Bryston BP-17 Preamp review teaser

James Tanner · « **on:** 26 Apr 2013, 09:24 pm »

Hi Folks,

BP-17 Preamp review in the works - sneak preview on some of the comments:

"By the way, the BP17 is superb.

The distortion of your products is getting to be so low, I may toss my tube gear. Up until now, tubes and solid stage high-end gear had about the same amount of distortion, but it was even-ordered vs. odd –ordered.

Now, with solid state gear having distortion in the 0.000X range, the order of the distortion peaks are irrelevant. Now, it’s high fidelity (solid state) vs. “The Tube Sound”. "

budcook · « **Reply #1 on:** 26 Apr 2013, 10:20 pm »

I just got mine a few days ago, number 0037. I'm looking forward to hearing what others have to say about it.

Bud

m00nhawk · « **Reply #2 on:** 27 Apr 2013, 05:35 am »

Personally, I'd like to know what you say about it....

budcook · « **Reply #3 on:** 27 Apr 2013, 03:17 pm »

I'd like to comment on how I feel about it but I'm not too articulate when it comes to describing how it sounds. When I first turned it on I was pretty disappointed but it didn't take long before things improved to the point where it was clear there was something different about this pre-amp. It's replacing a well broken in BP-25 and I already prefer the BP-17 with only a few hours on it.

A crude way of describing how I feel about it is how I felt when I went from the stock Sennheiser headphone cable to the Cardas balanced cable.

Let's just say I'm happy I chose the BP-17 over the BP-26.

The total remote control of the BP-17 is worth the price alone.

Bud

spinner · « **Reply #4 on:** 27 Apr 2013, 05:34 pm »

Quote from: budcook on 27 Apr 2013, 03:17 pm

I'd like to comment on how I feel about it but I'm not too articulate when it comes to describing how it sounds. When I first turned it on I was pretty disappointed but it didn't take long before things improved to the point where it was clear there was something different about this pre-amp. It's replacing a well broken in BP-25 and I already prefer the BP-17 with only a few hours on it.

A crude way of describing how I feel about it is how I felt when I went from the stock Sennheiser headphone cable to the Cardas balanced cable.

Let's just say I'm happy I chose the BP-17 over the BP-26.

The total remote control of the BP-17 is worth the price alone. How is the 17 better than the 25?

Bud

rmurray · « **Reply #5 on:** 27 Apr 2013, 05:55 pm »

James are there any pix of the BP17 with the top off?

James Tanner · « **Reply #6 on:** 27 Apr 2013, 06:03 pm »

Quote from: rmurray on 27 Apr 2013, 05:55 pm

James are there any pix of the BP17 with the top off?

No I am sorry I do not - it is the preamp section of the B135 Integrated amp.

James

budcook · « **Reply #7 on:** 28 Apr 2013, 02:22 am »

Quote from: spinner on 27 Apr 2013, 05:34 pm

How is the BP-17 better than the BP-25? Well, I didn't say it was better, I said I preferred the BP-17. I don't know how to describe how it's different except to say that it just never sounds strident no matter what you feed it or how loud you play it.

I want to put a couple hundred hours on it and replace the DAC to Preamp IC with a Cardas Light and then I should know what I have.

I doubt I'll ever have buyer's remorse.

Bud

turnovertherecord · « **Reply #8 on:** 2 May 2013, 02:21 am »

How much Gain does it have ???

budcook · « **Reply #9 on:** 2 May 2013, 02:33 am »

Quote from: turnovertherecord on 2 May 2013, 02:21 am

How much Gain does it have ???

I don't know but it seems to have less than the BP-25. On reflection, it might be due to the BP-17's lack of balanced inputs. I used balanced with the BP-25 but single-ended with the BP-17.

Since I bought a BHA-1 headphone amp, I'm using the balanced output of the BHA-2 for that so even if the BP-17 had a balanced input, I wouldn't be able to use it.

I'm otherwise quite happy with the BP-17.

Bud

James Tanner · « **Reply #10 on:** 30 May 2013, 04:22 pm »

MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Bryston BP-17 Preamp Review Secrets of Home Theater

Hi Folks

Please see link below for a review on the new Bryston BP-17 Preamplifier from The Secrets of Home Theater Magazine:

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/preamplifiers/preamplifiers-reviews/bryston-bp17-stereo-preamplifier.html

james

turnovertherecord · « **Reply #11 on:** 30 May 2013, 05:02 pm »

Very nice

Great to see Bryston as always

Great products and the best customer service on the planet

skunark · « **Reply #12 on:** 30 May 2013, 05:45 pm »

Is the BP17 "fully balanced"? If not I would let the reviewer know.

Quote

The Design

The BP17 is fully balanced from input to output, meaning that each channel actually has two preamplifier circuits, with one path inverted. The two signals are combined at the output, and any electrical interference that gets into the circuitry along the way is cancelled out. I see more and more preamps and power amps in a true balanced configuration, and this is good.

budcook · « **Reply #13 on:** 30 May 2013, 06:52 pm »

Quote from: skunark on 30 May 2013, 05:45 pm

Is the BP17 "fully balanced"? If not I would let the reviewer know.

I believe it's fully balanced. It just doesn't have a balanced input.

James Tanner · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 May 2013, 07:10 pm »

Yes the ouput is a fully differential balanced output.

james

skunark · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 May 2013, 08:14 pm »

Quote from: James Tanner on 30 May 2013, 07:10 pm

Yes the ouput is a fully differential balanced output.

james

Can you re-read that text, without a balanced input, not sure how an pre-amp can be fully balanced, and I quote "fully balanced from input to output" regardless if it has a fully balanced output. Is the B135 fully balanced too?

Jim

James Tanner · « **Reply #16 on:** 30 May 2013, 09:21 pm »

Quote from: skunark on 30 May 2013, 08:14 pm

Can you re-read that text, without a balanced input, not sure how an pre-amp can be fully balanced, and I quote "fully balanced from input to output" regardless if it has a fully balanced output. Is the B135 fully balanced too?

Jim

Hi

The inputs and circuitry is single ended.

james

So There · « **Reply #17 on:** 31 May 2013, 01:12 am »

Congratulations, James, on yet another stellar review. Excellence is Bryston's norm.

Rich
_______________
Whiney Napa Valley

James Tanner · « **Reply #18 on:** 31 May 2013, 01:17 am »

Quote from: So There on 31 May 2013, 01:12 am

Congratulations, James, on yet another stellar review. Excellence is Bryston's norm.

Rich
_______________
Whiney Napa Valley

Thanks - he called me to tell me the quality of the measured performance was at the limit of his test gear.

James

KeithA · « **Reply #19 on:** 31 May 2013, 02:14 am »

James

Are there any other reviews in the works from some of the more notable mags, etc?

I'm in the process of buying a new preamp to replace the 2 channel bypass I've been using on my SP1.7 (pretty close to pulling the trigger on a Pass Labs XP-20). My dealer doesn't stock any Bryston gear, so a demo is not possible. I'm fearful that the BP17 is too close to the SP1.7. However, a few more reviews might convince me to give the BP-17 a try.

Keith