Boulder, CO: 9/25/15: Autumn is gorgeous in Denver, and veteran audio manufacturer PS Audio is excited to invite you to the first active demonstration of the BHK Signature Preamplifier at the 12th annual Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, October 2-4, at the Denver Marriott Tech Center. PS will be exhibiting in Room 1107.
Hot on the heels of the BHK Signature 250 and 300 amplifiers introduced earlier this year, the BHK Signature Preamplifier is the culmination of a lifetime of research and design work on the art of analog preamplification by legendary designer Bascom King. Bascom's longtime collaborator Arnie Nudell was actively involved in the voicing of the preamp, just as he was with the BHK amps. Arnie will be present in the PS room during RMAF.
The preamplifier is a full function line stage, featuring five single ended and balanced inputs, a discrete Class-A MOSFET headphone amplifier, all classic through-hole construction, PRP resistors, assignable home theater bypass, and a fully balanced design. Based on a pair of zero feedback 12AU7 current sourced vacuum tubes feeding a class A MOSFET output stage, the BHK Preamplifier enjoys extreme linearity with a rich and open sound.
Unique to the preamp's design is its multi-stage stepped attenuator. High voltage analog switches and gold contact relays are incorporated in a two-stage process of linear attenuation. The first stage uses a classic, single element, variable shunt attenuator feeding the vacuum tube input. Finer adjustments are made through varying the actual gain of the vacuum tube and together, form a sonically-invisible attenuator. Release of the BHK Preamplifier is scheduled for Q2/16 (MSRP TBD).
The remainder of the demo system consists of the following PS Audio components:
PerfectWave Memory Player transport (MSRP $3,999)
DirectStream DAC (MSRP $5,999)
P10 Power Plant regenerator (MSRP $4,999, 3 in use)
BHK Signature 300 Mono Amplifiers (MSRP $14,998/pair)
Paul McGowan's custom-built Mac Mini will be used as an additional source, and we are pleased to be using the extraordinary YG Acoustics Sonja 1.3 loudspeakers (MSRP $106,800/pair), and equally-extraordinary cabling by MG Audio Design. Like PS Audio, both YG Acoustics and MG Audio Design are Colorado companies..
Elsewhere at the show, you'll find our all-in-one integrated amp Sprout at a demo table in the lobby near the main entrance. Feel free to play with Sprout with a variety of inputs, and listen through GoldenEar Aon speakers or Master & Dynamic headphones. Sprout's price was recently reduced to $499, and show attendees will have the opportunity to win one unit per day, given away by a drawing.. Those not lucky enough to win will be able to buy a Sprout at special RMAF pricing.
PS Audio founder and CEO Paul McGowan will be part of the Legends of High-End Audio panel, as he was in May at THE Show-Newport. Moderated by TAS Editor Robert Harley, the panel also includes our friend Arnie Nudell (Infinity/Genesis) , as well as esteemed colleagues Richard Vandersteen (Vandersteen Audio), and Bob Stuart (Meridian Audio). The panel will be held Saturday, October 3, 2:30-3:45 PM, in the lobby-level Aspen Amphitheater.
