PS Audio BHK signature preamp

I found the benchmark amplifier to be on the sterile side, and boring. Good thing they have a return policy. You can try it out. I have never heard a coda, but would love to.

@yyzsantabarbara I had CSiB in my system and I would not classify it as warm. It’s open, detailed and clear. Benchmark with OP’s Kef speakers might lean towards cool and analytical. Especially with Chord Qutest DAC. I would be hesitant to pair Benchmark with Kef. But that’s just my opinion.

@signaforce how’s the preamp sounding? I think you’ll be fine with XLR between BHK and Coda. Good idea to confirm with Doug though.

I have a CODA #16 today (love it). For the BHK preamp I would try the AHB2 over the CODA #8 since I do not like too much warmth. I owned the #8 before.

The AHB2 is available for home trial. I like the top end of the AHB2 over the #8. If your speakers are not very demanding nor do you play very loud then a single AHB2 in stereo would be great. A better version of the AHB2 is the SimAudo  Moon North Collection 761 ($$$)

Instead of the BHK pre, I would have gotten the Benchmark LA4 and paired it with the CODA #8. I had this combo with KEF LS50's a few years ago. I think the LA4 or HPA4 are the best gear Benchmark makes. The LA4 and AHB2 combo are best for me with warmer speakers. 

I can vouch for the build quality of CODA amps. I have the Coda s5.5 and it is outstanding, a sonic gem. I have had it about 6 months.

@audphile1 

Thanks. As I understand it, pre output impedance should be at least 10x less than the Amps input impedance. The Coda’s published input impedance is 5x less XLR vs RCA at 10K ohms, so Coda XLR is tougher to match.
However, the published output impedance of the BHK pre balanced is <100 ohms or 100x less. Will verify with Doug, but unless I am reading this wrong, should be no problem. 

@signaforce keep your RCA cables just in case. If and when you get around to try Coda I would recommend trying it with both XLR and RCA. Reason for that is Coda’s low input impedance on the XLR inputs. It will most likely be fine but I would not automatically assume that the balanced cables will be better. Just a thought. And reach out to Doug of course and mention the specs…get his take on it when ready. 

"Best" tubes will depend on the rest of your system and preferences. I preferred unusual choices: red label CBS/Hytron 5814a or Raytheon black plate 5814a tubes. Siemens and Telefunkens were just too bright with my Tidal Piano Ceras for my tastes. The BHK one was one of the most universally adaptable components with different partners I ever owned. Adding a PS Audio Power Plant to the mix took the BHK another level of performance as well.  Enjoy your new preamp!

@audphile1 @photon46

Thanks for your thoughts and recommendations. The BHK finally arrives tomorrow (hopefully), thanks to FedEx’s ineptness.
I will wait to tube roll. The Siemens silver plate had been my favorite in my Rogue. Tele’s seem to be the tube of choice for the BHK. I am excited to try those, plus my Brimar’s, vs the stock tubes. PS Audio tube swapping (cover removal) is significantly easier than Rogue.
I had struggled with audphile1’s recommendation on synergy & house sound. The BHK 250 is big, hot and heavy, they don’t have it in black, and I would prefer to stay away from class D. The Coda seemed perfect. Glad to hear you based upon your experience I can still move in that direction without degrading sound. Thanks!

I agree with audphile1 about not rushing to tube roll. The latest tubes that PSA ships the BHK with are very decent tubes. After the preamp is broken in and you've got a handle on the sound is the time to think about whether it might be tweaked in one direction or another to suit preferences. However, I wouldn't worry about getting a matching amp at all. I had a BHK250 I used with my BHK pre and it had no special synergy at all IMO. I also used the BHK pre with PS Audio M1200 monos, Luxman M-700u, Modwright KWA99s, and a Decware Zen Torii. The BHK sounded fantastic with all of them. I sold the BHK250 and preferred the PSA Audio M1200s in my system. Paul @ PSA would always insist the BHK250 was a better amp than  the M1200s but I always thought that was just PR talk to reinforce their pricing structure. 

Run it with amp on to break in the output as well. Keep it on 24/7 for a week even if not playing to let the power supply settle. Usually after 100hrs pretty much any component I ever bought new starts showing its character. Also, I wouldn’t rush with tube rolling.
One other thing…since you got the PS Audio preamp, if you like the sound, go for a matching amp. Eliminate synergy and compatibility concerns. Just my $0.02

Thanks! Just received shipping confirmation.
I’m excited with the direction I am going based upon the many recommendations.  

I plan to run streaming through it with my amp tuned off and with the stock tubes until broken in.
Anyone have a recommended break in time? 

Congrats! Keep us posted. 

OK, slight change in plans. The PSA BHK signature preamp is back in stock, so pulled the trigger on a black one last night. 
I know I need focus in other areas, but I could not pass on this deal.
As I said in my opening It has excellent reviews, the audiogon forums speak highly of it, (as did most of you), it is the perfect size, has an excellent headphone amp, uses the same tubes as my Rogue (I have 3 different excellent matched pair NOS tubes) & is fully capable with my Logitech Harmony One remote… seemingly a match made in heaven. I want it… 

Two other factors, it is fully balanced and my amp was designed to be used balanced, and in rereading its reviews, Jim Austin in his Stereophile review stated: “PS Audio's BHK Signature preamp is one of the finest audio components I've had in my home”. I can’t imagine better praise than that!
Coda #8 will have to wait, but probably not for long. Thanks again for all your thoughts and recommendations!

@signaforce it’s for the best. You will be amazed by a better amp in that system. Keep us posted. 

Thank you for all your thoughts and recommendations! Fortunately (or unfortunately) the BHK preamp is now sold out, so I can focus on other areas more in need on my system. I think the Coda #8 will be my next purchase. Will let you know when I pull the trigger. Thanks!

Terrific preamp at a terrific price. Some caveats…resale for PSA is always a little soft due to their trade-in policies and other components of the business model. Also, their generous trade-in policy will always gently nudge you in the direction of the PSA family. For me, this is no problem at all. YMMV. There is no tape out which matters to almost no one but is a deal breaker for me. Almost all of the recommendations here will make you deliriously happy. Spouse maybe not so much. But it is the holiday season; go for it.

@donavabdear 

I have both the BHK preamp and the BHK 300 mono blocks. I have NOS RCA clear tops in the preamp and some NOS Mullard 7308’s in the amps and yes there is a small amount of noise coming out of my 91db speakers. Here comes the but, I can’t hear the noise from 3’ away let alone the listening position.

What tubes do you have in yours?

All the best.

@signaforce I am familiar with McIntosh. Coda will be better. More articulate, clearer, more detailed, textured and extended without a hint of harshness. McIntosh will sound warmer and duller in comparison. 
PS Audio makes decent stuff which is easy to buy, hard to sell. I do not think it will beat Coda that has better components, is quieter with lower noise floor and if you want tubes in the chain you already have RP1 that will add tube magic. 
 

Just my $0.02. You decide.  

Wyred4Sound STP SE 

Op it applies to stereo it keeps you healthy and less stress. And happy and smiling.

OP keep on asking she will give in..😀

@signaforce the recommendation to look at an integrated amp of space is a constrain is a good one.  I’ve had the PrimaLuna Evo400, Krell 300i (latest XD version) and Coda CSiB.  The Coda and Krell were fantastic and can drive any speakers.  As noted, on the CSiB, start with the V1, will offer more Class A watts, you can always have it converted to V2 or V3.  You can find a used CSiB for what a Coda 8 would cost, might be fun to buy the integrated, try it out, compare, if you don’t like it, sell it and shouldn’t lose much or anything, likely selling it for what you bought it for.  The CSiB can be used as a Pre as well, worked well for me but I don’t like that the entire unit was in, the amp included when I was using it as a Pre only.  
 

on the BHK, PS Audio has said it’s discontinued, reason for the 50 % off sale.  They haven’t announced what’s replacing it yet, if you look at their BHK line, they already discontinued the 250 amp, I’m guessing (no actual knowledge) they are revamping or replacing the entire BHK line.  The line has been their reference line for I think over a decade.  There aren’t any crazy leaps forward in Preamp design, technology, parts will come out that might be quieter, measure better than previous offering incremental improvements.  If the BHK strikes your fancy, Inwouldnt hesitate to buy it.  Now, for $ 3500 you can also get some great used Pre’s.  LTA also makes unbelievable equipment, they also just came out with a DAC that is really well reviewed.  
 

Keep us posted.  Curious what you buy and how you like it.  

Sounds like a great preamp from the reading I did. 

If it barely fits, are you concerned about ventilation?  Looks like it has vents in the top. 

@jayctoy Absolutely! She just said yesterday, “We need to spend more money. Can’t take it with us & kids certainly don’t need it,” (the kids are killing it).
She went on to say this doesn’t apply to my stereo, but I see a definite opportunity. 😎

Thanks! It seems the LTA microZOTL is a very good pre and has been recommended by several of you. 3 issues: 1. It is .2” too tall for my rack. 2. It doesn’t use my current (excellent) tube sets. 3. No remote on/off (this one I could live with… but why?). The PSA satisfies these requirements & is my choice even if not quite as good. Thanks!

@signaforce I’m very happy with the LTA microZOTL Level 2 preamp/BHK 250 combo pushing my Tannoy DC8Ti speakers.  IMHO, depending on your system, I think you would be happy with either the PS Audio BHK or LTA microZOTL. I moved to the LTA preamp for two reasons (1) it does sound noticeably better, and (2) I took my Teac X-10R R2R out of mothballs and needed a preamp with a tape loop.

Tell your wife thiis will be your Christmas gift you want.And you want it early, 

I haven't heard the PS Audio amp, but I have a Coda No 8 V1.  I'm using it with a Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL preamp.  I'm very happy with it. 

Looks like the amp first people are winning. My contenders are:

Coda #8. Recommended by @audphile1 @mm1tt77 @zlone Great reviews, good price point and size. Talked to Doug today. He recommended starting with the V1 also.

PS Audio BHK 250. Great reviews, very good price point. A monster. PS audio is selling refurbs at half price. @oldschool1948 you are using. Anyone else? Thoughts? 

Then either buy the BHK pre or keep my RP-1… OR

Macintosh MA352. For those who recommended integrated, I have coveted Macintosh for 50 years. 

Recommendations anyone?

I love my BHK Preamp driving BHK 300 mono blocks into Magico A5. It is beautiful sounding set up, but the tubes can be finicky. If you go for it be prepared to swap tubes to manage hiss and popping and get the sound you like. I've also found this set up exposes weakness in cabling and sources, but that might be my speakers. Good luck!

Another Amp first vote. DAC second. But please consider that they are now ah days many fine intergrateds. The Accuphase E-4000 180W/ch Integrated Stereo Amplifier Comes to mind. New/Used. The sterophile list has all sorts in every price range. 

What @zlone said. 
If you want more power yes go fir v2 or v3. It’s worth starting with V1 though…Doug can always upgrade your amp to V2 or V3. Give him a call get his take on it. 

Interesting you recommend the v1.  KEF recommends at least 60% of 300w for the R11’s… so at least 180w. In talking to their support, they wanted 200w.  Is there some advantage to the V1?

FWIW, I drive a pair of the KEF Reference One's with my Coda with no issue. The V1 is 150W at 8 ohms, 300 at 4 ohms, and the KEF's are a nominal 4 ohm speaker. The V1 just buys you more watts of Class A before it goes AB. 

@audphile1 

Interesting you recommend the v1.  KEF recommends at least 60% of 300w for the R11’s… so at least 180w. In talking to their support, they wanted 200w.  Is there some advantage to the V1?

@signaforce I had Coda CSiB integrated that I just sold to my friend. The CSiB is essentially Coda #8 with built in preamp. Amazing integrated…it replaced my Pass Labs separates. I had the V1 and it drove my Wilson Sabrina (notoriously difficult 87db speaker that dips into 2ohms) without a hint of strain. Your Kefs are much more efficient. 
I would go with Coda 8 V1 and pair it with RP1. 
@zlone confirmed it has a trigger. 

 It looks like it has no trigger, so must be manually powered on and off? 

My Coda #8 has a trigger on it and it works fine with my Pass Pre and its remote. 

@audphile1 

Thank you for your recommendation, but integrated doesn’t solve my space issue. I think I have a resolution… remove a section from my L shaped sectional & install another rack there. 
Question, I assume you have the Coda #8. It looks like it has no trigger, so must be manually powered on and off? 
if I were to buy the Coda, I would assume V2. Thanks 

@signaforce I know you’re constrained by space for each component. But here’s a thought…would you be under the same constraints if you replaced separates with integrated? Given you’re always going to be bottlenecked by that amplifier you have, I would think with the space limitations and to stay within reasonable price range, you can pick yourself up a very nice integrated that will get your speakers sounding closer to their full potential and will most likely beat the preamp/amp combo whether it’s Rogue or PS Audio. It will most likely have to be more or less a full sized component though but perhaps you can rearrange things to make it work…

@signaforce 

You’re welcome. I’m constantly debating which component to upgrade first myself, and what I can get away with under my wife’s radar:) This darn hobby!

@acguo 

Can’t argue with your assessment and recommendations. Thanks!

If I were in your shoes, I would upgrade the TT first. You can get some good open box deals on VPI Prime 21, Classic Signature, and Signature DS out there, especially if there’s an additional 10-15% off during a holiday sale. Your cartridge is already excellent. The phono preamp would be my next upgrade, then amp, then preamp. But since PS Audio has a good return policy, it doesn’t hurt to try it out.

I used a BHK pre for quite a few years in rotation with a Luxman C-700u, DeHavilland UltraVerve III, &  ModWright LS36.5. It was an excellent sounding preamp that held its own with respect to the others. Of course, each has its particular strong points relative to the others and which one preferred depended on the partnering speakers, amp, etc. No noise issues for me as my speakers are all medium sensitivity, around 87-88db. I had issues with reliability and after the second trip back to PS Audio for repair in five years I sold it as I have no patience for gear that isn't reliable. PS Audio's repair service and customer support was excellent. Repairs were rapid and they didn't even charge me for the second repair, so I give them kudos and thanks for the support process. No product line has a 100% fail safe record so I don't know one can draw any conclusions about the BHK's manufacturing quality from my experience. 

I ran the BHK pre with BHK 300s for several years and enjoyed them immensely.   Ran on Focal Kanta 3 and Rockport Atria ii.  Strong recommend.  

Hello @signaforce , Without commenting on the rest of your system, I can comment about my experiences with the BHK pre from PS Audio.  In my system, it was noisy. I really wanted to get a tube pre with SS amps, but I could not get past the noise. Any extra noise to me is a distraction.  I tried different tubes, cleaning tube ports, changing interconnects, changing outlets etc.  I replaced it with a used Audionet Pre 1 G3 and oh my what an improvement. Not only quieter but much better imaging and soundstage.  Much more clear and extended.  This was my first real taste of the sound I desired.  I have since moved well up the Audionet chain, but it was the Pre 1 G3 that started it.  Used, it is similar to what you are talking about for the BHK.

@signaforce I misread the nomenclature and thought you were looking at the Pre and didn’t realize the ABH2 was their amp.  They would likely be a nice combo, the BHK would bring a little something extra to the party. 
 

Thanks,

@mm1tt77 Thanks, will do. Do you think the BHK & AHB2 will not pair well if I go that route?

@signaforce keep us posted, if you get the BHK, does it deliver the differences you are hoping for? 
 

It’s a great Pre, very different than the AHB2 which is known for being very transparent and neutral. 
 

Good Luck. 

Thank you for your thoughts and recommendations. Unfortunately I am not certain what I am going to do. I do understand my weakest links are:

1. Amp

2. Turntable 

3. DAC 

4. Phono stage

However, I will more than likely buy the BHK pre, for all the reasons expressed by me and many of you. 
The Cobalt looks intriguing, but can’t find one used, and would have to figure out where to put it from a space standpoint. Otherwise, it will probably be the Benchmark AHB2. 
On the TT side, if I can figure out space, a higher end VPI, otherwise the Rega P8. 
Thanks again for all your thoughts and recommendations. I find these discussions to the very valuable. 

I've owned all the BHK line from PS Audio and love the sound the only thing is I have very efficient speakers 96db and the BHK equipment isn't the quietest so the noise was making me crazy. I replaced my BHK preamp with a Boulder preamp that was 4 times the price and the noise problem went away but I still missed the magic of the tube sound, I went through a time when I was changing preamps every week and ultimately I replaced all the BHK equipment and set up a stereo in another room with some new PS Audio speakers and that system works really well together. All that to say if you have very efficient speakers and hate noise the BHK equipment may not be the best choice but with inefficient speakers like the new PS Audio speakers the system is wonderful and buttery. 

I’m a BHK Pre owner as well.  I also have a Coda 07x Pre.  As others have suggested, use the generous return policy to see how the BHK sounds in your system.  If you have tubes to roll, BHK is a great Pre for that.  Upgrading your Amp is also a great suggestion, the Coda 8 is awesome, if you sent the BHK back you could buy a used Coda # 8.  Your streamer isn’t a weak link, one of the top brands in Hi-Fi.  That would be one of the last upgrades I’d tackle with the gear you have.