Welcome to the forum! I’m confident you will love the BHK 250. Let us know what you think after you get a chance to do some serious listening. Mine sounded great out of the box but it will improve some with break-in (how much is a matter of great debate).
Just ordered the BHK 250.
Paying for it hurts but can’t wait to get it. It will replace a Parasound A21. Almost ordered an AVA600R but went for the much more expensive BHK.
Congratulations!!! Can’t wait to hear what you think about it. Please let us know.
Snuck home during lunch and installed the new amp. Listened real quick and all sounds great except for a new 60Hz hum that I never had before. This is the fourth amp in my system and only one with such a hum. Seems like a common issue with the BHK. Sure wish it had a ground lift switch (like my Parasound A21, that I didn’t need to use).
Looks like I’ll be going through the pain of isolating the fault, using a cheater plug and/or buying a new power cable with a removable ground. Has anyone tried wrapping electrical tape around the ground plug? Little worried I wouldn’t be able to get the tape out of the receptacle after removing the plug (I currently have the BHK plugged into the HC receptacle of my P3).
Try just cheating the BHK amp - that might just do it. Let us know, I haven’t seen many of them with hum. Where did you buy it from? Serial number?
Thanks Paul.
I picked up a cheater plug at the Depo on my way home from work today. It works! The hum is down to a very, very low level (seems normal). Don’t understand why this amp hums with the ground connected. I have a somewhat complicated system (home theater by-pass) but keep the home theater input isolated with a transformer from the two channel system. Everything is on the same 20A-1P dedicated 120V circuit. I am running everything unbalanced (Rogue 99 Super Magnum Pre-amp). Not crazy about not having the amp grounded but figure the internal amp fuse would blow if there was a short with the interconnects carrying the fault current.
Bought the BHK 250 from Underwood HiFi. It was shipped directly from Henderson, CO (I assume your warehouse). The serial number (now registered on the site) is PWA-A2-06C0212. I’ll probably pick up an AC 3 and unscrew the ground pin (want to keep everything neat and get rid of the $0.69 cheater plug). Music Direct is selling them for a really nice price.
One last thing, I did notice a protection circuit kick in really fast. I turned the amp on first (to see if the hum remained), then the pre-amp (I will reverse under most circumstances). The pre-amp popped a bit when the relay closed. This tripped the amp protection circuit. Operated very, very fast (pop was close to inaudible). I just re-set the power switch (flashing fast) and everything came up normal 30 seconds later. Seems like a very nice feature. I’m curious how it will all work once I get the 12V trigger system working properly (the A21 has a non-standard trigger connector and I have to rework).
I’ll let you know what I think about the BHK 250 after the weekend. She’ll get a nice workout. My daughter and her husband are coming over with a nice bottle of Bourbon on Friday. “Dim Lights, Thick Smoke, and Loud Loud Music.”
Thanks, Dale
I am jealous of Friday’s meet! Have fun and do report what you find. We’re all anxious to know.
Anyone here try this thing? The ground zero ground loop elimination system!! The price is crazy but so is everything in this hobby. I can’t help it, the compulsive side is kicking in.
I don’t have any first hand experience with the Ground Zero, but its price is actually relatively reasonable considering similar products from some competitors run into the thousands of dollars. I’d suggest contacting them before ordering to ensure you have a reasonable evaluation period with a return for refund option in case it doesn’t work in your situation.
Shocking news to me. I was one of the BHK beta testers. I loved the BHK initially, and after a return for some issues which were resolved, I loved it even more. What is amazing to me is that now after all these months, in the last month, the bass has really blossomed. Bass I never imagined before. After these many months this is shocking to me. Best bass ever.
Just one question regarding the headphone amp built into the BHK preamp because I might not be up to date to the headphone development:
I have a Stax headphone since long time myself. They come with a separate headphone amp, which was not very common at the time.
Meanwhile I’ve got the impression that there are not only quite some more electrostatic headphone producers than Stax with separate small amps, but that also the better conventional headphone producers fit their stuff with own small amps, which I thought should be the best choice.
Is the built-in headphone amp within the BHK pre assumed to be better than separate amps for better conventional headphones? Or was it mainly integrated for use of less expensive conventional headphones?
I further assume, no electrostatic headphones could be connected to it.
The built in amp on the BHJK was designed for the finest headphones made as is an excellent example of Bascom’s work on the subject of proper headphone amplification.
Most electrostats I am familiar with require an additional power supply to charge the stators.
ah I see, thanks…I thought proper headphone amplification is maybe not a proprietary thing, but at least clearly matched to each headphone (even if conventional). But if there’s a way of the proper thing for all except electrostats and that’s better than the manufacturer ones for each headphone, that seems to make sence.
To be universally good with all headphones, a headphone amp must be capable to of providing both voltage and current depending on the demands of a given headphone.
Electrostatics are their own animal.
Took the plunge and got a BHK preamp yesterday, as well as a Bridge II for the Directstream (replaced my Auralic Aries) and Aueze EL-8 headphones (didn’t want the headphone amp in the Preamp to feel unloved 
). I now have an all-PS Audio system (other than speakers - Dynaudio C1s and Rel T7 and cables): BHK 250 and preamp, Directstream with Bridge II, a P5 and a couple of Powerbases.
I had been running the Directstream directly into the BHK 250 and had been very happy with the sound. That said, I did think something was missing. The BHK 250 replaced a Bryston amp (4B SST2) and preamp (BP 26) and while the BHK was far better in a whole host of areas (soundstage; details; instrument separation; depth of sound), there was a richness that went missing with the BHK. Interestingly, it wasn’t restored when I put in the BP26. The BHK 250 was a little more sterile, but its other attributes more than made up for it. In reading the numerous comments on the BHK preamp, it seemed that others experienced something similar when running their Directstream directly into the BHK amp.
Installation and upgrade of the Bridge II went smoothly and Roon found it (although it says it is uncertified; which is weird because I don’t get that message for the Bridge II in my PWD). Ran it for a while directly into the amp and was satisfied that it was a step up sound wise from the Aries. Not huge but an improvement.
I then installed the preamp (on top of the Directstream, which is on a PowerBase) and have put quite a few hours on it, both last night and today (taking an extra long weekend). It’s not going back to the dealer! I echo all of the positive comments that others have made on this thread. They’re true. The preamp seems to have added to all of the BHK 250’s strengths without detracting anything. Most importantly, it brought back the richness that I said was missing with just the Directstream and the BHK 250.
It’s hard to imagine that it will get better with break-in, but from the comments of others, it seems that it will. Can’t wait.
Haven’t spent any meaningful time with the headphones and the headphone amp. From what others have said, the headphone amp needs break-in and so I will leave things playing overnight with the headphones plugged in for a few nights to speed up the break-in process. Even still, it sounds darn good. Won’t use the headphones a lot as it is mainly for night time listening when I want to play the system louder than what She Who Must Be Obeyed likes; but having them as an option is a nice addition.
Only downside with the BHKs is the amount of heat that they put out, even when turned off. The Bryston amp got warm when running, but not as much as the BHK. Presumably it’s due to the tubes. The room is on the small side and it sure doesn’t take long for it to heat up, especially if the door to the room is shut. Glad the cooler weather is coming as I can crack open the window (though I’m not sure how happy that makes the neighbours). Oh well. Small price to pay for the glorious sound.
Kudos to Paul and his team.
Great to read that it seems with an all PSA system everything snaps into place!
Either I’m fixated on it or it’s a fact that one of the most used & discussed words in terms of PSA products is lost and/or recovered “richness” 
Murrayb said Took the plunge and got a BHK preamp yesterday, as well as a Bridge II for the Directstream (replaced my Auralic Aries) and Aueze EL-8 headphones (didn't want the headphone amp in the Preamp to feel unloved :-) ). I now have an all-PS Audio system (other than speakers - Dynaudio C1s and Rel T7 and cables): BHK 250 and preamp, Directstream with Bridge II, a P5 and a couple of Powerbases.I had been running the Directstream directly into the BHK 250 and had been very happy with the sound. That said, I did think something was missing. The BHK 250 replaced a Bryston amp (4B SST2) and preamp (BP 26) and while the BHK was far better in a whole host of areas (soundstage; details; instrument separation; depth of sound), there was a richness that went missing with the BHK. Interestingly, it wasn’t restored when I put in the BP26. The BHK 250 was a little more sterile, but its other attributes more than made up for it. In reading the numerous comments on the BHK preamp, it seemed that others experienced something similar when running their Directstream directly into the BHK amp.
Installation and upgrade of the Bridge II went smoothly and Roon found it (although it says it is uncertified; which is weird because I don’t get that message for the Bridge II in my PWD). Ran it for a while directly into the amp and was satisfied that it was a step up sound wise from the Aries. Not huge but an improvement.
I then installed the preamp (on top of the Directstream, which is on a PowerBase) and have put quite a few hours on it, both last night and today (taking an extra long weekend). It’s not going back to the dealer! I echo all of the positive comments that others have made on this thread. They’re true. The preamp seems to have added to all of the BHK 250’s strengths without detracting anything. Most importantly, it brought back the richness that I said was missing with just the Directstream and the BHK 250.
It’s hard to imagine that it will get better with break-in, but from the comments of others, it seems that it will. Can’t wait.
Haven’t spent any meaningful time with the headphones and the headphone amp. From what others have said, the headphone amp needs break-in and so I will leave things playing overnight with the headphones plugged in for a few nights to speed up the break-in process. Even still, it sounds darn good. Won’t use the headphones a lot as it is mainly for night time listening when I want to play the system louder than what She Who Must Be Obeyed likes; but having them as an option is a nice addition.
Only downside with the BHKs is the amount of heat that they put out, even when turned off. The Bryston amp got warm when running, but not as much as the BHK. Presumably it’s due to the tubes. The room is on the small side and it sure doesn’t take long for it to heat up, especially if the door to the room is shut. Glad the cooler weather is coming as I can crack open the window (though I’m not sure how happy that makes the neighbours). Oh well. Small price to pay for the glorious sound.
Kudos to Paul and his team.
Thanks!! I’ll pass the word along to the designers.
Murrayb said ......From what others have said, the headphone amp needs break-in and so I will leave things playing overnight with the headphones plugged in for a few nights to speed up the break-in process. ...Paul, would it be expensive for a manufacturer to let a burn in process run through the products before shipment?
I guess it would not only be a great service, but also would prevent many quick and false judgings/postings of customers and maybe even reviewers.
I always wondered why this is not done.
We simply don’t have the room. We’re already fighting the good battle for space and adding several hundred units burning in for a week would put us over the top.
We’ve considered, from time to time, building burn in racks and charging an extra fee to burn them in, thus limiting the actual number of units we’d have to deal with.
If and when we get a bigger factory, doing it on a regular basis would make sense, but until then…
A nice review of the DSD and BHK Preamp in Positive Feedback…
http://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/ps-audio-bhk-signature-preamplifier-directstream-dac/
I am a very happy owner of a DSD (with Bridge II), P5 and P10. My amplification consists of McIntosh C2300 pre and MC601 monoblocks. I am very curious as to a comparison of the BHK preamp and 300 monos to the McIntosh equipment. As they are relatively similar in price, would it be a lateral move? Upgrade? What would a full PS Audio system’s “synergy” consist of?
Ah, a very tempting comparison…