General Source Gear Help/Discussion Thread

I think ill just keep the BHC

I just wont be able to live without the joy of r70x on BHC and the T1.2 is great too

Id say its one of the best colores amps

This amp would be perfect for me

Problem is even according to m0n there are better options for me when I do hit that price range like the pass labs hp1 and allnic hpa3000

Right now im around the 1k amp range still

Thought you wanted a tube upgrade

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Thats a great suggestion, actually ive always wanted one but @Souldriver experience with the amp drove it away from my wishlist

Although I think @NickMimi likes it, and to top it of im waiting for an incoming lcd 3pf which might as well work with the BHC lol

Im not sure about the triode vs the allnic 3000

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It has everything to do with what your looking for.
Some people like you love the whole rich 2nd harmonic distortion, and treble roll off something like the crack or some of the Decware’s have. I like it as a change of pace, but I couldn’t live with it as my only amp.
That rich syrupy sound is something some people look for.

But it’s a compromise, and some people can’t get past the loss of incisiveness and apparent detail.

Another example of this is the ZMF Aeolus, a headphone I list as one of my worst purchases, and I’ve panned repeatedly, because of it’s very relaxed presentation. But a lot of people including some here love it for exactly the same reason.

It’s important to realize that people value different aspects of presentation, and a lot of the journey is trying to distill what it is you like about something, and what you like despite a particular aspect of presentation.

So short version I wouldn’t rule anything in or out based on any one person (or groups) opinion.

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Mine was with the Taboo, which is a different amp in many many ways.

Also having a BHC, i dont think the prefazors will work well there. It is just a mismatch technically. This isnt a coverall statement but in general otl and those older planars may not be great matches.

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Can confirm. Not just older planars, my LCD X was absolutely no bueno with the BHC.

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@MacDLaw

Also this :point_up::point_up::point_up:

Most of SBAF loved that amp, Nick liked it, me and @GZF did not.

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Unless you find that amp used, it has been discontinued from Allnic (according to their website), unfortunately… FYI

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The decware zen 3 paradigm

Yeah probably considering the popularity of the product, still I dont know that I would be satisfied with the decware amp the way I am again with my BHC because of its cost-performance technicalities wise

You guys also made me curious if I could substancially improve the BHC+S just by tube rolling

I know my combo is not optimal but I really like it, and I dont know better to find a new tube combo for the BHC, then also have to consider my warm preference with that amp

I wrote down some tubes that were recommended by Hazi and a dude from SBAF, you guys think I can make some gains here, have any of you tried some of these?

Drivers

  • GE 5963
  • IEC/Mullard ECC82 (cv4003) rare tube apparently
  • Philips ECG JAN 5814A
  • Tung-Sol JTL-6189
  • Ken-Rad 12AU7
  • Matsushita/Mazda 12AU7 seems like a good pick
  • Brimar CV4003 (ECC82)

Power

  • Tung-Sol 7236 Tube
  • Cetron 7236
  • Cetron 5998
  • RCA 6AS7g
  • Mullard CV2984 Tube
  • Mullard 6080 Tube
  • GEC 6080
  • Russian 6H13C / 6N13S / Svetlana “Winged C”
  • Tung Sol 6AS7G

Is it mostly better to buy the tubes on ebay and head-fi? are those independant tube stores in the US worth it? Sorry I have never truly tube rolled novice questions

I would add the Amperex 7316 to the drivers list which was my favorite on BHC.

For buying NOS tubes, my usual go to places are these two Brent Jessee and Andy. Best to give Andy a call on Fridays. Brent is pretty responsive by email.

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I think you can get a pretty big improvement on the BHC, but it does depend on how much you are willing to spend on tubes.

Recently I was able to get a G.E.C. CV2984 (6080) and Mullard ECC82 (Long Plate, Square Getter) and that is the very best the BHC has sounded to me since I’ve owned it.

If you have a price range in mind, and let me know what improvements you are seeking in the sound of the BHC, I can give you some recommendations. :slight_smile:

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@Hazi59 has some of the best tibe write ups forcthe BHC.

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Also, I’d be very cautious when buying on ebay. I’ve had some success on ebay, but I know how to spot counterfeit tubes (which there are plenty of on ebay).

This is just one example of a counterfeit…

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@MacDLaw Also what are your other amps? You can keep tweaking the BHC endlessly but if your looking at something specifically for the lcd-3pf i still dont think youll be satisfied.

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That is a good point. The BHC isn’t an ideal choice for the LCD-3. I know the pf has a higher impedance, but at the end of the day it would still benefit from an amp with more current.

Thank you all for your tube advice and information!

I had no idea tube rolling could improve the amp that much I only rolled the driver for giggles.

Im not planning at all to use the BHC with the LCD 3 it was just my imagination thinking… well its 110 ohm maybe it works

I have the burson soloist and the ath bha100 ready to drive the 3pf.

@Hazi59 I extracted a lot from your original reviews on HFG and checked availability on ebay and head-fi plus the american sites supposedly have stock.

Whenever ill buy the tubes ill contact you to check for counterfeits and your recommendation on my budget

Thanks again!

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I’m not privy to your whole thought process but the CSP3 depending on its features may not be as impressive to you as it was to me. I did double duty with it as a pre-amp which gave it extra value for my needs. My LTA MZ3 is hands down superior IMO. :man_shrugging: The CSP3 is more fun to tube roll and works well as a gain stage for an amp further up in your chain which bery few other pieces do so in that sense, it shows superiority there… decisions decisions :face_with_peeking_eye::joy:

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Thanks for privying me of the decware, now its clear

Ill see how the rolling goes here and I think a pass labs hp1 will be my next amp cause availability

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