[James Tanner]

WOW- when this Turntable aficionado reviews a turntable he really covers all the bases !!!

http://www.hifizine.com/2016/12/bryston-blp-1-turntable/

james

[abuhannibal]

Ahh but you are talking about sonic stability from minor rocking, whereas I am talking about stability in the event of cats thrusting off the dust cover.

Anyway in all seriousness, it's not really an issue, as all one has to do is stick something about 1.5 inches tall or slightly less underneath the plinth if one is worried about critter launches.

Very nice review - I would disagree with him on the arm tube though, it doesn't look inexpensive to me at all - it looks like what a nice finely-machined titanium tube should look like. The arm in general seems extremely robust.

[James Tanner]

Ahh but you are talking about sonic stability from minor rocking, whereas I am talking about stability in the event of cats thrusting off the dust cover.

Anyway in all seriousness, it's not really an issue, as all one has to do is stick something about 1.5 inches tall or slightly less underneath the plinth if one is worried about critter launches.

Very nice review - I would disagree with him on the arm tube though, it doesn't look inexpensive to me at all - it looks like what a nice finely-machined titanium tube should look like. The arm in general seems extremely robust.

I agree on the tonearm - The 7 section titanium tube is precisely machined on CNC lathes.

Most people are use to seeing the inexpensive painted tone arms or some old fashion polished stainless steel arm but they do not guarantee the same precision of machined parts.

[abuhannibal]

Hey folks just reporting on my record clamp experiments. My old Harman Kardon disc stabilizer works great - these are long "out of print" but they do pop up on fleabay once in a while. Nice product. I tried an Audio Technica AT618 weight which sadly did not work  -  hole appears to be too short for the spindle (fixable with a drill press but I didn't want to bother.) My favorite so far is the standard (non-Rega version) Michell reflex clamp - inexpensive and very effective, especially if the LP is a little bit dished, as some seem to be. I think perhaps the felt washer that ships with the Michell is a tad too thick but that's easy to change.

In terms of the table's general performance: I have been audiophile for 40+ years; would not say that I have the most discriminating ears by any means but I have heard many systems and a boatload of analog in my time. My ears do seem to be very sensitive to tiny speed variations, maybe more so than most. In that regard in particular the Bryston seems to me to be absolutely dead-on, perhaps more than any other table I have heard.

[abuhannibal]

Woops, I retract my comment about the Audio Technica AT-618 record weight - it works fine, I had just somehow managed to not have it seated correctly.  Probably the best bang for the buck if you're looking for a weight rather than a reflex clamp. But I think I will mainly use the Michell reflex clamp going forward.

[James Tanner]

Woops, I retract my comment about the Audio Technica AT-618 record weight - it works fine, I had just somehow managed to not have it seated correctly.  Probably the best bang for the buck if you're looking for a weight rather than a reflex clamp. But I think I will mainly use the Michell reflex clamp going forward.

Hi ab

What do you feel improves with the different clamp?

james

[abuhannibal]

James,

The main reason why I do like the reflex clamps is that with a weight I do find that with some records I can see that the edges are not in good physical contact with the platter, and just judging from what I have seen with my eyes, it seems that sometimes a weight alone can even make this worse. Of course it may not matter with most LP's, but it does seem to matter with some.  Re weights, I was honestly just playing around; the AT618 is a good bit heavier and wider than the supplied weight, and also nicely rubberized, which may or may not help to damp resonances. I have not had time to really compare them sonically; honestly I just surreptitiously added the AT to one of my Amazon orders b/c I figured the Finance Dept. would let it slide and I could always return it or give it to a friend. But I will get to it this week.  I don't really obsess about this kind of thing sonically; it's just a cheap tweak, and no audiophile can resist a cheap tweak. 

EDIT: If people want to try different clamps/weights, be aware of the height. The supplied weight is 30mm high; I wouldn't go much higher than that, but that leaves plenty of choices if you want to play.

[abuhannibal]

Eg, with this pressing (an inexpensive Thelonius Monk on, obviously, red vinyl), which is visibly warped, I get much flatter edges of the LP with the Michell clamp than I do with any of my weights.

[James Tanner]

Eg, with this pressing (an inexpensive Thelonius Monk on, obviously, red vinyl), which is visibly warped, I get much flatter edges of the LP with the Michell clamp than I do with any of my weights.

Neat looking LP - did not realize they were available in red.

james

[CanadianMaestro]

I still have my LP of Rush, Hemispheres, which I bought back in high school. It was red. At the time, everyone thought that was such a novelty and cool!

[abuhannibal]

James,

That is actually a cheap pressing, which to be honest I bought mainly for the fun of taking the photograph... but it sounds surprisingly good! I had heard, somewhere, that colored vinyl tends to be noisy, but this LP at least isn't.  The only other colored LP I have is a red pressing of the J Geils Band's Bloodshot, which I got when I was maybe 14. Not sure how playable that one is, though I do still have it.

Could be an interesting way to introduce ourselves to new music - seek it out by color. 

[Folsom]

I'm not sure about noisy, but they usually don't sound as good as a regular black vinyl. Thankfully for us used vinyl the color stuff usually commands a higher price, "collectible" bleh, whatever!

[abuhannibal]

Folsom, agreed.

[gene9p]

Folsom, agreed.

those are unofficial or bootlegged colored releases. B&N, MONDO, and others go through a proper and thorough mastering process before released on exclusive colored or black vinyl.

ps: don't tell Dave Mason his ALONE TOGETHER sounds better in black than the original marble release..LOL

[BrystonFan]

Sorry if this has been discussed.
Can the SP3 be used as the phono stage for the new turntable?
Thanks.

[srb]

Can the SP3 be used as the phono stage for the new turntable?

The SP3 surround processor doesn't have a built-in phono stage so you would have to use an external MM or MC phono preamplifier (or MM/MC) connected to one of the analog inputs.

[BrystonFan]

Thanks srb,

I better start budgeting 
-turntable
-MM/MC
-cartridge

[James Tanner]

MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Customer Feedback BLP-1 Turntable

January 2017

Hi James

Bravo! 



Bryston BLP-1 Turntable  BTP-1 Bryston Custom Power Supply


What an interesting experience returning to vinyl after 35 years of CDs, SACDs, DVD-As, FLAC and DSD downloads. 

My first thought was that this medium is quieter.  There’s a certain white noise in the digital, a grainier quality that is more felt than heard. 

The sound with the Bryston turntable and pre-amp is pure.

John P.

[abuhannibal]

James, a fast question. Am thinking of getting a BP-2 to replace my current phono stage, which is rather old.  Would 6mv overload the inputs? I assume not, but seems wise to be sure

[James Tanner]

James, a fast question. Am thinking of getting a BP-2 to replace my current phono stage, which is rather old.  Would 6mv overload the inputs? I assume not, but seems wise to be sure

No problem with 6mV - thats a higher number than normal - what MM cartridge is that?

james