[jas007]

For what it's worth, I recently purchased a BP-6.  I can't imagine anything sounding much better.  I'm using it in combination with the 4BSST2.

[SoundGame]

For what it's worth, I recently purchased a BP-6.  I can't imagine anything sounding much better.  I'm using it in combination with the 4BSST2.

Jas007: What other preamps have you used with the 4BSST2 or in general to base your opinion on - just curious?  Have you used previous generation Bryston preamps?

[jas007]

Jas007: What other preamps have you used with the 4BSST2 or in general to base your opinion on - just curious?  Have you used previous generation Bryston preamps?

None.  I bought the BP-6 and the 4BSST2 at the same time.  I used to sell high end stereo gear, though, many years ago when I was in college. And my father was a professional classical musician with a major symphony orchestra, so I pretty much grew up listening to real music 18 hours a day. I know what it's supposed to sound like.

Anyway, the Bryston stuff sounds good to me. 

[SoundGame]

None.  I bought the BP-6 and the 4BSST2 at the same time.  I used to sell high end stereo gear, though, many years ago when I was in college. And my father was a professional classical musician with a major symphony orchestra, so I pretty much grew up listening to real music 18 hours a day. I know what it's supposed to sound like.

Anyway, the Bryston stuff sounds good to me.

Good enough for me - you could probably teach me a few things about listening to music.  Anyways, I just asked because I just purchased the exact same Bryston pre and amp and am excited about getting it this Monday.

[danman]

I have the BP-20 that I purchased through James a couple of years back. This was a model they had left over and I believe it was never used. The point is, I have always wondered if getting the BP-26 would change the sound. I was thinking of getting the bigger power supply that would make it almost identical to the the 26.
I don't need a remote so I have eliminated that from the sound path as I am a believer that I can burn 10 calories each time I get up to turn up or down the volume!!!!
I love the pre-amp and have compared it to many others more expensive and did not notice a change that would merit the expense. However, I know that power supplies actually work in bettering sound like power cords and conditioners at least to my ears. So I guess my question is, would it really be advantageous to get the better power supply?

[klao]

None.  I bought the BP-6 and the 4BSST2 at the same time.  I used to sell high end stereo gear, though, many years ago when I was in college. And my father was a professional classical musician with a major symphony orchestra, so I pretty much grew up listening to real music 18 hours a day. I know what it's supposed to sound like.

Anyway, the Bryston stuff sounds good to me.

  to you jas007!

I didn't have that much chance to listen to real music like you, but quite enough I think.  As a boy, I was an usher and program seller for a local symphony orhcestra that my father was one of the co-founders.  He involved with them for twenty-something years; so I grew up attending most of their musical events free of charge.   

[vegasdave]

I have generally thought the 'big deal' over balanced was overblown.
I have used the balanced from my BP-26 to the 4B-SST2 because the cable is 7 meters long. So i can keep most of my stuff at my listening chair, and the amp between the speakers.

I did not know about the common mode rejection issue. Good to know.

I too have long interconnects between the amp and preamp, for the same reason you said...to keep sources and preamp at the listening chair and the amp between the speakers.
This works very well for me, and I wonder why more audiophiles don't set up their systems this way. Oh well, different strokes...

[vegasdave]

None.  I bought the BP-6 and the 4BSST2 at the same time.  I used to sell high end stereo gear, though, many years ago when I was in college. And my father was a professional classical musician with a major symphony orchestra, so I pretty much grew up listening to real music 18 hours a day. I know what it's supposed to sound like.

Anyway, the Bryston stuff sounds good to me. 

I have the BP6P (with MM phono stage) with the 4BSST (non squared, circa 2007) amp. It's a damn good combo, imo.

[SoundGame]

Just recieved my BP6 and 4B-SST/2 today.  The BP6 is wired up and breaking in - need to do some rack shuffling still to get the 4B into play. 

Interesting enough - given the orignal questions I posed regarding the BP6 vs. BP26, from my Bryston signed spec. sheet it appears it may be a mut point.  The BP6 tests at 0.00175% IMD with a 103db noise floor unbalanced, which is pretty close to the BP26 standard specs.  I undertand that an actual production tested BP26 might be lower but I can't see it being by that much. 

Anyone with a recently produced (last 12 months) BP26 care to share their test sheet specs? 

[SoundGame]

Oh, BTW, interestingly enough - the 4B unbalanced noise test ratings show only a 1dB difference between balanced (116/115) and unbalanced (115/114).  When bridged, there is no difference at 115db but THD is higher when bridged.

[vegasdave]

Enjoy your new units! Yeah, those specs are quite amazing, eh?

How many watts did your 4B test at? It's usually well over the 300 rating.

[SoundGame]

Enjoy your new units! Yeah, those specs are quite amazing, eh?

How many watts did your 4B test at? It's usually well over the 300 rating.

Thanks Vegasdave.  My 4B came in at 330 watts / ch into 8ohms on the test sheet.

It clearly states that wattage is tested at 2000Hz rather than accross the full spectrum of 20 - 20,000 Hz.  So that begs another question whether it would actually yield 330 watts / ch in 8ohms with both channels driven from 20 to 20,000Hz.  I presume it would or near there - though those low frequencies tend to demand high power from my experience.

[SoundGame]

Thanks Vegasdave.  My 4B came in at 330 watts / ch into 8ohms on the test sheet.

It clearly states that wattage is tested at 2000Hz rather than accross the full spectrum of 20 - 20,000 Hz.  So that begs another question whether it would actually yield 330 watts / ch in 8ohms with both channels driven from 20 to 20,000Hz.  I presume it would or near there - though those low frequencies tend to demand high power from my experience.

Oh - and BTW, my outstanding questions was:
The BP6 tests at 0.00175% IMD with a 103db noise floor unbalanced, which is pretty close to the BP26 standard specs.  I undertand that an actual production tested BP26 might be lower but I can't see it being by that much. 

Anyone with a recently produced (last 12 months) BP26 care to share their test sheet specs?

[vegasdave]

Thanks Vegasdave.  My 4B came in at 330 watts / ch into 8ohms on the test sheet.

It clearly states that wattage is tested at 2000Hz rather than accross the full spectrum of 20 - 20,000 Hz.  So that begs another question whether it would actually yield 330 watts / ch in 8ohms with both channels driven from 20 to 20,000Hz.  I presume it would or near there - though those low frequencies tend to demand high power from my experience.

Cool, sounds good. And good question!

[SoundGame]

Oh - and BTW, my outstanding questions was:
The BP6 tests at 0.00175% IMD with a 103db noise floor unbalanced, which is pretty close to the BP26 standard specs.  I undertand that an actual production tested BP26 might be lower but I can't see it being by that much. 

Anyone with a recently produced (last 12 months) BP26 care to share their test sheet specs?

Anyone willing to go open-kimono on their BP26 test results?  Thanks.

[jaylevine]

Anyone willing to go open-kimono on their BP26 test results?  Thanks.

Unit SN: 000007
Date Tested: 01/31/05

IMD
Left Channel: .00092%
Right Channel: .00097%

Unweighted S/N (balanced)

LC: -103.26 db
RC: -102.86db

Unweighted S/N (unbalanced)

LC: 104.54 db
RC: -104.43 db

[SoundGame]

This is interesting.

So distortion is higher on the BP6, according to tested products but not as much of a difference as the "official" Bryston specs. 

Specs say that the BP26 distortion should be 0.0015 vs. 0.005 for the BP6 (the BP6 would be over 3 times higher); however, tested results show a difference of less than 2 times higher for the BP6 (0.002) vs. BP26 (0.001).  Perhaps the BP6 posted specs could read as 0.002; however, I understand that there will be variances from model to model. 

On the noise floor difference, the test and specs agree...there is no difference.  This is interesting, since I would have thought that the BP26 with MP2 would make the S/N ratio the key difference - but that's clearly not the case.

This is purely academic - in real world terms, given such low distortion figures in both models, the difference in distortion between preamps should virtually indetectible - especially when you consider other factors such as component variances, cables and the big weakness...speakers.

BTW - I'm already starstruck with my BP6.  It's absolutely clear, holographic and makes me listen to music that much more - which is the key point.

[James Tanner]

When choosing a Bryston preamp you're correct the comparison numbers become meaningless at some point. 

I have always said Bryston does not build Better/Best - we build as well as we know how given current technology and the choices for the customer are based on 'Application' differences not 'Performance' differences.

james

[SoundGame]

Personally - I love that Bryston philosophy.

[srb]

I have always said Bryston does not build Better/Best - we build as well as we know how given current technology and the choices for the customer are based on 'Application' differences not 'Performance' differences.

As the power supply on the BP-26 is external ("The power transformer is mounted externally to eliminate power-supply noise interference"), is that not for a 'Performance' difference versus an 'Application' difference compared to the other Bryston preamplifiers?
 
Steve