I compared many pre/pros before settling on the Bryston. It easily beat Krell(showcase), Rotel(1066), Integra(RD7 I think), B & K (Ref30 and 50), Sunfire(TG3), and Acurus. The Classe SSP-30 was very close. My decision was based on 2 channel performance.
The big Krell and Classe were out of my price range, while I didnt check out the Classe, I have heard the Krell and it sounded very good.
The Bryston gives you the option to play 2 channel pure (analog w/ no sub) via its piggybacked analog preamp. Or, in stereo w/ sub via its DSP. It was this analog section that, I feel, gave it the advantage over the others.
You can easily see that my comparison was not "money no object," But nontheless, I hope the info helps. |
Capnizzy, 2 channel was my main consideration.
I only heard the HTS 7.1 instore. Clearly not the best place for a comparison. It was out of my price range as well. I set a limit at at about $3750.00 for a new unit. (The Bryston was 3500.00 Shipped with a CC payment)
From what I heard, the HTS7.1 was a fine unit.
Having compared more than a few processors and a few dedicated 2 channel preamps, I must say that I am quite impressed with the Bryston.
It does have that irritating pop when watching DVDs, especially if, in the beginning, when going from preview to menu and so forth, the sound engineer keeps swapping formats. Also at the layer change. I found all the more expensive units locked signal fast, and are just as quick to unlock, and so have a tendencey to pop. Not really a concern for me at 90% music to movies ratio.
Bryston has NO video switching, you have to buy a seperate video switcher for that. This I like, you may not.
I would definately give it a listen if you can, but to answer your question "is it better." Thats very relative, better to you may not be better for me. I would recommend you give Krell, Classe, Sunfire, and EAD among others a listen. I was quite impressed with all these makes. In home if you can.
I hope I have been helpful. |
Keithr...
Only a few direct comparisons. I admit that I decided previously, on a one box solution. I feel that we will better serve Capnizzy by keeping our discussions to Processors. But to satisfy your curiosity, Adcom, Conrad Johnson, Bryston, B & K, Krell, Aragon, Audio Research, Rowland, Marsh, Pass, and some others, were all available for demo.
Ultimately it was the Processors that went home for evaluation. I had shortened my list, before I started getting serious. I wouldnt want to burden a dealer by toting home Preamps knowing that I am looking for a Processor. Although it would have been fun.
I agree about the Krell HTS, it sounded really nice, but only in passing. I wasnt going torture myself. I knew I couldnt afford it, and that was that.
I also agree that piggybacking a preamp is a great solution and probably has the greatest chance for the best sound, in 2 channel at least. |
Capnizzy, I forgot to ask in my earlier post. How do you like the EAD so far? I have heard all good things about them. |
I didnt audition the Parasounds. I found once I read up on them that I had a few nitpicks. That and I dont have a dealer nearby.
My first nitpick was S/N ratio in analog mode, only 98db. Second was, all inputs flow through the DSP. Its a fine DSP, as a matter of fact the same as mine. A Motorola 56367. But a DSP is a DSP and I dont want my bypassed analog going through it. Finally, I dont much like tone controls. I know I know...I said nitpicks and thats all they are.
I have heard a ton of good things about these units. Maybe I should have given one a try.
Please let us know how you like it. |
Ears, I have multiple sources, so being limited to one input was not an option. I found on a previous Rotel Processor that I liked the analog pass of the 5.1 input, and from that rose the conundrum, CD player? DAC? SACD 5.1? or SACD 2 channel? I didnt want to be limited again.
Research or not, passing a signal through the DSP absolutely effects the sound. It was as night and day switching from a DSP processor to an inexpensive BP-20 preamp. Dynamics in particular were severely effected at low volumes.
Seriously though, their your ears , let them decide. Every one has different taste so what works for me may not for someone else, of course that obvious. Not to mention synergy of components and cabling. I did really like the balanced inputs on the C2. |
Ears, the parasound manual, which is at my house so I cant reference it at the moment, explains that only one input bypasses the DSP and that was Multichannel. All other inputs, balanced or SE, pass through the DSP. Tone(trim) adjustsments are handled by the DSP. Thus eliminating analog only. I can offer this however, the Motorola 56367 is an awesome chip, and offers the cleanest DSP I have heard to date.
Also this can be tricky, some SACD/DVD-A players have multiple outputs. When outputing a multichannel format they obviously use the multichannel outs, but, the same format may use the 2 channel outs for all 2 channel material. e.g. I have 8 SE cables from SACD to Processor, 6 for 5.1, and 2 for 2 channel. My unit will automatically send 2 channel SACD material down the 2 channel outs, not the 5.1 outs.
Since my primary concern was flexability with analog bypass, I wanted a Processor which allows me to "analog bypass" all the 2 channel inputs. Thus effectively becoming an analog 2 channel preamp, Bryston goes so far as to provide each section, analog and digital, their own dedicated toroidal power supplies. I suspect thats where the very black backgrounds and impressive dynamics arise.
Bryston literature is a little ambigious about "analog bypass" with the multichannel input. They do call it a "bypass" but, I suspect it doesnt "bypass" the DSP because you have sub control in multichannel. It gets a little fuzzy from here....you can attenuate the sub but not change its Xover, I bet that attenuation is handled via the DSP. This may be an advantage to Parasound(my old Rotel RSP-976 was the same as the Para in this respect). It's fine by me since I listen to most SACDs 2 channel layer regardless.
Anywho, we surely are getting into the details arent we? which I thoroughly enjoy =). |
Capnizzy, how did you like the EAD? Dont leave us hanging =). |
That was a great review. I really need to give the EAD stuff a listen. Thanks Cap. |
