Like many of you here, I was intrigued by the email from PS Audio a couple of weeks ago teasing that there would be a big special coming for the Black Friday sale day. When it was finally announced that it was going to be on the BHK components, I felt a problem coming. I just had to go and listen to them, didn’t I?
The BHK has been on the radar for a while as we are designing a new listening / theatre room and as that is going to cost a lot, I figured I might as well include upgrades to the hi-fi kit as well. We are still about 2 years from getting the room built so there was no hurry to change the current system.
Anyway, I made an appointment to see my favourite dealer, Carlton Audio Visual for last Sunday. The system setup was the same as my system at home, except for the amps. Various hi res files played from USB stick into the Bryston BDP-2 to Directstream, BHK Pre/250 into Dynaudio Confidence C1 Signatures. Needless to say, the amps drove the Dyns with ease. Lovely lucid, flowing sounds, low noise. Slightly different from my Octave amplifier - perhaps slightly less sweet but more open and quiet.
As one of the objectives of the new room is to get full range speakers, we swapped out the Dynaudios for Monitor Audio Platinum 500 Mk. II. The change was night and day. The increased bass extension, space, air and slam was immediately apparent. The room was fully pressurised - in some cases overwhelmed by the power of the system. I was grinning like a fool by now.
We were listening to a great recording of the Houston Symphony - Dvorak New World Symphony on Pentatone. It was suggested we listen to this piece again, this time swapping out the BHK250 for the BHK300’s.
Just when you think it couldn’t get much better, from the opening notes, you could hear more. Clarity, slam, musical flow were all obviously improved . At that point, all pretense of analytical listening went out the window and I sat down to an hour and a half of listening to favourite tracks, marvelling that I had never heard them like this before. This system allows you to shut your eyes and be transported to the studio or recoding venue and become totally immersed in the moment. The soundstage was huge seemingly bigger than the room and the speakers had disappeared completely.
For me, I have always bought hi fi equipment on my emotional response to how I feel when listening to favourite pieces of music. If the hairs on my neck stand up orI can shed a tear, then the system is doing something right. If I sit and analyse what is happening with the bass or the soundstage or the mids or air or any other audiophile expression, then for me, something’s not right.
Having slept on the decision, I ordered the BHK Pre/300’s the next day and am eagerly awaiting their delivery. Many thanks to PS Audio for making this purchase possible with their very tempting special offer.
