[Allezvite]

My last system used 2 Linn LK-140's with active cards driving Linn Keilidh speakers.  I am now using the Keilidhs in passive mode driven bi-wired by my new 3BSST.

In the past, I ran the Keilidhs in passive bi-amping mode (two stereo amplifiers running the top and bottom halfs of the speaker's passive crossover separately) and observed improved performance in the areas of openness and articulation from the Keilidhs.

OK, preamble now finished.

Question:  I haven't tried every dealer in Ontario, but I can't seem to find a demo 2BLP in my area, no dealers seem to carry them.  From the Bryston website spec sheets it looks as if it can be gain matched to the 3BSST if the 3B is on the correct gain setting.

Even though I think the best passive bi-amping comes from using identical amplifiers, another 3BSST would be: A. too expensive and B. overkill, it's just to run tweeters.

The thing that I really like about the 3BSST is its clean and crystalline portrayal of treble and midrange.  Is the 2BLP the equivalent of the 3BSST in its treble / midrange performance?   Has anyone used a 2B & 3BSST together to passive bi-amp?

I wonder if Bryston is planning something like a stereo-only version of the new 875HT?

[Ron D]

Not sure if this is any help but there is a reportedly 3 year old 2B-LP being sold by a private citizen in Guelph (he says he's upgrading to a 3B-SST) and the detals are over at www.canuckaudiomart.com. If you can't find a demo unit you may have to purchase a used one for trial. If its the right price and emds up not working for you I don't think you'll lose much reselling the amp - they have great resale value.

CAVEAT - don't know this guy or the amp in question. The last time I had a 2B on hand was 1987...

[Allezvite]

Not sure if this is any help but there is a reportedly 3 year old 2B-LP being sold by a private citizen in Guelph (he says he's upgrading to a 3B-SST) and the detals are over at www.canuckaudiomart.com. If you can't find a demo unit you may have to purchase a used one for trial. If its the right price and emds up not working for you I don't think you'll lose much reselling the amp - they have great resale value.

CAVEAT - don't know this guy or the amp in question. The last time I had a 2B on hand was 1987...

It is an idea, but maybe a bit of an expensive way to get a demo what with buying / shipping / selling / shipping etc..  Something about a 3 yr old Bryston though tells me that it's probably pre - SST.  What does make sense in a weird way is that I actually work in Guelph.  Is this a cosmic confluence of fate from the audio gods?

Ultimately, it's much easier for me to bother fellow audiophiles by flipping off multiple questions to the internet and expecting them to expend their energy responding to me rather than for me to get up off of my @$$ and actually start listening to some different components.  Don't you agree?

[Ron D]

IMHO, you are going to pay a decent price from a dealer who happens to have an amp for demo purposes. Bryston just had a price increase or will have one very soon account the stronger Canadian dollar (my guess, not a known thing...). I am not sure that a new 2B-LP has the new output devices that the SST versions have. Maybe you should e-mail Bryston to find out.

So whats a new 2B-LP worth? Over a grand Canadian, no doubt, maybe even close to $1200. So say you find a dealer with a demo and it works for you, you'll probably pay at least 80% of the MSRP if not a little more so somewhere around a grand. Remember these are not accurate figures, just a guess on my part and of cource you'll have to pay that wonderfull approx. 15% tax...

Compare this to $545 (no taxes & no shipping costs as you work right there). Large enough difference to consider!  

Another possible avenue is you could offer to pay for a demo, say $50 for a weekend. Pick it up from work on Friday and return on Monday. $50 may be the possible loss you would incure if you bought it and then had to re-sell it??? This way you would know for sure and then say pay him the balance or $500 for example.

Just a few options... Remember I don't know this guy or this particular amp

[Allezvite]

Well,

It's not like you didn't try to advise me RonD.  Looks like that amp is gone off Canuck Audio Mart.

Looks like I'll have to wait for another to show up.

[gaderson]

Well,

Looks like I'll have to wait for another to show up.

I've noticed groups of them on eBay recently--I keep an eye on Bryston along with other stuff.

[Allezvite]

A local Bryston dealer told me that they thought a 2 x 75 watt power amp(along the lines of the new 875HT)  could be coming out in the summer or fall to replace the 2B series.

Their opinion was that the sonic character of the 2BLP was somewhat different compared to the 3B/4B series.  To use some broad descriptions, they thought that the 2B was a little more mellow and laid back compared to the 3BSST.  

Having passive bi-amped with different amps before, (Linn LK-100 and LK-140) I know that the best result comes from using identical amplifiers (or two amps with the same sonic character) as opposed to two different power amps that just happen to share the same gain specification.

I find the high-frequency information and openness of the 3BSST to be a real strong point of the amp, and would not want to give up any of the detail and transparency that I currently enjoy to to passive biamp with a 2BLP if it is a step down from the 3BSST sonically-speaking.

Of course, a demonstration is in order to settle the issue once and for all.  With Linn Keilidhs, going passive biamp gives a performance benefit exactly in the areas of openness and air that I have been talking about.  If I can pick up a 2BLP for cheap, I might give it a try.

On the other hand, a speaker upgrade (maybe the new PMC GB-1's) could be the next logical step.