[etmerritt33]

Hi,

I'm considering revamping my system a bit. I have a pair of Quadrature DSP-5a (3 way) speakers with a pair of Atma-Sphere MA1-MK2.II fully optioned amps that I may sell as they do not have enough power to properly drive the Quadratures in my 27x16x10 room. I'm currently using a pair of Merlin's with the AS. The rest of the system includes a Audio Aero Capitole MKII and First Sound preamp. I am considering Bryston mono blocks to replace the AS. I have never owned Bryston but have always been interested in the product. What has steered me away at times have been the opinions that Bryston is lean and not tonally full sounding. I am thinking that a pair of Bryston monos might be good with the First Sound and AA tube components. I would appreciate any insights from people who are experienced with Bryston. I'm concerned that I might find the Bryston amps too analytical and threadbare. Any insights, advice, etc. much appreciated.

Best,

Tom 

[mitcho]

I had the same concerns regarding Bryston as you.  All I read (if negative) were that they were bright, thin etc. etc.

Well, I took a chance and bought a BP26MC and a 3B SST recently.   I could not be happier.  I find them clean, however NOT bright or thin sounding.    I am using a GAMUT CD1 player (owned a Capitole 24/192 before and know it well) and a Roksan table with a Shelter cartridge.  The speakers are Gallo Reference 3.1's

I would describe the sound and full / rich and warm.   Not the thin, bright sonics that were described.   I would say that possibly the older models were more in that direction, but not now.    The newer line C series is far different from the older models.   I had Pass gear before (X2.2 preamp  X250 amp).   I find the Bryston sonics as warm/ rich as the Pass gear.

Very impressed with it.

You can still tailor your sonics by changing the tubes in the First Sound preamp.  Tube rolling will definitely tune in the system.   After owning tube gear for years, I am more than pleased owning the Bryston gear.    You should do well using the Bryston amps.  It will open other avenues for speakers that the Atma's will not allow you to try.

[Sasha]

Mitcho,

So you had Pass Labs X250 with X2.2 pre-amp, and now Bryston 3B SST with BP26?
Was it with the same speakers and source?
What was your impression on X250, and how does it compare to your Bryston?
I would be very interested to hear.

Sasha

[mitcho]

they were with the same source/ speakers.    The end result of the Pass X250/ X2.2 was that they had similar sonics.    I would give the edge to the Bryston pair for a little more inner detail and better bass definition.  The warmth/ richness was evident in both systems.  The Bryston pair gave you a little more that was on the recording.

I bought both systems as pairs and did not try 3BSST/ X2.2   or   BP26MC/X250

So how would they interact with the other brand's amp/ preamp?   I am not sure.  I would suspect, the Bryston would have a little more detail and better definition in the bass.    For the money, you are better off with the Bryston pair.

[etmerritt33]

Thanks for the input. That does help. I have pretty much decided to keep my Quadrature DSP-5a's (no bites on them on my Audiogon ad) and sell my Merlin VSM-MM's. Set the Quatratures back up in my system and they need more power than the AtmaSphere's provide. I hate to sell the AS but if I can move them I can look for a pair of Bryston monos on Audiogon to drive the Quadratures. I already have a pair of custom Sound Anchor stands with green marble tops that I can use for the Bryston monos. I have had quite a few pairs of Magnepans also and during that time was very tempted to try Bryston. It sounds like the latest versions of the Bryston amps have improved to the point where the analytical sound is no longer a concern. Any addtional thoughts or input very welcomed.

Thanks,

Tom 

[James Tanner]

Hi Tom,

What Maggies did you have?

I am experimenting in our sound room now with (dipoles) Maggies and Quads.

james

[Angelo62]

James,


you should listen Bryston with these:



Regards

[James Tanner]

HI Angelo,

They are MBL 'omni's' correct?
Have heard them a number of times.

james

[nico75r6]

I have a BP26 and a 3B SST. Before I had a Bryston B100 SST.

Sound is clear, neutral and detailed, but I'd still call it "full" not "too much bright" or "thin" or "too analytical".

I listen with a Lavry Engineering DA10 DAC and ProAC D15 speakers. I couldn't be happy, especially since I implemented digital room correction in the digital domain using Sbragion's DRC software and a fanless convolver.

It could be you won't like Bryston if you use a very analytical DAC like the Benchmark DAC but there are a lot of guys with this setup and they are very satisfied so in the end it is a matter of personal taste.

Personally I love Bryston sound and quality.

What I hate is the pricing policy here in Europe. With the EUR/USD at 1.33 and a 20% VAT, a 3000 USD amp should sell for 2.700 Euro. Reality is that it is sold for 3.500 Euro (4.700 USD) if you are *** lucky ***. Several times retailers ask for prices that are two, three times the american ones. American List price, the average street one is usually 10-20% less.

This is the average rule when you buy "high end stuff". If you are a moron you pay the full price. If you know the "right guy" (seller, importer, put the name you want) and you ask at the right moment you can get 30, 40, 50% off the European list price so it will be more comparable to the american one.

When you buy pro stuff like "Lavry", "Apogee", "Benchmark", "Prism" etc.. usually the price, after applying the exchange rate and before adding local taxes and import and shipment costs, it is about the same for the whole world and you still have the service in your country.

I do not think shipment costs from Canada, import taxes and support justify a 200 to 300% mark up on the american list price.

I really would like to see the same thing and a "Max mark up Price" forced by Bryston to their official european resellers, they'll sell much more stuff.

Nicola

[etmerritt33]

Hi James,

With respect to Magnepan I've had the 1, 2, and early 3 series as well as a pair of Tympani 1-D's. I've also had Acoustats and two different Soundlabs (Pristines and M-2's). It is interesting that many of the Magnepan fans that I knew in the early days really liked Bryston amps with them. That is where I initially had an interest in Bryston but never got a pair. I know that the Bryston amps are much improved today over those. I still would like to have a pair of Magnepan 3.6R's. I have come close to buying a pair several times. They would be good with the Bryston 7bsst monos.

By the way, could you please clarify for me the evolution of the Bryston 7 series monos??? Is the newest C-Series the 7bsst or is that another iteration of the 7bsst??

Best,

Tom

[James Tanner]

Hi Tom,

Yes the earlier 7B SST and the C-Series 7B SST are the same other than cosmetics.
I have the MG20.1's and the MG3.6's in the sound room at this point and playing around with the Active vs Passive setup with the 10B electronic crossover.

james

[etmerritt33]

James,

You should be in audio bliss with those toys with which to play. Should be some awesome sound with the latest Bryston products. I hear that Jim Winey has a pair of highly tweaked MG-20's in his home system.

Best,

Tom 

[James Tanner]

HI Tom,

Yes Jim has a 5.1 MG20 system using 7B SST's all round.

james

[Angelo62]

HI Angelo,

They are MBL 'omni's' correct?
Have heard them a number of times.

james

Yes James,

MBL 101D

[James Tanner]

HI Angelo,

They are MBL 'omni's' correct?
Have heard them a number of times.

james

Yes James,

MBL 101D

Hi Angelo,

It brings up an interesting discussion - the old direct radiator vs dipole vs omni radiation patterns in real rooms.

I assume you have had other types of speakers in your room - how would you assess the differences in staging and imaging given an omni radiation pattern?

james

[Angelo62]

Hi Angelo,

It brings up an interesting discussion - the old direct radiator vs dipole vs omni radiation patterns in real rooms.

I assume you have had other types of speakers in your room - how would you assess the differences in staging and imaging given an omni radiation pattern?

james

My God, this will be difficult in English!
First of all, sorry for not replying soon.
Let me introduce myself. I'm an hi-fi reviewer in Italy. I've been writing for almost 5 years for an on-line magazine www.videohifi.com and now I'm writing for the biggest italian printed magazine, Audio Review.

I used a BP25+7B ST's in my own equipment with Avalon Ascendant, Avalon Opus Ceramique and now MBL, in two different listening rooms. Now I've changed my preamplifier and I have an MBL 4006. I can say that omni-directional sound is really different from usual. You need at least the first half-an-hour to get used to the "new sound" and then it's ... music, of course.
You don't have the "pin point" imaging you were used before but ... do you have it when you're listening live music in a theater or in a club? I don't think so. Sure you have to get a good placement of the speakers in the room and take care of the boundaries reflections but ... don't you have to do the same thing with other speakers? With MBL's I feel surrounded by music without a multi-channel gear, quite similar as when I listen to live music. The room turns bigger than it is and filled with sound. You can clearly SEE every single singer in a choir, voices and instruments are never too big (if the speakers placement is correct). The only problem is their sensitivity: 81 dB. My 7B ST's are hardly enough to get 98 dB in my listening chair, they clip. I would need to bi-amplify them, but I can't afford another pair of 7B 

If you need more infos, just ask. Of course you're invited to listen the next time you'll be in Italy.

[James Tanner]

Thank you Angelo - your English is miles ahead of my Italian.
Maybe a couple of Bryston 28B's would do the trick power wise.
http://www.bryston.ca/28bsst_m.html

I am playing around with some Dipoles now and I find similar issues with image placement. I had a pair of the new Mirage Omni speakers here as well and again the perspective is very different as you say.

As to music being diffusive in the real world that is certainly one of the main debatable subjects among many of my audiophile friends as well.

james

[Angelo62]

Maybe a couple of Bryston 28B's would do the trick power wise.
http://www.bryston.ca/28bsst_m.html

WOW! Nice amp, but the problem is still the same ... 
I'd love to review it, let me check if the italian distributor has got a couple of 28 in stock and if he's interested in my review.

[Sasha]

I could not take mitcho’s story about Bryston combo (3B SST with BP26 pre) versa Pass Labs combo (Pass Labs X250 with X2.2 pre) for granted, so I did some listening of my own.
What has been compared is not exactly the same models in the same combination, but the findings were very surprising.
It was the same rig/room with a single variable, the amplification.
Very good source (Esoteric), BP26 pre, PMC IB2 speakers, and 4 amps, Pass Labs X350.5, 4B SST, 4B SST C-series and Linar class A.
3 pairs of ears arrived to the same conclusion, in a very short time.
In this rig 4B SST clearly outperformed X350.5 in tonality and balance, very engaging sound.
X350.5 was more dynamic, but extremely and very unpleasantly clinical, with bass that, although very controlled, sounded out of balance with the rest.
It appears that IB2 mates very well with Bryston in front.