Bryston 28B-SST2 or Karan Acoustics KA-S 600 ?

Never heard the 7B-SST2 myself. I think the Bryston position is that the sound character is the same, just scaled for greater power with the 28B. However, a friend had them both and thought the 28B sounded quite a bit better, with more ease, depth, and warmth. He now runs his with an Aesthetix Callisto and loves the combo.

Hi Mribob,

Nice to meet a fellow Phi Beta fan. I'm a little surprised at your experience with the 28Bs, as my system does not lack for subtle cues and musical depth. But these things, as you say, are system-dependent and ours are pretty different. My sources are exclusively vinyl through tubes and speakers are PMC IB2i, known to work well with Bryston. Some amps just don't work so well with some speakers. Glad you found a great synergy for your Ventures, which I've never heard but would like to someday--they look to be exceptional.

Never heard the Hegel H30 either but I just read Absolute Sound review. It looks like a great piece! How long does it take to warm up :)

I run 28B-SST2 with a VAC Phi Beta preamp. There is nothing forward about the sound unless it comes from the source. I believe that tag comes from folks who've heard earlier models, or lesser ones, or who haven't heard these specific amps in a system developed carefully around them. (Soundhut, forgive me if I'm wrong--no disrespect intended.)

The new 28s are special--full bodied, delicate, detailed, layered, even-handed at any volume from whisper to roar, and with ease under any load. I've never used a SS preamp with them, but I have used a Bent TAP-X AVC passive and the sound was not forward or bright. (Because they have an input sensitivity switch, they're versatile enough to accept some passives.)

They do need lots off current. The performance of mine jumped a level or two when I plugged each into its own 20-amp dedicated line.

The only real gripe I have is that they take an unpardonably long time to warm up--like 3 hours before they sound really good, and longer to be their best. Before that they're a little hard and flat, IMO. And I mean "warm up" literally: they become progressively warmer until, after four or five hours, they're almost as hot as pure Class A. At least mine are. It's tempting to leave them on all the time, 20-year warranty and all, but green guilt gets me.

I recall reading somewhere--maybe Audiocircle--that Bryston's James Tanner runs his 28s with Thiel 3.7. I know Bryston has shown the 28s with that speaker so they probably mate quite well. From what I gather, the 3.7 isn't forward, itself, like older Thiels I've heard.

I've never heard Karan amps and they might be even better. But I'd recommend trying the 28s, at least.