[tdinut]

Curious if anyone is using Harbeth and can offer an opinion on the pairing of Bryston amps and Harbeth speakers. Thanks!

[PRELUDE]

Curious if anyone is using Harbeth and can offer an opinion on the pairing of Bryston amps and Harbeth speakers. Thanks!

What model Harbeth do you own and what is your current amp?
That would help us to give you a better idea.

[tdinut]

I'm thinking about 40.1's and have Conrad Johnson ART monos. Thinking about Bryston for solid state.

[PRELUDE]

I'm thinking about 40.1's and have Conrad Johnson ART monos. Thinking about Bryston for solid state.

I would say go with 7BSST2 and you would never think about another amp to replace it.
I know more then 8 people that have been using Conrad Johnson pre with 7BSST amps for a very long time. If your pre is Conrad Johnson as well, then you are the winner.
Good luck

[tdinut]

Wow!

That makes me feel better. Yes. I have the CJ GAT and love it. I got it with the intention of using it on a Bryston.

I would say go with 7BSST2 and you would never think about another amp to replace it.
I know more then 8 people that have been using Conrad Johnson pre with 7BSST amps for a very long time. If your pre is Conrad Johnson as well, then you are the winner.
Good luck

[sounddog]

My friend tried out the Harbeth 30.1 with my Bryston preamp and amp (4BSST2) and it sounded very good, so I think what you are planning should work well.

[tdinut]

Thanks Sounddog!

[Loop4fun]

Check out the Harbeth user's forum. Almost every combination of speaker and amp is discussed. My 10 watt SET will not control the bass of C7's I own at higher volume levels, but the Bryston should be really good with any of the Harbeth models.

Good luck!

[JfTM]

Alan Shaw put out a challenge; if you could hear the difference between amplifiers with Harbeth speakers he'd give you Harbeth 40.1's for free.

http://www.stereophile.com/content/alan-shaw-throws-down-gauntletharbeth-golden-eared-audiophiles-filibuster-fearing-their-myth

IMO, he is in the minority opinion.

In my experience Bryston is consistently the closest to "straight wire with gain" philosophy in amplifier design.  So what do you want?  A Bryston amp will play what you give it, if you want a "sound" others may be more appropriate.

[HsvHeelFan]

Amplifiers do sound different.  That was immediately apparent when I was auditioning pre-amp/amp combos to replace an almost dead Integrated Amp of Japanese origin.

I auditioned an Adcom GA550, a couple of Parasound amps and a THx approved Bryston 4B (I don't think it was a ST model).  My friend that loaned me the Bryston also had a Spectral amp, but I didn't listen to it.

I was looking for an amp in the 200 - 250 watt per channel range.  Everything else about my system was the same.

The clarity and detail from the Bryston was startling compared to the integrated that I was replacing.  The Parasound was also decent, but I didn't care for it's sound.  It seemed unnaturally colored.

HsvHeelFan

[Lassus]

Yes I am a Harbeth owner of a C7 Es3 bought them in 2007 with a 4Bsst amp and BP25 amp
I love it!
Hartbeths are generally easy on an amp with higher than normal impedance over all, so one would not think of placing a high powered amp with these 2 way speakers. Here was my reasoning behind this. I listen to a lot of classical, especially choral and chamber music. There are many that love the sound of Harbeths with tubes and I can see why - However, I hate to admit it, my love for harbeths comes because of a slight coloration of the sound of the speaker in general: a great mid range but a gentle top end. Tub amps "enhance" that sound. after trying some tubes - it really was too much. As a musician classically trained, I know what it is supposed to sound like at least to my memory. It sounded great with the tubes but it was too romantic for my tastes - Lovely upper base and mids but the bite of attack in a string quartet or period instrument Bach string concerto was lacking. I tried a Bryson amp (the 4B) and loved it. The reasons are more theory than anything: The power of the 4B gave the speakers the pep that was needed in the top and bottom giving it the balance that was needed and the bite was back. The 4B also allowed the Harbeth to still be a champion in the mid-rang. Large orchestras were "large" and the space was there as well. The base tightened up and was more realistic sounding. Yes 350 w is way overkill for a C7 but I don't have it for loud listening, because I don't listen to music very loud and my room is medium size - but the power brings with it an ease to the music that is very nice  - I never turn it up high because I don't want to replace a radial driver and the very true fact that Harbeths sound best at natural levels - they are not a loud listening speaker. I attribute this to the way the cabinets are designed. I really enjoy this combination and I listen every chance I get. After 7 years, I'm still delighted to what I listen to. I needed that thwack/thumb you get with a base drum while listening to Rite of Spring so after 2 years I added a nice sub woofer to the mix and loved that addition. Organ music sounds great now. I was lucky and was able to balance it out fairly well - it took time and patience (on behave of my wife) but I got it dialed in nicely. I believe that those British monitors need a good amount of SS power to sound there best selves. You will love how truthful they (both Bryston and Harbeths) can sound. Someday my dream is to get the M40s and pair them with Bryston of course with a bigger room.
Enjoy

[EvanMcC]

My father-in-law has 40.1's with a Sugden pre and Accustic Arts power amp (their smallest one). This setup sounds really nice even in his smallish 18' x 10' x 8' listening room.

He and I are planning to walk my 4BSST down the street (inlaws live on the same street!  ) to see how the Bryston compares to the Accustic Arts amp.

When that happens I'll let you know how things compare.

Anyone with experience with Accustic Arts amps? Not much info on the web other than for their higher-end amps.

[jimdgoulding]

My friend tried out the Harbeth 30.1 with my Bryston preamp and amp (4BSST2) and it sounded very good, so I think what you are planning should work well.

Everything I've read about the 30.1's in the US and the British audio press tells me I would be over-the-rainbow happy with what they do in my sized room.  Multi driver speakers to include 2-ways have to be very careful in the crossover to prevent stress from showing in the transition from one driver to another.  Everything I've read tells me that this model has successfully done that.  I hate it when the harmonics of violins in mass, or singers, become tethered sounding and purity goes out the window.  The market for these is likely older music lovers.  Younger ones tend to veer toward hi-tech.  And, if you haven't guessed already I would hypothetically partner them with tube amplification, you bet yer dang skippy.