Hi Folks,
Hopefully this thread does not deteriorate into a 'mine’s bigger than yours' discusssion. The Pro vs Consumer thing for Bryston has been around for many years and here is something I wrote a few years ago which gives my perspective on it and I think still applies in todays world – biased though it may be!.
“Many times I get asked how Bryston has been able to bridge the gap between what is perceived to be two distinct and different markets - the Professional and the Audiophile. As you know, Bryston has been fortunate enough over the years to be well accepted in both of these demanding and sometimes different marketplaces. Our experience on both ends of the reproduction chain (studio Vs home) has allowed me some insights into the differences and similarities between these two areas which few manufacturers get to observe. I would like to offer a few observations regarding the Professional market as it relates to the Audiophile market as far as equipment choices are concerned.
The equipment choices for a system in a recording studio are the same as the requirement in a "state-of-the-art" playback system in your home namely; reproduce the input as accurately as possible. Professional recording engineers are attempting to record sounds as accurately as possible. They may have different methods (equipment choices, microphone techniques, microphone placement, or microphone types) but the purpose is the same. Capture a space and moment in time and allow the listener to experience that moment in his home environment. I do not think that the recording end of the chain is at odds with the playback end if accuracy of this "moment in space and time" is the ultimate goal. It is true that professional users demand playback monitoring systems which do not break when being played at realistic levels, do not color the sound or voice it in a specific manner, or reduce their ability to assess what exactly is recorded on the master. I do not see this parameter as being contrary with the audiophile attempting to playback, in his home, the "intent" of the engineer. Maybe in the past, systems that where capable of playing reliably at realistic levels without dynamic compression necessitated the use of large systems. These systems somehow did not deliver the kind of staging, imaging and micro-dynamics that audiophiles have hungered for, but "the times they are a changing".
The fact that Bryston amplifiers for example, have achieved acceptance from both the professional studio engineer and the audiophile is predicated on the assumption that accuracy remains the foremost concern. An accurate amplifier is an accurate amplifier no matter where it is being utilized. Same for the loudspeaker etc. The success of a given product in both the studio and home listening environment is a direct result of recording engineers and audiophiles alike being able to agree on the merits of accuracy in the playback chain. I had a very prominent engineer say to me just the other day, "wouldn't it be nice to know that the amplifiers and loudspeakers I am using as recording equipment where in fact the same amplifiers and loudspeakers the listener was using in his home environment". This ability to "Close the Loop" between the recording and playback side of the industry is certainly a desirable goal. If you consider the film industry and companies such as DTS, THX, Dolby Digital etc. you recognize that they are attempting to provide systems which in fact will playback the film in your home in a manner that serves the "intent" of all the people involved in the film (director, sound engineers, actors etc.). I feel music should be the same. I want to know what I hear in my home is as close a rendition as possible to the intent of the producer.
In closing, I would like to point out that we at Bryston perceive the difference in audio equipment as the difference between "Production and Reproduction". If your goal is to reproduce the input, then your choices of equipment will be different than someone who desires to produce a particular sound or result because they may personally prefer it.”
