Blue Hawaii Special Edition

[spritzer]

Personally I don't view neutrality as such a clear cut definition. No transducer will ever be perfect so there is no such thing as ultimate neutrality, simply can't exist. Both of these headphones come closer then most and the 4070 does sacrifice a bit of bass bloom compared to the 007 but I do think it was intentional. It does give you a cleared "view" of the bass notes.

It sure must be fun to have the 4070 strapped to your head all day for work... Still the SR-X isn't exactly comfortable either...

[Elephas]

Haha, yeah, I feel sorry for those NHK technicians forced to wear the 4070 all day. Wait, no I don't, they get to wear headphones all day!

Houston, we have liftoff for the HE90. Chalk up another "Class A Recommended" combination for the HE90 and GEC KT77. The sound is still brightish, but treble energy seems tamed down. With good recordings, the highs are smooth and crisp. Bass quantity and quality is not bad. I think the best part is the midrange.

Currently playing: Ingrid Michaelson - "Everybody" from the album Everybody.

I love everybody, love love love, I love Justin and KG, la la la de la, I love everybody!!!

[Elephas]

Is anyone using the SR-Omega with the BHSE?

The HE90 isn't the only one that I'm having problems with brightness. Using the Mullard xf2 00-getter, which are particularly well-suited for the O2mk1 and O2mk2, the SR-Omega is also too bright. I also think it lacks body and bass impact is a bit anemic.

The Philips DD-getter is a better match with the SR-Omega.

[Hopstretch]

Jesus, you roll more tubes than Dom does spliffs.

[Elephas]

These are the types I've tried so far:

Old Stock:

Mullard xf1

Mullard xf2 00-getter (haven't tried 0-getter yet)

Philips metal base

Philips DD-getter, brown base (X=Sittard and L=Brussels)

Telefunken 5-crimped plates, Ulm

RFT 4-crimped plates, East Germany (often labeled AEG, TF or Siemens)

Tesla clear glass, overlapping 00-getters, welded plates

Ei Yugoslavia disc getter, 3 round holes, tip on top

6CA7 GE

6CA7 Sylvania

GEC KT77 overlapping 00-getters, short brown base

New Production:

Mullard made in Russia (the stock tubes)

Svetlana 45-degree saucer getters, brown base (I believe these are now called SED Winged "C")

6CA7-Z Shuguang Treasure

[Asr]

Elephas, so let me get this straight, you have the SR-Omega and 4070? Which would you say has more treble quantity between the two? And which has more bass quantity? I'm seriously considering a purchase of the 4070 but you mentioned it has less bass than the OII which would be disappointing, and kinda begs a follow-up question from me, is there a stat headphone that's particularly bassy? (OII MKII notwithstanding.) And since you've tried KT77s, are those stable in the BHSE? (I'd imagine they need to biased, right?) That's an encouraging sign, I might try mine as well then.

And here's an updated pic of my BHSE @ work setup with all the labels exposed. Both the amp and CDP are packed back up now, I'll be bringing the amp home next week for some overdue critical listening finally (my earlier impressions should be thrown out now since I'm unfamiliar with the sound of the Cary 306 Pro). Really looking forward to hearing the BHSE with my Plinius CDP.

(click for larger)

[Elephas]

Ouch, you really need some spike pads!

These are the ones I use, by Isoclean

MUSICDIRECT - ISOCLEAN - TIP TOE BASE SMALL (SET OF 4)

You can also use Black Diamond Racing, I use them under the Aristaeus

MUSICDIRECT - BLACK DIAMOND RACING - BDR MINI PIT MK4 (EA)

I think the SR-Omega has more treble and bass quantity than the 4070, but both have less bass than the O2's.

The O2mk2 is the one with the most bass quantity, mostly in the mid to middle-low bass area where drums have a lot of impact. You could say that it is particularly bassy. I think it has a bit more bass emphasis than "neutral" but it is very good quality bass and with a lot of music it can be a strength, making it more fun or involving and potentially more satisfying.

Matched with Mullard xf2 it is arguably not too bassy. The SR-Omega with the same tubes sound thin, bright and screechy. I can imagine many people preferring the Mk2 over the Mk1 with faster-paced music.

I'm actually not crazily swapping tubes, I'm doing a maximum of one tube change a day. I usually let the amp power on and the tubes settle for 20-30 minutes before listening. Some tubes drift, especially ones that have never been used, so I set bias about 10 minutes after power on and then re-check and make adjustments an hour or two later. Then I recheck again four hours after that when the amp is running very warm. With good tubes, I don't think a lot of rechecking is necessary, they stay pretty much within 1V.

All the tubes I've tried so far are stable in the BHSE. I check and adjust bias after every change. The two bias settings closest to the back usually don't need to be turned much, the two closest to the front need to be moved more.

The GEC KT77 are very very good. Now, knowing how good they are, I'm hesitant to use them and wear them out and I've swapped back to the O2's and Mullard xf2. Compared to those KT77, even the xf2's seem more expendable.

[drp]

Loitering and waiting for more BH impressions; just passing the time. Anything to keep me out of the forsale threads.

Any more impressions (you know you are out there; sharing is caring)? Heck, even impressions from certain Elephantidae that include tube comparos that will undoubtedly drive up the prices of tubes before some of us even see what we might need/want for our specific cans.

[Elephas]

It's too late, old stock tube prices are already high no matter what anyone says.

NOS NIB from established tube vendors are very expensive. I don't think we really need to use NOS NIB in the BHSE. I'm keeping some in storage that I can't bear to actually use.

But I'm also getting older and probably losing hearing acuity every day. Hair is almost gone and the waistline is relentlessly expanding despite countermeasures. So I'm using good-testing used old stock tubes. Sure, it feels a bit selfish listening to and watching four Mullard xf2 made in 1965 burning up on the BHSE. Well, they are used tubes.

Has anyone tried replacing the stock spiked feet with something else? I've had good results with Black Diamond Racing cones and pits with other components, I'm thinking of replacing the spiked feet with BDR cones.

[audiosceptic]

I finally saved enough money from my paper route to afford a quad of used Mullard XF2's. They all tested 85% or more on my B&K tester. So far I'm not overwhelmed with these. In fact I'd rate them behind the Amperex XF4 I had. Currently I'm using the JJ KT77's and they're nice. I get the highs and lows that were missing with the XF2's and pretty much all of the mids. I'm wondering if the newer Gold Lion KT77's are that much better than the JJ.

[penger]

You managed to buy a BHSE from just running paper routes? Dude. Hook it up.

[luvdunhill]

You managed to buy a BHSE from just running paper routes? Dude. Hook it up.

reading comprehension fail. try again.

[Dusty Chalk]

It's a logical extrapolation from the available facts.

[luvdunhill]

It's a logical extrapolation from the available facts.

Logical? Maybe. I prefer the term eisegesis, if that's okay with Reks.

[morphsci]

I really didn't think the post was divinely inspired myself.

[drp]

I'm hoping the tubes Justin includes on this piece are good enough (cannot imagine they won't be) where I won't have to worry about tubes, spikes, or the like, as I'd rather spend money on parts for a flexi-rack, and more music; lots more music.

[Duggeh]

I spent my hours on the BHSE with the stock tubes and it was just fabulous. If ultra expensive rare NOS tubes help tweek out another % or 2, then I'd rather spend the money on CDs.

How many BHSE had RK50s do we know?

[justin]

Almost half are being built with the RK50

[Duggeh]

Groovy chips.

Now I'm wondering how many of them will come back to you in times future to have the RK50 retrofitted...

[spritzer]

I spent my hours on the BHSE with the stock tubes and it was just fabulous. If ultra expensive rare NOS tubes help tweek out another % or 2, then I'd rather spend the money on CDs.

It's been a while since I heard the reissue Mullards but the difference is subtle yet not that subtle. XF2's are well worth it for 200$+ since they will last a long time but I certainly wouldn't follow Michael down the rabbit hole.

Almost half are being built with the RK50

People with good taste or no sense of value... Now we just need a version with all Riken resistors to match the crazy Japanese esoterica (Sony, Denon).

[Duggeh]

Do Riken do resistors which match the voltage specs?

[drp]

It's been a while since I heard the reissue Mullards but the difference is subtle yet not that subtle. XF2's are well worth it for 200$+ since they will last a long time.......

Not listening!

[spritzer]

I can't find the voltage spec now but I seem to remember them being rated at 700v. I'll do some digging...

[Dusty Chalk]

McAuley Culkin has not aged well in that picture.

[boomana]

I spent my hours on the BHSE with the stock tubes and it was just fabulous. If ultra expensive rare NOS tubes help tweek out another % or 2, then I'd rather spend the money on CDs.

That's where I'm at now. I spent the last two hours just loving my new rig: APL Phillips/BHSE/O2 with Duggeh headband mod. I'll probably play around with tubes in a few months, but right now I'm getting used to the sound, and enjoying listening to all my cds as new again.