[RCeasar]

This is a question for James Tanner.  I am not sure if I am doing this right, but here we go....

I have an opportunity to purchase a 6B ST Pro.  I want to put this in my home theater.  I notice that you normally recommend a consumer model verses a pro model.  Any recommendations on using this AMP in my home theater?  Im your opinion, what are the pro's and con's of the two models?

Secondly, how come Bryston's website has no literature or specifications on this model?  It seems to be missing completely from the website.

I owned a Bryston AMP years ago, made the mistake of selling it.  Will never happen again, I have never been happy with any AMP I have had since. 

[James Tanner]

This is a question for James Tanner.  I am not sure if I am doing this right, but here we go....

I have an opportunity to purchase a 6B ST Pro.  I want to put this in my home theater.  I notice that you normally recommend a consumer model verses a pro model.  Any recommendations on using this AMP in my home theater?  Im your opinion, what are the pro's and con's of the two models?

Secondly, how come Bryston's website has no literature or specifications on this model?  It seems to be missing completely from the website.

I owned a Bryston AMP years ago, made the mistake of selling it.  Will never happen again, I have never been happy with any AMP I have had since. 

Hi,

The 6B SST Pro model is on the website (the 6B ST was only built for a very short time and was essentially an SST) - here's the link for you- http://www.bryston.ca/6bsstpro_m.html

The  Pro series is available in Black 19 inch rack mount faceplate only. http://bryston.ca/14bsstpro_m.html
 
The consumer C- Series is available with the C-Series cosmetics - in silver or black and in 19 inch faceplate or 17 inch faceplate. http://bryston.ca/14bsst_m.html
 
The Pro series also has volume controls in the circuit path on each channel - the consumer C-Series does not.
 
I usually recommend the C-Series if you want the simplest cleanest signal path and the Pro if you need the volume control on each channel.

Using the Pro model in a home theater setup is fine.

james

[RCeasar]

Thanks for the quick reply.  Don't you take time off?!?

Anyway, I was under the impression that the 6B ST model and the SST were significantly different.  Specifically power wise, and is the layout on the back of the SST the same as the 6B ST?  Isn't the SST 300x3 and the 6B ST 250x3?

Another confusion is that the link you gave was for the 6B SST, not the ST.  Are the spec's the same, meaning the rear panel of the AMP's the same?

What advantage do I have with volume control to each channel?

[jethro]

Welcome RCaeser,

The gain control could be useful when bi-amping with a non-Bryston amp that has a different gain.
If your pre-amp doesn't have a balance control you could adjust it with the gain control on the amp.
I also imagine that the gain could be used with input signals that are near the maximum input level of the amp
to improve the dynamic range.

HTH, Steve

[KeithA]

Thanks for the quick reply.  Don't you take time off?!?

Anyway, I was under the impression that the 6B ST model and the SST were significantly different.  Specifically power wise, and is the layout on the back of the SST the same as the 6B ST?  Isn't the SST 300x3 and the 6B ST 250x3?

Another confusion is that the link you gave was for the 6B SST, not the ST.  Are the spec's the same, meaning the rear panel of the AMP's the same?

What advantage do I have with volume control to each channel?

The 6BST and 6BSST are fundamentally the same amp. The 6B and 14B STs were the first amps to use the new Motorola output devices several years back. With this improvement, a line was created called SST, with the 6BSST and 14BSST being the first in the line. The were some little power supply tweaks to give a little more headroom above 300 watts in the 6B and 600 watts in the 14B. However, the amp is really the same. For example, I have a 6BST and it measures at 304 WPC.

Keith

[vegasdave]

The Pro series also has volume controls in the circuit path on each channel - the consumer C-Series does not.
 
I usually recommend the C-Series if you want the simplest cleanest signal path and the Pro if you need the volume control on each channel.

Using the Pro model in a home theater setup is fine.

james

James--

I have the pro version of the 4B SST...is the difference great between this and the c-series?

[James Tanner]

No The SST and the C-Series are identical.

james

[NewBuyer]

vegasdave, are you asking what are the sonic differences between the pro-version and the C-Series version, resulting from the volume control being in the signal path?

[vegasdave]

Yes.

[NewBuyer]

James, I too am curious about this please.

Besides the obvious attenuation function: What do you feel is the sonic impact of the volume control in the pro-version SST amps, vs having no such control in the consumer versions? That is, do you believe the consumer version SST amps have better sonics resulting from having no built-in volume control in the signal path?

[James Tanner]

James, I too am curious about this please.

Besides the obvious attenuation function: What do you feel is the sonic impact of the volume control in the pro-version SST amps, vs having no such control in the consumer versions? That is, do you believe the consumer version SST amps have better sonics resulting from having no built-in volume control in the signal path?

Sorry for the delay just saw this:

That's a tough one - theoretically less is better of course but if you turn the gain controls fully up I think you would find it very difficult to tell the difference.  I will drag a couple of 28B Pros home and give them a listen in comparison to my consumer units I have now.

james

[KeithA]

I will drag a couple of 28B Pros home and give them a listen in comparison to my consumer units I have now.

james

Tough Job  Now that's the type of work one wouldn't mind taking home.

Keith

[vegasdave]

Exactly.

[vegasdave]

James, I too am curious about this please.

Besides the obvious attenuation function: What do you feel is the sonic impact of the volume control in the pro-version SST amps, vs having no such control in the consumer versions? That is, do you believe the consumer version SST amps have better sonics resulting from having no built-in volume control in the signal path?

Sorry for the delay just saw this:

That's a tough one - theoretically less is better of course but if you turn the gain controls fully up I think you would find it very difficult to tell the difference.  I will drag a couple of 28B Pros home and give them a listen in comparison to my consumer units I have now.

james

My gain controls are fully up. Thanks for doing the comparison! Let us know, please.

[NewBuyer]

James, I too am curious about this please.

Besides the obvious attenuation function: What do you feel is the sonic impact of the volume control in the pro-version SST amps, vs having no such control in the consumer versions? That is, do you believe the consumer version SST amps have better sonics resulting from having no built-in volume control in the signal path?

Sorry for the delay just saw this:

That's a tough one - theoretically less is better of course but if you turn the gain controls fully up I think you would find it very difficult to tell the difference.  I will drag a couple of 28B Pros home and give them a listen in comparison to my consumer units I have now.

james

Hi James, any update on this one yet? Also wonder if your conclusions here regarding the 28B Pros, should also extend to the lesser power amps such as the 4B SST vs. 4B SST Pro, etc...

[James Tanner]

Hi,

So far with 5 different listeners no differences detected with the controls fully up.
There are times when I feel the soundstage has shrunk a bit but I need more time with it - certainly it is subtle at best.


james