[rob80b]

Posted this over at the Dynaudio avsforum but thought it appropriate for the Bryston forums.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=18568464#post18568464

This was in regards to the treble on the Dynaudio Special 25s.

"I did some swapping around last night and put my little Bryston B60 integrated (60 watts) through its paces by inserting it where the Bryston BP25/4BSST are.
I used Feist’s  “The Reminder” for the session as some tracks have been recorded fairly hot in the treble, the source was the Bryston BCD-1, with the BP25/4BSST her voice comes through sharp, clear and beautifully extended, now normally a smaller amp should be sweeter but the B60 just didn’t work, base and midrange worked but the treble on some tracks were down right irritable. Now I’m not sure if it came down to the pre-amp section in the B60 or the amp section, also I used a pair of Audioquest type 4 as opposed to the Canare  4S11 cables on the 4BSST, I hate cable debates.
It may be just that the Esotar tweeters like power, or Brystons SST power amps are really that good (probably) but the conclusion was that the 25s indeed are quite sensitive to upstream configurations. The 1.3MKIIs with the B60 was a totally different experience but the Special 25s and the Bryston BP25/4BSST are IMHO just about perfect, smooth sailing all the way.

Robert"

If I have some time I'll try different combos, B60 pre/4BSST,  BP25/B60amp and of course the cables.

Robert

[rob80b]

Should point out that the B60 is from 2002 but with the current faceplate.

[Napalm]

“The Reminder” is ear grating here too. I think it was done on purpose.

Every now and then there will be the odd record that will make you move the speakers, swap the cables and whatnot. Resist it. Swap the record not the cables.

Nap. 

[werd]

You actually expected a 60 watt ss amp to drive your Dyns  .?  And then you compare to a 300 watt 4B, come on you know better than that.

[rob80b]

“The Reminder” is ear grating here too. I think it was done on purpose.

Every now and then there will be the odd record that will make you move the speakers, swap the cables and whatnot. Resist it. Swap the record not the cables.

Nap. 

Actually that’s the point, with the Dynaudio Special 25s/ BP25/4BSST it wasn’t grating at all, I was waiting for it and it didn’t happen, the top end of her voice was way up there and the 4BSST handled it quite nicely, it was only with the BR60.


Robert

[Napalm]

You actually expected a 60 watt ss amp to drive your Dyns  .?  And then you compare to a 300 watt 4B, come on you know better than that.

The BP6 is a little bit more acid in the treble than the BP26. Dunno about the BP25. Chez Napalm you can tame the BP6 by setting the amp on lower gain and rotating volume higher. But I don't do it I prefer more bite especially with classical music.

nap. 

[rob80b]

You actually expected a 60 watt ss amp to drive your Dyns  .?  And then you compare to a 300 watt 4B, come on you know better than that.

Hi Werd,

The B60 drove the 25s surprisingly pretty well, well not to the realistic non fatiguing, depth, control and realism of the BP25/4BSST combo, but it wasn’t bad, it was just that the very high treble had problems.
I found this interesting and quite an accomplishment from Bryston to get the bigger amps to be as smooth as they are without any loss of detail, years ago it was the other way around which was why the 2BLP was held in such high esteem over the original 3B/4B, but not any more.

Robert

[vegasdave]

The BP6 is a little bit more acid in the treble than the BP26. Dunno about the BP25. Chez Napalm you can tame the BP6 by setting the amp on lower gain and rotating volume higher. But I don't do it I prefer more bite especially with classical music.

nap. 

I take it you have compared the BP6 and BP26. True? I have my 4B on the higher gain setting per James' suggestion. The bite is good with rock too.

[Napalm]

I take it you have compared the BP6 and BP26. True? I have my 4B on the higher gain setting per James' suggestion. The bite is good with rock too.

Yes I did. I have the BP6. If you want the BP26 sound you can get close with setting the amp on low gain - it will make the BP6 work in a different region.  I don't do that although for some particular records I feel like doing it.

For maximum bite use it as the manual / James say.

Nap.

[vegasdave]

Cool. So would you say the BP6 is just as good as the BP26?

[Napalm]

Cool. So would you say the BP6 is just as good as the BP26?

No. But close enough that you wouldn't loose sleep over it. And head and shoulders over other brands at same price point that I tried.

Nap. 

[vegasdave]

Cool. Considering what I paid for it 3 years ago, I definitely have gotten my moneys worth!

[94cdnm3]

Hi Robert, did you replace the jumpers in the B60? I found that by replacing the brass jumpers with my DIY 99.99% pure silver cotton insulated wire terminated with Eichmann Silver Bullets made a huge difference in sonics including the highs. Cheers! Carl

[Napalm]

Hi Robert, did you replace the jumpers in the B60? I found that by replacing the brass jumpers with my DIY 99.99% pure silver cotton insulated wire terminated with Eichmann Silver Bullets made a huge difference in sonics including the highs. Cheers! Carl

Depends on music, each cable is better suited to a certain genre. E.g. for piano concerts I only use radium enriched lead wires. It gives weight and a velvety glow to each note.

Nap. 

[rob80b]

Guys, your ears are obviously better than my aging appendages, I believe in using quality cables only so that I know they do not fall apart, although that's happened on occasion too and I like the eye-candy.
Seriously though I must admit I had been cured of the cable bug years ago, I was auditioning a set-up which sounded excellent, peaked around the back only to see everything was connected with those “disposable included in the box” cables, and the speaker cable was a 16 g lamp cord.
Shielded cables are defiantly important, give everything a good cleaning, making sure the connections are tight and off you go.

Not to shatter any illusions, but cables carry electrical current not music.

[werd]

Guys, your ears are obviously better than my aging appendages, I believe in using quality cables only so that I know they do not fall apart, although that's happened on occasion too and I like the eye-candy.
Seriously though I must admit I had been cured of the cable bug years ago, I was auditioning a set-up which sounded excellent, peaked around the back only to see everything was connected with those “disposable included in the box” cables, and the speaker cable was a 16 g lamp cord.
Shielded cables are defiantly important, give everything a good cleaning, making sure the connections are tight and off you go.

Not to shatter any illusions, but cables carry electrical current not music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X37m2AyuoKs

[rob80b]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X37m2AyuoKs

Good one

[rob80b]

If there was one thing I'd eliminate from audio systems if we could, and we can, would be the interconnect connectors, RCA and XLR.
Ideally, all cables, interconnect and speaker cables, should be hard wired, or at least a system should be available where the positive and negative leads could be screwed tightly in place.
I know this would be a hassle but the sonic gains IMO override the inconvenience.
One day when Bryston stops improving their offerings I just might make this a future project.

[werd]

If there was one thing I'd eliminate from audio systems if we could, and we can, would be the interconnect connectors, RCA and XLR.
Ideally, all cables, interconnect and speaker cables, should be hard wired, or at least a system should be available where the positive and negative leads could be screwed tightly in place.
I know this would be a hassle but the sonic gains IMO override the inconvenience.
One day when Bryston stops improving their offerings I just might make this a future project.

You would like Naim gear.... They are kind of like that

[Napalm]

[...]Not to shatter any illusions, but cables carry electrical current not music.

This guy Whitehouse was in denial too:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_communications_cable#Bandwidth_problems

After 200 years we should know better.

Nap.