Do all Bryston amplifiers sound the same?

werd · « **Reply #20 on:** 9 Aug 2011, 03:29 pm »

From the 4B and up the same tone exists amongst all the amps. Don't know about the 3B or 2B's. In fact you would have a hard time guessing between the 4B and 14B or 7Bs and probably the 28's at casual listening. Walking around the room and not paying any significant attention you wouldn't be able to tell the difference, the tone is the same.

The pay off comes when you engage the sweet spot. In the sweet spot the difference between the 4B and 14B is significant. The 14B has twice the power and it shows itself with finesse, the 28's even more over the 14B - depending on your speakers. In the sweet spot the 14B muscles its point across with a feather touch. The 4B does not do this. You get way more air around the instruments and better sense of positioning. This is probably due to the bigger power and choke filtering that you get with 14B and up.

Depending on your speakers, the bass is stronger and gets off the floor with the 14B. Compared to the 14B instruments are defined where one would be able to hear little nuances of the recording that are not there with the 4B. Crash cymbals ring better and get in the beat. Air around them gives them position and accuracy.

The 4B is an oustanding amp and its probably the best amp out there due to its price accessibility. I didn't notice any of this until i got the 14B.

SoundGame · « **Reply #21 on:** 9 Aug 2011, 03:40 pm »

Quote from: werd on 9 Aug 2011, 03:29 pm

The 4B is an oustanding amp and its probably the best amp out there due to its price accessibility. I didn't notice any of this until i got the 14B.

Hey Werd - this is interesting:
Did you A/B the 4B and 14B?
Were they both the "squared" series?
Were you using Torus conditioning on both?

How much of a difference - I know it's hard to quantify but would it take a seasoned audiophile to note the difference or would this be quite apparent to just an amateur enthusiast?

sweetspot · « **Reply #22 on:** 9 Aug 2011, 05:19 pm »

I'm a little confused.I hear references to the toroidal transformers in the Bryston being the same or similar to those in the Torus units.If you go to the Torus site you will see that their transformers are massive and would probably not fit into a Bryston amp!The Torus units also contain"surge suppression". It is my understanding that Torus & Bryston both source their transformers from a company called Plitron in Toronto with Bryston having used them for about 20 years.My point is-both companies use Plitron transformers but with different goals in mind.Would someone enlighten me on this!

redbook · « **Reply #23 on:** 9 Aug 2011, 06:49 pm »

What I don't get is that it has been stated in various reviews that the 14B is more 'laid back" than a 4B. I like the sound to be right in my face, front row feeling. What exactly is "laid back". Is this a greater sense of ease or is it that the sound is more recessed . Please ,someone enlighten me. Appreciate it.......... thanks in advance.

werd · « **Reply #24 on:** 9 Aug 2011, 06:56 pm »

Quote from: SoundGame on 9 Aug 2011, 03:40 pm

Hey Werd - this is interesting:
Did you A/B the 4B and 14B?
Were they both the "squared" series?
Were you using Torus conditioning on both?

How much of a difference - I know it's hard to quantify but would it take a seasoned audiophile to note the difference or would this be quite apparent to just an amateur enthusiast?

Hello

I had a 4bsq and a 14bsq in the house at the same time. I also had my in house Torus rm20 at that time too. You do not need to be an experienced audiophile but only aware of the sweet spot. The only work needed is lots of sweet spot listening with the 4B (or any amp) to immediately hear the changes with upgrades. The 14B is a big upgrade to the 4B but its a sweet spot amp. Unless of course you want the volume out of it then its a muscle amp for volume too.

rmurray · « **Reply #25 on:** 10 Aug 2011, 02:02 am »

I have also wondered what laid back supposed to mean. There 's no term in any hifi list of specs that I know of. If the 14b is laid back I prefer the 4b or 7b models.

werd · « **Reply #26 on:** 10 Aug 2011, 02:23 am »

You guys need to get more laid back so you can hear what i'm sayin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxsnXxwoaME&feature=related

redbook · « **Reply #27 on:** 10 Aug 2011, 02:29 am »

So you no one can verbalize this illusive abstract term?

spinner · « **Reply #28 on:** 10 Aug 2011, 02:42 am »

Dictionary states unhurried, relaxed . Sounds kinda polite

werd · « **Reply #29 on:** 10 Aug 2011, 02:54 am »

As far as i can tell all it means is that the sound is more recessed with no real frequency energy extended. The 14B can be relaxed or in your face. In its lower gain setting it tends to be more relaxed. In its higher gain you move into a more forward sound i find. I find the pre amp has more of an effect here than amps. Moving into a higher gain pre amp will stud out your sound get it rolling in your face. The old sst series amps were the furthest thing from bein relaxed. The new square series its either or, and its fully tweakable by cables and preamps - getting the sound you like - laid back or not.

My tastes lies towards laid back since its sounds better at the lower volume i listen to. Having anything else just doesn't sound right at a casual level.

1oldguy · « **Reply #30 on:** 10 Aug 2011, 03:36 am »

Bryston amps may sound share the same sound....but the level of performance is another matter.

PRELUDE · « **Reply #31 on:** 10 Aug 2011, 03:38 am »

I did some search for Laid Back and got this.

redbook · « **Reply #32 on:** 10 Aug 2011, 03:50 pm »

Thanks Werd. That was just the clearification I needed to comprehend the term. I didn't know that the choice of gain setting influences that sound character .Is the 4bsst2 adjustable like that? Anyway thanks again and pardon my ignorance.

1oldguy · « **Reply #33 on:** 10 Aug 2011, 03:53 pm »

Quote from: redbook on 10 Aug 2011, 03:50 pm

Thanks Werd. That was just the clearification I needed to comprehend the term. I didn't know that the choice of gain setting influences that sound character .Is the 4bsst2 adjustable like that? Anyway thanks again and pardon my ignorance.

Hi RedBook
Please Pardon my French,as I don'tknow any.

BobRex · « **Reply #34 on:** 10 Aug 2011, 04:16 pm »

Just out of curiosity, if an amp is "laid back" or "in your face" wouldn't that be a coloration? And therefore the amp isn't truly passing the signal accurately. So if one model is "laid back" and another is "in your face", which one was designed to be the most "accurate"?

1oldguy · « **Reply #35 on:** 10 Aug 2011, 04:22 pm »

Quote from: BobRex on 10 Aug 2011, 04:16 pm

Just out of curiosity, if an amp is "laid back" or "in your face" wouldn't that be a coloration? And therefore the amp isn't truly passing the signal accurately. So if one model is "laid back" and another is "in your face", which one was designed to be the most "accurate"?

That's akin to asking,Where was Moses when the lights went out?
Just kidding....Carry on Wayward Son.

Mag · « **Reply #36 on:** 10 Aug 2011, 11:33 pm »

Quote from: BobRex on 10 Aug 2011, 04:16 pm

Just out of curiosity, if an amp is "laid back" or "in your face" wouldn't that be a coloration? And therefore the amp isn't truly passing the signal accurately. So if one model is "laid back" and another is "in your face", which one was designed to be the most "accurate"?

No, laid back or in your face has more to do with speakers and the arrival time of the sound. Like I commented that my 3B SST2 on the center channel was too forward compared to the 3B SST. I could have adjusted the SP2 speaker distances to compensate, but I had no intention of keeping it for my center channel amp so didn't tweak the settings.

The SST2 was perceived as forward because the bass had more vibe and I didn't want that much bass coming from the center being that I sit close to the speaker.

BobRex · « **Reply #37 on:** 11 Aug 2011, 11:50 am »

Quote from: Mag on 10 Aug 2011, 11:33 pm

No, laid back or in your face has more to do with speakers and the arrival time of the sound. Like I commented that my 3B SST2 on the center channel was too forward compared to the 3B SST. I could have adjusted the SP2 speaker distances to compensate, but I had no intention of keeping it for my center channel amp so didn't tweak the settings.

The SST2 was perceived as forward because the bass had more vibe and I didn't want that much bass coming from the center being that I sit close to the speaker.

Ummm, not quite. In your specific case you would be correct, but if the amplifiers were not auditioned on the same speaker in the same room, and someone acribes differences in the sound that would be a poor evaluation, and nobody here does that!

But if the same speaker / room is used, then the sonic differences are solely between the amplifiers, hence something, somewhere, somehow,in the amplification chain must be coloring the sound.

vegasdave · « **Reply #38 on:** 11 Aug 2011, 06:14 pm »

Quote from: BobRex on 11 Aug 2011, 11:50 am

But if the same speaker / room is used, then the sonic differences are solely between the amplifiers, hence something, somewhere, somehow,in the amplification chain must be coloring the sound.

I agree.

Mag · « **Reply #39 on:** 12 Aug 2011, 01:27 am »

Perhaps there is some confusion on my part. I used the term 'laid back' in another thread in regards to av/processor where the speaker distances can be adjusted without physically moving the speaker. This can have the effect of moving the sound forward, in front of the speaker plane, even or behind. Behind is what I call laid back, not to be confused with far field or near field listening.

In the context of amps, more power means like less strain like revs for a car engine. Thereby sounding more relaxed, refined, smoother, liquid. As for Bryston amps the sound is neutral so how can there be coloration?