7 years on.. BP-26 is better than it ever was.. I am impressed all over again!

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Elizabeth

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I am sitting here listening to some music, and am still impressed the Bryston BP-26 just shines..
(Well so does the 4B-SST²)
The biggest recent upgrade has been three sets of IC (for $5,000)
I went with Kimber KS1116 balanced for the long 7 meter run from my BP-26 to my 4B-SST²
Which was a true Eureka! moment the first sound with them.
And added two Kimber KS1016 RCA 1.5 meter wires.

The improvement was spectacular, and the money well spent.
I love it when I can find the weak link. Which this time happened to be my cables.
And also when components prove they are still better than I ever knew!
Thank you Bryston.

CanadianMaestro

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^ Wow that's quite an outlay for those cables. Glad you're pleased with your system. I used to have 4B2 paired with a B100/BP17 and it was really good.

What exactly did your Kimber cables bring to the Table that your previous Cardas Parsec cables lacked?

Don't you really mean, "Thank you Kimber"?   :wink:

cheers

Elizabeth

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To start, I am a big nut for treble clarity. I have to have it above all else.
So as time has gone on, I made choices which made that part perfect.
Alas I ended up with a $$$ system which was a bit lean. Not really bad, just a little.

So the main issue was a slight lean condition. Everything in my setup was contributing pretty equally.
The KS1116 solved that, and gave me even more you are there clarity.
One huge thing was a increase in dynamic range. I almost forgot about that, but it was actually a shock how much wider the dynamic range became! I mean it was annoying! (but now I am happy with it. Never really had it before like this)
With that happy experience, I decided to see if a few more would work better.
Well yes, not as big a deal as the first one. (except with the headphone amp. which was just as big a deal)

The way I can define better is my equipment. Some was better with it. Some not much. So I have hit the limit with a few items..

Usually it is tough to find the exact right thing to upgrade. Sometimes some other bit is the hindrance, and so you cannot really hear anything better... Having to pick the exact right thing which is holding everything else back! So I hit the jackpot buying just the right thing this time. (unlike a few other times in the deep dark ancient history of spending a grand, or two, and getting xxxx on a stick served up.)

So in effect the cable has no sound, it is just letting through MORE of the actual sound through the other components from the recording! Instead of adding it's own haze and grunge (like with a Kimber Hero 7 m I used to use, I can really hear the static and grunge the Hero cable adds, though years ago I thought it was a great cable. New standard to judge by.)

I would say the KS1116/KS1016 does have a better bass, which the advertising blurb says it does.. Tighter, clearer, better/more of it. And how it increases dynamic range? I have no idea. Clarity yes. lets the music through better than the Parsec I have

One oddity I find is a synergy of the Kimber KS1116 with the Cardas Parsec. WITH at least one 1m Parsec in the line, the sound is better. The notes have a tiny pearl like sheen on the edges. particularly noticeable on piano. Lovely. Without one Parsec in the chain the sound is still magnificent. But that little pearl like tiny added halo around the notes is gone.

As I tried to write, it is not the sound of the cables.. it is what they let through better than any cables I had before.
Lucky I have equipment which can use them to good advantage.
Magnepan 3.6
Bryston 4B-SST²
Bryston BP-26
Kuzma Stabi/Stogi S turntable with Dynavector 17D3
Audio Research SP-15 I use just as a phono preamp (3 tubes)
Sony SCD777ES
Rudistor RPX33 headphone amp
Sennheiser HD800 phones
Furman REF20i conditioner for all non digital
PS Audio P600 regenerator for digital
Pangea power cords for all.

Stuff which did not get much better, or, I can now see the flaws!
VAC Standard tube preamp (overall haze, adds a blur to the presentation)
Rega P5 with Benz Glider (though the 7 year old Glider may just have a hardened suspension??) to Bryston phono box.

Stuff I am uncertain about
My DAC.. since I have it running through the VAC. I need to try it not through the VAC Standard.
The Bryston phono box.. It may only be my Benz Glider sucks of late?

I am usually pretty lazy, so to switch this stuff around to test how it sounds, maybe tomorrow, maybe next year. LOL

I think my next upgrade should be to a pair of Magnepan 20.7 But I have to save some pennies first.

And I think it really is all of the stuff together. The Kimber is more like an icing on a fabulous cake.
So the Bryston stuff deserves a shout out in praise too.

CanadianMaestro

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^ the word for it is Synergy.   8)