Used Bryston 3B-ST or Schiit Vidar?

Bryston is the better choice here! Superior engineering and build quality! Excellent factory support for all their products!

I would go with Bryston simply because if it's not your thing you can recoup what you bought if for if you get it at a decent price....  not to Schiit on the Vidar , it may be a great amp but i had an early 3b and wished I had kept it.   Would be interesting if you got both and did a shoot out.  I bet you would keep the Bryston.

I'm sorry that I don't have an opinion, I've not heard the Schiit, but I'd sure like to hear from a few people that have heard them both.  I would also like to hear how they differ in sound and if one is clearly better than the other.

I have owned both but I have not had both at the same time or with the same speakers.  My Vidar is currently for sale (idk if I’m allowed to plug where here or if it matters, but you could find it easily enough.) For my speakers, I decided to go with a used Levinson 333.  The Vidar sounds good, but I needed more power.  As I only ever used the Bryston with my Vandersteen 2Ce signatures that I sold a couple of years ago, I would have a hard time giving you an accurate comparison that you’re looking.  Depending on the rest of your system and what you are looking for, the Vidar might be a great fit.  It has a lot of detail and sounds really good.

If my Vidar sells at my asking price, then I will have tried it for a month for free buying and reselling at the same price.  

Bryston is bulletproof. This does not matter until the unexpected happens. But at that point ... 

aalden

22years old v new with also latest surface mount components, you have a hard choice, myself knowing a little of the topology of both my money would go on the Vidar.
Both should be able to drive your Thiel 1.5’s impedance load, as it’s basically benign 3-4ohm resistive.

https://www.stereophile.com/images/TCS15fig1.jpg

Cheers George

Bryston is known for the long warranty, but schitt is longer than some at 5 yrs. The limited experience I had with bryston power was just demos and also owning a b60 integrated years ago. Long story short, I liked it’s preamp section better than its power section.
I do currently own a Vidar and posted my impression of it in the Vidar thread. Just guessing and it’s only a guess, bryston would be "cleaner" and soundstage wider but somewhat shallow. Vidar would have less stage width, but better depth, equal or better bass, somewhat less detail but better instrument tone. Lastly the Bryston would be quieter (i.e. hum and noise).
Generally in comparing direct coupled amps that have no servos or caps in the signal path to ones that do, there is a better timbre of instruments on the direct coupled designs.