2. amps-preamps
  3. 187527-167141

Keep my 1996 bryston 4B or get a new 4B

I have a Bryston 4B I bought new in 1996 and it still works wonderfully. I been thinking of buying a brand new Bryston 4B dose it pay to spend 8500 on one and will I gain better sound then I an currently getting. I have upgraded the rest of my system in the last 2 years from a pair of dynaudio special forty speakers a rel s510 sub a rouge rp7 preamp a pro ject tubebox ds3b phono preamp and a new cocktail audio x45 streamer along with my linn turntabel. And all new pure silver audio cabels. Would I gain anything in the sound quality by replacing my amp for a new current model or would I do better to spend the money to up grade and improve my lp12 turntabel. Thank-you Michael. 

mal11963
bigkidz
3,324 posts
 

Don't waste your time sending it back for the same old, same old.  Send it to me for an upgrade.  Better power supply capacitors, better resistors, etc.  It will become a reference level sounding amp.  Bryston won't be soldering in those parts that's for sure!.

bslon's avatar
bslon
2,056 posts
 

I bought a 4BST new in 2000 and had it for 19 trouble free years. In 2019 I traded it in on a 4B3 which sounds noticeably better. I’m not sure how much you’d have to spend on your turntable upgrades to equal that. Or how much to update your 4B, but it will still be a 4B. My 2¢, I think you should go with a new 4B3.

wturkey's avatar
wturkey
732 posts
 

It’s cheaper to keep her. As suggested, do the Bryson refurb thing. If cost be no object, buy the latest and greatest 4B3. When 2050 rolls around, upgrade again to the 4B9 or whatever. A 4 time a century amp upgrade appears to be cheap overall…..

terry9
2,240 posts
 

That 20 year warrantee is a factor - buy it once, buy it right. If I used my 4BSST for a main amp, I would surely upgrade. Why not audition a new one? Bring your 4B along for comparison.

mal11963 OP
17 posts
 

I already sent it back to bryston in 2018  I decided to  see how far I  could push the amp and the end result was a pair of ADS L8E speakers totaly fried and the right chanel of the amp clipped and the red light comming on in the front. I turned the volu.e all the way up as far as it would go bad idea. It cost me 500 dollars to have the amp fixed. At the same time I had the amp totaly went through for an extra 300. And then they warenty it for 2 years after words. I learned a hard  expensive lesson. I won't go beyond 1 a clock on the dial. The amp is the power sorse for my system. I have herd there is a big difference in the sound of the sst I have from 1996 and the st3 of today.my only thought is it that much better that it is worth bying a new 4 b the new one is 8500 and if I where to trade in my current one I can get a 2500 credit from bryston sl now I have to shell out 6000. When for that kind of money I can get a really good cartridge  and up grade the barring and power supply to my lp12 linn turn table. The sound  improvement of the new bryston 4B would have to knock my socks off to up grade  Michael 

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