New Bryston member...

schugh · « **on:** 29 Jul 2011, 08:41 pm »

So after many years I am joining the Bryston family.
I am looking forward to receive my 4B SST2 in 19" silver with handles.
I will be pairing it with the ARC LS17 preamp driving my maggie 1.6 (hopefully 1.7 in the not too distant future).

-- Sanjay

SoundGame · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 Jul 2011, 08:57 pm »

Hey Sanjay - congratulations - I just recently purchased the exact same - 19", silver, rack handles (trust you have the standard green lights and not the special request blue LED's).

I'm loving my amp - have mine paired with a Bryston BP6 linestage preamp. I've read about many pairing with ARC preamps to get that "touch" of tube bloom, as ARC being a hybrid preamp is a little less "tubey" then some. I've also read about some pairing with ModWright preamps, with good results.

I've heard the Maggie 1.6's a little while back and to this day - they have the most special mid-range I've ever heard. Their way with voices is downright scary whispering in your ear real.

Anyways - where abouts do you hail from? What were you using up to now - prior to the new Bryston amp? What are your hopes and /or what are you hearing.

James Tanner · « **Reply #2 on:** 29 Jul 2011, 08:57 pm »

Welcome Sanjay

james

redbook · « **Reply #3 on:** 29 Jul 2011, 09:14 pm »

Yes, welcome to the fold.. You have the same taste in power amps as I.

Laundrew · « **Reply #4 on:** 29 Jul 2011, 09:19 pm »

Kind greetings Sanjay and be most welcome

Be well...

Diamond Dog · « **Reply #5 on:** 29 Jul 2011, 09:38 pm »

Thanks for joining us, Sanjay. I also use a tube pre-amp ( Manley ) with my Brystons - an outstanding pairing as is your ARC, no doubt. Obviously you are a gentleman of quality with discerning tastes.

D.D.

PRELUDE · « **Reply #6 on:** 29 Jul 2011, 10:21 pm »

Welcome Sanjay and you are holding one of the best SS amps in your hands.

vegasdave · « **Reply #7 on:** 29 Jul 2011, 10:27 pm »

Welcome to the Forum, Sanjay.

headshrinker2 · « **Reply #8 on:** 29 Jul 2011, 10:56 pm »

A warm welcome....

Phil A · « **Reply #9 on:** 30 Jul 2011, 12:45 am »

Welcome!!!

1oldguy · « **Reply #10 on:** 30 Jul 2011, 12:51 am »

I must warn him ......We are all crazy here......About music that is...

Diamond Dog · « **Reply #11 on:** 30 Jul 2011, 01:03 am »

Quote from: 1oldguy on 30 Jul 2011, 12:51 am

I must warm him ......

Spoken like a true Canadian !

D.D.

Laundrew · « **Reply #12 on:** 30 Jul 2011, 11:02 am »

Quote from: Diamond Dog on 30 Jul 2011, 01:03 am

Spoken like a true Canadian !

D.D.

"eh?.."

Be well...

BrysTony · « **Reply #13 on:** 30 Jul 2011, 04:24 pm »

Welcome to the forum Sanjay! I'll be interested to hear your comments on the ARC preamp with the 4BSST2.

Tony

schugh · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 Jul 2011, 07:18 pm »

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone.
I am in Edmonton Alberta and I am a software developer (coder).
I love music. Listening to Brendel's Beethoven Sonata cycle as I type this.
But it's on my integrated as I wait for my Bryston.
The order was placed about 3 days ago.

I haven't been in this hobby very long (though I have enjoyed listening to music far longer). So I don't have a lot of experience. Certainly when I started I never once imagined I would spend so much money on amplifiers or would want to.

But I think I've made some good choices here which will keep me happy for a very long time.

Soundgame wanted to know a little more about me. I acutally have 2 systems, my home theater with B&Ws where I started and then branched out into a music only system which has seen some changes over the years. Actually I forgot I actually started with headphones.
Currently I am using what's called a DK Design VS1 Mk2 hybrid integrated amp. It's now called the LSA standard. It's actually very good for the money. Other equipment is:
Stello DA220 MK2 DAC
Cambridge Audio 640C V2 CD player.
Philips 963SA DVD/SACD player.
Squeezebox touch and also V3 player.
VPI Classic Turntable with ring clamp and Benz Ace LO cartridge.
SimAudio 310LP phono stage.
In the headphone sections I have Benchmark DAC1 USB. Headroom Desktop Portable amp, XCAN V3 amp, Grado RA-1 amp, Senn HD800 and 600 and Grado RS-1 and GS1000 and Denon D5000 and Rotel 961 CD player.

So yeah I know when I start taking inventory, I scratch my head asking how the heck did I accumulate all this stuff. But it's been done slowly. A lot of it through dealer upgrades which is great. For example I started with Grado 60 and every 6-12 months I would save up and step up to the next model as the dealer would give me 100% back for the model I had. Similarly for the turnable I started with a Project Xpression III and went to the VPI Scout and now the Classic which is as high as I want to go turntable wise.

Anyway don't want to bore you guys. With the Bryston and the ARC I am pretty well settled in for the long haul now. It starts to get expensive very quickly after this (even with upgrading or buying and selling) and I am not sure I can really appreciate the differences. I would only probably like to step up the maggie 1.7 from the 1.6. I may change my phono cartridge around in a year and look at what other phono stages are available in the $2K range but not right away.
My wife has been really good to let me get the Bryston and the ARC. Don't want to push it though!

I mostly enjoy listening to Jazz, Classical (Indian and Western) and Classic Rock and World music and anything that sounds good and fun and interesting.

OK that's enough to bore you guys.

-- Sanjay

vegasdave · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 Jul 2011, 08:31 pm »

Cool post, man. I hope you'll let us know how the ARC/Bryston combo performs.

alexone · « **Reply #16 on:** 31 Jul 2011, 12:54 pm »

...just to say hello, Sanjay

al.

jjc1 · « **Reply #17 on:** 1 Aug 2011, 01:27 am »

Welcome SANJAY. Now just wait until the BDP1/Bda1 combo bites. Take some time to view the Bryston HI REZ sight here on Audio Circle. I'm sure you'll enjoy hearing about this new product.

schugh · « **Reply #18 on:** 2 Aug 2011, 05:26 pm »

Actually I've already had a chance to demo the 4B-sst2
However, it is difficult for me to appreciate differences straight away.
I did listen just to the 4b for a few hours over about 5 days and it certainly seemed to be very good
and enjoyable.
But then I wanted to do some A/B testing with my current integrated and I did that a little bit but that's always hard.
Especially when it takes you 2 minutes to switch the amps.
Also I don't have a lot of experience listening so I don't usually know say for example if the bass is better or the highs are better.
I may notice some differences but normally I don't find them to be as big as I read about.

Still I am quite certain the bass was better. I got a sense of layring between voices better. What I mean is when listening to the new Beatles re-masters I felt there was a better sense of separation between the lead vocals and the background/supporing vocals. I could make them out more distinctly.
I think the soundstage was perhaps better but not entirely sure about it.
Brushes on drums/cymbals and the like felt somewhat more real.

For me I think it takes a lot of time to come to understand and appreciate the differences.

The only problem now is as I wait for my 4B I've been reading and I keep thinking "man I wish I could have afforded the 7B or the 14B" and drool thinking about them.

But my wallet and my wife have other ideas. Still I am very ecstatic to be able to afford the 4B and looking forward to receiving it.

Hi jjc1, I am actually on a big vinyl kick right now and love spinning my LPs and I am more then happy with my Stello DAC for the moment.

-- Sanjay

SoundGame · « **Reply #19 on:** 2 Aug 2011, 06:12 pm »

Hey Sanjay,

Thanks for sharing. You've got some interesting gear there. I should say that I'm also a vinyl fan but have for the most part stayed at the entry level with my Goldring GR1.2 and Pro-Ject Phonobox II SE phonostage.

Boy, you have a sizeable collection of quality headphones - with all those you must know what you like to hear. So, I would beg to differ with your comment about not having experience with listening. That said, there is an art in being able to listen critically and analytically to new equipment so as to compare and contrast it, within your framework and understanding of what is good and bad. It's this framework or understanding of the good things and poor things in music reproduction that you probably need to develop.

You touched on a few points when you described your experience with the 4B:
Better bass
Better layering and separation of voices
Better soundstaging (maybe)
More lifelike high frequencies i.e. cymbals and brushes

These are all good things. Perhaps on "bass" you might want to listen for the depth of notes (extension), the tightness of the bass frequencies and the definition/speed of bass frequency notes. Does the bass sound more lifelike - sometime easier to guage when listening to an instrument that you have a good recollection of what it sounds like live and unamplified.

I would recommend using the 4B for sometime, building your understanding of it before venturing up the Bryston chain. It's a great amp and now it's time to find out if it meets your needs.

Congrats again!