2. amps-preamps
  3. 137352-20132

Bryston 4b3 or BHK 250- how woudl you compare them?

I have posted a couple of times as I am looking for new amplification to replace my Mcintosh MA7000 integrated but that I am running only as am amp with a Prima Luna premium pre-amp (this already was a big improvement).

The system sounds v good but I know I am missing some detail and I would like to get more depth to the sound stage in order to have a sense that I can "look into" the performance.

I have heard the 7B3 monoblocks and was very impressed- that said I was going fback and forth between these and Mcintosh 275 VI and I did find the Mcintosh more involving but just slightly less revealing.   You can see the write up I posted a while back.  Ultimately, if I were to chose I would go for the Macs- but alas both these and the Brystons are more than I'd like to spend.

So I started thinking about the Bryston 4B3 and BHK 250- they are at the same price point so I am curious if anyone can give me sense of the differences and their preferences, if any.

I would be using the Prima Luna as preamp and I am running Magico S1 Mk1- as i said I am hoping to get more depth and detail.  And I heard these speakers do that beautifully but I do not remember the setting and ancillaries- it was while back.   In the current set up I am almost there on detail and airiness (inserting the Prima Luna was a big upgrade) but the soundstage could use more depth in placing the performers in a 3 dimensional space separated from the speakers.  Lateral imaging is v good.

There is also Pass Labs 150.8 for sale and I am intrigued by that as well- power should be adequate but probably not much more than that as Magico's do tend require a good amount of power to be driven appropriately.

Your advice would be greatly appreciated- thanks as always!
pgastone

Showing 5 responses by pgastone

pgastone OP
80 posts
 
Many thx for the great feedback.
ddfoe,  I think the pass labs would be great but I would be more at ease with the 250.8- exactly as your pairing,  I am a little concerned that the 150.8 might be slightly underpowered.  I do not listen particularly loudly by any means  but I try to match the music to its context and on some pieces I am a little worried the sound might feel a tad constrained.
What do you think?

As for the 4b3, i am hoping that that last ounce of involvement I felt  mc275 compared to 7b3 might be compensated by the tube front end.  dweller, do you  ind telling me what your set-up is in terms of preamp and speakers with what specs?

No views on BHK 250 pairing?
pgastone OP
80 posts
 
sorry, i am traveling and i had not seen other posts- I'd love to try vitus but right now it is more than I would like to budget.

on classe, i own a cav150-a great and versatile amp- but it has a problem - I believe a circuit board needs to be replaced- and I am having a terrible time trying to get it fixed considering the changes at classe (no answer from customer service)- so I am a little reluctant to put money in a brand that I am not sure can address service needs.

As ofr some of the other names suggested they all tend to be above my budget of 5-7k (at the v max).
pgastone OP
80 posts
 
I thought the BHK might be a good compromise between tube and solid state- particularly since the preamp is tube.  I almost pulled the trigger on a pair of pima luna dialogue hp's with KT 150's- I assume these would capture the magic I heard with MC275's.  But being unsure I held back.
As I mentioned I am trying to add depth of soundstage and detail and get that sense that the performance hangs in its own space separate from the speakers.
pgastone OP
80 posts
 
I am very tempted to take the plunge on the Bryston- from what you have said it seems to be as giid as I have read- and my experience with 7b3 was certainly encouraging.
But maybe I will do an in home trial of the BHK before deciding.
All your suggestions have been super helpful.

@yogiboy- did you have anything in particular in mind?
pgastone OP
80 posts
 
Hi,
Sorry for the delay in responding but I was out for a couple of weeks.  As usu many thanks for all your advice.

aolmrd1241, I have just started doing some tube rolling with the Primaluna- I took a pair of NOS Tungsram I had installed in my Mastersound SET and the sound does improve- but I think I need to get more pairs to really see how it will change.  I also have some Gold Lions but haven't really tested those as Ihave found the Tungsram to be superior.  What has worked well in your set-up?

digilog5, I am indeed leaning towards the BHK250 so I might give a test run at home and see.

Btw, just to add another wrench in the works while I was out I heard an absolutely superb system:
YG Hailey's (ok, in another league than what I have)
VTL preamp (forget exact model)
Aesthetix Atlas Signature

The sound was so natural and refined with really fantastic texture and character to the vocals and instruments.  The leading edge of the notes had some real punch and speed- felt very much like a live performance.  And there was excellent depth to the soundstage which as you know is one of the aspects I would like to improve on.

Have to say it really got me thinking about Aesthetix as well.

If I had to really narrow down my choices at this stage I would say that right now I am thinking about BHK, Aesthetix (any thoughts on how these actually compare?), and maybe Pass.




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