AudioCircle

Industry Circles => Bryston Limited => Topic started by: James Tanner on 19 May 2017, 06:41 pm

Title: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: James Tanner on 19 May 2017, 06:41 pm
MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Bryston SP3 USB Upgrade


May, 2017

Hi Folks,

We are pleased to announce a “Factory”  USB upgrade for our Bryston SP-3 Surround Processor.


The current USB module supports STEREO PCM 48K/16BIT resolution.

The new USB module will support PCM 192/24 as well as DSD Native/64/128.


There are a few options depending on which main board your SP3 has and your requirement for PCM or DSD digital playback.

1.   SP-3 with version 2 - 3 - 4 or 5 main circuit board can upgrade to STEREO plus SURROUND MODES PCM 192/24 ONLY for $600

2.   SP-3 with version 2 - 3 or 4 main board can upgrade to STEREO plus SURROUND MODES PCM 192/24 as well as STEREO DSD for $1000

3.   SP-3 with version 5 main board can upgrade to STEREO plus SURROUND MODES PCM 192/24 as well as STEREO plus SURROUND MODES DSD for $600

4.   SP-3 with version 2/3 or 4 main board replaced with version 5 main board can be upgrade to STEREO plus SURROUND MODES PCM 192/24 as well as STEREO plus
        SURROUND MODES DSD for $1500


SP-3 Main Board     PCM Listening Modes       DSD Listening Modes
      
2 or 3 or 4 Version   2.0 - 2.1 - 5.1 - 7.1         2.0 Only
      
5 Version                  2.0 - 2.1 - 5.1 - 7.1           2.0 - 2.1 - 5.1 - 7.1



NOTE:  These updates ‘MUST’ be performed at the Factory.
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: BSMSPEMBA on 19 May 2017, 08:33 pm
James,

Thank you for posting this information. 

Can you let us know how to check the version of our main board?  If it cannot be done via the menu system, would it be possible to post the version of the board associated with the serial numbers of the SP3?  For example, units 000001 - 000140 are version 2, 000141 - 000210 are version 3, etc.

Thank you
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: James Tanner on 20 May 2017, 12:42 am
James,

Thank you for posting this information. 

Can you let us know how to check the version of our main board?  If it cannot be done via the menu system, would it be possible to post the version of the board associated with the serial numbers of the SP3?  For example, units 000001 - 000140 are version 2, 000141 - 000210 are version 3, etc.

Thank you

Hi

Yes I am trying to find out an easy way to tell the difference - will report back.

james

Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: James Tanner on 20 May 2017, 02:38 pm
From: Stan Bleszynski <sbleszynski@bryston.com>
Date: May 19, 2017 at 4:28:01 PM EDT
To: James Tanner <jamestanner@bryston.com
Subject: RE: SP-3 USB Upgrade

Opening the enclosure and looking at the left front corner of the large bottom board.
 Almost all SP3's shipped after 2012 have revision 4.0.
 
SP3 Main boards:
 
R2.0  08/2011
R3.0  03/2013 (EMC approvals)
R4.0  06/2013
R5.0  11/2016 (supports new USBX and DSD, shipped in SDP-45)
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: James Tanner on 21 May 2017, 05:33 pm
http://support.bryston.com/firmware/sp3/
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: WillyP on 22 May 2017, 12:41 pm
Hi James,

Thanks for the info. I assume that a new SP-3 will have the USB Upgrade. If this is right, when can we expect the new SP-3 in the Netherlands? How much (approximately) will the price rise of the SP-3?

Willy
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: James Tanner on 22 May 2017, 03:01 pm
Hi James,

Thanks for the info. I assume that a new SP-3 will have the USB Upgrade. If this is right, when can we expect the new SP-3 in the Netherlands? How much (approximately) will the price rise of the SP-3?

Willy

Hi Willy

Yes any new SP-3's  will have the new boards and are currently being produced.  There is no change in prices yet.

james
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: WillyP on 22 May 2017, 05:37 pm
Thanks James,

That is good news. Let's hope that the cubed version of the 9BSST-2 power amplifier will be finished real soon now.

Kind regards,

Willy
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: gbaby on 23 May 2017, 05:40 pm
James, I guess if one owns the BDA3, the USB upgrade would be redundant, correct?
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: James Tanner on 23 May 2017, 06:09 pm
James, I guess if one owns the BDA3, the USB upgrade would be redundant, correct?

Correct.

james
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: ragg987 on 27 May 2017, 10:54 am
Hi James, considering this for my 2012 unit (presumably board R2.0). What advantage does a R5.0 board offer from a video pass-through perspective? Does it support 4k and HDR? If not yet I may hold off if these are in the pipeline.

From the SP3 support page, it mentions HSR82.2 (HSR82P) as being the latest (2015) board - is that the same as R5.0?

Also, it seems you are forking the firmware for 2017 units - if I get the R5.0 board does that take me to the new fork of firmware?
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: James Tanner on 27 May 2017, 11:42 am
Hi James, considering this for my 2012 unit (presumably board R2.0). What advantage does a R5.0 board offer from a video pass-through perspective? Does it support 4k and HDR? If not yet I may hold off if these are in the pipeline.

From the SP3 support page, it mentions HSR82.2 (HSR82P) as being the latest (2015) board - is that the same as R5.0?

Also, it seems you are forking the firmware for 2017 units - if I get the R5.0 board does that take me to the new fork of firmware?

Hi

I will ask for Mikes input but the main circuit board is not involved in 4K - that's the new HDMI board which has been used now for a while.

james
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: ragg987 on 28 May 2017, 09:55 am
OK thanks, seems I am confused about the boards! Would appreciate your input on upgrade of video chain.
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: WillyP on 6 Jun 2017, 10:55 am
Hi James,

Will the new SP-3 have the new look of the BCD-3 and the Cubed amplifiers or will it have the look of the "older" SP-3?

Regards,

Willy
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: James Tanner on 6 Jun 2017, 11:22 am
Hi James,

Will the new SP-3 have the new look of the BCD-3 and the Cubed amplifiers or will it have the look of the "older" SP-3?

Regards,

Willy

Hi Willy

The cosmetics are not changing.

James
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: gbaby on 6 Jun 2017, 09:28 pm
Assuming one has a unit that the USB port can be upgraded for DSD surround. How can the SP3 play surround DSD without converting to PCM? How does it handle the crossover frequency?
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: WillyP on 31 Aug 2017, 11:57 am
Hi James,

Can you tell me which version main circuit board a SP3 of five years old will have?

Kind regards,

Willy

MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Bryston SP3 USB Upgrade


May, 2017

Hi Folks,

We are pleased to announce a “Factory”  USB upgrade for our Bryston SP-3 Surround Processor.


The current USB module supports STEREO PCM 48K/16BIT resolution.

The new USB module will support PCM 192/24 as well as DSD Native/64/128.


There are a few options depending on which main board your SP3 has and your requirement for PCM or DSD digital playback.

1.   SP-3 with version 2 - 3 - 4 or 5 main circuit board can upgrade to STEREO plus SURROUND MODES PCM 192/24 ONLY for $600

2.   SP-3 with version 2 - 3 or 4 main board can upgrade to STEREO plus SURROUND MODES PCM 192/24 as well as STEREO DSD for $1000

3.   SP-3 with version 5 main board can upgrade to STEREO plus SURROUND MODES PCM 192/24 as well as STEREO plus SURROUND MODES DSD for $600

4.   SP-3 with version 2/3 or 4 main board replaced with version 5 main board can be upgrade to STEREO plus SURROUND MODES PCM 192/24 as well as STEREO plus
        SURROUND MODES DSD for $1500


SP-3 Main Board     PCM Listening Modes       DSD Listening Modes
      
2 or 3 or 4 Version   2.0 - 2.1 - 5.1 - 7.1         2.0 Only
      
5 Version                  2.0 - 2.1 - 5.1 - 7.1           2.0 - 2.1 - 5.1 - 7.1



NOTE:  These updates ‘MUST’ be performed at the Factory.

Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: WillyP on 31 Aug 2017, 12:27 pm
Oops, something went wrong.

Hi James,

Can you tell me which version main board a SP3 has of 5 years old?

Are there any differences in sound quality or do all the versions sound the same?

Kind regards,

Willy
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: James Tanner on 31 Aug 2017, 03:08 pm
Hi Willy - no differences.

james
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: WillyP on 31 Aug 2017, 03:10 pm
Thanks James,

And which version main board will a SP3 have of five years old?

Thanks,

Willy
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: James Tanner on 31 Aug 2017, 05:01 pm
Thanks James,

And which version main board will a SP3 have of five years old?

Thanks,

Willy

Not sure - you have the MB version 2 - I will have to ask engineering.

james
Title: Re: SP-3 USB Upgrade Options
Post by: ragg987 on 31 Jul 2018, 03:41 pm
Hi James, I am UK-based and trying to get my SP3 upgraded to one of these 2 options (am inclined to option 1 as I have no current use for DSD):

1.   SP-3 with version 2 - 3 - 4 or 5 main circuit board can upgrade to STEREO plus SURROUND MODES PCM 192/24 ONLY for $600

2.   SP-3 with version 2 - 3 or 4 main board can upgrade to STEREO plus SURROUND MODES PCM 192/24 as well as STEREO DSD for $1000

...
NOTE:  These updates ‘MUST’ be performed at the Factory.

Speaking to the UK Bryston distributor, I am getting inconsistent info compared to your posting and they tell me that I can get the USB upgraded to stereo PCM but not multi-channel for option 1. My SP3 is from late 2012 (I suspect board version 2). Can you tell me if the PCM multi-channel upgrade option is still available?

If available, can the UK distributer do this themselves or must it return to Canada? They tell me they can do the PCM stereo-only upgrade here in the UK.