Bryston announcing new SST3 amps

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Rod_S

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Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #220 on: 29 Jan 2016, 01:07 pm »
Hi Luigi

It may be a while as we think we want to incorporate ethernet connections on the 6B and 9B as they are generally used in Surround systems and connectivity seems to be a priority with our dealers and distributors.

james

So what excatly would control the amps? Would this strictly be a proprietary connection to just the SP3 via ethernet?

James Tanner

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Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #221 on: 29 Jan 2016, 02:07 pm »
So what excatly would control the amps? Would this strictly be a proprietary connection to just the SP3 via ethernet?

To allow the amplifier to me monitored remotely by the dealer for updates or problem solving etc. and to allow the amplifier to be control and be available on the wifi network.

james

alanford69

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Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #222 on: 29 Jan 2016, 04:56 pm »
Hello, a reseller here in Italy just told me the new series will be presented in Europe at the Munich High End which is scheduled in the beginning of May. Can we still expect to get them any sooner?

James Tanner

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Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #223 on: 29 Jan 2016, 05:18 pm »
Hello, a reseller here in Italy just told me the new series will be presented in Europe at the Munich High End which is scheduled in the beginning of May. Can we still expect to get them any sooner?

Hi

We start shipping Cubed units next week but the first 2 runs are presold.

james

alanford69

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Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #224 on: 29 Jan 2016, 05:52 pm »
Thank you James, so price is defined at this point i guess. Can you tell is for which markets are you shipping?When will you update the corporate website?

James Tanner

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Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #225 on: 29 Jan 2016, 05:59 pm »
Thank you James, so price is defined at this point i guess. Can you tell is for which markets are you shipping?When will you update the corporate website?

It looks like the price increases will vary from 5% to 10% on the DACs and BDP's and Preamps etc. and 10-12% on the new Cubed amps depending on model.  Should finally have prices Monday.

james

audio.bill

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Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #226 on: 29 Jan 2016, 08:28 pm »
It looks like the price increases will vary from 5% to 10% on the DACs and BDP's and Preamps etc. and 10-12% on the new Cubed amps depending on model.  Should finally have prices Monday.

james
James - Will the BDA-3 have a price increase since it was just recently released? If so, will pending backorders still be filled at its original price? TIA!

James Tanner

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Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #227 on: 29 Jan 2016, 09:13 pm »
James - Will the BDA-3 have a price increase since it was just recently released? If so, will pending backorders still be filled at its original price? TIA!

No it is staying the same.

james

spinner

Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #228 on: 30 Jan 2016, 09:57 pm »
  Will the pro versions have any labelling indicating the cubed logo :scratch: ?

James Tanner

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Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #229 on: 30 Jan 2016, 10:04 pm »
  Will the pro versions have any labelling indicating the cubed logo :scratch: ?

Just the Label on the back

james

SoundGame

Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #230 on: 31 Jan 2016, 04:28 am »
Hi James,

Your response below is very interesting.  I've always known Bryston amplifiers, especially the SST2 to apply ruler flat / linear amplification to the input signal.  Your description indicates that the lower mids / upper bass with the Cube series has more body.  Could this be interpreted as additional warmth?  And, would this manifest itself in an even flatter response than the SST2 or is there some lower midrange emphasis / non-linearity present that is desireable?

In addition, with the lower distortion in the input stage, are you also perceiving greater detail retrieval or perhaps a quieter / black background that lets you more easily perceive detail within the soundstage?


It's tough to put a percentage on it as the differences may be more prevalent in some systems and minimal in others.

So far in my setups I have had a chance to listen to the Cubed 7B's and the 4B's and the lower mids and upper bass has more body and better transient response and the soundstage space is more extended in terms of width. depth and height while still maintaning good image placement.

james


James Tanner

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Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #231 on: 31 Jan 2016, 11:54 am »
Hi Soundgame

I have been thinking about how to best describe the differences with the Cubed Series vs the SST2 Series as the press has been asking me to put together something. So here goes:

Bryston Cubed Differences

I can explain the differences and the thinking behind the 3 or Cubed Series amps, but it's a bit complex and long-winded, sorry:‎

A few years ago, we had a review in a Swedish magazine that pronounced the 14B SST2 to be 'perfect'. That was not based on 'he liked it'; it had nothing to do with auditory preference, it had to do with transparency. The reviewer had and still has a setup where he can literally 'bypass' an amplifier to drop it out of the signal path, (dummy speaker load, gain-reduction L-pad, leading to a second amplifier to the speakers). The 14B SST2 turned out to be impossible to detect in the signal path, on any signal they tried, from simple guitar music to full orchestra ffff, to an electronic metronome with instant rise time and no overshoot. And it was the first audio device in his history to do so.

That does not mean the amplifier is actually 'perfect', of course. It just means that it is not contributing, (or subtracting), anything the ear can detect, to or from the signal path in an otherwise exemplary system.

From that result and many others of our own, we concluded that static distortion measurements do not tell the whole story. It would seem that if static THD and IMD are low enough, 0.001% or -100dB, they cease to be relevant factors in the transparency of the device. ‎More important are time smear, deviations in frequency-response, dynamic distortions, noise within the device or from RF interference, etc.

Thus we did not introduce our new 'Salomie' input stage (which we received a patent on) simply to reduce static distortion. Our newest 'Cubed Series' amplifiers do have lower THD and IMD than the 'Squared Series' that preceded them but not significantly so. They measure out at about 0.001% or a bit below, over almost the entire frequency band. However, and we consider this to be most important, they are quieter and more musically accurate in a number of ways; First, the 20-20K noise is reduced, but the new input stage has far better PSRR, or power-supply rejection ratio. This means hash on the power-supply is rejected, in this case by more than 140dB. The input stage also has much better CMRR, or common-mode rejection. That means it rejects noise coming in on the signal cable much more completely than before. These are dynamic issues that can show up in a real-world system completely apart from static THD and IMD.

In addition to the above, the new Cubed Series employs highly effective RF rejection in the power supplies, which traps and eliminates radio-frequency hash from either interfering with or emanating from the amplifier via the power cable or signal cables.

The audible improvements we realized with these approaches are rather subtle. They would have to be with amps that started out 'perfect' in at least one reviewer's description, but they show up from very low listening levels, almost whisper-quiet, where the silences are more inky-black than before. It's almost an unconscious realization. They amps also cope better with dirt and hash of all kinds on the power cord, from distorted 60Hz Voltage to RF. Thus the quiet middle-of-the-night listening is even more relaxing and emotionally accessible. The depth of the soundstage and the precision of instrument placement is closer to reality than ever before. ‎

Of course, that's what it really boils down to; recreating the original musical experience in your home. The 'you are there' feeling. It's what we have been pursuing from day one, and are still focused on. The Cubed Series is closer than ever. 


Rod_S

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Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #232 on: 31 Jan 2016, 01:10 pm »
Very nice description of the differences, thanks for posting that.

Ola_S

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Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #233 on: 31 Jan 2016, 02:08 pm »
I know the persons behind the first test, since then they have found only one (1!) amplifier that have the same degree of performance as the 14B-SST with the modified output filters.

Original test from LTS

James Tanner

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Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #234 on: 31 Jan 2016, 04:31 pm »
I know the persons behind the first test, since then they have found only one (1!) amplifier that have the same degree of performance as the 14B-SST with the modified output filters.

Original test from LTS

Thanks Ola_S but it does not seem to connect to the review for me?

james

Phil A

Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #235 on: 31 Jan 2016, 04:53 pm »
Is that the old Swedish mod?

James Tanner

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Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #236 on: 31 Jan 2016, 05:18 pm »
Is that the old Swedish mod?

Yes the inductors where changed back then.

james

SoundGame

Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #237 on: 31 Jan 2016, 08:51 pm »
Hi James,

Thanks very much for sharing this.  I look forward to experiencing the new 4B3 in my own listening room shortly - my order is in!

On the finish - it seems to appear that the new Cubed series is a little more of a whiter / less shimmery appearance than the Squared series.  Would that be a correct perception?

Cheers

Hi Soundgame

I have been thinking about how to best describe the differences with the Cubed Series vs the SST2 Series as the press has been asking me to put together something. So here goes:

Bryston Cubed Differences

I can explain the differences and the thinking behind the 3 or Cubed Series amps, but it's a bit complex and long-winded, sorry:‎

A few years ago, we had a review in a Swedish magazine that pronounced the 14B SST2 to be 'perfect'. That was not based on 'he liked it'; it had nothing to do with auditory preference, it had to do with transparency. The reviewer had and still has a setup where he can literally 'bypass' an amplifier to drop it out of the signal path, (dummy speaker load, gain-reduction L-pad, leading to a second amplifier to the speakers). The 14B SST2 turned out to be impossible to detect in the signal path, on any signal they tried, from simple guitar music to full orchestra ffff, to an electronic metronome with instant rise time and no overshoot. And it was the first audio device in his history to do so.

That does not mean the amplifier is actually 'perfect', of course. It just means that it is not contributing, (or subtracting), anything the ear can detect, to or from the signal path in an otherwise exemplary system.

From that result and many others of our own, we concluded that static distortion measurements do not tell the whole story. It would seem that if static THD and IMD are low enough, 0.001% or -100dB, they cease to be relevant factors in the transparency of the device. ‎More important are time smear, deviations in frequency-response, dynamic distortions, noise within the device or from RF interference, etc.

Thus we did not introduce our new 'Salomie' input stage (which we received a patent on) simply to reduce static distortion. Our newest 'Cubed Series' amplifiers do have lower THD and IMD than the 'Squared Series' that preceded them but not significantly so. They measure out at about 0.001% or a bit below, over almost the entire frequency band. However, and we consider this to be most important, they are quieter and more musically accurate in a number of ways; First, the 20-20K noise is reduced, but the new input stage has far better PSRR, or power-supply rejection ratio. This means hash on the power-supply is rejected, in this case by more than 140dB. The input stage also has much better CMRR, or common-mode rejection. That means it rejects noise coming in on the signal cable much more completely than before. These are dynamic issues that can show up in a real-world system completely apart from static THD and IMD.

In addition to the above, the new Cubed Series employs highly effective RF rejection in the power supplies, which traps and eliminates radio-frequency hash from either interfering with or emanating from the amplifier via the power cable or signal cables.

The audible improvements we realized with these approaches are rather subtle. They would have to be with amps that started out 'perfect' in at least one reviewer's description, but they show up from very low listening levels, almost whisper-quiet, where the silences are more inky-black than before. It's almost an unconscious realization. They amps also cope better with dirt and hash of all kinds on the power cord, from distorted 60Hz Voltage to RF. Thus the quiet middle-of-the-night listening is even more relaxing and emotionally accessible. The depth of the soundstage and the precision of instrument placement is closer to reality than ever before. ‎

Of course, that's what it really boils down to; recreating the original musical experience in your home. The 'you are there' feeling. It's what we have been pursuing from day one, and are still focused on. The Cubed Series is closer than ever. 


James Tanner

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Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #238 on: 31 Jan 2016, 10:20 pm »
Hi James,

Thanks very much for sharing this.  I look forward to experiencing the new 4B3 in my own listening room shortly - my order is in!

On the finish - it seems to appear that the new Cubed series is a little more of a whiter / less shimmery appearance than the Squared series.  Would that be a correct perception?

Cheers

Hi

Yes good observation. The new Silver is what they call "bead blasted".

James

James Tanner

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Re: Bryston announcing new SST3 amps
« Reply #239 on: 1 Feb 2016, 04:47 pm »
MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Best of CES 2016 – Bryston Cubed Amplifiers
[/b]

February 2016



Bryston 4B3 (Cubed) stereo amplifier

“For me, the most important electronics introduced at CES 2016 were Bryston’s new Cubed amplifiers.




The 2.5B³, 3B³, and 4B³ stereo amps and 7B³, 14B³, and 28B³ monoblocks are all direct replacements of earlier, similarly named Squared models introduced eight years ago, the names of all of which end with the suffix SST2. (For this new line, Bryston has decided to ditch SST and simply close the superscript 3 up to the B³.

Bryston’s SST2 models have long been held in high regard including by SoundStage! Network writers -- each model offers exceptional sound quality at a very reasonable price, and is backed by a 20-year warranty. And Bryston has a sterling reputation for fixing everything they make, no questions asked. (I’ve run across many companies that offer long warranties, but refuse to fix a problem if they can find a way to blame the buyer for it.)

The Cubed models are purported to sound and measure even better than the Squareds, mainly because of a new, patented input stage that Bryston claims reduces the Squared models’ levels of distortion by 90%. The rejection of common-mode and EMI/RFI noise are also said to be improved. And the Cubeds’ front panels look better than the Squareds’

To me, the sweet spot of Bryston’s Squared line was the 4BSST2 stereo amp -- its power outputs of 300Wpc into 8 ohms or 500Wpc into 4 ohms are enough for most situations, and its retail price is low enough that many serious audiophiles on a budget can afford it.

For me, the 4BSST2 has always been a great benchmark to judge other amps against -- which is why, for a couple of years, my reference system included one. Now there’s the 4B³, with the same specified power outputs and the improvements noted above. Given that the new models are all basically the same as the old, I suspect that the 4B³ will remain the sweet spot in the new line.

As I write this, none of the prices for the Cubed models have been set. But if Bryston’s prices for the new series remain in line with its past products, I suspect that the 4B³ will not cost much more than the previous model -- in which case it should represent at least as good a value as its predecessor.”

Doug Schneider
das@soundstagenetwork.com
[/b]