Blue Hawaii Special Edition

[Elephas]

Ah, OK. I was just hoping for more people to talk more EL34 with. That's basically all I want to talk about now.

I thought the O2mk1 had good body before, but this is something else. It's not easy to describe, I think it's one of those things you have to hear for yourself. An analogy might be the bass notes of a home theater system, or at a movie theater. With good speakers, the bass is heard and felt. It's almost as if you are sensing the sound waves with your skin and body.

With headphones, I've always thought that this kind of experience or feeling is impossible. The sound doesn't travel through much air after all, it just appears a short distance from the ears. Bass that you can feel? No way.

I don't think the O2mk1 + BHSE combo is creating sound that you can feel. But the sense is there. It's not only the bass notes either, the midrange and treble range have the same sense of substance to the notes. This body that I'm trying to describe doesn't seem to be there at low volume, it's more apparent at high volumes.

[Elephas]

my friend

Oh, so now I'm a "my friend" huh?

Just wait until I switch back to the O2mk2, SR-Omega and HE90!

[Asr]

Where's Asr? He just dropped in and spewed some questions and now it appears he's run off to enjoy listening and left us all hanging.

I've been calculating some purchases of support discs, audio equipment racks, and power conditioners for a while and went to go look up some more info.

Should be getting my BHSE today finally, whoooo! May not have a chance to set it up and listen until next week though.

So I might as well ask now, anyone know if KT77s (Genalex Gold Lion) will work as a drop-in replacement? If the answer is a maybe/maybe not, any harm in just trying it to see what happens?

[luvdunhill]

If the answer is a maybe/maybe not, any harm in just trying it to see what happens?

I suppose it depends on how good Justin's warrantee is

[spritzer]

Oh, so now I'm a "my friend" huh?

Just wait until I switch back to the O2mk2, SR-Omega and HE90!

Just be grateful I don't activate that small bit of plastic explosive I used to seal the baffle on the Jade...

I suppose it depends on how good Justin's warrantee is

Yup...

[audiosceptic]

But the O2mk1 + BHSE sounds much better at higher volume. There's an incredible sense of body and substance in the sound. It's the closest I've ever experienced with a headphone to feeling that there's an actual person singing in front of me, I only have to reach out and touch her. At this higher volume, I think it's safe to say that the O2mk1 + BHSE provides as close to a visceral experience with the music as is possible with headphones. The BHSE is an amazing amp. The O2mk1 is likewise an amazing headphone, I just didn't know it until now.

I've actually maxxed out the volume control when listening to my turntable. My phono pre allows me to adjust gain so I bumped it up. I usually listen at max 1:00. When I'm drunk I tend to crank it though.

Ah, OK. I was just hoping for more people to talk more EL34 with. That's basically all I want to talk about now.

I still have the stock Mullards in. This weekend I plan on trying a Quad of Amperex\Mullard XF4 and a 1989 Siemens\RFT. I bought some JJ KT-77 but will wait for others to experiment with that type of tube first.

[HeadphoneAddict]

OK, now hopefully there will be more people to talk to about the BHSE.

Where's Asr? He just dropped in and spewed some questions and now it appears he's run off to enjoy listening and left us all hanging.

I built up some courage today and bumped up the volume knob. I'm at 10:30 with the O2mk1. I was at 11:00 for a while but it became too much and I had to back off.

I think it's important for us to be aware of listening volumes and protect our hearing. I usually listen at low volume, low enough to be able to conduct a conversation with someone while the music is playing.

But the O2mk1 + BHSE sounds much better at higher volume. There's an incredible sense of body and substance in the sound. It's the closest I've ever experienced with a headphone to feeling that there's an actual person singing in front of me, I only have to reach out and touch her. At this higher volume, I think it's safe to say that the O2mk1 + BHSE provides as close to a visceral experience with the music as is possible with headphones. The BHSE is an amazing amp. The O2mk1 is likewise an amazing headphone, I just didn't know it until now.

I felt the same thing with my demo at Canjam. I was full of WANT.

[Elephas]

Just be grateful I don't activate that small bit of plastic explosive I used to seal the baffle on the Jade...

I don't feel like listening to the Jade anymore! Well, at least I got the first strike in, didn't you notice the unidentifiable substance coating the earpads and headband?

I've never come across any Genalex Gold Lion KT77, the original old version. The new production ones are not inexpensive.

I haven't had good experiences with new production tubes, so I haven't tried the stock Mullard-labeled tubes yet. If the Treasure 6CA7 are indicative of the best that new production tubes can do, I'll stick to old stock. Besides the stock tubes, I also have the RFT dimple top and Mullard xf3, which should be the same as the xf4, so we have plenty of tubes in common for reference.

[Deadneddz]

Michael, what happened to the dynamic crew? Where are the heavy hitters like the HD800s and Sony Qualias? I have listened to both briefly, but am really wanting to sit down and have a good listen with those. If you dont like them anymore you can send them my way.

Needless to say my custom iems are getting almost no headtime whatsoever. Even with the T1, the O2s trounce them in everyway, (probably due to the nice source:)). I guess now its time for Vicki to step in, since hers should arrive today!

[spritzer]

I don't feel like listening to the Jade anymore! Well, at least I got the first strike in, didn't you notice the unidentifiable substance coating the earpads and headband?

I suspected you were up to no good so put the phones into one of the ovens in the bakery for a "reverse cryo" treatment before I even touched them...

I've never come across any Genalex Gold Lion KT77, the original old version. The new production ones are not inexpensive.

Those are beyond expensive due to their rarity. I've seen a closely matched quad go for 1300$...

I haven't had good experiences with new production tubes, so I haven't tried the stock Mullard-labeled tubes yet. If the Treasure 6CA7 are indicative of the best that new production tubes can do, I'll stick to old stock. Besides the stock tubes, I also have the RFT dimple top and Mullard xf3, which should be the same as the xf4, so we have plenty of tubes in common for reference.

I've always liked the SED's best of the new stuff but they can't match even the RFT's. Have you tried either GE or Sylvania 6CA7's yet?

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

I've always liked the SED's best of the new stuff but they can't match even the RFT's. Have you tried either GE or Sylvania 6CA7's yet?

I'm not a big fan of the winged-c tubes. I've owned the SED and svetlana versions. The midrange tone is the only redeeming quality they possess in my books. In my amp the jj kt77's trounce them in detail, fullness, clarity, soundstage size etc. I haven't had the pleasure of listening to any nos 6ca7's besides the seimen's ones, and they arn't very good.

Biggie.

[Elephas]

Er, ahem, $1300 doesn't really seem that bad compared to what I've overpaid for EL34 metal base. Yeah, finding and fighting each other for these old stock tubes really push prices up. Too bad the Treasure 6CA7 doesn't seem to work that great in the BHSE.

Yeah, I wouldn't expect most new production to be able to match the RFT dimple tops, though maybe the Treasure could. I don't have any SED Winged C or Svetlana EL34.

I only used a set of RFT with the ES-1 a long time ago and I don't remember much about them. There's also Tesla EL34 that might be roughly competitive with the RFT or maybe a bit better.

I haven't yet, but I intend to try the GE 6CA7 with the HE90, HE60 and Jade. These seem to be the ones who might match better with the Fat Boys.

The dynamics are still here, being ignored. I have the Zana Deux set up with my second source, the Accuphase CDP. I plan to setup the ES-1 and later the Aristaeus in the main system for head-to-head comparisons against the BHSE.

[n_maher]

One of these days I'll finish up the misfit BH and then can join in on all the EL34 madness. Stupid lack of time these days.

[Elephas]

I'm just glad I've build up a collection of EL34 already. If I hadn't, there's no way I'd blab all my secrets all over the Internet.

I notice that the BHSE power supply has two fuses, both 200mA. Isn't that a bit low? Furutech and Isoclean don't make 200mA fuses. I think HiFi Tuning does, I use two of these 100mA fuses in the Aristaeus.

[spritzer]

The 200mA fuses are for the power rails so these sit at 400v!!

I'm not a big fan of the winged-c tubes. I've owned the SED and svetlana versions. The midrange tone is the only redeeming quality they possess in my books. In my amp the jj kt77's trounce them in detail, fullness, clarity, soundstage size etc. I haven't had the pleasure of listening to any nos 6ca7's besides the seimen's ones, and they arn't very good.

Biggie.

I should perhaps try these pig ugly red JJ EL34's that were included with my amp. Why would anybody make something this ugly...

One of these days I'll finish up the misfit BH and then can join in on all the EL34 madness. Stupid lack of time these days.

Ditto. The BH boards are up and running, fully dialed in and I only need to have some aluminum cut to make a chassis. Then of course Kevin presents the T2 PSU which would work perfectly in my BH...

[Elephas]

I asked Justin about fuses for the Aristaeus once and I got the impression he thought I was being silly or stupid.

I've got a pair of HiFi Tuning in the Aristaeus (100mA) and a Furutech each in the ES-1 (5A), Zana Deux (3.15A or 4A) and Lehmann BCL (3.15A).

Why two fuses in the Aristaeus and BHSE? And why such low values?

I wanna put Furutech fuses in the BHSE!

[boomana]

And mine has arrived! Too bad I have to head out for the afternoon, but I'll have plenty of time later today and tomorrow to listen to it.

[tkam]

I can't think of any good reason to waste money on fuses like that. There is no way they can affect the sound at all.

[purk]

And mine has arrived! Too bad I have to head out for the afternoon, but I'll have plenty of time later today and tomorrow to listen to it.

Congrats Vickie! One of these days I will get my hand on the BHSE!

[Voltron]

I can't think of any good reason to waste money on fuses like that. There is no way they can affect the sound at all.

What he said.

[justin]

I asked Justin about fuses for the Aristaeus once and I got the impression he thought I was being silly or stupid.

I've got a pair of HiFi Tuning in the Aristaeus (100mA) and a Furutech each in the ES-1 (5A), Zana Deux (3.15A or 4A) and Lehmann BCL (3.15A).

Why two fuses in the Aristaeus and BHSE? And why such low values?

I wanna put Furutech fuses in the BHSE!

Because it's a good idea to put fuses in the high voltage lines, especially in a 2 box amp.

[justin]

What he said.

you missed the head-fi thread with the guy who can tell if a fuse is in backwards. he's serious too

[Voltron]

I didn't miss it. I suggested to HPA that he should ask that guy to build a Blue Hawaii for him.

[justin]

My Blue Hawaii has also just arrived

[Voltron]

My Blue Hawaii has also just arrived

Congrats! I hope you gave the vendor shit for how long it took!