[tim92gts]

My 802 Diamonds definitely sound great powered by the 4B-SST. It would be nice to someday use a pair of 7B-SST²'s though. I'm currenty bi-amping with 4B-SST's.

Have you tried single amping by using the 4Bs in bridged mode?
iirc the 802s don't dip to too low impedance anywhere.
A little play around one evening could bring you a dramatic change.
Tim

[Mad Max]

  Going to audition the 804Ds next weekend. Will report back
 
  Surprised to hear that the mids are better on 802 than the 803 since they have the same driver. Guess it's the enclosure.

Yes, it is all due to the enclosure (head). It makes a difference. But they are all very nice to listen to.

Happy Listening!

[spinner]

  How do you find the diamond dome? . I have read very positive things about this new tweeter material.

[Mad Max]

I find the diamond tweeters very revealing and precise. They do high frequencies like nothing else with no harshness at all.  I personally really enjoy them.

[redbook]

 Now I have to get them.

[Rod_S]

Have you tried single amping by using the 4Bs in bridged mode?
iirc the 802s don't dip to too low impedance anywhere.
A little play around one evening could bring you a dramatic change.
Tim

I can't do that because the 2 4B's are slightly different models. Well, I guess I could but James advised against it for that reason so I'm playing it safe  One is the original SST while the other is a C series. I use the SST to power the bass drivers while the SST C Series does the mid and high frequency drivers and thatis James approved  The 802's go down to below 3 ohms, I can't remember exactly how low off hand and that was another reason for not trying the 4B's in bridged mode.

I would really like to get 7B's but I still have to get my surrounds upgraded to B&W first and I'm torn between the 803 Diamonds and 802 Diamonds. 803's will obviously save me money but I like the look and sound of the 802's more so it's a tough decision.

[kostisgva]

For the 802d for both music and HT use, should i buy the 7b or the 28b? Thank you!

[SoundGame]

For the 802d for both music and HT use, should i buy the 7b or the 28b? Thank you!

If you can afford the 28 - there is no better amp in the Bryston stable....GO FOR IT!  And be sure to share pics!

[vegasdave]

Yep!

[62Truck]

Going to pick this thread back up a bit.  I see Rod S has experience with the Diamond Series with Bryston amplification.  Anyone else have this as well?  I have read some good and some bad reviews of these pairings.  Obviously, both products are very  nice when standing alone.  Just would like to hear of what people think about them together.  Some say it is too forward (bright).

[SoundGame]

Going to pick this thread back up a bit.  I see Rod S has experience with the Diamond Series with Bryston amplification.  Anyone else have this as well?  I have read some good and some bad reviews of these pairings.  Obviously, both products are very  nice when standing alone.  Just would like to hear of what people think about them together.  Some say it is too forward (bright).

Bryston engineers their amps to be tonally neutral and linear.  The latest SST2 amps are as smooth as silk up top and very transparent to everything up the chain.  I haven't hear the B&W Diamond speakers but from what I understand, they dip slightly in the presence range 2k to 6k Hz.  This perhaps might give the impression that the highs are emphasized and combining this with bright sounding source components or music recordings could give the impression of excessive brightness.  If you keep to source components and cabling that is neutral or having a polite presentation, I would think you would be fine.   

[62Truck]

Bryston engineers their amps to be tonally neutral and linear.  The latest SST2 amps are as smooth as silk up top and very transparent to everything up the chain.  I haven't hear the B&W Diamond speakers but from what I understand, they dip slightly in the presence range 2k to 6k Hz.  This perhaps might give the impression that the highs are emphasized and combining this with bright sounding source components or music recordings could give the impression of excessive brightness.  If you keep to source components and cabling that is neutral or having a polite presentation, I would think you would be fine.

Thank you SoundGame!  I am happy to report I am a pleased 4B SST2 owner, so I know how great the newer Bryston amps can sound.  And I have heard the 800 and 802 Diamonds and was pleased with both.  The kicker is not together.  Both B&W pairs were with Mc monos.  The cabling and sourcing is a great point.  I think both areas need to be addressed properly within any given system.

[Chicago]

I have the second generation 803 Diamonds with a 4Bsst, BP-25 and BCD-1 and I couldn't be happier.  I also auditioned the PMC OB1i and the 804 Diamonds at my house.  At the dealership I auditioned the former plus Thiel CS3.7 and the 802N.  The dealer set these up with the 4Bsst2, BP-26 and the BCD-1 so I would have as close a comparison as I could get.  They were all great and if I just listened to classical I might have gone with the PMC, but I listen to more Jazz, Bluegrass and Pop with some good ol' rock and roll mixed in.  The vocals plus the Diamond tweeters sold me and the base was sufficient for my taste. 

Personally I don't find the combination too bright but I like detail.  I think you will find the sound sweeter than some of the reviews suggest, or at least I did.  I spent several days at the dealer narrowing the field for what I wanted to bring home.  After purchase I did find the 803 Diamonds too bright for the first few weeks but they smoothed out nicely.  Currently I run a balance cable from the source to pre-amp and a modest priced cable to the amp (saving nickels).  I use the Bryston power cords.

[62Truck]

I have the second generation 803 Diamonds with a 4Bsst, BP-25 and BCD-1 and I couldn't be happier.  I also auditioned the PMC OB1i and the 804 Diamonds at my house.  At the dealership I auditioned the former plus Thiel CS3.7 and the 802N.  The dealer set these up with the 4Bsst2, BP-26 and the BCD-1 so I would have as close a comparison as I could get.  They were all great and if I just listened to classical I might have gone with the PMC, but I listen to more Jazz, Bluegrass and Pop with some good ol' rock and roll mixed in.  The vocals plus the Diamond tweeters sold me and the base was sufficient for my taste. 

Personally I don't find the combination too bright but I like detail.  I think you will find the sound sweeter than some of the reviews suggest, or at least I did.  I spent several days at the dealer narrowing the field for what I wanted to bring home.  After purchase I did find the 803 Diamonds too bright for the first few weeks but they smoothed out nicely.  Currently I run a balance cable from the source to pre-amp and a modest priced cable to the amp (saving nickels).  I use the Bryston power cords.

Thank you so much for the words, Chicago.  I am very perplexed as to what I should pair my 4B with.  Dynaudio is up there with B&W, but I want to be careful of bright pairings.  Recently, I have discovered reviews of Monitor Audio's speaker lineup, too.  Their Platinum line.  I may drag my 4B into my local B&W dealer this weekend. 

[stereoal]

I have 803 Diamonds with my 7Bsst2 amps, BP26, Bryston DAC and Bryston CD player. I bought the speakers new in 2009 and the Bryston gear new in 2010 so they're the only speakers I've ever used in my system. I don't think the speakers are too bright and I'm happy with the sound. I found that spiking the speakers to the floor improved the sound (the spikes come with the speakers). In my opinion, I think you get used to the sound of a certain speaker after a while and grow to like them more as time goes on. I used to own a set of B&W 805 bookshelfs and was amazed at the sound from such a small speaker. As always, I wouldn't buy a set of speakers without listening to them first.

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I just bought 802D2. Hooked to ATI AT2004 amp (ATI makes some amps for Mark Levinson, Lexicon, JBL, Cary Audio, and Theta). The sound is exquisite. Just beautiful.

[Chicago]

Thank you so much for the words, Chicago.  I am very perplexed as to what I should pair my 4B with.  Dynaudio is up there with B&W, but I want to be careful of bright pairings.  Recently, I have discovered reviews of Monitor Audio's speaker lineup, too.  Their Platinum line.  I may drag my 4B into my local B&W dealer this weekend.

I would ask the dealer for an audition at my home.  My dealer delivered three different sets of speakers to my house for the auditions and I kept two of them for a couple of weeks and then they picked them up.  You may find a speaker you liked at the dealership does not work all that well at your home.  For example I really liked the 804 Diamond at the dealer but they were lost in my home setting.

You may want to keep your powder dry and listen to James Tanner's new Bryston speakers (Model T's).  There is an extensive thread on them and they sound like they are going to be special.  And at about 1/2 the cost of the B&W 803 Diamonds.  If I were still looking I would not spend a nickel until I heard those.  They are going to be carried at select Bryston dealers.

I spent a lot of time debating the merits of various speakers and I read every review I could get my hands on.  Someone at this site offered good advice to me.  Trust your ears after all they are the only ones that need be pleased with this purchase.
 

[redbook]

 So who is a select dealer I wonder.

[Mad Max]

I've been very happy with the results I have with Bryston and B&W speakers. I've paired the 4B, and the 7B's to my 803D's with great results. Then I've also paired my 7B's with my 800D's with good results. But the pinicle is the 28B's paired with the 800D's. Awesome!!

[Chicago]

So who is a select dealer I wonder.

Redbook,
Not sure James ever disclosed this but I haven't been to the thread lately.  By the way did you ever get out to listen to the 803 Diamonds?  At least I think that is the ones that held interest for you.

Mike