Bryston?

I've owned a Bryston amp (still going after 25+ years, recapped), preamp, DAC, and digital player. I've always found the company to be remarkably responsive. James Tanner is quick to answer questions on the audiocircle forum. My only reservation is that they seem to have struggled a bit with the software on their digital players--though it didn't bother me since I use Roon. I have the sense that they may be phasing out of digital players, though that's just a hunch.

I just purchased the following Bryston products:

1.Bryston 4B3 cubed power amplifier which puts out 300 watts per channel at 8 ohms and 500 per channel into 4 ohms. I've had this amp for 4 months and am enjoying it very much. I am driving the Martin Logan 11A Impressions. The sound is powerful and clean.

2. Bryston BP-19-preamplifier. The preamp is very clean sounding and does not add any unwanted sound to my set up. The preamp is dead silent. I've had this for two months and am happy with my purchase.

Some of the details behind the 2021 ownership changes after Brian Russell died in March 2021 — https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/bryston-ceo-james-tanner-talks-with-alan-taffel-about-the-companys-ownership-change/

@cleeds 

<<The challenge is finding a tech qualified and equipped to align these tuners.>>

 No kidding. Got an 85lb powered sub, no one local can install new amp board. Friend inherited a nice TEAC R2R that needed attention -- no luck. In my childhood we had three independent radio repair shops. Long gone. Radio Shack had the last gearhead, young kid; they closed 10 years ago. Canada was a bastion of FM connoisseurship for obvious reasons. Now it may be Eastern Europe. 

hickamore

With the 25% tariff on Canadian goods due to hit tomorrow ...

Time is on your side. It was just a political proposal and hasn't yet been enacted. Because Canada is such a huge US trading partner it's possible that it the tariff will never be enacted.

Wish I too had a vintage tuner -- that still worked or could be repaired!

Many of the first class vintage tuners are completely serviceable. My McIntosh MR80 is still going strong after all these years, although it benefits from a little attention every 10 years or so. The challenge is finding a tech qualified and equipped to align these tuners. It's a specialty, rather like servicing reel-to-reels.

With the 25% tariff on Canadian goods due to hit tomorrow, some of us looking at MD may be confined to the used market. Wish I too had a vintage tuner -- that still worked or could be repaired!

I emailed James Tanner from Bryston last month about getting a 3rd MD ST-2 antenna. He immediately forwarded my request to maybe the old VP of MD. I heard a few comments about getting on my request and then silence.

Then a tech support contacted by from another channel (web site support) and tells me a new version is coming out by the end of January and the prior guy had no knowledge. Not sure if they are working in the same office since there is some disconnect in the feedback. I am only referring to MD NOT Bryston.

The MD Tuners are excellent. I have the MD 108T. However, 2 vintage tuners I own are amazing too. A Sansui TU990 (very good) and a turbo charged Accuphase T-101 (great). The Sansui is not used since I need a 3rd antenna. Both vintage tuners cost a lot less than the MD-108T. I doubt I get the MD 108T if I had owned the vintage tuners first.

@decooney There are a few A'gon threads on tuners. 90% of the posts concern vintage gear still working. From what I can tell, nothing has changed.

@cleeds @hickamore - good to know on the MD tuners. This topic may deserve its own separate thread. I was unaware of the new changes and support and such. I still enjoy my MD-102 in Black and hope to keep in going for a long time more.  

MD-105 in silver. MD has no competition in my price range, so still using NAD C-427. Tried Overture (Delaware) which charges no sales tax. No inventory and no reply to their inquiries on my behalf. This was a year ago or more. Audio Advisor "temporarily out of stock" since forever and can't get silver anyhow. There seems to be a dealer in Slovakia, though .  .  .

hickamore

Had no luck scoring the Magnum Dynalab model I wanted, so gave up on that ...

Really? What model interested you? What dealer was unable to obtain one for you? What tuner did you buy instead of the Magnum Dynalab?

@cleeds Had no luck scoring the Magnum Dynalab model I wanted, so gave up on that. If Bryston has taken charge then maybe now availability has improved. Appreciate the tip! 

I'm a monoblock fan and have two sets, one tube based and one solid state. My tube monos are the big Conrad Johnson LP275M's each using eight ST120 power tubes and three 6922 signal tubes. My SS monos are the big (and very heavy) Bryston 28BSST's. I have Wilson Alexia speakers in a relatively large, dedicated listening room. I use the CJ amps the most and they have a permanent place on my equipment center. The Brystons are kept on heavy duty furniture dollies so that I can wheel them over in front and swap them into and out of the system at will. Bryston gear is built to last and sounds really good. Their 4BSST and above amps will power just about any speaker made, and do so with authority.

hickamore

Thanks to all for the updates on Bryston. Sounds like they are still doing, or trying to do, what they always did, but with rarely anything new to talk about.

They've introduced a new preamplifier, a whole new line of Class D amplifiers, new speakers, and have taken over production of the excellent Magnum Dynalab tuners. At the same time, they are supporting its large installed base of components - I've had excellent service on my vintage 4B, and the little hiccup my BDP-3 player encountered last year was swiftly resolved remotely, unlike the "support" I got from Aurender.

" @jaybe I just bought a 4B3 to go with my Sopras.

I can’t get over the posters who base their buying decisions on a single comment from a stranger lol."

Did buy your 4B3 new or used? And if new where did you purchase it from if you don’t mind sharing, Thx.

I just bought a 4B3 to go with my Sopras.

I can't get over the posters who base their buying decisions on a single comment from a stranger lol.

Thanks to all for the updates on Bryston. Sounds like they are still doing, or trying to do, what they always did, but with rarely anything new to talk about. Also seems the 20-year warranties could still be a strong selling point for those young enough to care and not inclined to audiophiliac hobbyism.

@bslon

"You don’t hear much about Bryston around here because the gear performs and doesn’t have problems."

Exactly!

It’s not just about problems. Sometimes people have questions of interest and more. It’s easy to find Bryston amps and such on the used market, and it’s also interesting to fun and understand what/why people are selling, upgrading, and what other Bryston models people are upgrading to, and why.

Doing a search here on Agon there seems to be less chatter about Bryston compared to many other brands. Maybe there is another forum where Bryston owners and fans hang out?

I have a Bryston BDA-3 DAC that I think is excellent.  Had their streamer DAC, BDA-3.14 which has a raspberry pi card in it.  That piece stopped streaming for whatever reason and in subsequent phone calls to Bryston they offered a brand new BDA-3.  That is great customer service. 

The BDA-3 is a class A DAC in a magazine which you all know of.  When I asked Bryston why there is not a BDA-4 the reply was "we've been working on it, but are not satisfied it is better than the BDA-3". 

Regards,

barts 

@bslon 

"You don’t hear much about Bryston around here because the gear performs and  doesn’t have problems."

Exactly!

You don’t hear much about Bryston around here because the gear performs and  doesn’t have problems. I bought a BP25 preamp and 4bST amp in Y2K and had no issues in 19 1/2 years, selling them with 6 months left on the warranty.

The replacements are a BP26 preamp and 4b3 amp and the newer components are even better sounding than my previous units, in a surprising way.

If you have questions James Tanner has been there for as long as I can remember and whenever I’ve emailed an inquiry he has responded promptly. He sends emails of product reviews and owner comments on a regular basis.

I will also share a hugely positive and recent experience.  Purchased a pair of second hand 7B SST 2 units to replace a McIntosh MC 302 that was simply too bulky and heavy for me to manage anymore.  When I received them, the original shipping cartons were pretty beat up and the speaker cable binding posts had cracked plastic knurls.  Sent Bryston an email with serial numbers and asked how much it would be to purchase replacements and how long it would take.  They sent the binding posts with detailed replacement instructions at no charge the next day and the replacement cartons the same day I gave them my CC.

Replacing the binding posts was a piece of cake and the cartons ensure that the next time I have to move the amps my experience will be trouble-free.  The superb response of a company expertly and proudly supporting superseded gear guarantees I will keep them at the top of my go-to list for electronics.  It's for precisely that reason that Dynavector, McIntosh and SOTA remain go-to manufacturers for me.

Lots of folks here frequently fret over corporate consolidation and The End Of The Audio World As We Know It.  My experiences lead me to believe most higher-end companies rely on positive word-of-mouth to build sales and can go to unusual lengths to make sure that impression is substantiated irrespective of venture capital intrusions.  All of the companies I note above have done so and 3 of them multiple times over 15+ years.  In the case of Dynavector, it's been since I purchased my first Karat 23 Ruby back in the early 80s.  Bryston is the newest addition to that enviable group.

We just have to remember this is a hobby first for everyone involved.  If we treat our fellow hobbyists with respect and give them the information they need to know to help us, they will respond as best they're able.  Everyone wants happy listening.  We need only give those who support that goal the courtesy to provide it.

About a year ago, I bought a pair of Bryston Mini T speakers from my local Bryston dealer. I had been searching for a second set of speakers for a 2nd system and wandered into the shop to listen to various sets of speakers. I auditioned a few speakers from various manufacturers, but then the owner of the shop swapped in the Mini T’s. After about 2 minutes of listening to the Mini T’s, I had to have them.

They are an 8" three way stand mount speaker with low’s extending into the mid 30 hertz range. Very smooth, very accurate. I REALLY enjoy them.

I was using passive subs, an outboard crossover and separate power amps for the low frequencies on this 2nd stereo setup but ended up removing all of the subwoofer setup since the Bryston’s play low enough for my taste and the simplification of the system was the best route for me. Have I mentioned I REALLY enjoy them?

The newest T10 speaker line up is now at my local dealer...and I’m anxious to hear these new line array cabinets. Bryston is alive and well, at least at my local shop

As a Bryston fan and long-time owner I can share the following for some background and context:

What happened to Bryston?

SoundStage! Hi-Fi | SoundStageHiFi.com - Bryston: How a Devastating Death Led to a New Lease on Life

2021 public announcement of relocation and some operational consolidations:

(1) Peterborough audio electronics company Bryston sold, relocating manufacturing to Muskoka area | Globalnews.ca

I relatively recently had my 4B ST amp restored by Bryston. It was a very good experience and was previously described by me here:

https://forum.audiogon.com/posts/2554910

I have found Bryston staff responsive and very helpful. Responses never came the same day but usually within a couple of days. 

Bryston, like several well-regarded legacy audio manufacturers, has faced the challenges associated with the passing of time and founders.

Also, like some audio companies, Bryston has always maintained a somewhat low- key presence. Anyone heard anything about Quad lately? 

Hope this helps.

I have nothing but good things to say about Bryston. Their MO is not to be the latest new thing, but to carefully refine their designs and bring only real improvements to their products. 

The Cubed series is a step up from the previous line. It's the quietest amp I've ever used and is supremely neutral. I have the 3B3 Pro because that's as much power as I need. The fact that it's 35lbs and fits in my rack is a big bonus. But the larger ones are still easier to handle than most high end amps. The Pro version has trim pots on the back to match my preamp gain better. 

My interactions with Bryston were excellent. I received replies to any questions within hours and the responses were on point. I also had great service from my dealer during the transaction and follow up afterwards. 

Its a good thing I skipped a 4B3 buy to try then 

I have the .5 preamp and the 3B amp. The .5 is fine, the 3B needs repair work. Good stuff!

BRYSTON is alive and well up here in Ontario.

The “old” amps division is still in Peterborough, and their digital division moved to AXIOM’s location in Dwight.

https://bryston.com/about-bryston/

it was during the merger that their companies consolidation via merger logistics fell down for a period land created the psst issues on delays in repairs etc..

Hard to believe their latest cubed amps came out about nine years!!! ago so not much new to talk about since their amps are by far their most popular products. They more recently introduced a higher-end (for them) preamp that seemed to land with a thud probably because their preamps unfortunately fly under the radar, which is too bad because I had a BP6 and really liked it a lot. I also think their DACs are very good and likewise are under appreciated although I don’t think they’ve introduced much new there either recently, which isn’t great especially in the digital world. They were bought four years ago so are no longer a family-run business, and that reorg hasn’t produced much by way of new products so not sure what’s going on but they don’t seem to be in any immediate trouble.

Lots of info on this since the move to Dwight Ontario after purchasing Axiom.

Company went from being located in the "Boonies" to a further location about 2hrs in the middle of no where. Very few employees went with the move, hint, hint. In the last year subtle changes to the exterior but no one is talking about the inside. If fit and finish are tanking already what will happen to the internals?

For about 4yrs now good luck getting a hold of them. Sporadic communications about repairs to some, good for others. It’s all over the world since the big change- I can't recall immediately however someone important died or left the company, one of the founders I believe.

I in Canada and have owned Bryston. It was quality gear