Hello
i found something interesting about the new Bryston Monsters
take a look
please apologize my bad english and i hope, it's possible for you to understand wat i mean an hopefulli it's not too hard to read
Greetings from Switzerland
Paolo
"Start review"
REVIEW | AMPLIFIERS
1000 WATTS OF REFINEMENT
BRYSTON'S NEW 28B-SST MONOBLOCKS REVEAL
DELICATE NUANCES IN THE MUSIC
BY ERNIE FISHER
Tremendous power is coupled with incredible weight: nearly 100 pounds per monoblock.
I suspect that most audiophiles know of Bryston Limited as do those beyond the
audiophile camp.Around for more than 40 years, Bryston is one of the few equipment
companies catering to both the audiophile community and the professional audio
industry, including film and recording studios. The Inner Ear has reviewed most of Bryston's
gear and, over the years, I have noticed that the company has gradually but consistently
upgraded its designs-raising the sonic bar at each stage.
With the introduction of the 28B-SST monoblocks, a powerful pair of amps indeed,
Bryston has approached what I consider to be a benchmark for the design of high-end,
high-performance audio. More about this later; first let's look at some of the details.
Appearance
Once you've seen one Bryston amp, you've seen them all.Though different in
weight and dimensions, Bryston amplifiers have retained a signature appearance
through various iterations. Unlike others I do not find such consistency offensive...
it matters not to me, as I am focused on performance.
At 95 pounds, each of these monoblock amplifiers is heavy enough to cause an
inguinal hernia, so I recommend the help of a friend to move them into position-preferably
close to the loudspeakers. Part of the incredible weight can be attributed to the balanced
configuration (two amps in each monoblock) and the massive heat sinks on both sides of
each amp.
The Sound
As they arrived at the same time, I first connected these amplifiers to the WLM Diva
loudspeakers (reviewed in this issue).Once connected to these very efficient speakers, I
fired up the 28B-SSTs and both Bryston's James Tanner (who helped me move these monster
monoblocks around) and I did an instant double take.The sound of this system combination
was not just good, it was outstanding. Both the monoblocks and loudspeakers had been
burned in and our astonishment related to the
extent of "musicality" obviously unexpected by either one of us.This was but an indication of
what was to follow.
When Tanner left, I began my customary testing routine. I had three preamps on hand,
our in-house Wyetech Labs Opal (reviewed in Vol. 10, No.2), the Sim Audio P-8 and the
ModWright Instruments SWL 9.0SE (both reviewed in this issue). I rotated them in and
out of the system and each preamplifier allowed a clear insight into the Bryston's performance.
The Opal/Bryston and P-8/Bryston combinations proved to be more revealing, to be sure,
than the ModWright/Bryston pairing, but I'd have to admit that the sound of the latter
combo was a touch more musically pleasing. I don't mean that it was better, just different, and
very pleasing to the ears.
With the Opal, bass was 100% resolute, right down to pedal-note territory,while with the
ModWright, bass was less firm, but still defined enough to reveal the Brystons' control. Both
preamps confirmed the 28B-SST's midbass veracity-that's the region from about 40Hz to
90Hz. Plucked or strummed bass, electric or upright, sounded wonderfully real; the combination
readily conveyed, for example, the size and body of a traditional upright bass.
The 28B-SST's midrange reproduction-from about 170Hz to 1300Hz-has to be an industry
first among powerful solid-state designs. Instruments performing in this region did not
sound even remotely close to what a typical solid-state design produces.With the Bryston,
the smoothness and bloom reminded me of what I hear from a good single-ended vacuum
tube amp.This may not be to everyone's liking, but I enjoyed the Bryston's brawn at the bass
seamlessly coupling with the smoothness in the midrange, the region where male and
female voices and many instruments perform.
The only frequency range in which reproduction wasn't as smooth as one would get
from a really great single-ended amp,was between about 12kHz and 20kHz.While the
28B-SSTs provided just enough smoothness to make a noticeable difference (compared to
the 7B-SST, for example), they didn't wrap up with tube-like "sweetness".
However,most single-ended amps do not finish top and bottom frequencies entirely without imperfections.
Those who want the aforementioned "sweetness" can attain it with the ModWright
preamplifier, as I did during my listening tests. What you can expect from this combination is
well-controlled bass, a blossoming midrange and sweet top-end frequencies.
You should also know that these Bryston monoblocks provide resolution with unwavering
proficiency.This simply means that the sound reproduction permits listeners to
discern and understand the musical lines and instruments making up a performance.Of
course,most preamplifiers add their own individual "personality", and while the three I used
clearly demonstrated the Bryston's sonic attributes, I'd personally opt for the more neutralsounding
SimAudio P-8 or theWyetech Opal, if money were no object.
Imaging can be best described as the accuracy with which an amplifier, or more
precisely, a system, re-creates the original arrangement of instruments; their size and
location on a sound stage. Clearly, the 28B-SST contributes to imaging, but so does the
source/preamp and speaker combination.The loudspeakers I used for this evaluation come in
at different price points, though it must be said that each of them is of top quality. I began
with theWLM Divas, continued with the Monitor Audio GS60s and the Coincident
Technology Total Victory IIIs (all reviewed in this issue) and finally, because they were on
hand, I connected theWLM Gran Violas (reviewed in Vol. 16, No. 4).As revealed by the
various preamp/speaker combinations I threw into the mix, an impressive sound stage with
clearly defined borders can be attributed to the Bryston amps.All speakers sounded good with
the Bryston amps, offering synergy and revealing the amplifiers' superb sonic imprint.
To find out more about the sound of the loudspeakers themselves, please read the reviews,
which will help you to make better decisions about each product.
Synopsis & Commentary
WHEN THE 28B-SSTS get hot-and they will after playing for a couple of hours-they
sound hot (I mean that in a positive sense). They can sizzle, and I had them cooking up a
lot of wonderful music. Some of my guest listeners could not accept that these
monoblocks sounded closer to tube designs than to solid state.Why, you ask? Here's the
short answer. Generally, powerful amplifiers tend to generate loads of kinetic energy, yet
they often fail to correctly deal with delicate tonal hues and timbres.The widespread
opinion of most in the business-including this reviewer-is that low-powered amplifiers
better convey such nuance and musicality. However, exceptions to the rule
exist-and the Bryston 28B-SSTs are ideal examples.
I had expected to hear/see a really good amplifier, based on my earlier reviews of the
Bryston 7B-SST and 14B-SST, but I hadn't expected to hear a pair of 1000 watt amplifiers
exhibit the kind of sonic sophistication found chiefly among expensive low-powered amps. If
you have a power-hungry pair of speakers, the 28B- SSTs will make them sing; but don't let
that opinion hold you back if you prefer very efficient speakers.My tests clearly show that
loads of power prevents amplifiers from labouring or clipping.The 28B-SST has enough
power and, chances are, you will never use all of it-which can be a good thing indeed.
Authorized reprint of:
The Inner Ear
Volume 17, #3 2006/2007
85 Moorehouse Drive,
Toronto,ON,
Canada M1V 2E2
For subscriptions call
Tel: (416) 297-7968
TECHNOLOGY
The most important thing to know about the Bryston 28B-SST monoblock power amplifiers
is that they are rated at 1000 watts (each), although they can provide up to about 1,200
watts per channel. Irrespective of the load of any speaker under the sun, these fully balanced
amps will drive it to earbleeding levels. To accomplish this feat, Bryston's head designer,
Stuart Taylor, designed a new input circuit to work with 32 output devices and capacitance of more
than 160,000 micro farads. The amps have no wiring in the audio (power) signal path and
also have extremely low distortion-typically 0.005% from 20Hz to 20kHz at 8 ohms.
However, for me, the most impressive measurement is the
signal-to-noise ratio-an astounding 118dB. Other features include
newly-designed input circuitry, extremely low noise-typically <-118dB-selectable gain
(2V-23dB and 1V-29dB), a greatly improved common mode rejection ratio (which
reflects the cancellation in a balanced line of common mode signals induced into it), two sets
of speaker outputs for biwire connection and a remote 12-volt power trigger input. The input
impedance is rated at 50 kohms for single-ended and 60 kohms balanced operation.
FACTS
MODEL
28B-SST
monoblock
amplifier
MANUFACTURER
Bryston Limited
DIMENSIONS
8 (h) 19 (w) 19 (d) (rack mountable)
8 (h) 17 (w) 19 (d) (C-series face plate)
WEIGHT
95 lbs per monoblock
FASCIA OPTIONS
silver; black
RATING !!!!
PRICE (US)
$7,000 each
CONTACT
Bryston Limited
705.742.5325
800.334.1202
bryston.com
"End of review"
I hope, Bryston will allow us, to hear this Monsters as soonest possible at home
Greeting's from switzerland
Paolo
