Bryston 4bst/5bst vs. dreadnaught I

Thanks for the comments folks. Sounddood - are you saying that the Bryston actually has better bass than the dread? Sd - I've seen you post on Brystons many times, and I've had several myself. It's never worried me because of the warranty and I do like their sound. Lots of people on this site really like the dreadnaught though, even Bryston fans such as yourself. I might make the leap.

Slightly off- topic. Can somebody include Simaudio Titan in the mix? I'm especially interested in Theta Dreadnaught I/II vs. Simaudio comparison. Regards.

Soundood's comments are to the point. I'd add that Dreadnaught amp was rated by Richard Haresty (see his quarterly "Audiophile Perfectionist" publication) as one of two best amps on the market for surround sound systems. Interestingly, Hardesty commented that he somewhat preferred the audio qualities of the Dread 1 to the newer Dread 2.

Having said that, as an owner of the Bryston 4B-ST and 5B-ST amps (the 4B-ST for main speakers, and the 5B-ST for center channel and surrounds), I have been very pleased by their performance. The Dreadnaught is a better amp than the 4B-ST / 5B-ST amp combo, but if you are on a tight budget, the Bryston amps offer excellent performance that I'm confident will please you. Last, Theta builds excellent equipment, but no one matches Bryston's unconditional, transferrable 20-year warranty (which is supported by arguably the best service in the industry).

Both are good amps, I sell both lines. I'd opt for the Dread 1 over the ST series Bryston amps which tended to be a bit too forward sounding (killer bass though!). The Dread 1 is a bit on the mellow side, but still transparent.

However, throw the SST series into the mix and it gets more fuzzy. It is funny that the current Dreadnaught II and the current Bryston SST series are actually pretty similar in sound. Both have moved a bit more towards the middle ground.

Just make sure you have a LOT of space for the Dread...it is a monster and it runs hot.