Owner’s Reference
BHK Signature Preamplifier
4826 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301
Introduction
PH: 720.406.8946 [email protected] www.psaudio.com
15-071-01-1
Rev A
©2016 PS Audio Inc. All rights reserved.
Introduction
®
This high current low impedance Class A output stage is part of the reason the BHK Signature delivers
music in such an effortless fashion. One of the first qualities owners of the preamplifier will appreciate
is its remarkable ability to isolate source and control from the power amplifier – and one of the principle
factors in the BHK Signature’s extraordinary life-like presentation of music, preserving every nuance
in your media.
Not every system is based exclusively around the loudspeaker and power amplifier. Many of today’s
finest systems incorporate high-end headphones as either an adjunct to the main system or are
the main system. Built into the BHK Signature is a state of the art headphone amplifier capable of
delivering near perfect performance for any high-end headphone. The BHK Signature headphone
amplifier was borne from years of work on such products as the Audeze King (designed by BHK)
among others. Extremely low–near zero–output impedance, zero feedback, transformer coupled,
MOSFET and discrete, the internal headphone amplifier inside the BHK Signature is a tour de force
that honors the music the designer worked so hard to preserve.
The BHK Signature leverages an oversized toroidal analog power supply feeding 5 MOSFET based
discrete regulators. Each of the regulators is based on years of experimenting and listening to find the
best sounding architecture.
Most modern audio products rely upon surface mount components to pass audio signals. PS Audio
also uses sophisticated surface mount parts in our digital products because they have advantages
unavailable with through-hole technology. The same cannot always be said for high-end analog
electronics, like those inside the BHK Signature Preamplifier. When compromise is not an option,
analog audio products benefit from incorporating through-hole discrete parts in the signal path. Hand-
selected through-hole PRP resistors, high grade Audiophile capacitors and the finest of discrete parts
are used throughout the BHK Signature Preamplifier. Nothing was spared in its design. Even the solder
we use has been auditioned for best sound.
Regardless of the type of input, single ended (RCA) or balanced (XLR), the vacuum tube input stage
remains fully balanced for lowest distortion and highest linearity.
It is important for any high-end audio product to remain active for best sound quality, and the BHK
Signature is no exception. Using the front panel PS logo button, the preamplifier can easily be placed
in standby mode or activated to play music. When in standby mode, all the internal solid state circuitry
such as the headphone amplifier, voltage regulators and high current output stage remain active, while
the input vacuum tubes are turned off, thus preserving their life.
The front panel OLED display on the BHK Signature Preamplifier is deceptively simple. Touch the
single button to switch inputs, or use the supplied remote control. But hold down the front panel
button and you enter the setup mode. Here, HT bypass modes for each input, as well as custom input
naming can be accommodated to customize the BHK Signature to your system.
Though humans, even those with the best of hearing, cannot perceive frequencies extending beyond
20kHz or below 20Hz, it is sonically critical a high-end preamplifier extend its reach beyond those
limits. It has been demonstrated, time and again, that audio amplification products with extended
bandwidth sound more open and natural than their frequency restricted counterparts. Reasons vary,
but essentially, an unrestricted bandwidth of both high and low frequencies assures zero phase shift
performance in the audio band that permits overtones their full harmonic richness and transient rise
The Headphone
Amplifier
Oversize Power
Transformer
All Discrete
Construction
Balanced Design
Standby Mode
Extended
Frequency
Response
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