[tomsenko]

Hello!

Could someone please explain me what would be the exact difference between the digital signal coming out from BDP-1 and the one from a regular media player with an internal HDD (mine is a Dune Smart D1) which also outputs PCM up to 24/192?

Thanks,
Tom

[skunark]

* BDP-1 has a BNC and AES/EBU digital output which is considered the best two digital output options.  Bryston has customize the output buffers for those ports.  For the DUNE, generically digital outputs have higher jitter than other digital ports.
* BDP-1 will have a cleaner power supply than the wall-wart that comes with the BDP which can impact the output signal.
* BDP-1 only outputs music.

When I compare the BDP-1 to an Apple TV, Playstation 3 and even spinning disc players all feeding the same DAC (BDA), the BDP is by far the best source.  To me the music is always sharper but the biggest difference I've notice is the crispness of the bass and the detail in the highs.    I will also point out that the Oppo Digital's BDP-95 is a strong competitor in terms of quality using it's XLR outputs and feeding through the BDA.    I also prefer the BDP/BDA combo over USB DACs (Ayre's QB9, MF vDAC, Wavelength's brick).

If you have a reasonable DAC, I think the BDP would be worth a demo so you can make your own decision if there's a dealer close by.   

[JfTM]

Of the alternatives I've listened to, the BDP-1 has by far a "blacker", quieter noise floor that gives the music a more dynamic open sound.

I personally think this has a lot to do with the BDP-1s very good internal power supplies (multiple, not just one).

[SamKVA]

I've tried a lot of quality music players in my system and the BDP-1 is my favorite and a keeper. The BDP-1 also integrates well with high-end surround sound processors to build a single system for both movies and audiophile quality 2 channel music. The BDP-1 does exactly what it's should do: play music beautifully.

[tomsenko]

OK, thanks
The reason I was asking is that after buying the Benchmark DAC1 the sound quality has already improved dramatically. I was just wondering if adding the BDP-1 would still make a noticeable difference. The rest of my system is rather average - Marantz PM7200 amp and Tannoy R3 speakers.
Unfortunately BDP-1 is only upon order and I cannot test it out.

[James Tanner]

OK, thanks
The reason I was asking is that after buying the Benchmark DAC1 the sound quality has already improved dramatically. I was just wondering if adding the BDP-1 would still make a noticeable difference. The rest of my system is rather average - Marantz PM7200 amp and Tannoy R3 speakers.
Unfortunately BDP-1 is only upon order and I cannot test it out.

Hi Tom


Who is the dealer and where are you located?
Jamestanner@bryston.com

James

[firedog]

OK, thanks
The reason I was asking is that after buying the Benchmark DAC1 the sound quality has already improved dramatically. I was just wondering if adding the BDP-1 would still make a noticeable difference. The rest of my system is rather average - Marantz PM7200 amp and Tannoy R3 speakers.
Unfortunately BDP-1 is only upon order and I cannot test it out.

You could look at the Auraliti player which is similar in concept. http://auraliti.com/Store.html

They have models with soundcard/internal DAC /digital out and models that are just a USB out (use external DAC) I think they will sell it on a trial basis. The web site isn't very helpful-they apparently don't list all their stuff there.  Write them if you don't see what you want.

[firedog]

Hello!

Could someone please explain me what would be the exact difference between the digital signal coming out from BDP-1 and the one from a regular media player with an internal HDD (mine is a Dune Smart D1) which also outputs PCM up to 24/192?

Thanks,
Tom

The Bryston is hardware/software optimized just for music. No superfluous HW or HD making noise, no computer processes running that don't have anything to do with audio. Good electrical isolation and regulation, low noise. Apparently all this results in a low jitter, very quiet audio stream w/out background noise.

[tomsenko]

The Bryston is hardware/software optimized just for music. No superfluous HW or HD making noise, no computer processes running that don't have anything to do with audio. Good electrical isolation and regulation, low noise. Apparently all this results in a low jitter, very quiet audio stream w/out background noise.

I somehow still don't understand how background niose could be added to ones and zeros going to the DAC. I thought is was all about reading the data correctly from the media and outputting to the DAC. If the Dune player can read 25mb/s bluray movies from the internal HDD, I suppose it should cope well with audio files. But I guess it is as they say - you have to hear it to believe it.

[firedog]

I somehow still don't understand how background niose could be added to ones and zeros going to the DAC. I thought is was all about reading the data correctly from the media and outputting to the DAC. If the Dune player can read 25mb/s bluray movies from the internal HDD, I suppose it should cope well with audio files. But I guess it is as they say - you have to hear it to believe it.

The common misconception is that "it's all ones and zeros". Not true. Jitter has to do with timing errors. Electrical noise/interference can easily migrate from a PC to your DAC, increase jitter, etc. That's one of the reason even good soundcards don't rise to the level of true audiophile sound. Cutting down all the noise and interference helps reduce jitter and reduce noise per se.

[SamKVA]

OK, thanks
The reason I was asking is that after buying the Benchmark DAC1 the sound quality has already improved dramatically. I was just wondering if adding the BDP-1 would still make a noticeable difference. The rest of my system is rather average - Marantz PM7200 amp and Tannoy R3 speakers.
Unfortunately BDP-1 is only upon order and I cannot test it out.

I'm not familiar with your amp and have never heard the Tannoy R3s in my room but I have tried and owned several transports and music servers that were more expensive than the BDP-1 and none can compete with the sound quality of the BDP-1. The music in my room is so enveloping you would think the surround amps are on with the SSP in some multi-channel matrix mode (which is never the case for 2 channel listening).

[JfTM]

I somehow still don't understand how background niose could be added to ones and zeros going to the DAC. I thought is was all about reading the data correctly from the media and outputting to the DAC. If the Dune player can read 25mb/s bluray movies from the internal HDD, I suppose it should cope well with audio files. But I guess it is as they say - you have to hear it to believe it.

Listen for yourself, I think you'll be surprised.  I was half way to building my own silent PC based player after using "normal" PCs for a few years.  The BDP was in my opinion a much better choice.  Sounds way better in my system.

And my system is average:  BP25/4BST, a MF V-DAC (don't tell anybody), and usually into IMF TLS80s (or Allison Threes, or Harbeth HL Mk IIs).

[SHV]

If you are in the USA, Audioadvisor has a 30 day return policy.  I suspect that very few/no BDP-1s get returned.

Steve

[James Tanner]

From: ray@auraliti
Sent: December-09-11 6:03 PM
To: James Tanner; Demian - Auraliti
Subject: RE: Question

Hi James,

We could say one is similar to a Roku media box and the other is a Stradivarius.

That would only be a slight exaggeration of the difference.

The Dune D1 states it can play most media file types. The port for doing so is HDMI. This type connection allows high resolution video and all sorts of baggage required to by law to transfer and display high resolution video. This very complex bunch of silicon is not required and is in fact detrimental to what we want. Low jitter and phase noise added to the digital audio stream for maximum quality reproduction of the music file.

Ray

[SamKVA]

If you are in the USA, Audioadvisor has a 30 day return policy.  I suspect that very few/no BDP-1s get returned.

Steve

That's what I did. We don't have a local dealer so I couldn't demo one and I've been burned too many times with no return policies. My intention was to set it up, let it burn in for a few hundred hours and then really demo it. When I got it running it sounded better cold out of the box than any other player or transport I've tried. I immediately sat down and enjoyed hours of music. It does sound better after some burn in but I didn't find it to improve dramatically. Then again, I'm not sure how much room for improvement there is with it.

[SHV]

"My intention was to set it up, let it burn in for a few hundred hours and then really demo it...."
*******
Does Bryston  run their digital products on the bench for 100 hours as they do the amps?

Steve

[James Tanner]

"My intention was to set it up, let it burn in for a few hundred hours and then really demo it...."
*******
Does Bryston  run their digital products on the bench for 100 hours as they do the amps?

Steve

Hi Steve

Yes we do.

James