SimAudio or Classe for Power Amplifier

True, Bryston is a very, very good product, but it is not in the same category as Sim, Classe, Levinson, Krell, etc...
A 4BSST sounds flatter, duller and much less lifelike than a Sim W-5, Classe 2200 or example. But then it is also have the price of the Sim and Classe. The Bryston has a much smaller power supply, and although very reliable, it is not built to the level of craftsmanship of the Sim or Classe.
But I think they have the best warranty in the business!

I recommend you take a good look at the W-8, which is Sim's Evolution top model. It is H-E-A-V-Y. The transformers are HUGE. Basically, I'll parallel what someone else already said, that they will drive any speaker, and they have a 10 year warranty to top it off. I have compared it to the Classe 2200, and the Sim wins, easily. It has a tighter, deeper bottom end, and a huge soundstage. It also focuses better, and the top end is more detailed fast and extended. It is NOT aggressive, but very revealing. BTW, Ultra Audio, which is part of Soundstage magazine, just reviewed Sim's top three pieces, the W-8, P-8 and Andromeda, and were very enthusiastic, saying they even beat the mega-dollar Boulders in many respects. Plus, my experience with Classe dealers lately is that they seem to get very pushy, and I feel they are biased. It seems to me that Classe is only demo'd with B&W, and this seems obvious when you realize that they are both sold by the same importer. I cannot deal with a biased dealer, because I naturally feel they are not looking out for my best interests. My Simaudio dealer seems much more up front and honest. Now this may not be true for you, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Classe dealer you talk to plays you Classe with B&W. This is not because the match is excellent (although it is a good match IMO) but because they are financially bound to do so and contractually required by the importer. How can you trust a dealer like that?

I'm really close to buying a W-8, and giving up my W-5. The neat thing about the Sim sound, and the Classe sound, is that these two great companies strive to achieve the hardest, most elusive goal out there: to reproduce sound the way it was recorded. Nothing added, nothing taken away. This is in contrast to the VAST majority of other manufacturers, especially the small ones, which aim for what they call a "musical" sound, which means, euphonically colored to sound pleasant and musical, but that is NOT what is etched onto the CD that is playing. You see, when you set an alternate sound goal that you can control (such as to achieve a "soft", "rhythmic" or "round" kind of sound), this involves variables that can be determined, quantified and controlled in the design stages. So, you get a nice, homogenized sound, but one that is NOT true to the original signal. Now, if you play a musical instrument, and therefore know what "real" sound is all about, you know what I am talking about. This is why I cannot listen to products like MF, Ayre, and (sorry tube fans) pretty much the vast majority of tube gear. It does not sound like the real thing, and measurements will prove that. Sure, it can sound nice and pleasant, but not "real". Technology today allows for the design of very high performance systems, systems that can closely recreate the thrill of a live performance. Lifelike. That's why I like Sim and Classe so much - and I prefer the Sim because it seems, to my ears, that they are closer to that ideal than Classe, especially with the new Evolution stuff. Plus the fact that Sim is probably a smaller company, now that Classe is owned by the people that do B&W and Rotel, and Classe has started to subcontract a lot of parts in China, yet their prices are still very high. What I mean is that when a company gets big, the bean counters come in and control too much. That doesn't seem to be the case with Sim, and my experience with their products, talking with their staff, and seeing them at shows has so far supported my opinions. So go for the Sim, plus they've been around for more than a quarter of a century (a bit longer than Classe), so when they give a 10-year warranty, it is credible.
I am an electrical engineer and an audiophile, and I appreciate what some companies are doing - i.e. the likes of Sim, Classe and Levinson - a true push forward to the elusive goal of perfect sound. I will never buy a product from a company that says that single-ended is better than balanced, for example. It is simply not true. Balanced is ALWAYS better, when done right: good parts, good design and truly balanced (as opposed to that fake quasi-balanced we see so much on even expensive gear). I know the Sim and Classe gear is balanced when they use XLR connectors. Most, like ALL Rotel, even many Krells (not all though), are not. The only reason why a company would tell you that their S/E designs are the best is because they won't spend the money to do it right - balanced is always expensive as it requires a much more formidable power supply and twice the parts, as well as a larger chassis to fit it all in.
There - I've vented.
So, if any of all of this revealing info makes sense, my recommendation to you is to go and spend your money on a product from a company that doesn't practice marketing and voodoo. Get the Sim or Classe, my preference strongly towards the Sim but that's personal opinion.

I've heard Sim and Classe on B&W, Dynaudio, Thiel, JMLab, Martin Logan and some more. I am most familiar with the B&W, Dynaudios and Thiels. The Dynaudios are a match in heaven with the Sim. To my ears, the Classe sounded slow and a little bit fat with the Dynaudio's. The B&W's mate well with the Classe, but again I find something is just not right - a little bit 'dry' and not totally musical. The Sim which is a much faster amplifier brings the B&W's to life, and at all volumes, high and low, fills the room in a way the Classe cannot. This is not a big difference, just a small one, but it is noticeable. I like to hear music as it was recorded - a good recording, hear all the benefits, micro-information, hall reverb, detail at frequency extremes. A bad recording, hear all the flaws, but at the same time "see into the music". That's why I (and those who play musical instruments in general) don't like equipment that homogenizes sound - because everything then sounds the same, and you don't have a true reference. I listen to some Classical, but my main interest is good 'ol rock and roll. Obviously a lot of bad recordings in rock music, but to me the benefits outweigh the costs.

I know the S-1000, it was a great amp, and IMO, better than what Classe makes today. But I can tell you that if the W-5 sounded edgy, it wasn't because of an intrinsic quality of the W-5. It was either a bad match for the preamp you used, or speaker cables, or even the speakers. Dynamic speakers simply don't have the speed of ribbons or electrostatics, and the W-5 will reveal the "slowness" of the B&W tweeter by comparison. Don't misunderstand me - their tweeter is amongst the best and fastest domes around, but all metal domes have faults in the very high frequencies, which are revealed by a fast amplifier. Contrary to the Classe which uses feedback to, in part, correct for this (but adds coloration in the process in the form of smeering fast transients so you don't hear them), the W-5 has no feedback and stable into any load. Of course, personal opinion accounts alot for what I'm saying, but I've seen measured results of this phenomenon in general, and it is true. You and I listen to the same music, so perhaps you should consider another listen....and keep in mind that unless the Sim is fully broken in, you won't enjoy it to its full extent. These amps unfortunately take a damn very long time to fully run-in.

Actually, Rjhalla, on the issue of years in business, Classe started in 1980 and Sim in 1978. Sim started in the pro business, and then moved to address audiophiles in the early '80s.
I respect your opinion in which you prefer - like I said, it is personal opinion, and both companies make very nice product. If you wonder how I know so much information, it's because in the mid-90's I worked as manager at a high-end audio retail shop, before I left the industry (I was also in school at the time). I was an authorized dealer for both Sim and Classe, and know them well, including the people in both companies, so my info about their history is correct. The difference is that while Classe made the smart move to get into the US market early on, Sim waited a lot longer, so they may seem like a younger company, but are actually a bit older.