[cascais]

I have been using a 4BSST since 2003 with great success but now the seven-year itch is setting in and I am considering an upgrade. Being inclined to stick with Bryston and also using a BP26MC preamp, I think that a 14BSST2 would be a logical step up. Since I live in Europe where the price of these components is astronomical, I would ask Mr Tanner and others with experience what they think the audible difference between the 4BSST and 14BSST2 might be. My speakers are PSB M2 monitors which might be a factor with the even more powerful amp.

[vegasdave]

I just wanted to say great system!

[Viajero5000]

I have been using a 4BSST since 2003 with great success but now the seven-year itch is setting in and I am considering an upgrade. Being inclined to stick with Bryston and also using a BP26MC preamp, I think that a 14BSST2 would be a logical step up. Since I live in Europe where the price of these components is astronomical, I would ask Mr Tanner and others with experience what they think the audible difference between the 4BSST and 14BSST2 might be. My speakers are PSB M2 monitors which might be a factor with the even more powerful amp.

Hi there, I can't comment on 4B-SST to 14B2, but I did move from a 4B-ST to a 14B and would not go back to a 4B.  Although it was a good amp, I found the 4B-ST a bit harsh in the upper mids and the bigger issue in my system was that i was analysing my music more than connecting to it emotionally.  The 14B was smoother through the mids and a bit sweeter, so I could sit back and enjoy the music instead of analysing the cd. It's certainly a massive investment here in Europe so as always you need to listen to it at home before buying.

[WBimmer]

I have been using a 4BSST since 2003 with great success but now the seven-year itch is setting in and I am considering an upgrade. Being inclined to stick with Bryston and also using a BP26MC preamp, I think that a 14BSST2 would be a logical step up. Since I live in Europe where the price of these components is astronomical, I would ask Mr Tanner and others with experience what they think the audible difference between the 4BSST and 14BSST2 might be. My speakers are PSB M2 monitors which might be a factor with the even more powerful amp.

When I first looked into upgrading my system earlier this year, I started off by audtioning a B100SST after listening to it at Absolute Audio in Calgary.  The in-store audition was great and I brought it home and hooked it up to my Kef 205's and was very impressed.  I hadn't heard that much of an increase in detail in music in my house before coming from the change out of a single piece of equipment.

My original intent was to buy this for the dining room, but after listening to it hooked up to my main system, I thought why not consider the 4BSST instead and forget about the dining room.  So I went back to Absolute and switched out components and again it was a wow difference.  It sounded the same to me, but the music was fuller and had more presence to it and I was hooked.  So I was intent on ordering the 4BSST2 until James at Absolute let me listen to the 28B's after I placed my order and this got me thinking during a two-hour audition.  So James had told me about a customer of his that had recently bought a 14B and he said it was the biggest improvement to his system he's ever had and that was all I needed to hear.  I couldn't afford the 28B's, but I could afford the 14BSST2 and I changed my order and haven't regretted it for a single second.  Compared to the B100 and the 4B, the 14B is just so much more in every way.

The 14BSST2 drives my speakers with ease and fills my whole house with pleasant sounds.  I can be in the opposite end my home in a different room with my system playing at relatively low volumes and I can hear every detail in the music and everyword being sung.  I believe that is the sign of a good system, is when the sound waves travel all over the house and are still intact that you can hear the whole recording as it was intended. 

It's easy going up in power, but hard to come down.  So you just have decide at what floor do you get off and be happy with what you have.  I chose the 14BSST2 floor.

Wayne.

[Ron D]

while I cannot speak to what benefits you would have moving to the squared version I can relate that when I moved from my 4BSST to my 14BSST amp the minute details that the bigger amp conveyed were astonishing. More information at lower levels was the "hook" factor in a very quick decision I had made the right move. I can only imagine that the 14B squared amp would provide even more gains in your favour as one of its claim to fame is it sounds as good with 1 watt moving through it as it does with 200 or more (with the obvious reduction in decibels...). It would probably be the last amp you buy although that's what I thought when I bought mine well before the squared version appeared on the scene so that's why I say "probably".

You might consider a used 14B-SST (non squared) and have that one converted to the correct voltage at PMC in the UK or maybe another qualified (sanctioned by Bryston) dealer? maybe canvass a few European Bryston dealers on anyone trading in a used SST on a SST2 amp?  Might save you quite a few bucks but there would be the nagging feeling of "Hmmm, I wonder what the 14B-SST2 amp would have sounded like..."

[Mad Mr H]

I am in London,

I have and run 3,4,7 & 14 all SST series.

There is a nice change from 4 to 14.

BUT there is another option for you - Get a second 4B SST and run them both in bridge mode - One 4B SST per speaker.

This means you can get the amps close to the speakers, reduces your outlay.

A 4B SST in bridge mode is as good as a 7B SST - The 7 is based on the 4.

Might be an option you had not considered.......

Andy.

[Ron D]

Andy - while a good idea (2 bridged 4B-SST amps) success will be highly dependent on the nominal impedence of the poster's speakers. I may be wrong but I think that the impedence of the M2 monitors are 4 ohms so when the amp is bridged it will see the speaker as a 2 ohm load which may be too much of a strain on the amp.
Perhaps James can chime in with his opinion.

[James Tanner]

Andy - while a good idea (2 bridged 4B-SST amps) success will be highly dependent on the nominal impedence of the poster's speakers. I may be wrong but I think that the impedence of the M2 monitors are 4 ohms so when the amp is bridged it will see the speaker as a 2 ohm load which may be too much of a strain on the amp.
Perhaps James can chime in with his opinion.

Correct Ron

When you bridge an amplifier it 'sees' 1/2 of the impedance it does in stereo.

james

[95Dyna]

Andy - while a good idea (2 bridged 4B-SST amps) success will be highly dependent on the nominal impedence of the poster's speakers. I may be wrong but I think that the impedence of the M2 monitors are 4 ohms so when the amp is bridged it will see the speaker as a 2 ohm load which may be too much of a strain on the amp.
Perhaps James can chime in with his opinion.

I'm not a fan of bridging a stereo amp into mono for this very reason.  I had a pair of stereo amps that I bridged and would experience frequent fuse replacements that I attribute to the amp not being able to handle the sometimes excessively low impedence it was seeing.  I quickly switched to bi amping in stereo mode and the amps worked like a charm for the next 15 years.  If you're thinking of doing this just get the 7B's.  You'll spend the same money and will be using the amps in their native mode.  I have the 7BSSTs squared and all I can tell you is they are just wonderful amps.  The 14 B should give you similar performance.  These are my first Brystons so I can't help you with that comparison.  Best wishes with your decision.

[Phoenix]

My B60 is still fine (11 years) - and my speakers have an impedance of 2.5 Ohm!

Bryston builds superb amplifiers and if you don't get too loud in combination with too unefficient speakers I don't see any problem.

[afblaster]

I use a bridged a pair of 4BSSTs driving PMC IB1s, which are 4 ohm nominal impedance, with no problems.
This combination sounds absolutely marvellous, much better than when I was using one amp bi-amped per speaker.
However I am thinking of upgrading to a pair of IB2s and 7B-SST2.....

[95Dyna]

My B60 is still fine (11 years) - and my speakers have an impedance of 2.5 Ohm!

Bryston builds superb amplifiers and if you don't get too loud in combination with too unefficient speakers I don't see any problem.

Yes, I did forget to mention that my Infinity 9 Kappas dip to .8 ohms somewhere between 25 and 30 Hz.  This was probably the cause of some of the fuse popping so speaker characteristics are an important consideration in this application.  That being said I still can't see why one would buy a pair of 4Bs with the intent of bridging them instead of a pair of 7Bs unless one wanted future flexibility for multi channel apps.  If your speakers are 4 ohms nominal the 4Bs would be seeing 2 ohms putting you at the very bottom limit of what Bryston amps, including the 28B, want to see in a nominal impedence. 

[Viajero5000]

I have been using a 4BSST since 2003 with great success but now the seven-year itch is setting in and I am considering an upgrade. Being inclined to stick with Bryston and also using a BP26MC preamp, I think that a 14BSST2 would be a logical step up. Since I live in Europe where the price of these components is astronomical, I would ask Mr Tanner and others with experience what they think the audible difference between the 4BSST and 14BSST2 might be. My speakers are PSB M2 monitors which might be a factor with the even more powerful amp.

Hi there, I can't comment on 4B-SST to 14B2, but I did move from a 4B-ST to a 14B and would not go back to a 4B.  Although it was a good amp, I found the 4B-ST a bit harsh in the upper mids and the bigger issue in my system was that i was analysing my music more than connecting to it emotionally.  The 14B was smoother through the mids and a bit sweeter, so I could sit back and enjoy the music instead of analysing the cd. It's certainly a massive investment here in Europe so as always you need to listen to it at home before buying.

I should have added that, owning both the non square and the square versions of the 14B, if your budget allows and you plan to keep the amp long term, i'd suggest biting the bullet and going for the squared series amp. It betters the old series and you can't really go wrong with it.  If you're struggling for cash, the 14B-SST is a superb amp. Truth is I love em both!   

[alexone]

James,

a 7B is the mono version of a 14B. both became the squared series. what are the technical differences between them regarding the squared upgrade?


al.

[ian.ameline]

I'm glad someone brought up the 7B -- I'd rather have two 7Bs than a 14B. You will get beefier power supplies, and more heat-sink area and for very little extra money. You also get the flexibility to place the amps very near the speakers.

-- Ian.

[cascais]

Thanks very much for your responses so far. They have been very helpful and have me leaning toward the purchase of the 14BSST2. The 4BSST is so good in my system that I needed confirmation that there would be an improvement with its big brother. I have been in touch with the fine gentleman who is Bryston's rep in Lisbon, and his terms are very favorable considering European prices and the strong euro. I have run into a glitch, however, since the 14B will not quite fit into my stand as it is 2" taller than the 4B. So I will have to look into buying a new stand which is a pity since I like the old one.

[vegasdave]

I'm glad someone brought up the 7B -- I'd rather have two 7Bs than a 14B. You will get beefier power supplies, and more heat-sink area and for very little extra money. You also get the flexibility to place the amps very near the speakers.

-- Ian.

I agree.

[danman]

Me too! No offense James but mono is the way to go at this price!

[Mad Mr H]

Horses for courses......

I Bi Amp my center with a 14B SST.

I Bi Amp my L & R with 7B SST's

I run my Rear L & R with 4B SST's in bridge mode

 aa

[math-geek]

Those are some nice Pardigm monitors!  I use Dynaudio Contour 1.3 SEs, which are also small monitors.  My only experience with Bryston was with the 2B, which showed me the benefits of quality amplification.  I upgraded from the 2B to a Krell KAV 300iL (400 wpc 4 ohms) and the difference the added power made was astonishing.  I read a review on the Dyn Contour 1.3 in which the reviewer used to best effect monoblock amps by Krell, Mark Levinson, and Bryston.  Do you sense a common theme?  POWER.  Conventional wisdom would have think that small speakers need less power, but the fact of the matter is that small boxes need far more power to reach the same spls as a large speaker.  If I had the funds I would have no qualms with pairing my 1.3 SEs with a Bryston 14Bsst2, a 28B, a Krell FPB 450cx, or any such high quality powerful amplifier.  More power is not just about increaing the volume output but more about control and authority.  I have tried out many integrated amps and with the exception of the Krell 300iL (I am sure there are others)  most seem to accentuate the midbass in an attempt to make them sound more powerful but when you are onto that trick it doesn't work.

I am in somewhat the same boat as I am deciding where I want to go with my system.  It sounds very good but I feel my spekaers still have more to give than what I am going to get from the Krell integrated.  If I could afford it I would just buy a 28B and be done with it, but I'm sure the 14B would be nothing to scoff at.

Good luck in your pursuit of the ultimate amp..