[werd]

I indeed bought it new, about 9 months ago. I actually drove to Germany to pick it up at the company owners home, we had a very interesting afternoon at his place. Very interesting and friendly man.

I do not need a heavier amp than the 4B SST2. I do not listen to my music at high volume, the 4B SST2 is more than sufficient. All Bryston amps sound the same, the only difference is the power.

Apart from that, 175 Watt while idle alone is too much already, I don't feel like throwing away money just because my power amp is on. It is possible to lower that to only a few Watts, which is something I think Bryston should look into. If that does not change I will eventually move away from Bryston. Not because of the sound, but because the power use is too high.

Anonamemouse

If I was only about listening to high levels i probably wouldve stayed with the 4B. I bet you a bp26 with a 14B would better you soveriegn with the 4B. I know the capability of both. The 4B isn't in the same ball park at any volume as the 14 or 7,s. The 14's maintain far more resolution than the 4B and the bass is more lifelike.

[SoundGame]

I indeed bought it new, about 9 months ago. I actually drove to Germany to pick it up at the company owners home, we had a very interesting afternoon at his place. Very interesting and friendly man.

I do not need a heavier amp than the 4B SST2. I do not listen to my music at high volume, the 4B SST2 is more than sufficient. All Bryston amps sound the same, the only difference is the power.

Apart from that, 175 Watt while idle alone is too much already, I don't feel like throwing away money just because my power amp is on. It is possible to lower that to only a few Watts, which is something I think Bryston should look into. If that does not change I will eventually move away from Bryston. Not because of the sound, but because the power use is too high.

A belated congrats on that substantial piece of refined gear.  Not sure of what your power costs are by kWH but you may want to look at how much the 175 watts is costing you before you move away from Bryston.  Idle power is not much for me in cost - considering I only turn it on about 15 - 20 minutes before listening to.  When the amp is off (power switch on the front off) it only consumes a couple of watts when the rear circuit breaker is left on.

[jaxwired]

Hey Jaxwired:

What are you hoping to get more / less of than you do with the BP6?  What are the differences you perceive in the sonics by using the CJ pre vs. the BP6 (pros/cons)? 

There are a ton of preamps out there but using your BP6 as a reference point - what are you seeking?  If it's just more of the same sound i.e. more details, darker background, larger soundstage then perhaps an audition of a BP26 might be in order - with a fully balanced connection.  If it's something different...such as tube-magic you see then that is a different story.

I would say that if you like the sound of the BP6 and are satisfied with it but want more of the same - you will be very hard pressed to find anything (solid-state) better to work with your 4B-SST2 then the B26 with MPS-2.  In the solid-state realm, my next preamp I would look into is the SimAudio Moon preamps (another Canadian brand).  They provide a slightly more musical performance vs. clinical accuracy that Bryston is know for.  Next you have the various hybrid preamps out there such as ARC as well as full tube preamps.  All of which will provide tube-magic but with other compromises such as typically higher-distortion and noise levels, as well as increased maintenance/tuning etc.

Can't ever see upgrading to the BP26.  The differences in sonics are negligable and I prefer single ended cable.  For solid state performance I don't think it gets much better than the BP6 without getting into stupid money territory.

I am very happy with the BP6 as a state of the art preamp.  However, my conrad johnson preamp is more holographic and more musical.  Now "more musical" is a vague and subjective term, but to my ears, the CJ preamp makes music sound more lifelike and real.  There are drawbacks though.  The BP6 has more clarity.  They are both excellent, but they sound quite a bit different.  The CJ is extremely quiet for a tube based preamp.  So tube noise/distortion is a non-issue for me... can't hear any.

Ideally I would like to keep the BP6 but buy a high end CJ and then I can swap them in and out to change things up on occassion.  Just have to convince the wife... 

[SoundGame]

Can't ever see upgrading to the BP26.  The differences in sonics are negligable and I prefer single ended cable.  For solid state performance I don't think it gets much better than the BP6 without getting into stupid money territory.

I am very happy with the BP6 as a state of the art preamp.  However, my conrad johnson preamp is more holographic and more musical.  Now "more musical" is a vague and subjective term, but to my ears, the CJ preamp makes music sound more lifelike and real.  There are drawbacks though.  The BP6 has more clarity.  They are both excellent, but they sound quite a bit different.  The CJ is extremely quiet for a tube based preamp.  So tube noise/distortion is a non-issue for me... can't hear any.

Ideally I would like to keep the BP6 but buy a high end CJ and then I can swap them in and out to change things up on occassion.  Just have to convince the wife... 

The holography of tubes is not something you can really get to with solid-state; however, some of what you perceive in the realm of musicality might be obtainable with your existing BP6 through the use of different interconnects.  Van den Hul produces some quite musical IC's.  All that said - if you can pull the trigger on a second preamp then why NOT!

What CJ preamp do you have?

[Anonamemouse]

If I was only about listening to high levels i probably wouldve stayed with the 4B.

I rarely do. We live in a block where all houses are connected, I hate it when other people annoy me with too much noise, and in return I don't force them to listen to my sound.

I bet you a bp26 with a 14B would better you soveriegn with the 4B. I know the capability of both. The 4B isn't in the same ball park at any volume as the 14 or 7,s. The 14's maintain far more resolution than the 4B and the bass is more lifelike.

Sorry, but the Sovereign pre is by far the superior amp here. I don't know about the 14B or the 7B's, I have not heard them in action. As soon as Bryston manages to create a similar idle power consumption as D'Agostino Momentum (last page, last column, HIFI News Specifications) a 14B or even a set of 7B's are worth looking at. 1 Watt at idle is excellent, 200 plus is wasting energy.

[jaxwired]

What CJ preamp do you have?

Classic SE.  Teflon caps and vishay resistors in the SE model.

[SoundGame]

Classic SE.  Teflon caps and vishay resistors in the SE model.

Sweet!  Glad you're getting a chance to experience the differences.

[headshrinker2]

Jaxwired,
Congrats on your new purchase.  I keep reading so many positive things about tube pre-amps and Bryston amps.  I'm afraid to audition, because I have a strong feeling I might like it! 

Enjoy the tunes...

Hi everyone,

I'm curious what non bryston preamps people have tried with Bryston amps.  I recently purchased a conrad-johnson preamp and it is superb.  I'm pretty sure my BP6 is staying, but the CJ is terrific also.  They do sound quite different.  I love them both for different reasons.

Anyone else experimented with mixing and matching other preamp with their bryston amps?

[SoundGame]

You may want to look into the PrimaLuna gear.  Beautiful preamps - affordable performance and quite well reviewed.

[Sasha]

Anonamemouse

If I was only about listening to high levels i probably wouldve stayed with the 4B. I bet you a bp26 with a 14B would better you soveriegn with the 4B. I know the capability of both. The 4B isn't in the same ball park at any volume as the 14 or 7,s. The 14's maintain far more resolution than the 4B and the bass is more lifelike.

Agree entirely with Werd, there is a significant performance difference between 4B and 14B/7B, different class overall.

[werd]

Agree entirely with Werd, there is a significant performance difference between 4B and 14B/7B, different class overall.

I agree entirely with you agreeing entirely with me....hehe.

I haven't heard the sovereign and i am sure its fabulous but many people mistake the problems with pre amp when in fact it may the front end thats in issue. Bp26 is pretty neutral and out of the way. The idea here is you need to get a lot of front ends in front of the pre amp to determine to know if you are talking about the pre amp or the front end gear. Very often people will band aid their front end with pre amps.

[Anonamemouse]

I agree entirely with you agreeing entirely with me....hehe.

I haven't heard the sovereign and i am sure its fabulous but many people mistake the problems with pre amp when in fact it may the front end thats in issue. Bp26 is pretty neutral and out of the way. The idea here is you need to get a lot of front ends in front of the pre amp to determine to know if you are talking about the pre amp or the front end gear. Very often people will band aid their front end with pre amps.

The front end here is the Marantz KI Pearl SACD player. Nothing wrong with that one.
And some other gear...

Power amplifier: Bryston 4B SST2 C-SERIES
DVD-player: Denon DVD-3910
Netfilter: Kemp Elektroniks Power Source
TV: Loewe Aventos
(SA)CD-player: Marantz KI Pearl
Tuner: Marantz ST6001
Interlinks: Nordost Cables and NBS
Video cable: Nordost Cables Silver Screen Scart Interlink
Pre amplifier: Sovereign Director
Turntable: Technics SL1200 mk2
Loudspeakers: Tri-Nextel

[werd]

The front end here is the Marantz KI Pearl SACD player. Nothing wrong with that one.
And some other gear...

Power amplifier: Bryston 4B SST2 C-SERIES
DVD-player: Denon DVD-3910
Netfilter: Kemp Elektroniks Power Source
TV: Loewe Aventos
(SA)CD-player: Marantz KI Pearl
Tuner: Marantz ST6001
Interlinks: Nordost Cables and NBS
Video cable: Nordost Cables Silver Screen Scart Interlink
Pre amplifier: Sovereign Director
Turntable: Technics SL1200 mk2
Loudspeakers: Tri-Nextel

I really do not want to sound condescending here but you built a sound system around the Marantz k1 pearl. Thats what you have done. I also don't want to get into a tit for tat on your front end because i know what you think of the Bryston front ends. The thing is you have taken the Pearl as gospel and fixed it. People consider pre amps to the most important part of the system because they do stuff like this. They fix tweak their front ends with preamps.

Anyways i am sure you system sounds good. If you want to light your system up i would strongly recommend the Torus in 240 or whatever equivalent is in the Europe. The 4B loves the Torus in 240. 

[Anonamemouse]

I really do not want to sound condescending here

You're kinda failing there...

but you built a sound system around the Marantz k1 pearl. Thats what you have done.

Really? Hmm... Might be because I tried about 15 different players here (including the BCD, which is ridiculously redbook) and the KI Pearl is the one that sounded best in what I thought was a reasonable budget for a CD player.

I also don't want to get into a tit for tat on your front end because i know what you think of the Bryston front ends.

It's good. Very good even. But better DOES exist.

The thing is you have taken the Pearl as gospel and fixed it. People consider pre amps to the most important part of the system because they do stuff like this. They fix tweak their front ends with preamps.

I never realized that... So you're saying that if I buy a BCD or a BDP plus separate BDA and a BP26 my system will be fixed without tweaks? Okay.

Anyways i am sure you system sounds good. If you want to light your system up i would strongly recommend the Torus in 240 or whatever equivalent is in the Europe. The 4B loves the Torus in 240.

I have tried one. The Kemp netfilter does the job just as well, if not better (yeah, again) for less money. My set is on two dedicated 230 volts lines, and the electrical network here in Europe is of somewhat better quality than the American/Canadian one (I have lived in Boston, in Toronto and in Windsor, I do have some experience). I do not need to spend a few thousand just because the electric company can't supply a steady stream of juice.

[HsvHeelFan]

My preamp is a Parasound PHP-850. It's a August 2001 acquisition.  Here is its datasheet:

http://www.parasound.com/vintage/php850.php

I paid around $350 for it.

The Parasound preamp is a John Curl design. It does have tone controls but it also has a tone control defeat switch that I usually use.

The dealer allowed me to audition it along with 2 of the Parasound amps.  He didn't know I was borrowing a 4B to audition as well.

I was replacing a Yamaha Integrated amp that was dying.

The Parasound Preamp with either of the Parasound amps (HC-1000A or HC-1500A)  was an improvement over the Yamaha.  I just didn't care for the sound.  It was veiled and unnatural.

The Parasound Preamp with the Bryston power amp was on an entirely different level.  Music was alive and had presence and power!  It was an amazing difference.

At that point, the price difference between the Parasound amps and the Bryston was irrelevant.  I was getting a Bryston.

It took me about a month to get up to the Nashville area to find a Bryston.

My preamp gets the job done, but one of these days, I want to pickup a BP-20 on the used market.

HsvHeelFan

[Sasha]

I was using a Placette Passive for awhile with my PP300SSTs. My brother is now using it with his 3BST. Very clean and detailed.
Right now I am using a PS Audio PerfectWave Dac/Pre balanced to the PP300SSTs. Sounds great. Not getting rid of the BP6 though.

Al

Did you have a chance to compare Placette to Bryston BP6 side by side, driving both PP300SST and 3BST, and how did it sound? I assume you had single ended version of Placette, not balanced?
And why did you get rid of Placette in favor of BP6?
What speakers did you have at the time?

[Alphonse]

Sasha, correct, the Placette is the single ended version. I did briefly compare the BP6 and Placette on the PP300SST monoblocks driving Dynaudio Confidence 5 speakers before I sent the Placette to my brother. I would say that the Placette had ever so slightly more inner detail clarity, but despite what some critics say about passives it was not at all thin on dynamics with plenty of bass presence. So, I have a high opinion of the Placette. My brother and I are audio addicts from way back and cycle through products just for the hell of it. I also think that the BP6 is an excellent preamp. The noise floor is so low that I personally can not tell whether the additional electronics are adding anything. Very quiet, clean, and detailed.

Al   

[tim92gts]

Lyngdorf DPA-1 here.
Balanced inputs from the marantz SA11S2 on sacd and two balanced output pairs for the two 14Bs.
DSP in the pre which covers Room Correction and crossovers so i can set the amp channels
to receive what their speakers need. EQ options too.
Built in dac so direct connection to the cdp optical out, Satellite system, computer and blu ray
player.
Sounds great but that's more down to the amps and speakers.

[VOLKS]

I own a Sovereign Director. It costs about US$ 16000.00, and hearing it next to the BP 26 there is no comparisan. The BP 26 is left in the very dark shade.
It truly brings out the best in the power amps.

Hi Anonamouse! i remember when you bought the amazing Sovereign Director preamp......is it fully broken in now?...or was there a "breaking in" period at all?

[Anonamemouse]

Hi Anonamouse! i remember when you bought the amazing Sovereign Director preamp......is it fully broken in now?...or was there a "breaking in" period at all?

Even though Sovereign abuses their products the same way Bryston does before they are delivered to customers, there definitely was a break in period. It's been living here for 8 months now, and it took a good full month to reach a level where both the Boss and I feel the sound is no longer growing. We now own "somewhat lesser sounding CD's", "decent sounding CD's", "good sounding CD's", and "excellent sounding CD's". And of course various levels inbetween...

We are still more than happy with the Director, I do not see it leave soon... Also because Sovereign only makes one pre amp...

We both continue to be amazed at how much the 4B SST2 delivers, when paired with a top class pre. People have mentioned that I should look into a set of 7B's or a 14B, which would be another few steps upward. I have grown curious to this now, unfortunately there are a few things holding me back... Money being one of them, also I think they use a ridiculous amount of current even when idle.