HeadAmp Blue Hawaii Special Edition Electrostatic Headphone Amplifier

RE: BHSE review

I purchased the BHSE to replace the original Blue Hawaii (1st edition?) that was starting to experience issues after 22 years of service. The BHSE is more refined in every way, especially the way it looks! The 1st one was more Flintstone and the second more Ferrari! I've been using this with Stax 007, and 007 mk2 as well as Audeze CRBN2. I went for the DACT version because I'm the only one using it and it's hard to beat . 05 dB channel matching. At any rate it sounds fantastic and is deepening my addiction to vinyl as well as great digital recordings. I know the BHSE has been around for a long time, but I think you knocked it out of the park with this one!

Excellent match with CRBN2 and RayTube EL84's

I've had this amp for several weeks now, used exclusively with the Audeze CRBN2 headphones and Weiss DAC501 MK2 fed by Qobuz high res streaming and Audirvana playing downloads purchased from HD Tracks from a Mac M1 Studio. This amp/headphone combination is very well balanced and neutral with the HeadAmp supplied tubes, in my case NOS Russian Mullard branded EL84's with '05 date code. With Ray Tube's Select EL84's there is more and tighter bass, and astonishing clarity at all frequencies. It is an absolute pleasure that is hard to stop listening to.

BHSE & STAX SR-X9000

I've been searching for an "endgame" setup after experimenting with various headphones, IEMs, and amplifiers. My goal was a system that would deliver clarity and transparency with excellent soundstage and solid bass response. I had been eyeing the Blue Hawaii Special Edition since I previously owned the L700-MKII with the SRM-353X and knew electrostatics had tremendous potential. The BHSE paired with the STAX SR-X9000 is truly exceptional, delivering everything you'd expect from such a high-end investment. Sound Quality Details are brought to the forefront of the listening experience, revealing nuances in familiar recordings that can be both revelatory and occasionally disappointing due to the unforgiving clarity. My wife and I discovered instrumental and vocal details in our favorite tracks that we'd never noticed before. I listen across multiple genres - rock, electronic, dance, jazz, acoustic, and classical - and this pairing enhanced the experience with everything I threw at it. Sources I've enjoyed this setup with vinyl, Tidal streaming, and high-quality digital recordings. All sources have been engaging and musical. Bass Response I was initially concerned about bass performance, but it's definitely present and well-controlled. However, this won't satisfy bassheads looking for overwhelming low-end impact. Keep in mind, this is my experience with SR-X9000 specifically. Areas for Improvement My main complaint centers on the SR-X9000, which benefits from EQ due to a peak in the 1-3kHz range that can be fatiguing with certain digital recordings. Oratory1990's EQ profile was an excellent starting point, adding some bass emphasis while taming the slightly aggressive upper mids. This is largely personal preference, but worth considering before making such a significant investment. Final Thoughts While I haven't tested other electrostatic headphones with the BHSE, this combination made an outstanding first impression. I don't regret paying extra for the ALPS RK50 volume control - I suspect I would have found the DACT's 24-step attenuation too limiting for fine-tuning levels. I wish I could have tried the Mjölnir Audio Carbon CC with the SR-X9000, but given the niche products here, you need to make sacrifices - wait for an event that has both, or bite the bullet and choose one. Overall, excited I made this choice.