CES 2013: Headphones & Headphone-related Electronics—Part 1 (Hi-Fi+)

Posted by: Chris Martens at 10:10 am, February 8th, 2013

Bryston

Key Product: BHA-1 balanced output headphone amplifier/preamp ($1395)

Candidly, the BHA-1 balanced output headphone amp is not a new product per se, but at CES Hi-Fi+ learned from Bryston’s James Tanner that the BHA-1 now includes as standard a key feature not included in the original design: namely, the ability to function not only as a headphone amplifier but also as a minimalist stereo preamplifier. We weren’t able to check out the BHA-1’s preamp functionality at the show, but the BHA-1 certain sounded good when powering a set of Grado’s flagship PS-1000 headphones. Watch for a possible full-length review in an upcoming issue of Hi-Fi+.

Cary Audio

Key Product: HH-1 hybrid valve/solid-state headphone amplifier

Not long ago I favorable reviewed the Audio Electronics by Cary Audio Nighthawk headphone amplifier and now Cary has released it externally similar but internally quite different HH-1 hybrid valve/solid state headphone amp. The sonic differences between the Nighthawk and the HH-1 hinge, as near as I could tell on the basis of a brief listen, on the Cary model's subtler, more nuance, and notably richer and more full-bodied sound.