Bryston Preamps - What do they sound like?

Are you looking for the music to get through

or manhandled by a mythic "sound?"

My BP-6 was the closest thing to “straight wire with gain” I’ve heard — it simply passes through whatever it’s fed with no editorializing.  

+1 soix! I have a Bryston .5 in my collection. Transparent to the source is a good description. A clear window on the recording. That is how a preamp should perform! A "warm" sound is not accurate!

I had a BP-20 with MPS-2 power supply. My current Topping pre90 ($600) and Benchmark LA4 ($2600) are of similar sonic character. That is a very neutral sound. However, the Topping and Benchmark are much better and newer. They are essential noiseless and fatigue free. I cannot say that about the BP20.

A good preamp shouldn't "sound" like anything..... add nothing, detract nothing.

and therein lies the rub.... " should "....

I recently sold a BP-17 (non cubed).

I thought it was very sterile sounding. To my ears the midrange was "thin". There simply was not enough "body" to the music. Clear and transparent - yes. Not bright per se. The music simply was not at all engaging. I could never listen to it long.

My other preamps are a Prima Luna Dialogue Premium, an Eastern Electric MiniMax pre, an old aragon, an old acurus LS-11 and a Music Fidelity A3CR.

I like the Music Fidelity the best. Speakers are older B & W 803D’s

Overall the Bryston was "transparent" but I did not like the perceived freq response - it just did not sound "right". It was very obvious every time I inserted it into the system. I wanted to like it as well but would remove it after a few songs. Hard to describe what I am trying to relate. Perhaps overly "thin" sounding is best with a recessed midrange. It was "thinner" than the old aragon, the LS-11 Acurus or the Music Fidelity. The A3CR is great and was a highly rated Pre (Stereophile) in its day. Dual mono etc, very heavy. 

I am getting away from tube Pre’s. The Prima Luna is not at all thick sounding but does not have the resolution of a good solid state preamp. I very much like resolution but the Bryston simply sounded "wrong" and to my ears it was always very obvious every time I inserted it (at least that model - I bought it used sight unseen and had never heard one prior). I am certain it has a ruler flat freq response when measured but nonetheless it sounded disjointed and not at all "musical" - altho this sounds "corny" there was no emotion to the music - I always wanted to remove it quickly and replace it with another Pre.  My amps are an NAD C-298 (very nice), a very old Aragon 2004 and a Quad Artera.  The bryston did not play with any of them well - always the same "nonmusical/flat" sound. 

Hope that helps. I am not dogging Bryston - they make bullet proof stuff. I hear their latest stuff is somewhat warmer sounding.

To each their own I guess. The person that bought the BP-17 from me was glad to find one (he was going to use it in a hunting cabin in northern wisconsin - a true audiophile if there ever was one!)

Very good preamp. I can't imagine the Topping pre90 sounding better, but never compared those two, Another of my favorites are Pass and Parasound. If the price is as good as you say, I'd jump on them.

I own a BP25 built in '98. To me there is no sound to it at all, it adds or takes nothing from what is fed through it. Current amp 4B3 and before that had a Classe C-201. The polarity/invert phase switch is a big plus to have. Here's one review.

Generally older Bryston products seemed to be voiced to the cool side of neutral. From what I've read it seems like that sound signature has warmed up in more recent releases.

Just had to comment on what someone said about the BP17 and the Topping pre90. These 2 are just not in the same ballpark, the Topping pre is for a nice computer setup in the office. Also maybe the system he listens to them sounds "thin" to begin with because that particular Bryston pre is transparent.

To be fair most Bryston equipment gets a bad rep for being clinical, because the equipment simply doesn’t add anything to the sound. If you want the truth in your recordings, Bryston is your company, however if you want to add warmth, buy a nice tube pre.

You can so easily hear why Bryston is a recording engineers pick.

I still own my Bryston 1B and now the BP 17 Qubed. Both transparent and truthful, if you have a bad recording you will hear it. Bullet proof and like any other good component leaves no sonic signature.

Just had to comment on what someone said about the BP17 and the Topping pre90. These 2 are just not in the same ballpark, the Topping pre is for a nice computer setup in the office. Also maybe the system he listens to them sounds "thin" to begin with because that particular Bryston pre is transparent.

I am talking about Bryston BP20 preamp + MPS2 power supply that I had for about 5 years. I also have owned Bryston 3B-ST, 4B-ST, 4B-SST, PowerPac 300, 7B-SST. So I know a little bit about Bryston. I have heard the new cubed line (with Vandersteen Treo CT) and it still has a bit of the old sound. I also recently bought the Bryston headphone amp and sold it after a month since it was not better (fatiguing) than the much cheaper Topping A90 (I gave this one away later).

The stereophile reviewer Kalman Robinson (sp?) copied me :) and sold his Benchmark LA4 preamp to use the Topping pre90 with his Benchmark AHB2 amps. I sold my Benchmark HPA4 (made a profit) and got the Topping pre90 to use with my Benchmark AHB2 monos. They sounded great, identical to the the HPA4. However, I ended up getting the Benchmark LA4 (same as HPA4 minus headphone) because the Benchmark preamps are more robust (work with all amps) and better features. I use the LA4 with CODA #8 amp.

If you want "wire with gain" preamp I do not know of any better choices than the pre90 and LA4 (or HPA4). At least from a measurements perpective. I just remembered the Mola Mola Makua peamp for about $14K is similar to the pre90 and LA4 but with even more features.

Greg 7:

I think the Acurus LS11 is a very good value. Acurus was a great company back then. It has a balanced sound and is a great example of a good sounding solid state Pre and an even better value. Acurus stuff is well made and lasts. I think the Pre is better than their amps - the amps are a bit bright. I actually like the Acurus LS11 better than an older Aragon Pre (model 28 K) I recently bought used altho the Aragon was far more expensive back in the day (Acurus and Aragon were sister companies - Aragon was the more expensive stuff). They actually still are sister brands (Indy Audio Labs)

I was just reading the review of a new speaker line on Stereophile. Check out the preamp used used here. 

Perlisten S7t loudspeaker Associated Equipment | Stereophile.com

The Topping pre90.

I have a BP25 with MPS2, it's actually a warmer sounding preamp. My newest preamp is a STP.SE.STG2 and by comparison the Bryston is colored, not in a bad way its very musical. I enjoy both preamps, I think some people mischaracterize some of the bryston preamp based on older Bryston amps being somewhat sterile. If I had to summarize the BP25 I would say slightly warm and musical. No deal breaker, it's a nice preamp.

I just got a later model BP-20 with the BP-PSR power supply. I would agree that it is a warm pre, tilted to the low mids, but in a very smooth and even handed way. I quite like the presentation. I did not expect to like it as much as my EAR 864. In fact, I found it more satisfying for long listens. The longer I listened the more I liked it. The EAR could be characterized in contrast as having a stronger upper mid response. It’s a little clearer as a result.

The Bryston was the most noise free preamp I have ever heard. Not a hint of noise. Deep black backgrounds. Bass was very deep, clear and nimble. High frequencies sparkled and soared. Quite beautiful and reminiscent of early Mark Levinson.

I suspect that the recessed high mids were designed into the pre to offset the aggressive highs of the matching Bryston amplifiers of the time. The 4B, 4BSST and 4BST.

I got this pre for very little. It had some of the labeling worn off, so I got it for a song. I plan to recap it. Perhaps relabel it for fun, get a little creative. It’s got me thinking a lot more about Bryston and what I have been missing all these years.

My current question is, should I buy an amp that is it’s contemporary. I could get one of those pretty cheap. Maybe a 4B SST. Or should I get the new 4B3? For a lot more money. Hmmmmm.

Either way, consider me very impressed with this old $385 bargain. And inspired.

I've got a BP25 and BP26 in two different systems.  I'd describe them as transparent.  The BP25 is 20 years old this year and there is zero noise in the knobs.  It works as well as it did when I got it around 2009.  The 26 also works perfectly and neither adds nor subtracts from the sound.  There's no hint of warm or bright to me, everything sounds like it was recorded.  

I own a Bryston BP 20 . Rock solid . Straight sound .You get exactly what you put in . Only thing I was crazy about was the gain needed a few more notches .I would buy a pre owned one but not new.