Detail and clarity are wonderful.

Merciless to bad recordings.

I auditioned the Bryston 4B-ST against an Aragon 8008, with the winner slated to replace my deceased Audio Research D-120. The speakers are Infinity Quantum Line Source-1's, never a speaker known for kindness to amplifiers. The preamp is an undistinguished but servicable Tandburg 3002A. Both amps are loaners from Natural Sound, so they are both well broken in.

These are both wonderful amps and I wouldn't be ashamed to buy either. But there are three music lovers in the house and all three of them could tell, without hesitation, which amp was in use, within five seconds of listening to any piece I played. I wasn't expecting much difference. I was wrong.

The Aragon has a fuller, richer sound in the low end (which my wife adores), without question. But the Bryston is *precise*. I'm not an audiophile and I don't claim to command the vocabulary, but the Bryston opened up detail that the Aragon hid. Harpischord that sounded absolutely
crisp and lifelike on the Bry sounded indistinct on the Aragon. For some reason this effect was more pronounced on complex passages, regardless of volume.

Sometimes detail is a bad thing. Violins that sounded sweet on the Aragon sounded a little harsh on the Bryston. And a favorite recording of Genesis's _Trick of the Tail_ became almost unlistenable at high volume through the Bryston (though admittedly it didn't sound all that much more musical through the Aragon). On a choral work, though, the
Aragon smudged voices that the Bryston presented with individual clarity, and it turned a good performance into a great one.

The Bryston doesn't seem to want to present bass strongly. It's not muddled or weak, it just doesn't come forward the way the Aragon managed to present it. I don't begin to know what the difference is because both these amps have flat frequency response, but it is noticable. It's not a lack of power; it's some other quality.

The Bryston did things for Amy Grant's "Thy Word" which cannot be described. It simply sounded like she was in the room singing. My wife glanced over and commented "that's really what that amp does best: voice and piano." I'll say.

Just to be cruel, I popped in Blue Man Group's _Audio_. This is not a wonderfully recorded work, but it has deep, pounding drums, and I wanted a high volume test. With the volume past 3/4ths - which even with the inefficient QLS-1's is much louder than you want to be near - the Aragons called foul and cut out, probably convinced I had a short on
the line. I didn't crank the Bryston quite so high - I was afraid of damaging old and venerable speakers - but the indicators started to turn yellow. Powerful amps, yes. Infinitely powerful amps able to handle any load no matter how insanely reactive... no.

The Aragon runs *hot*, and the hotter it got the better it sounded. But it runs too hot (IMO) to leave it on all the time. The Bry never got more than pleasantly toasty to the touch.

Both these amp blow my old D-120 into the weeds, probably because they simply have more power and authority. Two non-musical observations: you could sprain something lifting that Aragon, and, Bryston's warranty is a dream come true. The salesman at Natural Sound pointed out that they extend the warranty, then glanced at the Bry and laughed, "not that
that matters if you choose the Bryston."

My wife is still looking fondly at the Aragon. But my son and I are solidly on the side of the Bryston. If you want a straight up, yessir rock n' roll amp, the Aragon is a serious contender. But if you want to know *just* what those musicians are getting up to, down to the roughness of
fingers on strings or the way a singer breathes when the piece gets emotional, the Bryston will repay every penny you spend.

I wish I could keep both these things. I'd work out some way to let the Aragon drive the woofers and leave the rest of the array to the Bryston, and then I'd probably never leave the house again...

Similar Products Used:

Aragon 8008, dual Audio Research D-120s

Immense power reserves, Control Of Speakers, Superb Customer Service

None

I have dabbled in audio for quite a while (about ten years) but I wouldn't call myself an "audiophile" because it has a connotation of superior ability. I enjoy listening to music and thus own equipment that allows me to have it reproduced accurately. I subscribed to Stereophile for a number of years feeling that I needed someone to tell me what was good equipment and what was not. I eventually allowed my subscription to lapse after I realized that these reviewers cannot hear better than I, only that they could BS better. The length of their reviews was directly proportional to the cost of the product and much of this verbiage was explaining some of the pseudoscience justification for any alleged sonic differences(eg. Shun Mook wooden discs on speakers that could be oriented in different directions in order to focus the soundstage because of some special mystic properties of the base material). There was no allowance made for blind testing to truly allow for any real differences...yes I can hear the howls already. The claims that blind testing by putting pressure for a forced choice will cover up subtle (read nonexistent) differences. True blind testing asks only the identity of the source to be compared to either of two choices with unlimited time and choice of music to allow one to discern the difference. There is no pressure other than on those unwilling to justify their own Golden Ears and these are precisely the ones absent from this sort of testing with excuses being made of distortion induced by testing equipment and needing to see the one inch thick machined nameplate in order to assist to assist them with their decision making. Why have I launched into this lengthy diatribe ? It is simply to say that in any repeatable test there has not been a definite ability of listeners to tell differences between well designed audio components that have been level matched and operated within their design parameters. True, people may be able to tell the difference between tube and solid state amplifiers but it is only because of the distortions that tube amplifiers make because of a rolloff in bass reproduction ability and more gentle cutoff characteristics when pushed beyond design limitations. But with well designed solid state amplifiers there are no differences if tested as above. So then it comes down to a choice of deciding which company designs equipment around proper engineering priciples and then after selecting such a company, deciding how much power you need so that the amplifier is not operated outside of its operating limits. Bryston is such a company. I don't work or am in any way affiliated with them other than being a very satisfied customer. Their designs are well thought out and they make no unjustified claims. They design for low system distortion, incorporate stiff power supplies to keep everything in line and back it up with an unbeatable warranty. I had a chance to test their customer service. One of the two 4BSTs that I currently use as part of my vertically biamplified system developed a loud power suply hum. I called Bryston and shipped the unit to them by courier. I received it back by courier in 48 hours with the hum gone and multiple components upgraded to current status. The unit is working perfectly and I cannot tell the difference against my other amplifier. This is how a customer should be dealt with. And to think, I have another eighteen years to avail myself of this service if I so need.I can think of nothing more that I could want in terms of quality of the product or quality of the service. Just for those who are curious, the following is my list of components

Carver Amazing Loudspeakers Platinum Mk Iv (superior ribbon tweeters and for 12" woofers per side)...soon to be replaced because of size considerations by Newform R645s (also designed to avoid rather than counteract engineering problems)

Clearview custom active crossover (to allow the amplifiers to directly control the transducer)

2 Bryston 4BSTs (for the reasons stated above)

Classe 4L preamp (purchased for solidity of design)

Cambridge Audio DacMgic and separate Discmagic transport (purchased before I realized my own hearing limitations)

Kimber Kable 4TC and 8TC speaker cables (due to proven tested better risetime and inductance characteristics)

Panamax surge supressor ( for protection of equipment and for filtering of noise from lines...not for some unprovable quantum mechanical damping effect.)

Similar Products Used:

NAD, Classe

build quality,20 year warranty, sound, superb customer service

none

the 4b st is an exceptional amp. i've wanted one for 10 years and finally got one in december. as far as a review...well, see above comments. i really have nothing to add, except the 4b st sounds better every day as it breaks in. the only caveat i have is that it will reveal weaknesses in your other stereo gear. i'm now looking to upgrade my speakers & cd player. did i mention bryston's superb customer service? i recommend the 4b st with no reservations.

Similar Products Used:

yamaha a700, hafler dh500.

great control of all speakers i've used. all bass.

i too thought the bryston was a little bright at first(the sony scd777es didn't help either), but when i changed cables, the unit is awesome. i now use cardas cabling. there's all the detail i need without it being too edgy on the highs.

I fully intended to purchase a Bryston 3B ST. I had heard this amp at thedealer some months ago and based on the rave reviews I've read, including
those in this site, I went with credit card in hand to make my purchase.

My equipment includes an old Audire Deffit II pre-amp, PSB Goldi speakers,
Pioneer Elite PD65 CD, Sota Saffire turntable (AT OC9 cart.), and some good
cable and interconnects. Naturally, I could not find all this at one dealer, but I was able to do direct comparisons with the 3B ST and 4B ST. In my
opinion, and that of a friend I brought with me, the 4B ST was more musical,
had deeper and more controlled base, smoother highs, and imaged better.

Of course the 4B ST has more than twice the power and this could account for
some of the difference. But even at lower listening levels, I thought the
sound had less of an edge, was smoother, yet was able to give a big and
more dynamic sound. Considering you get twice the power and I think an
overall better sound, the 4B ST is the better value for only $700 more.
Needless to say, I never gave the 3B another thought and rationalized
spending the extra bucks.

Based on value, its 20 year warranty, and sound I give this amp 5 stars.

It is truly magnificent!
Articulate, very acurate bass, with speed, impact and slam, a magnifecent,
incredible, open coherent, real-life, midrange(voice reproduce with
impecable realalism), pristine, crystaline, airy, open, flawless, treeble.
Sound stage width and depth are incredible with precise placement of
instruments and their associated "bloom".

This performance at this price point and 20 year warranty!

I have one word for you: Sunfire.

I have the 4BST, BP15, CAL Icon 2, and Dunlavy SCIV's.What a system! Almost as good as it gets.
Bryston product are bullet-proof. Sound is immaculate.
Aragon, McCormack and Sunfire are others I considered.

Ivin Seabrook from Philly:
From which dealer did you purchase the Bryston 4B-ST? I'm curious because I want to audition some Bryston components. Can you respond via email? Thanks.

For the money I would not go for this amp. the 3b sounds allot better . The 4b clips at levels where it should not. I went for the Aragon which not only sounds alot better but has more power. The 4b sounds ok but it cannot play at loud listening levels without cliping, it runs out of juice fast so I recomend a sensitive speaker. I heard the 3b and loved its sound.
4 for sound
2 for value