No worries. I am called all sorts of things. My neighbor, that I run into on a regular basis while walking around the neighborhood, thinks my name is Sean. While I have a son named Sean, which I am certain he’s unaware of, it is actually kind of funny. My wife thinks I should correct him but I just smile and say hi.
Paul, I should have stuck with “Mr. McGowan,” as employed in my earlier post. I could not have went wrong with that.
Thank you again for your love of the hobby and your excellent products. My wife laughs at me for my upbeat mood since purchasing the PS Audio components. Life is about the little things. JASON
Hi … first time posting. I will be purchasing the BHK 250 soon, Will the stellar gain cell DAC work will with it? How much difference will the BHK pre-amplifier make as oppose to the Stellar DAC?
Just my two cents. If you don’t have one already, I would consider the DS before any other piece of gear. It is the single most transformative piece of audio gear I have ever owned. The only problem I see with the DS is it does have a shelf life. New technology will make it less relevant quicker than the BHK 250. Even knowing that Ted has more tricks up his sleeve.
Since the Stellar DAC/Pre is a relatively new product, I assume it is new to you. If you like it, buy the BHK 250. As stated in the last post, the BHK 250 will not be made obsolete. When you decide to move up, go with the BHK Pre and/or DS. I have the DS Jr and am very happy with it. It is considerably less expensive than the DS.
The BHK may outclass the Stellar but they will definitely work together.
Certainly the Stellar Gain Cell DAC would be a fine and wwell-matched preamplifier for the BHK 250. Eventually, you might want to step upo to a BHK preamp as well, but this would be a great starting point. When we voiced the Stellar GCD we did it on the BHK amps.
I actually got rid of all my equipment and starting from scratch.
I’m getting some PS Audio equipment today. The dealer will be coming over to my house to let me test the stellar m300 with the DS DAC, and the Stellar BHK 250 with the stellar gain cell DAC combination.
Which ever i choose today (budget restricting), i will eventually end up with the BHK power amp, BHK Pre-amp and DS DAC along the way. Just starting of with either of these combination. Because i also need to buy speakers…
Thanks for the POV.
Sounds like a great plan.
Gaszer, did you make a purchase?
Hi. I purchased the BHK 250 and the Stellar Gain Cell DAC. Buying a P5 today.
Congratulations!
Please report in with your reactions once you get a chance to listen.
Hi … i have since traded the Gain Cell DAC pre-amplifier up to the BHK pre-amplifier within 2 days listening to my initial purchase. I think i will hang on to this setup for sometime. Absolutely satisfied and enjoying my tunes now.
The P5 added some improvement to the sound. My dealer was trying to persuade me to buy some really expensive (imo expensive) power cables and said it will add even more. Is there any truth to that? I did buy some powercords (not the standard ones that come with the equipment) to be used on my equipments, but i didn’t go all the way with this.
Gaszer
Congratulations! I had a similar experience adding a BHK Pre shortly after my purchase of my 250. I am curious in the differences between the BHK Pre and the Gain Cell: “night and day” or just an incremental improvement?
What are you using for a DAC? (That is if you are using one at all.) I think the PS Audio Directstream Jr DAC provides a good value.
As for power cables, like you I use decent aftermarket cables, but not terribly expensive ones. Signalcable MagicPower, Shuntata Venom 3, PS Audio Power Punch, etc. All of which cost about $100 or less.
Until I round out all of my electronic equipment and speakers with exactly what I want, it’s hard to justify $1K on a power cable (or any other cables for that matter). I think spending that extra money on base components will far exceed any gains from cables. I may be wrong and encourage other opinions.
I have heard the impact of bad cables in my system, but it is harder for me to ascertain the incremental differences between “good” cables. Admittedly, I have never had a true high end cable incorporated into my system.
Finally, as compared the BHK Pre, how much of a difference did the P5 make? For example, if you had a 20% improvement by adding the Pre, did the P5 add another 20%? Or was it substantially less (more)?
enjoy your purchases—
Hey Jason,
I don’t post often, but I read posts every day. I often check out a contributor’s system to get a sense of their frame of reference.
In checking out your speakers I ran across a reference that might shed some light on your question, or might muddy the water further.
From Stereophile - April 2010 - PL200 review
“What most surprised me was that substituting the Nordost Valhalla power cords for the better-than-average (albeit an obsolete model) PS Audio cords at the input to the PS Audio Power Plant Premier produced a significant improvement in clarity and dynamics. But the Power Plant Premier actually regenerates the AC supply—why should the cable between the wall outlet and the Power Plant make a difference? Search me . . .”
https://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/monitor_audio_platinum_pl200_loudspeaker/index.html
Bruce
Power cables can make a positive difference, but how much is both system dependent and is influenced by what you have otherwise done (proper setup, room treatment, other wire, etc.).
It is a try it and see upgrade. Perhaps your dealer has loaners you can try.
Elk, yes indeed. It is so system and room dependent that there can be no one answer. Replacement of the least capable component in your system may be the biggest bang for the buck. In my system the DAC has influenced the sound more than anything else, followed by the preamp, but I started with great amps and speakers. In my system cabling influences are typically subtle and hard to definitively discern. To me, the big bang items are those improvements you hear right out of the box with no burn-in. They are unmistakable.
If only I could always reliably identify the least capable component . . .
To add to the uncertainty, even if one could identify the least capable component, it only “may” be the biggest bang for the buck. 
I would resoundingly say “Yes, a power cable upgrade could well be worthwhile!” I have recently upgraded my power cable on the BHK Signature preamp from an Elrod Gold Statement X2 to the Elrod Gold Statement Master Series, and it was a pretty important improvement in my system.
That said, I would agree that having components sorted out well could be the lowest hanging fruit. But then again, the power cable can be an important limiter IME, so you may not actually be hearing what the components are capable of. It is all so system/interactively dependent. Gets kind of circular…
Best advice is to try cables that you are comfortable purchasing (don’t listen to something out of your budget that you won’t buy, and makes you then feel dissatisfied with what you do have!), and do so with a dealer that let’s you try before you buy. That is how I have done it, and the results have pleased me. I find power cables to be a starting fundamental for my system build.
tabascocat1994 saidGaszer
Congratulations! I had a similar experience adding a BHK Pre shortly after my purchase of my 250. I am curious in the differences between the BHK Pre and the Gain Cell: “night and day” or just an incremental improvement?
What are you using for a DAC? (That is if you are using one at all.) I think the PS Audio Directstream Jr DAC provides a good value.
As for power cables, like you I use decent aftermarket cables, but not terribly expensive ones. Signalcable MagicPower, Shuntata Venom 3, PS Audio Power Punch, etc. All of which cost about $100 or less.
Until I round out all of my electronic equipment and speakers with exactly what I want, it’s hard to justify $1K on a power cable (or any other cables for that matter). I think spending that extra money on base components will far exceed any gains from cables. I may be wrong and encourage other opinions.
I have heard the impact of bad cables in my system, but it is harder for me to ascertain the incremental differences between “good” cables. Admittedly, I have never had a true high end cable incorporated into my system.
Finally, as compared the BHK Pre, how much of a difference did the P5 make? For example, if you had a 20% improvement by adding the Pre, did the P5 add another 20%? Or was it substantially less (more)?
enjoy your purchases—
Hi,
For streaming i use the Arcam rplay. I haven’t tried the PS audio DACs yet.
I actually started out with the stellar s300 and GCD. But at louder levels, i felt i needed a more powerful amplifier. Since the M700 was not available for me to test (they were sold out), I tested the BHK 250, and the BHK pre-amp in the store. I was immediately impressed by them, but thought i would hold back a bit and just traded back the S300 for the BHK 250.
I spent a couple of days listening to that setup (BHK 250 with the GCD) but i didn’t enjoy it as much as i’ve already heard the BHK pre and power pairing. So i changed the the GCD for the BHK pre-amp.
Stellars for what they cost, i think it is already very good. If only i didn’t sample the BHKs …
I didn’t listened to the difference the P5 made before i bought it. They dealer did tell me it would improved the sound. Honestly i just bought one because i thought it would managed power cord clutter very well. But when i hooked up at home, goodness … there was clearly a big difference. Enough to be realised and noticed at the first instance.
Well, i might as well try the DACs and CD players now as well. Who knows …