wat? the standard BH is 10W bias per tube

10W CCS x4 = 40W

10W EL34 plate x4 = 40W

1.6A x 6.3V x 4 = 40W

voltage regulation = +15%

transformer efficiency = +15%

total = 166W

then add in the -300V regulators, a couple watts for the +/-15V, and its easily 175W

Does it ship with one of these?

80W-90W per channel, obviously

It's alright Marc, we all know about your current calculations...

Too soon??

Here are a few more pics of the first BHSE burning in:

Took marginally longer for krmathis to repost the pictures onto head-fi than I had bet on in my head.

Hello Kai be nice if you chimed in once in a while.

That really looks great. I really wish I'd picked up or built a Blue Hawaii a few years back when cash to more fluid for me. I'm sure though that even then I'd be getting a strong urge to upgrade looking at this.

Hello Kai be nice if you chimed in once in a while.

Indeed.

As far as I know, for what an amp builder tried to explain to me, if you don't load the secondary of a transformer coupled tube amp, the tube output sees the primary as a load with just the impedance of the wire in the primary, so it's quite close to a short. The tube is asked to delivery way more current than it's designed to and will die soon. So for a short while you can run an OTC tube amp without a load plugged, but it's not a good idea doing so for more than a few minutes, unless you want to burn out your tubes prematurely.

For an hybrid amp, if the output devices are the transistors, not having a load plugged shouldn't be a problem. The transistors are still a load that the tubes would "see" despite you don't connect anything to the output.

It's a bit more problematical than that. You see, the extra current being drawn from the tubes has to go somewhere. What it does is turn into heat. When enough heat is generated, what appeared to be a near short in the transformer becomes a real short, and an expensive output transformer is now an expensive paperweight. Once a tube is operating into a dead short, it will burn out quickly enough.

In some pro gear, there is a short across the output jack when nothing is plugged in, so that the tube is operating into a dead short immediately. The idea is to burn out the tube as quickly as possible, before it can kill the transformer. Tubes are cheap relative to output transformers, in most cases.

While this only applies to transformer-coupled amps, I tend to advise people to always put a load on a tube amp. Even if the amp is safe without a load, it creates good habits. Plugging a headphone in when not necessary doesn't hurt anything. Forgetting to plug a headphone into a transformer-coupled amp can be disaster. Better to develop a good habit than learn from an expensive mistake.

If you are going to go thru the trouble to put in a 5 pin switching headphone

jack, you might as well tie the switched outputs to a proper resistive load instead.

Made easy by the neutrik switching jack.

It's a bit more problematical than that. You see, the extra current being drawn from the tubes has to go somewhere. What it does is turn into heat. When enough heat is generated, what appeared to be a near short in the transformer becomes a real short, and an expensive output transformer is now an expensive paperweight. Once a tube is operating into a dead short, it will burn out quickly enough.

In some pro gear, there is a short across the output jack when nothing is plugged in, so that the tube is operating into a dead short immediately. The idea is to burn out the tube as quickly as possible, before it can kill the transformer. Tubes are cheap relative to output transformers, in most cases.

While this only applies to transformer-coupled amps, I tend to advise people to always put a load on a tube amp. Even if the amp is safe without a load, it creates good habits. Plugging a headphone in when not necessary doesn't hurt anything. Forgetting to plug a headphone into a transformer-coupled amp can be disaster. Better to develop a good habit than learn from an expensive mistake.

Yep that's the detailed explanation I was given, but not being a technical person I couldn't remember it. Thanks for clarifying

Never thought I would see Large Marge in a headphone amp thread.

Very nice work indeed Justin. Very awesome looking amp!

Never thought I would see Large Marge in a headphone amp thread.

What, you've never seen -=her=- posts?

...I'll get my coat.

My BHSE should be shipping today. It's going to LA to be displayed at CanJam '09 (on Icarium's Spectral SDR-2000) so hopefully it gets there on time.

It'll also be staying in the LA area for a few weeks after CanJam so if any SoCal-ers want to check it out after the big event, let me know.

My BHSE should be shipping today. It's going to LA to be displayed at CanJam '09 (on Icarium's Spectral SDR-2000) so hopefully it gets there on time.

Ooh, I want to hear that combo!

i just shipped it, to be delivered to the hotel along with my demo BHSE, Sony SACD player, and a couple pairs of Stax headphones. Total bill for 3-day shipping = $400 :facepalm:

i just shipped it, to be delivered to the hotel along with my demo BHSE, Sony SACD player, and a couple pairs of Stax headphones. Total bill for 3-day shipping = $400 :facepalm:

Better than the 2-day bill would have been.

Promotion for an amp that's already sold out: priceless.

It's not sold out

It's not?!?!? I thought the first run had a waiting list in hopes of people dropping out?

i just shipped it, to be delivered to the hotel along with my demo BHSE, Sony SACD player, and a couple pairs of Stax headphones. Total bill for 3-day shipping = $400 :facepalm:

Where's my e-mail with tracking number??

Also if shipping cost more than what I already paid for, I will gladly pay the difference. You know how to contact me.

It's not?!?!? I thought the first run had a waiting list in hopes of people dropping out?

IIRC, Justin has a few units that may be available.

It's not?!?!? I thought the first run had a waiting list in hopes of people dropping out?

I heard LobsterDragon has bought out the entire second run. For his hoard.

I can't wait to hear this amp again this weekend.

i just shipped it, to be delivered to the hotel along with my demo BHSE, Sony SACD player, and a couple pairs of Stax headphones. Total bill for 3-day shipping = $400 :facepalm:

Haha, I would've thought a young strong guy could've "carry-on" the Sony SACD player in a backpack.

Haha, I would've thought a young strong guy could've "carry-on" the Sony SACD player in a backpack.

It is possible with the XA5400ES, but I don't think Justin will make it with the Sony SCD-1 in a backpack.

Hmm, 400$ for two amps plus headphones and a CDP? That's a bargain compared to the highway robbery Fedex are charging for just the amp to Iceland.