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Blue Hawaii Special Edition


pabbi1

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FAIL :asshat:

While those waiting may need support:rolleyes:, its those that wont be receiving one that needs a support group.:D

So curiosity got the better of me and I've set up my BHSE at work since I don't have space for it at home right now. I plan to listen on and off throughout the day. :)

Wow, safe to assume your coworkers will be slightly interested when they see it? I sure as hell would be lucky if the guy next to me brought a BHSE to work. But thats only because I know what it is I guess, ignorance is not bliss in this case:p

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The grandest rig ever assembled for perusing internet porn!

What? Where? :P

I'm assuming you're not just in an open cubicle...

I am, but where I am, the amp is pretty safe for the most part. It's a small company, there are 2 sets of entry doors that are electronically locked, I'm in a relatively isolated area, and my co-workers are all cool guys (no thieves here, I've checked 'em out). ;) And given the software-oriented nature of our work, the amp is also unlikely to be seen much on any given day.

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1st impression: I'm absolutely mesmerized by the OII/BHSE. Damn good. No make that really damn good. I've been listening at very low volume (4th notch up from zero) but even then, it still sounds amazing. So fluid and I can hear everything. I can't wait to crank this up later....

It's also usually really quiet at work, so I can hear the music just fine even at low volume. There's an amazing coherence at low volume too, which is even more impressive.

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I don't like electrostatics, I don't like electrostatics, I don't like electrostatics, I don't like electrostatics, I don't like electrostatics, I don't like electrostatics, I don't like electrostatics!

Ah, thank God, I've almost got myself convinced. ;)

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I don't like electrostatics, I don't like electrostatics, I don't like electrostatics, I don't like electrostatics, I don't like electrostatics, I don't like electrostatics, I don't like electrostatics!

Ah, thank God, I've almost got myself convinced. ;)

"You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile." :chair:

Edit: Beaten by the "Godfather" (stax mafia)

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Are your BHSEs sporting the RK50 pot? Is it smoooooth? From all that I read, it's supposed to be dead-center balanced at the lowest volume levels; wondering if this is helping the low-level resolution, which is one of the marks of a truly great amp.

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I'm using the Jade with the DD-getter tubes. When I got them and sent them away, the earpads had a chemical-type odor. They still do, but I need to put my nose close to smell it. Before, the smell would rub off on me and I'll have to wash up. Now it doesn't. Thanks, guys! :P

I've posted complaints about the same thing - my Jade arrived with the leather ear pads smelling like a sweaty horse saddle, and the smell would transfer to my head. Now, 8 months later the smell is much better and doesn't transfer any more. The Jade are still a little loose on my head though, and I wear a medium hat size (around a 7.5). There doesn't seem to be any way to easily bend the head band to be tighter.

My Jade and Naamanf's HE 1.2b both sound very good on his rig or mine.

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I got the RK50 too. It's very smooth. Zero is 7 o'clock. There's no sound between 7 and 7:30. Sound starts to appear close to 8:00 and it is balanced, none of that left side first and then right side.

The knob is large-sized and very nice to use, basically any volume level can be selected with precision. You can just nudge it a bit up or down. In my system and with the O2mk1 or O2mk2, I'm usually between 9:00 and 10:00. Over 12 is super loud and I don't think I'll ever go near there except maybe with a few very quiet recordings.

Even with the slight adjustments possible, I would prefer a larger usable range on the knob. With modern loud recordings, it's already loud at 10:30. Yeah, I know, I should develop better taste in music, but I can't help it!

Currently playing: Beyonce - Halo (Lost Daze Club Mix) with O2mk2 and Treasure 6CA7... so sexy and wow, the bass!

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Thanks, Elephas. I sometime listen to music in a recliner with just-audible volume, or when working, to instrumental or import stuff. The (perceived) better control of low volume versus the stepped was one the reasons I invested in the RK50 as well.

Very little of my stuff is modern recorded-too-hot-for-the-masses type stuff, but yeah, there are some songs that are like riding a moped or, um, I'll stop there..... They are just fun.

Watching your tube news with great interest. Pretty much selling the farm for the BHSE, but might just have to swing for at least one set of tubes to vary the presentation. Plan to do so after delivery and listen-time (this time), but already find myself on the tube sites. Temptations abound.

First installment of the Waiting for BHSE Support Group - Thou shall not buy tubes just to feel closer to the goal.

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The stock Mullard made in Russia tubes are not too bad. I think they match better with the O2mk1 and O2mk2, as do other tubes with a thinner and less full-bodied sound and less bass quantity. The O2's already have plenty of bass, so fuller-bodied tubes like the Philips DD-getter might be a bit too much of a good thing and make the sound too warm and thick.

The Treasure 6CA7 seem to also do OK with the O2's, and the Mullard xf2 00-getters are excellent.

For the HE90 and HE60, fuller-bodied and bassier tubes should match better. I haven't done much listening with these headphones yet. The DD-getter match well, and probably also the metal base. I'm also looking forward to trying GE 6CA7, these Fat Boys are full-bodied and bassy in the ES-1 and matched nicely with the Senns. I also prefer more body and smoothness with the 4070, which can otherwise sound a bit too thin and lean.

I think the SR-Omega and maybe Jade are kind of in-between the Senns and the O2's. They'll probably do well with a wide variety of tubes. I've had amazing listening sessions with the SR-Omega using the DD-getter and metal base tubes.

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No need to be impatient, I'm sure there'll be a mini-meet soon enough. ;)

Fair Enough, we'll Stand Down (Sherwood wasn't even really in on that one...) I am very interested to hear it. Perhaps we can get together when the Poor Man's is up - not that it will be in the same league.

Keep the impressions coming...

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Help? Can somebody help me?

I can't get the HE90 to sound right with the BHSE. There are only these four tubes that can be changed, after all. I tried 6CA7 Fat Boys, both GE and Sylvania, and the results were disappointing. Sound lacked body and bass impact was anemic. The GE and Sylvania are different, the GE have a square middle hole while the Sylvania has three round holes on the plates. I've also tried Telefunken 5-crimped plates, Treasure 6CA7, Philips metal base, Mullard xf2 00-getter, and even the stock Mullards. None of those worked. The only one that seems OK so far is the Philips DD-getter, but maybe there are other types that would work better?

It's not only the HE90 that I can't get right. The HE60 is also bad. OK, it's not bad, all the usual good qualities are there, decent details, soundstage, air, speed, etc. But they just don't seem to have enough body or bass quantity.

Can someone recommend me some tubes, for the HE90 and HE60? As full-bodied and bassy as possible, something with really deep massive bass. And they should also still have great refinement, smoothness, superb midrange, details, separation, sparkly shimmering treble without any harshness and all those other good things.

I'd recommend asking for the tuple of (headphone, tubes, music track) :D

Yes, very true! And even so, it can still be risky. :)

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Elephas, what EL34 are you using? I'd recommend you to try the JJ E34L. From the EL34 I've tried, they're the ones with the best bass response, deep, bodyful and well textured. Energic. But this is in my tube integrated for the speakers. The JJ KT77 are no slouch either, but they're less refined in the midrange.

The problem with JJ E34L is that they have changed something in their production, and are less reliable. Quite frequently some of the pins loses contact with the thin wire going to the internals of the tubes, then stops working. Sometimes dropping solder inside the hollow pin fixes it, but not always.

I have no experience with 6CA7 type of tubes, none of my devices uses them :(

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I've seen some EL34xx that are not exactly the same specs as the EL34, some are by Groove Tubes.

I think the E34L and KT77 are also not direct substitutes for EL34.

I don't have any of these tubes. They could all work fine in the BHSE, but I'll wait for Justin's OK before I try them.

I believe the 6CA7 is basically equivalent to the EL34 and is a direct substitute.

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