I went from an inexpensive, lower powered Bryston (3B-ST) to a moderately expensive, high powered Mac (MC402) so a comparison between the brands is unfair in my experience. Having said that, I did find the Bryston sound to be a little bright and sibilant. The Mac is everything I've wanted in a power, however, it is not as powerful and dynamic as the power ratings would suggest. You should definitely add Pass Labs to your short list
Best Power amps in $7000 range
It seems impossible to narrow down all the good choices. I feel overwhelmed because I want to purchase a 300-400w amp in the $7000 range and there are so many options. I want it to be my last power amp purchase for at least the next 20 years. I've considered Bryston, Classe, Mcintosh, and Parasound. This list is compiled of components I can purchase locally. Any thoughts or impressions on any of these? I've heard bryston in the past and thought they sounded kind of bright, it could've been the setup thought. I currently am using a Classe CA-300 and really like it but I want to replace it due to age. I have no experience with parasound or Mcintosh.