[dspgolf]

Hello,

    I had a question regarding the optional phono stage in the BP 26 P Moving Magnet.  Currently using a inexpensive Pro-Ject piece and was thinking about upgrading to the BP 26p with MM Phone stage?  Can anyone tell me about the quality of this unit and if it's worth the extra 500 dollars.  Any help would be appreciated.  long time Bryston user.

Dave

[1ZIP]

I purchased my 26 about a year ago without the MM phono.  About a month ago I sent it back to Bryston to have the MM installed.  I have it paired with a Rega P-3 and compared to what I was using it is at least an order of magnitude better.  I think you will hear from others here that the Bryston MM phono is an excellent unit.

I was impressed with how fast USA Bryston service turned the install around.  Give Dennis a call/email for particulars.  He's a good guy to work with.

[dspgolf]

Thanks so much...  I Just bought the Rega P3-24 and am running it through a older BP20 with a phono box 2 from project hooked up externally.  I think it sounds nice but am thinking about an upgrade to a 4b sst2 and a new BP26 P.   

[VOLKS]

Hello,

    I had a question regarding the optional phono stage in the BP 26 P Moving Magnet.  Currently using a inexpensive Pro-Ject piece and was thinking about upgrading to the BP 26p with MM Phone stage?  Can anyone tell me about the quality of this unit and if it's worth the extra 500 dollars.  Any help would be appreciated.  long time Bryston user.

Dave

The performance of the built in MC-MM Phono stage in the BP26.......well i wanted to mention to you that the ``Sound`` comming out of it and my Clearaudio Concept is hooked up to it is very good,however there is a ``Hiss`` that comes out of the speakers when i turn the volume up even just a little when i switch it to the Phono Input(it does not matter if the TT is actually hooked up or not-the hiss/noise is still there) on the BP 26..............then when i switch it to CD or Balanced the hiss is 100% gone...............i mentioned this to my dealer who contacted Bryston and the answer i got back was..."That it is normal to have a certain ammount of noise-hiss from an internal phone input".....i did not like the answer to say the least,however it is somewhat difficult to hear the hiss when the record is playing.......still for the price i paid for the internal Phono stage.......i dont think there should be this much "Hiss"..............as an experment i have ordered an Outboard Phono stage just to see if that makes a Diff and if it gets rid of the "Hiss" .................if i had my time back i proably would have just bought the Bryston external Phone stage(assuming there is no hiss/noise),but i did not think there would be this much noise comming out of a Bryston product...........i am not really pleased.

[BrysTony]

Volks, Do you have the BP 26 sitting on top of the power supply.  If so, reverse them so that the power supply is on top and it should reduce the noise.

[VOLKS]

Volks, Do you have the BP 26 sitting on top of the power supply.  If so, reverse them so that the power supply is on top and it should reduce the noise.

Power Supply has always been on top.

[1ZIP]

"That it is normal to have a certain ammount of noise-hiss from an internal phone input".

There might be some hiss if you turned the volume way up.....but hiss being normal with an internal phono stage?  Frankly, I think what they told you is B.S..  I'd call Bryston service and tell they have a problem with the unit!

[vegasdave]

My MM phono stage has a bit of hiss with the volume all the way up too. I hope James can chime in on this issue.

However, the phono stage sounds wonderful. Very open and dynamic. Less noise coming off the records as well.

[VOLKS]

My volume does not have to be all the way up or even half..........at one quarter volume i hear noise-hiss.

[rob80b]

The performance of the built in MC-MM Phono stage in the BP26.......well i wanted to mention to you that the ``Sound`` comming out of it and my Clearaudio Concept is hooked up to it is very good,however there is a ``Hiss`` that comes out of the speakers when i turn the volume up even just a little when i switch it to the Phono Input(it does not matter if the TT is actually hooked up or not-the hiss/noise is still there) on the BP 26..............then when i switch it to CD or Balanced the hiss is 100% gone...............i mentioned this to my dealer who contacted Bryston and the answer i got back was..."That it is normal to have a certain ammount of noise-hiss from an internal phone input".....i did not like the answer to say the least,however it is somewhat difficult to hear the hiss when the record is playing.......still for the price i paid for the internal Phono stage.......i dont think there should be this much "Hiss"..............as an experment i have ordered an Outboard Phono stage just to see if that makes a Diff and if it gets rid of the "Hiss" .................if i had my time back i proably would have just bought the Bryston external Phone stage(assuming there is no hiss/noise),but i did not think there would be this much noise comming out of a Bryston product...........i am not really pleased.

Hi Volks,

With over forty years in this hobby I've yet to have a phono stage without hiss. What you have is two amplification stages in tandem, the phone stage doing the most work and the nature of the beast makes it almost impossible to eliminate hiss, hum being another off shoot of this sensitive amplification stage is not acceptable. Overall though I'd say the Bryston phono stage is fine piece of work.

Robert

[vegasdave]

My volume does not have to be all the way up or even half..........at one quarter volume i hear noise-hiss.

Really. I would contact James, then.

[vegasdave]

Hi Volks,

With over forty years in this hobby I've yet to have a phono stage without hiss. What you have is two amplification stages in tandem, the phone stage doing the most work and the nature of the beast makes it almost impossible to eliminate hiss, hum being another off shoot of this sensitive amplification stage is not acceptable. Overall though I'd say the Bryston phono stage is fine piece of work.

Robert

I agree.

[rob80b]

Vinyl playback is by nature a noisy medium, from the tip of the stylus grinding its way along those groves and then sending those vibrations, ticks, scratches, dust and all to the amplification stage. But because its an analogue signal, we can hear the music even without any electronics involved just by turning the platter with the stylus engaged, our sensory systems quite often prefer it with warts and all, over incomplete digital waveforms regardless of the sampling rate.

Robert

[vegasdave]

True, but a good needle and a good phono stage should reduce all of that. The Bryston to me, is comparable to phono stages costing a lot more.

[rob80b]

I was just taking a microscopic point of view

[Stu Pitt]

The hiss is a little audible at my normal listening level when nothing's playing.  Somehow, someway, when I've got an album spinning and there's a quite section, I don't hear the hiss.  No idea why.

dspgolf -

The internal phono stage will trounce the Phono Box.  I like the Phono Box for the money, but its no where near the Bryston's card.  I had an NAD PP-2, which while different than the Phono Box, its more or less equally good.  The PP-2 sounded like a broken toy compared to the internal card.  And that was with a lower end cartridge.  A better cartridge (Dynavector 10x5) shwed the differences even more.

What cartridge are you using?

There are some great phono stages out there for $500.  The Simaudio LP3 is great, and the Dynavector P-75 can be found used for about that price.  I like the Dynavector a little bit more, but I have no desire to replace the phono stage in my B60.  The P-75 has adjustable settings, which may be why it sounded a bit better side by side to my ears.

[95Dyna]

The hiss is a little audible at my normal listening level when nothing's playing.  Somehow, someway, when I've got an album spinning and there's a quite section, I don't hear the hiss.  No idea why.

dspgolf -

The internal phono stage will trounce the Phono Box.  I like the Phono Box for the money, but its no where near the Bryston's card.  I had an NAD PP-2, which while different than the Phono Box, its more or less equally good.  The PP-2 sounded like a broken toy compared to the internal card.  And that was with a lower end cartridge.  A better cartridge (Dynavector 10x5) shwed the differences even more.

What cartridge are you using?

There are some great phono stages out there for $500.  The Simaudio LP3 is great, and the Dynavector P-75 can be found used for about that price.  I like the Dynavector a little bit more, but I have no desire to replace the phono stage in my B60.  The P-75 has adjustable settings, which may be why it sounded a bit better side by side to my ears.

Also, go over to the vinyl circle and check out the two threads going on about the Ray Samuels F-117 Nighthawk selling at an introductory price of $650.00 until the end of April.  It will provide the flexibility for a low output cartridge should you go that route in the future and it has front panel adjustible gain and load controls.  A good price if budget doesn't allow for the Bryston MC @ $1,295.00.

[dubkarma]

I'd also send in that noisy BP-26P for a check-up. Although if you've only used the preamp with one turntable and one cartridge, it might be a good idea to first make sure they're not the culprits.

I've got a BP-26MC which is very quiet (I've only used the MM setting). What's more, as I have done with other Bryston preamps I've owned, I had Bryston increase the gain of the MM phono stage by 9 dB (from the stock 35 dB to 44 dB) and it's still very quiet.

Ultimately, I prefer the phono stage of my Meitner PA-6i+--it's somehow "richer"--but I've had the Bryston phono stage in an 11B, a BP-25 and now a BP-26 and they've all been very quiet.