[James Tanner]

Hi Folks,

Someone informed me that we got Class A on the Bryston BDA-1 DAC in the 2010 Oct issue of Stereophile.

james

[BrysTony]

Also Class A on the 28BSST, 9BSST, and SP2 and Class B on the B100-DA SST, 7BSST2 and 4BSST.  Good showing!

[Phil A]

Congrats - never get an argument from me - love mine

[dubya]

I would buy a BDA-1 + 4bsst2 in an instant if the BDA had variable out.

Is this going to be an option?

I really don't see the point in spending £4k on a preamp when I have all digital sources.

W

[James Tanner]

I would buy a BDA-1 + 4bsst2 in an instant if the BDA had variable out.

Is this going to be an option?

I really don't see the point in spending £4k on a preamp when I have all digital sources.

W

The problem is you can not control volume in the digital mode and not loose resolution as you lower volume.  In other words maximum performance with a digital signal is at full volume. 

So now you have to add an quality analog output stage to the DAC and if your going to do that and get the best performance possible your essentially building a preamp in the same box as the DAC and adding lots of cost for those that only require the DAC.


James

[James Tanner]

Also Class A on the 28BSST, 9BSST, and SP2 and Class B on the B100-DA SST, 7BSST2 and 4BSST.  Good showing!

How about the CD Player?

james

[BrysTony]

How about the CD Player?

james

I missed it -- BCD-1 is also Class A. 

[Vipers]

Good news on the award, I'm picking up my BDA-1 at the weekend 

Congratulation all at Bryston on the Stereophile award, much deserved 

[Napalm]

Also Class A on the 28BSST, 9BSST, and SP2 and Class B on the B100-DA SST, 7BSST2 and 4BSST.  Good showing!

Stereophile gets a FAIL grade at DC Circuit Analysis. They are all class A/B amplifiers.

 

[KnowTalent]

The problem is you can not control volume in the digital mode and not loose resolution as you lower volume.  In other words maximum performance with a digital signal is at full volume. 

So now you have to add an quality analog output stage to the DAC and if your going to do that and get the best performance possible your essentially building a preamp in the same box as the DAC and adding lots of cost for those that only require the DAC.

James

AKM and ESS both offer 32-bit dacs with integrated volume control.  With 1 bit required for every
6 db...wouldn't these offer enough attenuation range while maintaining enough bits to handle dithering and full 16 bit resolution?


Congrads on the accolades regarding the BDA-1 

[James Tanner]

AKM and ESS both offer 32-bit dacs with integrated volume control.  With 1 bit required for every
6 db...wouldn't these offer enough attenuation range while maintaining enough bits to handle dithering and full 16 bit resolution?


Congrads on the accolades regarding the BDA-1 

Hi KnowTalent,

I would have to ask engineering that one as I do not know.  As I have said many times though I really believe the reason that the BDA-1 gets the accolades it does has nothing to do with the digital secttion as most DAC's perform very well relative to each other.  The other issue is that the preamp sections we have looked at in the all in one DACs have limited voltage swing on thier outputs whereas our preamps can supply up to plus or minus 30 volts of swing on the output stage.

[vegasdave]

Congrats James. The 7BSST2 should be in Class A! But, c'est la vie, right?

[95Dyna]

Congrats James. The 7BSST2 should be in Class A! But, c'est la vie, right?

They're class A at my house, both of 'em.  Just ask my dog, Samson, who after I installed them began perching on the top of the sofa right behind my listening position!  I played "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window" for him the other day.  You should have seen the smile on his face .

[Uptown Audio]

Hi KnowTalent,

I would have to ask engineering that one as I do not know.  As I have said many times though I really believe the reason that the BDA-1 gets the accolades it does has nothing to do with the digital secttion as most DAC's perform very well relative to each other.  The other issue is that the preamp sections we have looked at in the all in one DACs have limited voltage swing on thier outputs whereas our preamps can supply up to plus or minus 30 volts of swing on the output stage.

The digital sections of DACs make a huge contribution. Obviously, being a digital converter, without it there would be no sound and hence no product at all. It is oversimplistic to assume that the digital circuits of various products are essentially on equal footing and thus create less to the overall sound. In fact, tho opposite would be a better bet.

That said, the Bryston analog output section in their DAC is exceptional. It stands to reason that as an amplifier maker, Bryston would concentrate its engineering efforts on the analog amplifier rather than the digital processing, not that they have completely ignored that either. The DAC far outperforms the CD player based upon my experience with them both.

According to the simplified math of the suggested 32 bit processors providing full 16 bit resolution, it seems that 96db is a pretty good spec for any analog device. Of course modern designs both digital and analog can better that by at least another 6db. It's never all of the story to look at only one spec, so SNR alone doesn't represent the pinnacle of design.
-Bill

[Robert D]

Congrats James 

Robert

[KnowTalent]

The digital sections of DACs make a huge contribution. Obviously, being a digital converter, without it there would be no sound and hence no product at all. It is oversimplistic to assume that the digital circuits of various products are essentially on equal footing and thus create less to the overall sound. In fact, tho opposite would be a better bet.

That said, the Bryston analog output section in their DAC is exceptional. It stands to reason that as an amplifier maker, Bryston would concentrate its engineering efforts on the analog amplifier rather than the digital processing, not that they have completely ignored that either. The DAC far outperforms the CD player based upon my experience with them both.

According to the simplified math of the suggested 32 bit processors providing full 16 bit resolution, it seems that 96db is a pretty good spec for any analog device. Of course modern designs both digital and analog can better that by at least another 6db. It's never all of the story to look at only one spec, so SNR alone doesn't represent the pinnacle of design.
-Bill

My comments were not intended to suggest or oversimplify but rather point out the traditional detractor over using 24-bit digital volume control eating up resolution in order to accomodate a wide enough attentuation range is no longer an issue with the new 32 bit dacs. 

Esoteric seems to think there's a viable market out there for such...

[vegasdave]

They're class A at my house, both of 'em.  Just ask my dog, Samson, who after I installed them began perching on the top of the sofa right behind my listening position!  I played "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window" for him the other day.  You should have seen the smile on his face .

Cool! 

[OgOgilby]

Congrats!

BTW, Stereophile had a typo that listed the BDA-1 at $3,150.

[Vipers]

That's still cheap, over here in the UK the BDA-1 works out at around $3,700 

Just aswell its worth every penny