MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Bryston Stereophile Recommended Components 2012
DATE: July 2012
Disc Players, Transports & Media Players
A+ Rated
Bryston BDP-1:
Simple in function and purist in design, the plug’n’play BDP-1 digital audio player is basically a Linux computer optimized for streaming audio files. Based on the user-friendly Auraliti L-1000, the BDP-1 plays digital files from external flash drives or portable hard drives plugged into one of its four USB 2.0 ports; it adds an AES/EBU output to the Auraliti’s S/PDIF and has a front-panel display and keypad to control playback. Once properly set up and configured and used with Bryston’s BDA-1 DAC, the BDP-1 produced open highs, a rich midrange, stunning dynamic range, and three-dimensional imaging, said LG. JA, too, was impressed: “Bryston’s BDP-1 proved to be an excellent-performing digital source, with a low-jitter, bit-accurate data output capable of operating at sample rates up to 192kHz.” BR-2 remote control adds $375. (Vol.34 No.6
A RATED
Bryston BCD-1:
Bryston’s first CD player is extremely well engineered and solidly built. It uses a Bryston-modified Philips L1210 transport and discrete digital and analog power supplies to help reduce jitter. A chunky, full-function remote is made of brushed aluminum to match the player’s attractive front panel. LG noted “open highs, detailed imaging and soundstaging, well-defined and authoritative bass, and an ability to reveal the most subtle musical details.” Measured performance was “close to the state of the art for a CD player,” said JA. “A Class A bargain at a Class B price,” says ST. (Vol.32 No.2
2012 Recommended Components Digital Processors
A RATED
Bryston BDA-1:
Bryston’s first standalone DAC is a slim, rugged component with a simple, brushed-aluminum faceplate and eight digital inputs: two S/PDIF optical, four S/PDIF electrical, one AES/EBU XLR, and one USB 1.1 accepting signals with sample rates at or below 48kHz. It uses a Burr-Brown SRC4392 sample-rate–converter chip and a pair of 128x-oversampling, 24-bit delta-sigma Crystal CS4398 DAC chips. With its open highs, detailed imaging, deep soundstaging, and well-defined bass, the BDA-1 offered “the best-sounding digital playback” LG had ever heard in his listening room. Though the BDA-1 measured well overall, JA was puzzled by some very low-level noise modulation in the low treble. Partnered with Bryston’s BDP-1 digital audio player, the BDA-1 produced enormous dynamic range, black backgrounds, and deep soundstages, said LG. Add $375 for BR-2 remote control. (Vol.33 No.2, Vol.34 No.6
2012 Music Surround Sound Components
A RATED
Bryston 9B-SST2:
The 9B-SST2 power amplifier (called 9B-THX at the time of the review) boasts five channels, 120Wpc into 8 ohms, and is built like pro gear; ie, like a tank. Hand-soldered, double-sided glass-epoxy boards and elaborate grounding scheme front special-grade steel toroidal transformers. According to JA, “the excellent set of measurements indicates solid, reliable engineering.” LG was impressed by this amp’s speed, power, extension, its tightness and definition in the bass, and its “excellent” midrange. Fully the equal of more costly amps, with wide dynamic contrasts and “involving” vocals, and sonically similar to previous Bryston ST amps. THX conformance, a 20-year (!) warranty, and a reasonable price make this beefy, reliable amp an attractive package—a perfect choice, suggests LG, for home-theater and multichannel music systems. KR’s long-term multi-channel reference. (Vol.23 No.9
RATED to date EXCELLENT
BRYSTON SP-3
2012 Recommended Components 2-Ch. Power Amps
Rated B
Bryston 7B-SST2 monoblock: $10,200/pair
The superbly built 7B SST2 offers 600W in fully balanced, class-A/B operation into 8 ohms, and features a dual-mono bridged circuitry in which the two amplifier modules in each monoblock chassis are wired in series and driven by opposite-polarity signals. Changes from the original 7B SST include a circuit innovation said to maintain unvarying amounts of distortion throughout the audioband, new output devices, increased power-supply capacitance, a new low-noise power transformer, new computer-modeled heatsinks, more direct connections with less point-to-point wiring, and new cosmetics. Though the 7B SST2’s tonal balance was “essentially seamless and fully extended,” it lacked spatial depth and image specificity. When equipped with a new type of transformer trickled down from Bryston’s flagship 28B SST2 (serial number 001826 onward), the 7B SST2 produced tighter images, sharper transients, and improved bass definition. Nevertheless, when compared to the Class A Parasound Halo JC 1, the Bryston lacked bass control, low-level resolution, and microdynamic delicacy, said MF. (Vol.33 No.1
2012 Recommended Components Disc Players, Transports, and Media Players
Rated A+
Bryston BDP-1:
Simple in function and purist in design, the plug’n’play BDP-1 digital audio player is basically a Linux computer optimized for streaming audio files. Based on the user-friendly Auraliti L-1000, the BDP-1 plays digital files from external flash drives or portable hard drives plugged into one of its four USB 2.0 ports; it adds an AES/EBU output to the Auraliti’s S/PDIF and has a front-panel display and keypad to control playback. Once properly set up and configured and used with Bryston’s BDA-1 DAC, the BDP-1 produced open highs, a rich midrange, stunning dynamic range, and three-dimensional imaging, said LG. JA, too, was impressed: “Bryston’s BDP-1 proved to be an excellent-performing digital source, with a low-jitter, bit-accurate data output capable of operating at sample rates up to 192kHz.” BR-2 remote control adds $375. (Vol.34 No.6
