For all bryston source gear
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hey @Jetman didn’t you get a BHA-1 in recently? How is that going for you? Pretty big step up from what you had previously?
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I am still trying to grasp all that the Pontus 2 and the Bryston are offering… Maybe had this been a one at a time thing it would be easier but I purchased and hooked up at the same time… I am tremendously pleased with what they are doing and how they interact with my can’s. Work well together is a serious understatement definitely. The Dac pulls stuff out of a recording that as good as the BF2 was at it’s price then the Pontus 2 is a serious step up. The Bryston to me blows the Asgard 3 out of the water with what it does as well. Overall I am still trying to comprehend all the changes but suffice it to say I am a happy camper. Also they seem to be changing what certain headphones do as well, In a good way of course. As I learn more I will be able to (maybe?) put it into words but that is another story all together…
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I’ve had a Bryston B100 SST for a bit. I think it was released in 2004 and is 2 generations back of Bryston’s current integrated amp. I’m really happy with it for the most part and is definitely the best amp I’ve heard with the Linton’s so far.
The Job 225 was good but I’m big on staging and I felt in my system/room that wasn’t a strength of that amp. The Bryston is another story… very large and accurate stage. It’s the first time in this room I’ve felt enveloped by the soundstage. It’s hard to say because I’m going off memory and a different system but in the same league stage-wise as the First Watt F7.
The other thing I’ve noticed is really good bass reproduction. Always feels well controlled punchy and textured. Essential for good synergy with my speakers imo.
Initially I heard some dryness in the midrange I wasn’t a fan of but I’m starting to appreciate it more. I was listening to a more romantic warm midrange and this is more accurate so I’m just getting used to that… I think. Jury’s out I guess.
@Jetman I’ve had a BHA-1 in the past and absolutely loved it. Congrats and I hope you’re enjoying it.
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Very quickly became my favorite… simple, powerful, clean (to me) Love the dual 3 pin and all its other choices…
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My “dream system” is Bryston Monoblocks and PMC MB2SE speakers.
And of course the room treatment designed by Sound Engineers from Skywalker Sound, material scientists from NASA and a team of Audiologists from Johns Hopkins.
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What chair are you sitting on to listen to it all?
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Have to add a Swedish furniture designer and an orthopedic spine specialist.
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How does the BHA-1 compare to the Pass HPA-1, besides the family resemblance nomenclature I mean. 
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Didn’t get much response to my questions, but that didn’t stop me. I’ve been enjoying the BHA-1 for a while. No it’s not a Pass HPA-1 but definitely a worthwhile SS amp in that $1200 or less used price range.
Before I start exploring tweaks, anyone with experience on the split balanced output? Is it better than the SE (which is what I’ve been stuck with since I got it). I’m curious about making a dual split XLR cable for the VC and the D8KP but won’t bother if there isn’t an appreciable difference.
The Bryston documentation doesn’t provide output power specs diferences between SE and balanced.
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Yes, from my experience running balanced was a noticeable improvement, dual 3 pin better than single 4 pin
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Dual 3 pin on my Bryston is a noticeable difference to the 4 pin and both are better than the SE for sure.
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Thanks guys. I’ll go the split XLR route.
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Spent the afternoon making cables. Thanks again @Jetman @M0N If you’re not listening to the BHA-1 via the split 3 pin XLR, you’re not doing the amp justice. More slam, more grip and control of the mid bass, more spacial environment cues.
It also puts out a considerable amount of more power. I had to get it to 2 o’clock before, now it’s 10 o’clock.
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When the BHA-1 output is via the 1/4” SE jack, only have the amp is being used as the design is a dual mono. The moment the XLR output is being used you get the full beauty of the dual mono architecture. On the input side this is less of an issue as there is a conversation done from the 2 X SE inputs to split through each mono amp.
Where folks fall short it misunderstand the voltage difference when running balanced input and comparing it to SE input.
Dual XLR vs. Single XLR does not yield a difference, looking at the schematic it is wired in parallel.
Conservatively rated at 2 watts using 32 ohm headphones of avg sensitivity.
A very underrated amplifier that is rock solid, and a 20 year warranty. I also have the HPA-1, which is a different in its own right.
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I would still try it and see for yourself if you haven’t, from my experience it was a bit better running dual 3 vs single 4, but it wasn’t anything like the difference of running balanced out vs SE out. Whatever the reason for that difference between dual 3 and single 4 I’m not sure (my guess might be cabling traits? not sure), but it’s something I’ve generally noticed be the case on most amps that offer dual 3 pin where they perform a bit better, not just the bryston. Not a big deal if you don’t use it, but if you can use it I’d definitely try it out and see what you think (although something to note is that all my headphones were/are mainly cabled in dual 3 pin, I’d assume that just going dual 3 to 4 adapter for traditionally cabled headphones would diminish any potential benefit you might get)
I wonder if people just dismiss it now due to age, because it’s still really solid and competitive even with the price having been creeping up over the years (honestly priced it too low when it came out)
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There’s also a possibility that most people associate bryston with 2ch stuff. I honestly didn’t know they made a hp amp at the time. Kind of like Allnic…
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Where does it stand performance wise? is it an upgrade from soloist & v280 but under ferrum stack & v550 for example?
Welcome to the cult!! LOL ! In my albeit brief time with the BHA-1, I have found there is definitely a difference between the dual three vs single XLR. To my ears it is almost as much as SE to balanced.
Can’t comment on the 280 as I’ve never heard/had one but the Soloist IMO had more body but didn’t have the same level of technically with the Bryston also leaning a little more neutral. It’s hard to talk about Burson stuff unless you’re also talking about the same OPamps but even though OPAmps change the signature, they don’t change the technical capabilities. I would put the BHA-1 between the PHA-1 and the Soloist.
I sold my HPA-1 begrudgingly but when you consider that the Bryston is roughly1/2 the cost of a the Pass in the used market, it’s a very good deal.
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