New 7B SST-2 (SQ) Review

James Tanner · « **on:** 15 Dec 2009, 05:37 pm »

Hi All,

Link to a review on the new 7B SST-2 mono amp. I have heard this reviewers system(s) over the years and he is one hard guy to please!

http://www.innerearmag.com/reviews/amplifiers/Bryston_7B_SST.shtml

james

95Dyna · « **Reply #1 on:** 15 Dec 2009, 08:43 pm »

Thanks for posting this review, James. It's always great to hear an authority in an industry validate your purchase. I've had my 7B's Squared for six months now and can say that I have experienced everything the reviewer has mentioned here except the comparisons to the 28B and previous releases of the 7. This is especially true of the soundstage and imaging. Mine went from an annoyingly small area low and to stage left of center to just beyond the speakers (3 meters tweeter to tweeter) and almost a meter above them. And that was before I added the BP 26, Esoteric X-05 and the WireWorld cables. The Torus CS15 is next. I think of the 7's as the rock solid anchor of my system that produce sound as the reviewer described in spite of my notoriously nasty to drive Infinitys. Congrats on yet another great review of a Bryston product.

Bill

Mad Mr H · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Dec 2009, 11:14 pm »

Excellent review

I was so pleased to read

"You may have seen in some of my other reviews that I am a stickler when it comes to harmonics, and to ascertain an amp?s ability to reproduce them, I always use a few piano recordings. They include music played on Yamaha, Steinway, Baldwin and Boesendorfer grands."

I have always said the piano is one of the hardest tests.....

Clapping is another hard test with massive transients

Mentioned in the technical section is the 7,14,28 don't require addtional mains treatment with the sq series - or at least they contain some of the torus features.

The review mentions the 7 is only beaten by the 28.........In what ways does the 28 improve on the 7?

James Tanner · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Dec 2009, 11:25 pm »

^ Just in terms of power delivery I believe.

james

vegasdave · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 Dec 2009, 04:07 am »

Which makes the 7B a great value at half the price, true? Even though $8000 isn't what I'd call pocketchange!

95Dyna · « **Reply #5 on:** 16 Dec 2009, 02:01 pm »

Quote from: Mad Mr H on 15 Dec 2009, 11:14 pm

Excellent review

I was so pleased to read

"You may have seen in some of my other reviews that I am a stickler when it comes to harmonics, and to ascertain an amp?s ability to reproduce them, I always use a few piano recordings. They include music played on Yamaha, Steinway, Baldwin and Boesendorfer grands."

I have always said the piano is one of the hardest tests.....

Clapping is another hard test with massive transients

Mentioned in the technical section is the 7,14,28 don't require addtional mains treatment with the sq series - or at least they contain some of the torus features.

The review mentions the 7 is only beaten by the 28.........In what ways does the 28 improve on the 7?

The sound of the piano was the first thing that grabbed me when I installed the 7's. I have all 27 of Mozart's piano concertos and have been revisiting them all since discovering the 7's prowess in this area. I have to tell you that they are just hypnotic when listened to with the 7's. and most of my recordings were made in the mid 80's by Murray Perihia and the English Chamber Orchestra. Now I'm going to have to experiment and see if I can discern the difference between a Steinway, Baldwin, Boesendorfer and Yamaha.

Uptown Audio · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 Dec 2009, 03:00 pm »

I understand that the 7B-SST2 were also just reviewed in Stereophile, although the review isn't on-line or on stands just yet. If you subscribe, you might already have it by now.

WGH · « **Reply #7 on:** 16 Dec 2009, 03:50 pm »

Quote from: Uptown Audio on 16 Dec 2009, 03:00 pm

I understand that the 7B-SST2 were also just reviewed in Stereophile, although the review isn't on-line or on stands just yet. If you subscribe, you might already have it by now.

It is an odd review, Michael Fremer just couldn't get the 7B-SST2 to perform it's best with his Wilson Audio MAXX 3 speakers.

revrob · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 Dec 2009, 04:09 pm »

Just received my copy of Stereophile today I agree Michael Fremer seemed to be all over the place in his review. His first sample he felt that there was something missing in the overall presentation and Bryston replace it with some modification. He didn't really seemed to like it very much and basically said to compare it with other amplifiers before you buy. But it was an odd review.

Peace

James Tanner · « **Reply #9 on:** 16 Dec 2009, 04:32 pm »

Hi All,

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion of course but I have to say I found the Stereophile 7B SST2 review very perplexing given that the rest of the world has overwhelmingly embraced the 7B SST2 as one of the world's great amps.

Even John Atkinson the editor from the same magazine (Stereophile) reported from the most recent 2009 CES:

"With "Superman's Song" from Crash Test Dummies, played back through a Bryston BDA-1 D/A processor, BPA-26 preamplifier, and pair of 7B-SST2 mono-blocks, the sound was simply superb."

Another review we got on the 7B'SST's at CES 2009 was from Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity Magazine:

"My wrap-up of the show is with what I think was the best audio demo that I heard. The Bryston/Thiel room was sublime auditioning. The demonstration was actually from Bryston VP of Sales, James Tanner. His equipment melded with the Thiel using his BPA-26 preamplifier / BDA-1 processor combination and Bryston's 7B-SST mono-blocks."

Harry Pearson ended his CES show coverage article with the Maggie Room at the Alexus Park. Here is what he had to say:

"Last, but, hardly least, Magnepan, in a special room at the Alexus Park, set up a demonstration that didn't look, on paper, all that promising. You had to hear it to believe it: a terrific spread, and for once, quite wide dynamic contrasts, and from a Maggie no less, plus a midrange and high end lower in distortion than any of the company's smaller speakers. The effect: breathtaking.

This special Magneplaner demonstration was powered by and all BRYSTON system consisting of: Bryston 7B-SST Mono Amplifiers x 3, Bryston BP26/MPS-2 Preamplifier and Bryston BCD-1 CD Player.

I would say that the above seems to support the fact that all seems fine with the performance of the 7B SST-2's.

So it seems to me that this particular reviewer is definitely in the minority with his impressions of the 7B's? My only thought is that most of us spend countless hours tweaking our systems in a way that provides us with the sound we want or prefer and inserting another component into the system will not always be perceived as better short term. Sometimes an accurate amplifier (just check out the measurements in the Stereophile review) works against you initially because it does not enhance or exaggerate any specific part of the frequency spectrum.

James

revrob · « **Reply #10 on:** 16 Dec 2009, 04:51 pm »

James the measurement were outstanding and other reviews have given this amp praise and deservedly so, I think this reviewer lost some of his credibility and after reading the article I went away thinking what on earth is he talking about. Bryston is and always will be one of the top value in audio.

Peace

mclsound · « **Reply #11 on:** 16 Dec 2009, 04:53 pm »

Wilson Audio???????????????????????????????????????????????????
that about explains it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did we not all agree that some products sound better with others,again we have the million dollar reviewer saying that it was just not good enough for him...
I know i will never own Wilson($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$)
I have read many reviews from them and it is funny that they compared all the 7 and 14's close to the Krells,at dollar/performance....but this guy seems to be opinionated,to each is his own
john

werd · « **Reply #12 on:** 16 Dec 2009, 05:03 pm »

Is this in January's edition?

mfsoa · « **Reply #13 on:** 16 Dec 2009, 05:24 pm »

Maybe MF wasn't sitting far enough off center?

I watched him at a Rave assuming the "Serious audio guru" seating position (that we all do when we really concentrate), and he ended up a good foot or two closer to one speaker than the other.

I tried the same position later and any sense of imaging was gone, yet he instantly pronounced thumbs up or down on the different DACs we heard.

He's just one (very powerful) dude who doesn't have anyones ears but his own.

Ahh, the troubles with reviews continue...

-Mike

Dilbert · « **Reply #14 on:** 16 Dec 2009, 06:28 pm »

Quote from: James Tanner on 16 Dec 2009, 04:32 pm

ISo it seems to me that this particular reviewer is definitely in the minority with his impressions of the 7B's? My only thought is that most of us spend countless hours tweaking our systems in a way that provides us with the sound we want or prefer and inserting another component into the system will not always be perceived as better short term. Sometimes an accurate amplifier (just check out the measurements in the Stereophile review) works against you initially because it does not enhance or exaggerate any specific part of the frequency spectrum.

James

Fremer is an experienced reviewer who has some credability with me. But, look at his review of the Linn LP12. It wasn't exactly flattering despite thousands being sold and 25+ years of accolades from the press.

95Dyna · « **Reply #15 on:** 16 Dec 2009, 07:25 pm »

Quote from: mfsoa on 16 Dec 2009, 05:24 pm

Maybe MF wasn't sitting far enough off center?

I watched him at a Rave assuming the "Serious audio guru" seating position (that we all do when we really concentrate), and he ended up a good foot or two closer to one speaker than the other.

I tried the same position later and any sense of imaging was gone, yet he instantly pronounced thumbs up or down on the different DACs we heard.

He's just one (very powerful) dude who doesn't have anyones ears but his own.

Ahh, the troubles with reviews continue...

-Mike

Hi Mike,

I can't imagine a fragile soundstage or imaging could be the problem with Fremer. This is one of the absolute fortes of the 7s that I immediately noticed upon their installation in my system. I can wander 4-6 feet off center in either direction and not notice any degradation. The 7's are paired with 20 year old Infinity 9 Kappas, certainly not in the same league as the Wilsons, right?

Bill

Mad Mr H · « **Reply #16 on:** 16 Dec 2009, 08:21 pm »

Each to their own, I respect that.

My opinion would be that a 5 driver per cabinet 3 way speaker would benefit from bi/tri amp use rather than single amp.

When you get to a speaker of that design I would always prefer to see external cross over or go active, Trouble is these are often sold to those that can afford it but might not understand it, so a simple plug it in and go is uncomplicated.

Here you have a reviewer running $70K speakers with $8K of amp, Maybe a 28B would have been a better choice for this review, I still would have gone bi/tri amp..........

Each to his own

Lassus · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 Dec 2009, 08:39 pm »

This is my first post her on the circle. My many thanks for letting me be a causal voyeurist from time to time; I?ve solved a few problems reading posts here. I am writing this in this particular forum because after reading the review by mister Fremer I was perplexed as well. I?ve heard and lived with the 7B?s (I do not own a pair at the time) and the Titan. He is spot on with the Titan but way off the mark with the 7B?s I have never heard a Bryston sound that way he described them, ever. Unless there was something wrong in the mix (ancillary equipment / congruency). And that is what I kept saying to myself, ?there has to be something ?off? here?.
I don?t know? It doesn?t sound right to me.
I am a long time reader and fan of Stereophile. I find the writing and reviews very entertaining. I take all reviews with the grain of salt of course, but I have found over the years that Stereophile does the best job at putting you in the pilot?s seat. Furthermore, I believe Mr. Atkinson does his best to put together an honest rag with integrity. Yet, more often then not, I take issue with MF sometimes God bless him. His reviews tend to be all over the place and product comparisons unfair. Read for example his review of the ASR Emitter II ?integrated? amp. Whoa! He had to rein himself in lest he belittle his beloved reference amps (kinda funny actually). I still enjoy reading his analogue corner column and I have learned some cool stuff while taking one of his TT setup seminars. He is the best at conveying his love and enthusiasm as for the hobby.
STILL, that review was OFF and I really believe there may be some follow up on this one! I?m not saying that he was being dishonest. If anything he will always stand by what he says?I like him for that.
To Mr. Tanner: you offer an excellent service here on this forum. I hope all Bryson owner understand what a rare gift it is to have a company care so much about the people that own their product. You are an asset to the hobby. Thanks!
Respectfully Lassus

James Tanner · « **Reply #18 on:** 16 Dec 2009, 08:42 pm »

Hi Folks,

Well I have to admit I am feeling a little bruised by all this and I think the problem is that any manufacturer that attempts to defend their product from these types of reviews just ends up looking like sour grapes.

james

werd · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 Dec 2009, 08:54 pm »

Those speakers look beautiful, however the min power rating of 20 watts seems a little suspect to me. 8 ohm load at 88/87 db load seems like it needs dedicated power for each driver config. He could've picked a better speaker to review those amps and that's his job to system match imo. Apologize for calling him a tool .. that was bad, Guess i just have to read the review and maybe back-peddle here a bit.