Bryston Setup/Connection Questions

headshrinker2 · « **on:** 21 May 2011, 02:14 pm »

Greetings everyone. My S/H B100ST arrived yesterday. I was so glad to have a few free hours in the afternoon to setup and play. I would greatly appreciate the forum's suggestions on the following:

(1) speaker cabling, including type and termination. What has worked well in your Bryston sytem?
(2) interconnects, going from BDA-1 into the B100ST.

(3) I am finding the amp starts to open up and become dynamic between the 12 and 1 o'clock position. Is this normal?

System: several sources (NAD C451 CDP, MBP, ATV2) /BDA-1/B100ST/Totem Arro speakers.

Regards and thanks.

H.

James Tanner · « **Reply #1 on:** 21 May 2011, 02:36 pm »

Quote from: headshrinker2 on 21 May 2011, 02:14 pm

Greetings everyone. My S/H B100ST arrived yesterday. I was so glad to have a few free hours in the afternoon to setup and play. I would greatly appreciate the forum's suggestions on the following:

(1) speaker cabling, including type and termination. What has worked well in your Bryston sytem?
(2) interconnects, going from BDA-1 into the B100ST.

(3) I am finding the amp starts to open up and become dynamic between the 12 and 1 o'clock position. Is this normal?

System: several sources (NAD C451 CDP, MBP, ATV2) /BDA-1/B100ST/Totem Arro speakers.

Regards and thanks.

H.

Hi H

The volume control is usually between 10 and 1 depending on the efficiency of your speakers and overall system gain.

Hope you're enjoying the B100

James

won ton on · « **Reply #2 on:** 21 May 2011, 02:57 pm »

i've been happy with cardas. just got some balanced cables and new speaker cables.spades on speakers works good.12 to 1 seems high i set mine at 9 to 11.i guess it depends on what you can afford
.

headshrinker2 · « **Reply #3 on:** 21 May 2011, 09:54 pm »

Thanks for the reply. Which Cardas did you pick? What else have you had in your system? Have you used Bryston cabling as well?

What are other happy Bryston users using?

Quote from: won ton on on 21 May 2011, 02:57 pm

i've been happy with cardas. just got some balanced cables and new speaker cables.spades on speakers works good.12 to 1 seems high i set mine at 9 to 11.i guess it depends on what you can afford
.

won ton on · « **Reply #4 on:** 21 May 2011, 11:38 pm »

i went with cross as i didn't want to go overboard.i've got a 4bsst2, bp-26 mc, bcd-1 and bda-1. hope to get a bdp-1 after i replace my martin-logan aerius speakers.didn't know at the time bryston had cables. i've heard kimber pb+j are good cables too

robb · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 May 2011, 01:32 am »

Hi

I have Bryston 4bsst2, Bda 1, Jeff Rowland Capri preamp, Thiel 2.4 speakers.

I have found anything from Nordost Red Dawn on up, and anything from Transparent Audio Ultra on up are extremely synergistic with these components. I am currently auditioning the Transparent Reference loom and so far is the best cable system I have ever heard in my system and room.

Rob

won ton on · « **Reply #6 on:** 22 May 2011, 01:55 am »

robb how do you like the thiel 2.4's with the 4bsst2. it's one of the speakers i'm going to look at

Diamond Dog · « **Reply #7 on:** 22 May 2011, 01:59 am »

Hello: Have been using a combination of Tara Labs and AudioQuest IC's & SC's with BCD-1, BSST2's, Manley Jumbo Shrimp preamp and PMC FB1i's. Recently auditioned XLO Electric Reference 3 and Signature 3 IC's and SC's. Am currently waiting for delivery on Signature 3 IC's and SC's for entire system. Really impressed with what they did for my system.

D.D.

vegasdave · « **Reply #8 on:** 22 May 2011, 10:07 am »

I use FM Acoustics P.I.T. interconnects, they are very good but very expensive. They are leftovers from my last system. But a good solid microphone cable from Canare, Mogami, or Belden, will work wonders with the Bryston. Hell, try Bryston's own interconnects.

As for speaker cable, regular old Belden 10 gauge from Blue Jeans Cable. This also works very well with the Bryston 4BSST amp and JBL speakers.

However, I would like to upgrade to the latest Bryston SC4 speaker cable. The reviews here say it's pretty damn good. Especially for the price! $9 US a foot!

robb · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 May 2011, 03:26 pm »

Won Ton

I think Thiel speakers are amazing for their price. My 2.4s respond well to anything from Bryston. You can easily tell the difference between components. They are quick and portray realistic transients with the 4bsst2.

I would also listen to the Thiel 3.7.

You MUST use highest quality speaker cable between the Thiels and the 4bsst2 , otherwise you will lose alot of transient information that the Thiels are fully capable of reproducing.

Hope this helps.

Rob

headshrinker2 · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 May 2011, 08:18 pm »

How many forum folks are using Bryston speaker wire or IC's? Good enough to demonstrate what Bryston gear is truly capable of?

BrysTony · « **Reply #11 on:** 22 May 2011, 08:39 pm »

I am using all Bryston interconnects and the Bryston SC-4 speaker wire. The analog balanced interconnects use high quality Van Damme wire and Neutrix connectors. The digital interconnect use Belden 105 ohm digital cable and Neutrix connectors. All including the speaker wire are good value, high quality and if they are good enough for Bryston they are good enough for me. They are not expensive and I am very happy with them.

The next pile of money that I spend on equipment will be a speaker upgrade. After that I may consider better cables.

Tony

vegasdave · « **Reply #12 on:** 22 May 2011, 09:32 pm »

Quote from: BrysTony on 22 May 2011, 08:39 pm

I am using all Bryston interconnects and the Bryston SC-4 speaker wire. The analog balanced interconnects use high quality Van Damme wire and Neutrix connectors. The digital interconnect use Belden 105 ohm digital cable and Neutrix connectors. All including the speaker wire are good value, high quality and if they are good enough for Bryston they are good enough for me. They are not expensive and I am very happy with them.

The next pile of money that I spend on equipment will be a speaker upgrade. After that I may consider better cables.

Tony

How would you describe the sound of the Bryston speaker cable, please...

BrysTony · « **Reply #13 on:** 22 May 2011, 09:57 pm »

Quote from: vegasdave on 22 May 2011, 09:32 pm

How would you describe the sound of the Bryston speaker cable, please...

Vegasdave.
The main thing that I experienced with the change to Bryston SC-4 was a more cohesive and somewhat larger soundstage. I don't think you can find better cables for $9/foot.

Tony

vegasdave · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 May 2011, 04:08 am »

Cool, sounds good. At that price, there's no reason for me not to try it!

jklowan · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 May 2011, 05:33 am »

I am running the following...

Bryston 9b SST
Bryston SP 1.7
Bryston SPV1
NAD M55
Thiel 2.4 fronts
Thiel power point 1.2 center and rears

Bryston - balanced cables from pre-amp to amp
Audioquest - King Cobra Interconnects
Audioquest - Slate speaker cable

I really like this set-up, sounds good to my ears. Next up grade will be Esoteric dv60

headshrinker2 · « **Reply #16 on:** 29 May 2011, 09:41 pm »

Thanks to all who replied so far.

From a sound quality point of view, what is the best type of connection option between BDA-1 and B100SST?

headshrinker2 · « **Reply #17 on:** 30 May 2011, 09:25 pm »

Some research (and looking) reveals that the B100SST only takes RCA inputs. The BDA-1 has RCA and balanced XLR outputs. Separate Bryston preamps take XLR inputs.

Does this mean RCA-RCA is my only option from connecting the BDA-1 to the B100SST?

niels · « **Reply #18 on:** 30 May 2011, 10:23 pm »

Yes. You could also use an xlr-rca cable but I wouldnt do that, the xlr output is higher in voltage and maybe you will run into trouble here with the rca input, but others can probably give you a better answer.
In some products the rumour is that xlr sounds better than xlr, but I think its because of the increased gain in the system, like what I experience with my Squeezebox vs. my MacbookPro, with digital out from both sources i prefer the MBP because of higher gain.
Again, you know my take on cables, I use cheap Toslink cables and unterminated solid core cable for the speakers at a cost of 2 dollars per 3 feet.

srb · « **Reply #19 on:** 30 May 2011, 10:35 pm »

I believe you're only going to have a higher voltage output on the balanced XLR output if you're using both signal legs. As the single-ended RCA input only consists of a signal and ground, you could only use two pins on the XLR end.

In that case, I don't think there would be any advantage to using an XLR to RCA cable unless you just like the locking connector feature on the XLR end.

Steve