Bryston Loudspeakers

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gene9p

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2460 on: 27 Jun 2016, 09:50 pm »

HI James,



Now, i noticed some downs too, unfortunately:
- the Basses are way too dominant, and not very well defined for that matter, sometimes plain muddy. I've done some heavy stuffing at the back ports, even closed them completely. I was surprised the basses were so prominent, in a rather unnatural way. I missed the option of the 10bsub here. Would have thought a full range speaker like the Model T's didn't need extra care in balancing.

Hope im still allowed on AC after this...

Still, Cheers!
Marius

yup..even my Mini T 's were disappointing. I tried everything in the book to get rid of the boominess. Placed them high, low, straight  ahead, toed in, out, you name it and stuffed the ports with anything I could find. The problem lies in the breakin period. It's not quick as advised and informed. It took months before one day they just started to sound so different. Gone was the the awful bass. Things tightened up rather quickly then and it was like a whole new of speakers had been delivered.

Don't be fooled...Bryston speakers take a very long time to break in. A demo loan won't work as it would with others out there. I know some here say how great they sound right away but as more owners post or potential owners find out they DO NOT. Patience is rewarded and if you buy them second hand or returned to store you will most likely benefit from the time used and of course a discount.

Bryston speakers = patience.

The Rang

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2461 on: 28 Jun 2016, 04:19 am »
And that's why an in-home demo using a broken in pair is crucial IMHO.
Might also explain why they sounded so boomy when I heard them at the Seattle dealer....maybe they weren't adequately broken in.
All I know for sure is this: unless my local (Vancouver) dealer changes their mind about a demo, I'm not buying.

The Seattle dealer was willing to do it but the whole cross border thing make it very difficult. And the currency thing doesn't help either.

veloceleste

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2462 on: 28 Jun 2016, 09:14 am »
It took me a while to get the Mini T bass sounding smooth and not to boom in my very difficult room. The room has very obvious peaks and nulls caused by standing waves. You can lean forward a foot in my listening spot and the bass can go from deep and powerful to disappearing.  I changed placement, stand height and tried plugs before I found the speakers' sweet spot. I bought mine used so I don't think break in was an issue. Plugs definitely reduced boom but also killed the punch IMO so I didn't use them. I come from old the school Allison and AR camp so deep, tight bass response is a priority for me and even though  a "small" speaker, the Mini T delivers in that area.   Correct me if I'm wrong but the acoustical design goal of the T series speakers is similar to that of Roy Allison's early designs but is achieved using different methods. The Mini T's remind me of a modern Allison sound; even power response through the frequency range but with more detail and better imaging. The Mini T's are also an honest speaker; no euphemistic coloring. Smooth is smooth and harsh is harsh if that's what is on the recording. Detail and clarity abound but don't overwhelm. The sound is very natural and balanced overall. I'm glad I didn't give up on the Mini T's.

James Tanner

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2463 on: 28 Jun 2016, 10:54 am »
MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Bryston System – Customer Feedback


Hi Gary,

We exchanged emails a few months back about the email newsletter.  I have received a few since then thank you. 

Regarding the all Bryston system we were looking at, we went ahead with the purchase of the following components from Rick at The Audio Alternative, Fort Collins, CO.



BRYSTON:
BDP-2 Player
BDA-3 DAC
BP-26 Preamp
MPS-2 PS
7B3- Mono
BIT-20 Balanced
Model T Passive
Speakers

I have included a picture of the set-up in our living room.  Please ignore the fireplace.  The restoration of which took a backseat to the stereo.  We would like to give praise to Rick at The Audio Alternative who drove from Fort Collins, Colorado to Salt Lake City to make sure we were happy with the set-up.  That kind of customer service is exactly what we are looking for with this type of purchase as it is more of a long-term relationship than a one off purchase.  We look forward to making future additions to our system with Rick.  We are very excited about the Bryston turntable and are waiting for Rick's analysis.  He has some stiff competition at his shop with Linn and Thorens.

We are very happy with the system we purchased and look forward to many years of enjoyable (sometimes loud) listening.

Matt & Amelia


Spyman

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2464 on: 28 Jun 2016, 09:09 pm »
I've bought a lot of Bryston gear from Rick too! He's really great to work with, isn't he? He's done a lot to help me upgrade my system over the years and I will continue to buy from him. He has two great rooms every year at RMAF in Denver. Congrats on your new system!

Terry

Williams2

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2465 on: 1 Jul 2016, 02:06 pm »
Hi James, on page 1 of the Making of Bryston Model T loudspeakers, you said that part of the advantage to working with Axiom was being able to design and manufacture your own drivers. I bought Mini T's recently, and out of curiosity I googled the number printed around the midrange driver. Up came Zhejiang Innuovo speakers China. Have the drivers always been sourced from China or was this a transition?

James Tanner

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2466 on: 1 Jul 2016, 06:14 pm »
Hi James, on page 1 of the Making of Bryston Model T loudspeakers, you said that part of the advantage to working with Axiom was being able to design and manufacture your own drivers. I bought Mini T's recently, and out of curiosity I googled the number printed around the midrange driver. Up came Zhejiang Innuovo speakers China. Have the drivers always been sourced from China or was this a transition?

Hi William

Axiom has a factory in China and they source the baskets from a company close to theirs in China. 

james


alexone

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2467 on: 2 Jul 2016, 06:27 pm »

China is everywhere...

al.

Williams2

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2468 on: 3 Jul 2016, 01:26 am »
Even when unexpected and made to believe otherwise...

James Tanner

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2469 on: 3 Jul 2016, 10:24 am »

The Rang

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2470 on: 3 Jul 2016, 03:09 pm »
Does this mean the midrange drivers are made in China or just the baskets with the drivers assembled here?

James Tanner

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2471 on: 3 Jul 2016, 03:20 pm »
Does this mean the midrange drivers are made in China or just the baskets with the drivers assembled here?

Hi

Just the baskets are made in China for Axioms factory there and are exclusive to Axiom and are their designs. All the driver assembly, all the cabinet wood work, crossovers and QC testing and design work are done at Axiom in Canada. I think William has a point though and we should change that line to reflect some components are sourced in China to Axioms spec for their operation there.  That is changing though as more and more work and design is coming back from China as costs increase and it is starting to look like it makes more economical sense to manufacture even the baskets in Canada. In our case we purchase everything from Axiom here in Canada.

james

James Tanner

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2472 on: 13 Jul 2016, 02:41 pm »
MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT:  Bryston Model T Speakers – Customer feedback


Hi James

I have not commented on my Bryston Model T Speakers yet.

I will say they are fantastic!



I for one do not want/need polished surfaces and weird curves on my speakers (or components for that matter). As a matter of fact I prefer sober, boxy designs, without much fanfare. I wanted best sound for my money and under 10K. After endless hours of reading about the Model Ts, and the opinion of many members here, I bought them, without seeing/listening in person. I am so impressed by them. I did get a special order walnut veneer that looks really nice IMO.

At essentially half the price, the choice was a no-brainer for me. I was curious about the KEF Blades, and the Revel Salons. All three seem to be playing at the same performance level. 20K for the other two options was not worth it to me. If I had 20K for a pair of prettier, maybe better speakers, then I'd probably rather spend 50K for bigger and obvious better performance. For my money, 20-30K seems to be kinda the gray area to me.

Plus, if you look at used prices, all these three speakers are going for close to 50% their original price. I'd rather have a 5K devaluation than a 10-15K one, especially at what a lot people seem to agree is an essentially similar, some say better, performance level.

I guess I just don't like to compare the two (KEF Blade and Bryston Model T) like one could compare an Omega Seamaster and a Rolex Submariner. I've owned both and the Omega has the same, ever better, performance at half the price. So it comes down to wanting to spend twice as much versus having to spend twice as much... Neither is right or wrong. It's your $ and you should spend it as you wish

Happy Listening!!

Tutomac

James Tanner

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2473 on: 28 Jul 2016, 12:14 pm »
MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Bryston Mini T Speakers – Customer Feedback


Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2016
Subject: Bryston Mini T's Rock!!!!
 
Hi Folks,

WOW !!!





“I bought Mini T speakers knowing nothing about Bryston products.

Amazing speakers.. !!! wow! --- i am getting ready to set up main rig for big room and will be purchasing the big boy's for it,, shocking how good a product for the money!

Amazing!! Great job!! Bryston!!! --- much better than my (edit) or (edit) or (edit),,,”

jim


James Tanner

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2474 on: 15 Aug 2016, 06:56 pm »

Hi Folks

Here’s a shot of a custom Bryston ‘Sound Bar’ speaker on a very large 80 inch TV.





The sound bar is essentially a pair of Mini A’s on either end and a single Mini A with an extra woofer for the Center channel.

Here is a comment from the Dealer:

I will give u a full write up in 2 weeks …  I’m very impressed with this product!

Ram


James Tanner

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2475 on: 18 Sep 2016, 03:31 pm »
Hi James

I am in the process of changing out my B&W 802n with matching center and subs to Bryston Model Model T and TC-1 Center etc.  I changed out my surrounds to Bryston TOW on walls last year.  Added TIW in walls for Atmos as well recently.
I really love the Bryston TIW in wall speakers for the Atmos playback, they were a bargain for what you get at the price they are offered at.

After I get the Model T Signatures in I will plan on ordering the TC-1. After that 2 of the model T subs.

Thanks again for your help, a picture of my room is below.
Current system as follows:

Pair 7BSST2
0ne 9BSST2
One Emotiva 5 ch amp (will be repealed with another 9BSSTx at some point)
BCD_1 CD
BDP-2 with soundcard upgrade
2 BIT-15
Marantz AV8802
Oppo 103D
I still listen to new CD's in my wonderful BCD-1.

Joe

James Tanner

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2476 on: 27 Sep 2016, 10:39 am »
Greetings James,

The Model Ts are an excellent match with the Luxman amp and DAC.

Although I mainly play music downloads and ripped files through a dual PC setup, I find the Model Ts have breathed new life into a number of CDs I've played. They seem to bring out the best the CDs have to offer, providing a more well-rounded and full (it's the only way I can describe it) sound. Listening to CDs has become much more pleasurable, and on a par with the computer setup.

Simply put, I join the many others in recommending that anyone considering new speakers at this or higher price point give the Model Ts an audition.

Cheers,

Bernie.,
All the way from Australia

James Tanner

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2477 on: 27 Sep 2016, 04:25 pm »
MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT:  Bryston –Model T Speakers – Dealer  Feedback

September 2016

Observations on Bryston Model T Signature Speakers
Matrix One Management Consulting Inc.


I've had the Model T Signature speakers for some time now, and so have had ample opportunity to become familiar with them. The arrival of the Model T’s happened to coincide with a move into a new house, and consequently a new listening room, so I had to get to know not only the speakers, but the new rooms’ characteristics as well. The room is roughly 18 ft. wide by 25 ft. long, with a 10-1/2 ft. ceiling height, and is architecturally symmetrical, with the exception of a small area in the left rear corner that bumps out beyond those dimensions. A fair room volume, but the Model T's are more than able to provide satisfying volume & dynamics at any sane listening level.

With enough listening hours under the belt, I now feel that I know what the room is like, and therefore what the Model T's are bringing to the party.

Some background: I've been involved with the audio industry all of my working life, and I've been privileged to experience some incredible examples of sound reproduction along the way. At one time I was employed by Harry Pearson, and worked for the Absolute Sound magazine in Sea Cliff, NY, involving nearly daily exposure to Harry's continuously-changing reference systems (including the then-famed Infinity Reference System). In more recent years I've served as lead project consultant for upscale private theaters.

When James Tanner gave me the run-down on the design path for the Model T's, they sounded intriguing, but I was concerned that they would have enough output to work well in my new room, given its volume. I needn't have worried. Driven by a pair of 7B's, the Model T's can reach beyond what my room can handle, whether it's T-Rex or Tchaikovsky. They can play loud, while maintaining linearity & detail even in the low frequencies. Within reason, your room and its loading and modal characteristics are more likely to be a limiting factor than the Model T’s.

If you’ve read the professional reviews, you already know that the speakers go loud, are extended in the basement frequencies relative to their size and driver complement, and are generally linear in their frequency response and polar patterns.

I feel that the performance of the Model T's is especially noteworthy for a few reasons.

Transparency
While I won't claim that I've never heard more transparent reproducers, the Model Ts are excellent for speakers that use passive crossovers & dynamic drivers. The differences between recording techniques, mixing and mastering are audible, including sophisticated mastering tools such as multi-band compression. There is no upper-low frequency bump that some designs use to give an exaggerated and inaccurate impression of power in the bottom end. But there is low-end power and extension, in proportion to what is on the recording. Low organ notes down to what I’d judge as being in the 24Hz area are reproduced cleanly and distinctly, and with appropriate authority, frequencies below taper off, rather than soundling like they fall off the proverbial cliff. Electric bass in well-mixed modern recordings is a particular treat, as the Model T’s never sacrifice transient or dynamic detail or contrast for “bloat”.

With recordings that incorporate real ambient space, such as The Weavers Reunion At Carnegie Hall 1963 / Ramblin’ Boy, the acoustic space of the old Carnegie Hall is palpable, and is great fun to hear. Significantly, I hear that space to evenly occupy the same “virtual stage” as the voices and instruments; it’s not that it sounds most obvious between the speakers and weakens toward the boundaries of the audible sound stage. The ambient cues sound like you could be really hearing it in the depth, breadth & height of the Carnegie Hall stage. Such ambient space sounds different from reverb added in post, no matter how refined the reverb algorithm is.

Sound Space
The Model T’s in my room are surprisingly satisfying in terms of perceptual width, height and perhaps, to a slightly lesser extent, depth of the musical stage.  (I say perhaps as what I’m hearing may well be more a function of the room’s influence, than the speakers. It may also be related to digital sources, my records are still in boxes.) Maybe it’s that the sound space so easily and so clearly extends beyond the width and height of the speaker placements, that the illusion of depth is merely good by comparison. Sounds do appear both forward of and behind the plane of the speakers. In multi-tracked pop recordings, perceived depth is an artifact of such enhancements as reverb, delay, relative mix levels between tracks, and so on. The Model T’s let you hear these nuances, and in a way, occasionally also lets you hear their respective limitations. I mean as contrasted with a sense of depth captured “live” in one pass, in a real acoustical space, with minimal compression in post, and with simple microphone placements intended to capture both direct and indirect sounds.

Dynamics
Those who know me can tell you that I have reservations about speakers designed for the retail consumer market, in terms of dynamic capabilities. More often than not, and across many brands, such designs will sound good to varying degrees in store showrooms, but fall apart when placed in a use-scenario that requires wide dynamic range, fast response times to high-level transients, and significant peak volumes, without what sounds like compression from the monitors themselves. In casual use, we don’t notice this much, as the vast majority of popular and even most classical recordings are compressed in mastering, and don’t place significant demands on the audio chain. The best recordings, however, and certainly some film soundtracks, do.

When you place many of these models, intended for consumer living rooms, into a space that is acoustically designed and reasonably damped (strategic use of absorbing & reflecting materials), and without the crutch of reflections from walls & ceilings, they often don’t perform when things are meant to get exciting.

Monitors designed for the pro recording & mastering spaces are typically much better in this regard, to the extent that historically, when spec’ing a customer’s private theater, I’ve preferred to avoid consumer designs.

But no worries here. The Model T’s have very good dynamics. Although I don’t play music or movies at levels that would induce pain, I have yet to hear them artificially compress or otherwise sound unhappy. Overall dynamic range (large dynamics) is far superior to the majority of consumer speakers, including some that cost much more, and micro contrasts are well reproduced, if not at the level of the very best I’ve ever heard over the years (my fondest memories come from heavily modified or unique special designs that were never commercially available).

Bang for the Buck
If I had to peg one thing and one thing only that makes the Model T’s important, it would be this: they are unbelievable value for money. Period.

Have more money to spend? Great. But you need a quite a lot more money.

When I ordered the Model T’s, I was hoping for something that would manage satisfying volume levels in my room, which serves for both movies and music.  I was hoping for a certain baseline of performance in terms of listening quality, but really thought that the speakers and their driver complements might barely manage in my room. My first love is music, but honestly, I imagined the total result would be very good for movies, and merely good for music listening.

The Model T Signatures have far exceeded my expectations.

Movies do indeed sound very good, but music listening now takes pride of place.

Thank you,
Bryston.
Brian Gammon


James Tanner

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2478 on: 8 Oct 2016, 06:08 pm »
MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Dealer Feedback - Model T Speakers


October 2016



James,


Wolfsong Audio's Model T signature speakers arrived this week. 





Towers of Power indeed! 

Real full range response with outstanding dynamics, depth, detail and coherence. 

They are a true pleasure to listen to. From Rachmaninoff to Van Halen to Sarah Vaughn to Crystal method they morph into the "speaker that likes..........." 

We may be spoiled with the 28B3s driving them but what a fantastic combo.  Low level listening is fabulous and that just seem to soar ever higher when played at louder volumes.  Break in has been nearly painless and with just over 90 hours on them the sound stage is expansive and expressive. 

Well done Bryston!


Mike Burns
Wolfsong Audio LLC


James Tanner

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Re: Bryston Loudspeakers
« Reply #2479 on: 15 Oct 2016, 11:55 pm »
MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Bryston Model T Speakers


October 2016

Hi James, 

Here’s some info on my new showroom system. 
 




I'm in the break in process of the 14B3 and the Bryston Signature Model T's, but so far I'm groovin'.

On the loudspeakers, I haven’t yet found the upper limit of how loud they will play; they have everything I love about the Mini Ts, just more of it.
 

The test for me of a hi-fi system is always, does it totally communicate the emotional impact of the music and make me want to dance? 

As you can see from the photo, my hi-fi store is connected to my wife's record shop, and last Saturday, we had a group of 5 young African American customers in the store who were in town for a convention at Opryland, and were making the record store rounds.  While they were checking out, I asked, does anybody like Alabama Shakes?  The answer was an enthusiastic yes, so I called it up in Manic Moose and cranked it.  The group and I were dancing around the room and singing along.

Well done Bryston!
 
Brian Warford
Brian's Custom Theaters and Hi-Fi