won’t bore forum readers with the details. Paul, if you’re out there and reading, I am happy to forward my comments (or to do a markup of an ms word doc). My suggestions have to do with things like the erratic deployment of hyphens and penchant for ending sentences with prepositions, which, though it may now be grammatically correct, does not necessarily make for good writing, etc.
I am out there - actually, it feels more like I am in here - whatever that means.
If you want to email me a Word DOC marked up with changes that would be appreciated. While the manual doesn’t need to be a literary work, it’s good to have another set of eyeballs on it.
Paul, as I only have the physical text, if you could send me an editable version (in ms word, for instance) I’ll do a full markup (my day job is writing/editing). As I said, my comments are to do mostly with consistency, punctuation, and grammar. Cheers.
Hmmmm. I don’t have one. It’s all done in Adobe In Design. Let me see what I can do.
Very kind offer, muralido.
Paul McGowan said Hmmmm. I don't have one. It's all done in Adobe In Design. Let me see what I can do.Sure. Just let me know.
One of the issues that I’d like advice about is the dust protection vs. heat dissipation issue. With a grille on the top of the preamp with large holes, I am worried about dust collecting on the sensitive circuits. And yet, I worry that simply covering the unit when it’s not in use, I’ll do some small, but long-term damage to the circuits if there is not an unrestricted flow of air while it is in standby. Thoughts anyone? Is vacuuming through the grille appropriate?
muralido said One of the issues that I'd like advice about is the dust protection vs. heat dissipation issue. With a grille on the top of the preamp with large holes, I am worried about dust collecting on the sensitive circuits. And yet, I worry that simply covering the unit when it's not in use, I'll do some small, but long-term damage to the circuits if there is not an unrestricted flow of air while it is in standby. Thoughts anyone? Is vacuuming through the grille appropriate?Damage from the heat buildup if the grille holes weren't there would be far worse (heat being one of the worst enemies of long term reliability for electronics). I can't imagine the dust being a problem on the bare board. Vacuuming through the grille won't be a problem, but if you like you can take the cover off and vacuum the PWB directly with a brush attachment.
If you’re really worried about it (I don’t think you need to be) you can make a cover for it with a flat plate of something; just be sure the plate sits above the grille holes by at least an inch. That way dust falls onto your new plate that you can clean (ore remove and clean) and less dust will fall into the unit (I’m going on the theory that dust pretty much settles downwards, or at least the bulk of it does) This will reduce dust accumulation inside the unit a lot. It won’t prevent it, but it should slow it down.
Edit: Remember, while the unit is operating the heat from the tubes will cause air to rise upwards through the grille, so any dust will be caught in the upward movement of air and not settle into the unit.
So, moral of story, keep listening if you want to prevent dust buildup!
If anyone in the Nyc area wants to hear their BHK betA preamp in another PS Audio based system (BHK 300’s and DS ) feel free to message me and bring it over . my Tad Cr1’s will reveal what the preamp is doing and we can compare with a $16,000 all tube pre with separate power supply.
muralido said ...I am worried about dust collecting on the sensitive circuits....Mate, you worry too much. This is not something you need to worry about. Seriously.
I normally stay off of public forums, but I did say I would give feedback.
Why did I sign up for the beta testing? Well this past year I’ve been on a search for something. It’s led me to try speakers, amplifiers, and preamps, preamps, preamps.
I have a room that was designed by sound engineers. I have good equipment designed by masters that know what they are doing. Through all of this I want what everyone wants. Music. To hear the inflections the musician is choosing within that moment, and to hear the resonance as it was in that moment. I honestly feel that the equipment we work with is in much ways better than the actual recordings we get to listen to.
My choice is vinyl. Not because it’s better, just because it allows me to sit and listen. With digital I start fidgeting for the perfect moment within the song rather than listening to an entire side, or album.
There is a sonic signature to every piece of equipment by design. When your idea of sound aligns with the sonic signature of a designer pay attention, and enjoy their equipment. If it weren’t for Axpona this year I probably would have bailed on this beta thing, but every time I went into a room with a DAC by PS Audio I found a sonic signature that I enjoyed. This peaked my interest and I jumped on board to test.
The packing is good. Remote is fine. HT pass through is good, and works as advertised.
Volume control is great, I appreciate the small db of adjustment that is possible. I hate pre’s that go from 9-10 and it’s a huge leap in decibels. There are clicks between 52 & 53 that annoy me, but who cares. This has nothing to do with stable listening levels, so find your level and enjoy what happens next.
Installed on Fathers day: Listened cold. Even without break in it’s good. Wide sound stage, and tons of detail within the sound stage. Made me think the mid bass could be a bit thin at first, but it’s cold and brand new. Even with this being said I was upset. This preamp is disappointingly good. This past six months I’ve went from AR to Cary, to Pass Labs and the sound stage from this preamp is, so far, the most pleasing to my ear. Bass drum extension in Boston Symphony recording is unbelievable. Natural, and conveyed the dynamics that the bass drum player did through the recording. Simple, yet so many times lost in playback. Dynamics of instruments you forget about because they are muddied by the equipment. My speakers are good, I know that because they cost X. I have forgotten about the equipment at this point and am enjoying the elements of the music that have been muddied within my system (and I blamed on recordings). This unit is breaking in nicely and some of the cold problems have started blending into the sound. Sometimes I wonder if the bass is a bit loose, but I think this could be the speakers. I’m going to switch back to my Verity’s and test again.
Daily I am fortunate to work with some of the best musicians in the world and when I listen back to recordings I want to hear that musician’s sound as I did while I’m standing in front of them. Not only their sound, but the resonance of the hall that I’m listening to them in. Last week I was in NYC and listened to the NY Philharmonic. When I’m listening to the NY Phil recordings (this week) I am hoping to hear the resonance of the hall, and the clarity (or lack of) the hall produces within each instruments voice. There is a “real” quality this preamp gives that I am enjoying. Some of the other preamlifiers I have been working with gave to warm and focused sound stage, or too detailed (harsh) and thinned out the sonic qualities I am after.
I know that PS Audio knows this unit is great, it is. I am looking for the bad right now, and can’t find it. I will do more listening, try some digital, and the headphone amp and report back.
Christan Griego
Testing with:
Vandy 3’s (switching to Verity Audio’s shortly to test with)
cardas cables
Cary tube amp (testing with solidstate soon)
Pass Labs phonostage
Sota Saphire
Thanks Christian, what a great report! Though I am both intrigued and confused by your comment “This preamp is disappointingly good.”
Can you explain that? I love the term but can’t figure out why.
Paul McGowan said Thanks Christian, what a great report! Though I am both intrigued and confused by your comment "This preamp is disappointingly good."Can you explain that? I love the term but can’t figure out why.
Maybe it’s the audio equivalent of “It’s not the kill but the thrill of the chase”.
Have any testers have been able to compare the preamp to the Parasound JC2?
Disappointingly good = it is hard to imagine my system without this piece. Beating the Pass Labs preamp was going to be a hard fight in my mind, it wasn’t in reality. Congrats on a great sounding design.
I work with musicians that change their trombones/trumpets sometimes on a day to day basis, to try and find a match to the sound and feel that’s in their head. This can be both good and bad at times…
I am very careful to not spiral out of control with audio equipment. One too many changes can cause an entire system to degrade and lose the good that was.
I do not want to waste my life chasing unicorns.
Thank you, Christan, a interesting report from a perspective different than most.
christangriego said I work with musicians that change their trombones/trumpets sometimes on a day to day basis, to try and find a match to the sound and feel that's in their head.As a trumpet player, I greatly resemble that remark.
There is a good dozen trumpets in the room I am in right. I do not want to try and count the mouthpieces.
Mind how you address Mr. Griego, lowly trumpet player. One does not make great music with valves!
Welcome to the forum, Christan. Which Pass line stage were you previously using?
+1 on the welcome! Excellent post.