[mmmbeer]

hey mmmbeer - what speakers are you running?

B&W 804 D3's

[plastico]

Thanks TJ. I listen to wide variety of music. From older pop, rock, jazz, great female vocal-anything but rap! It all sounds fab on my record player with my Golden Ear Triton Two's/Paradigm PW2100 v2 sub.
Cheers, Doug

[TJ-Sully]

B&W 804 D3's

mmmbeer....i just love writing that down. I love beer!!   lots of micro brews everywhere.  yum!

for what its worth man, i think a tube pre-amp would be highly recommended with your setup.  Inserting a bryston pre could lead to very sharp highs from those incredible tweeters. tubes should mellow that out nicely....i would think. But i've never had tubes so what the hell do i know!  haha.    it's all theory. but i have heard the B&W D3 series speakers will all bryston gear and it was WAY too sharp for my ears.   fatiguing after 20 mins kind of sharp.

T

[TJ-Sully]

Thanks TJ. I listen to wide variety of music. From older pop, rock, jazz, great female vocal-anything but rap! It all sounds fab on my record player with my Golden Ear Triton Two's/Paradigm PW2100 v2 sub.
Cheers, Doug

Ah man, i bet your system sounds deadly!  Got a pic?

I just moved my listening room around - now the speakers are facing the long axis of the room. much better! 

T

[mmmbeer]

mmmbeer....i just love writing that down. I love beer!!   lots of micro brews everywhere.  yum!

for what its worth man, i think a tube pre-amp would be highly recommended with your setup.  Inserting a bryston pre could lead to very sharp highs from those incredible tweeters. tubes should mellow that out nicely....i would think. But i've never had tubes so what the hell do i know!  haha.    it's all theory. but i have heard the B&W D3 series speakers will all bryston gear and it was WAY too sharp for my ears.   fatiguing after 20 mins kind of sharp.

T

Haha, yes! Beer!
That’s exactly why I am leaning toward a tube pre- I love these speakers but need to be careful pairing it. I have a lower wattage class a amp driving themnow and, although they sound sweet and perfect,  they clearly don’t have enough power— my idea was to get a super neutral, transparent, amp (4b3) that will drive them well and tailor the rest of the system to the speakers. I’ve all but ruled out a bryston pre at this point based on feedback from others.  I couldn’t pull off going the full class a route given the amount of power I’ll need and the heat.  I’m trying to line up an audio research pre and a rogue audio pre as I can try some locally. 

[john1970]

Using a Sim Audio 740P+820S coupled to a pair of Bryston 7B3 amplifiers.  I plan on this combo driving my hi-fi system for the next 15-20 years. 

[TJ-Sully]

Haha, yes! Beer!
That’s exactly why I am leaning toward a tube pre- I love these speakers but need to be careful pairing it. I have a lower wattage class a amp driving themnow and, although they sound sweet and perfect,  they clearly don’t have enough power— my idea was to get a super neutral, transparent, amp (4b3) that will drive them well and tailor the rest of the system to the speakers. I’ve all but ruled out a bryston pre at this point based on feedback from others.  I couldn’t pull off going the full class a route given the amount of power I’ll need and the heat.  I’m trying to line up an audio research pre and a rogue audio pre as I can try some locally.

Right on mmm..beer. And nice steal your face!  wicked man.
ya, i think the 4B3 is an awesome choice for those 804's. Tons of power and freedom for those drivers to sing to their hearts content!  I'd love to know how the Audio Research sounds with your Bryston electronics. I'm oooogling over tube preamps these days - and looking at PS Audio's signature BHK's. But i'll have to re-mortgage the house first!  or sell a bunch of gear...haha.

where abouts are you to sample the Audio Research gear?

T

[TJ-Sully]

Using a Sim Audio 740P+820S coupled to a pair of Bryston 7B3 amplifiers.  I plan on this combo driving my hi-fi system for the next 15-20 years.

i believe it john1970!   beauty. and all canadian to boot!
What speakers are you driving with that reference system of yours..?
Let me guess...PMC IB2's?

T

[WilsonDADA]

My 4B3 work well with Jeff Rowland Synergy IIi.

[turnovertherecord]

Using a C2300 with 7b3 sold my 4b3

[ord.avg.guy]

Sublime sound from my 4B3 paired with my 20 plus year old BP25. Speakers are Canton Vento 890.2 DC's. To me the Polarity switch makes a noticeable difference and if I ever feel I need to replace my BP25 it will be for a BP26 to get the polarity switch.

[mmmbeer]

Right on mmm..beer. And nice steal your face!  wicked man.
ya, i think the 4B3 is an awesome choice for those 804's. Tons of power and freedom for those drivers to sing to their hearts content!  I'd love to know how the Audio Research sounds with your Bryston electronics. I'm oooogling over tube preamps these days - and looking at PS Audio's signature BHK's. But i'll have to re-mortgage the house first!  or sell a bunch of gear...haha.

where abouts are you to sample the Audio Research gear?

T

Thanks! American Beauty is one of my go to reference records for testing with (and so is Eat a Peach for that matter)

I'm for sure considering the PS Audio one, I just need to hear it first.  I'm in Ventura, CA (Southern California, north of LA) area and there's a few shops locally, and a ton in LA.  I should have the Bryston unit in 2 weeks or so- I can't wait I feel like a kid on christmas!  I just love the sound of tubes though, it's not reasonable to expect this much consistent power and  current from a reasonably priced tube amp--so preamp feels right. 

[Luxmancl38]

Have a Bryston 2.5 SST2 hooked up to a Luxman CL38U SE preamp and a pair of Aerial 5T speakers. Great system for a small room.

[mmmbeer]

Have a Bryston 2.5 SST2 hooked up to a Luxman CL38U SE preamp and a pair of Aerial 5T speakers. Great system for a small room.

Nice.  I literally have that luxman page up right now.  Seems like a good price for what it is.

[redbook]

Sublime sound from my 4B3 paired with my 20 plus year old BP25. Speakers are Canton Vento 890.2 DC's. To me the Polarity switch makes a noticeable difference and if I ever feel I need to replace my BP25 it will be for a BP26 to get the polarity switch.  Yes I feel that way too. The polarity is  something not mentioned often but I have found it useful on some recordings ....would miss it if not there..

[TJ-Sully]

Have a Bryston 2.5 SST2 hooked up to a Luxman CL38U SE preamp and a pair of Aerial 5T speakers. Great system for a small room.

Sweet little system man!  Aerial Acoustics seems like an incredible company.

[TJ-Sully]

Thanks! American Beauty is one of my go to reference records for testing with (and so is Eat a Peach for that matter)

I'm for sure considering the PS Audio one, I just need to hear it first.  I'm in Ventura, CA (Southern California, north of LA) area and there's a few shops locally, and a ton in LA.  I should have the Bryston unit in 2 weeks or so- I can't wait I feel like a kid on christmas!  I just love the sound of tubes though, it's not reasonable to expect this much consistent power and  current from a reasonably priced tube amp--so preamp feels right.

Yes, go to albums for sure. 
I've given up being able to hear equipment before buying - I am just too damn isolated from decent audio shops. quality shops are about 6-8 hours away. hoping to make it to Montreal Audio show next year.
PSA has made arrangements where you can purchase gear, try it at home, and send it back if unsatisfied at 100% money back no questions asked. so that's always a good option. but those preamps are in the $5G range-ish.  I'm having a hard time digesting that scenario.....all in good time!

i've been away from home all week - can't wait to get back and crank some tunes!

and congrats on the 4B3! an early xmas?

TJ 

[Luxmancl38]

Nice.  I literally have that luxman page up right now.  Seems like a good price for what it is.

Looks a lot like the Marantz 7C. Luxman only made 100 SE versions of the preamp. It was for their 90th Anniversary. I had a CJ ET3 SE prior to the Luxman. It only took one track form Santana's Black Magic Woman to convince me into selling the CJ. Art Dudley of Stereophile reviewed the Luxman and compared it favorably to the much more expensive Shindo Monbrison. The CL38 is also rated in the Class A section of Stereophile.

[leica m3]

Bottlehead Quickie-battery powered pre.

[gberger]

My BP17c came today (finally!)   So I'l be changing out my BP-6C for the 17 over this weekend.
Rest of my system is 4BSST2 driving Thiel 2.7s and a SS2.2. BCD-3 spinner and a Magnum Dynalab FM tuner.
Extensive Classical CD RedBook collection.     No Streaming!!