[James Tanner]

Hi James,
I have been using another brand phono stage for a while but I’m considering an upgrade to the BP1.5, so let me ask you two questions about it.

1) I use a Benz Micro ace low output MC cartridge, the recommended load for this cartridge is 1000 ohms, Is it possible for the BP1.5 to provide this load? According to the manual, the higher load available for the BP1.5 is 120 ohms, so It is possible to customize the BP1.5 for higher ohms?.

2) Checking the BP1.5 from inside (audioadvisor web site), the left part of the BP1.5 has two rectangular metal parts, Are those Batteries? Is the BP1.5 battery operated?

Thank you for your time.

From Engineering:


Hi James;

Yes, we can provide a 1000-Ohm input impedance at the MC inputs of the BP-1.5.  We would like to know the output Voltage of the Benz Micro. 

The two rectangular metal cans in the BP-1.5 are wideband step-up transformers for the MC inputs.  The BP-1.5 is not battery-operated.
 
cwr

Thanks,

Benz Ace MC low output has the following specs.

Output voltage: 0,4 mV at 3,54 cm/s
Internal impedance: 12 ohms
Recommended loading 100 - 47.000 ohms (nevertheless this is not really true because best results are around 1000 ohms).

My other cardtridge is an ortofon MC3000, with the 63 db of the BP1,5 and 120 ohms should be work just fine (ortofon has 0,125 mV output).

Hi Gustavo;
 
The best option would be to set up the MC transformers for low gain, 16dB, with a somewhat higher value resistor at the phono input to reflect 1K to the cartridge.  Not a problem. 

james

[alexone]

 
 james,

 this might be a cofusing question, but:

 is it possible to get an update from 26 (line version) to 26 mm/mc?


 alex.

[James Tanner]

 james,

 this might be a cofusing question, but:

 is it possible to get an update from 26 (line version) to 26 mm/mc?


 alex.

Hi Alex,

Yes but in needs to have a new front panel and back panel as well as a turntable ground lug.

james

[alexone]

 ...thanx- that's what i wanted to hear (read)! i was just talking with my dealer telling me it would be too expensive, 'cause the
 mainboard has to be replaced. so the 'only' option for me would be a 1.5 (well, it is a nice one....)


 alex.

[alexone]

 james,

 are there some 'Bryston shots' from the innards of the bp 1.5...?


 al.

[James Tanner]

 james,

 are there some 'Bryston shots' from the innards of the bp 1.5...?


 al.

Hi Alex,

Do not have a picture as such or the inside of a Bp1.5 but page 12 of the Preamplifier Brochure shows the MC Phono Stage in a BP26 (which is identical to the BP1.5) and gives the specs.

http://bryston.ca/BrystonSite05/pdfs/PREAmplifiers/SSTC-Series.pdf

james

[alexone]

 
 thanx, james. i know this one already and thought it would be cool to have a look inside a bp 1.5.
 it won't be such a big difference between the built in version and the outboard one i guess.
 just to fight curiosity...


 al.

[alexone]

 james,

 can the bp 1.5's gain be changed at any time? for example if the setup is changing and a different gain
 is required.

 can it be done by the distributor/dealer or has it to come back to the factory?


 alex.

[James Tanner]

 james,

 can the bp 1.5's gain be changed at any time? for example if the setup is changing and a different gain
 is required.

 can it be done by the distributor/dealer or has it to come back to the factory?


 alex.

Hi Alex,

The BP-1.5 Phono Stage has variable gain settings from 35 dB up to 63.5 dB, depending on whether you have set the front panel to MM or MC. For MM, capacitive loading ranges from Off to 188 pF.

MM adjustment can be done by the consumer as the adjustment is on the back panel.  For MC it should be done by the distributor as the very small wires in the MC stepup have to be resoldered. We do not use switches in the MC section as the signal strength at MC levels is very low and we did not want switches in the signal path.

Also 90% of MC cartridges use the factory MC setting so ordering the standard MC setting from the factory will generally work in the majority of cases.


james

[vegasdave]

James, is the BP6P phono stage adjustable?

[James Tanner]

James, is the BP6P phono stage adjustable?

Hi Dave,

The gain can be lowered by 6dB at the factory. The capacitance can be changed but it is a cap that is soldered in during production.  The cap in the BP6 is 220pf.

james

[vegasdave]

Thanks, James. I was just curious. I'm fine with the preamp as-is.

[alexone]

 james,

 the Bryston website says that the bp 1.5 is not yet available in c-series look. shown when 'reviews' is chosen...
 still correct?

 al.

[James Tanner]

james,

 the Bryston website says that the bp 1.5 is not yet available in c-series look. shown when 'reviews' is chosen...
 still correct?

 al.

We just last month got the C-Series faceplates for the phono stage so I will change that.
Thanks for the heads-up.

james

[predrag]

Yepp!
My BP1.5 will be here next week.
Hope it will match the cosmetics of other components.
Cheers!

[predrag]

James,

My PB1.5 has arrived two days ago.
Looks fine with C-series looks.
I have borrowed for audition a Rega P5 TT with RB700 arm and Exact MM cartridge.
However the gain should be adjusted to 41dB setting as the level in this combination is far too low.
I know you had this TT combination in your system.
What was your capacitance setting for Exact cartridge if you had one?
There is no information provided by Rega.

Thank you for your reply!

[James Tanner]

Hi Predrag,

I have the Benz Micro Ref 3 Copper MC Cartridge with 0.3mV output on the Rega Planar 5 in system one.

james