Amp/Preamp Asylum

Looking for a new Amp or Preamp? If you're after tubes, post over here.

Return to Amp/Preamp Asylum

Message Sort: Post Order or Asylum Reverse Threaded

Bryston 2.5B-3 is a winner

73.78.29.94
Posted on August 3, 2016 at 09:13:17
JerryS
Reviewer

Posts: 2026
Joined: February 24, 2001

My new Bryston 2.5B-3 (cubed) has almost 200 hours of play now and it sounds very fine. The included test sheet indicates it puts out 162 Watts per channel.

If you are looking for a power amp in this power range, you might find your search ends here. This is a very good amp!

Happy listening.

Regards,
JerryS

 

Hide full thread outline!
    ...
RE: Bryston 2.5B-3 is a winner, posted on August 3, 2016 at 13:01:13
hawkmoon
Audiophile

Posts: 903
Location: cleveland
Joined: July 11, 2003
 What speakers are you using?

 

RE: Bryston 2.5B-3 is a winner, posted on August 3, 2016 at 14:02:47
fantja
Audiophile

Posts: 15519
Location: Alabama
Joined: September 11, 2010
 JerryS

what other gear, including cabling, is in your system?

 

Guys - his system details are found..., posted on August 3, 2016 at 14:25:44
E-Stat
Audiophile

Posts: 37634
Joined: May 12, 2000
Contributor
  Since: April 5, 2002
 by clicking his moniker.

My question is: how does the Bryston compare with the Pass Labs amp?

 

RE: Guys - his system details are found..., posted on August 3, 2016 at 15:24:24
JerryS
Reviewer

Posts: 2026
Joined: February 24, 2001
 The two amps are quite similar sounding in overall quality. The Pass has just a bit more power in the low bass and seems to extend just a bit further into the very high treble. These are both "quantity" measures. The Bryston is a small amount purer in the upper frequencies. This is a "quality" measure.

The Bryston weighs a "ton" less: 28 pounds for the Bryston vs about 95 pounds for the XA30.8. It also uses a lot less power at idle.

With my 95 dB speakers and smaller room (19 x 12), either amp has way more power than my system ever uses.

 

High praise indeed, posted on August 3, 2016 at 15:37:30
E-Stat
Audiophile

Posts: 37634
Joined: May 12, 2000
Contributor
  Since: April 5, 2002
 considering the Bryston is a low bias high feedback design.

 

RE: Bryston 2.5B-3 is a winner, posted on August 4, 2016 at 08:27:33
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46291
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since: February 2, 2002
 Hello Jerry, I just got back from visiting 10Audio.com and didn't see a review for the 2.5B-3. Will you be posting one?

I owned a pair of Bryston 7BSST2 monoblocks. They were smooth and sounded much better than the 'harsh' Brystons I recall from the 1990's. However, I struggled to make the newer 7BSST2 sound the way I wanted. I came close. I tried a couple different tube preamps ahead of the 7BSST2 but nothing I did would completely cure the somewhat cold and clinical sounding Brystons. Maybe the 2.5B-3 is different.

As you know I'm a big fan of Rogue's all vacuum tube amps, their "hybrid Class D" models not so much. I saw your review of the Rogue Stereo 100 comparing it to the Pass XA30.8. Very interesting! I had the Rogue Stereo 90 Super Magnum which was a nice sounding tube amp when coupled to the right speakers. It was wonderful on my Thiel CS2.4 but as I recall, the Magnepans were too difficult which killed the dynamics making the amp sound compressed and under powered.

Nice seeing you on the Asylum again!



 

RE: Bryston 2.5B-3 is a winner, posted on August 4, 2016 at 09:45:53
JerryS
Reviewer

Posts: 2026
Joined: February 24, 2001
 Hi Abe,
Hope you're doing well. Yes, a review will be posted sometime this year. You are welcome to borrow the amp. I would love to hear your opinion. Of course, your usual security deposit applies ;). I have another amp you might be interested in, too (offline).

Did you ever put KT120s in your Stereo 90? As I mentioned in the Stereo 100 review, "I have had a couple of KT88 amps over the years and they never sounded quite "right" to me. The KT120 sounds "right"."

All the best,
Jerry

 

RE: Bryston 2.5B-3 is a winner, posted on August 4, 2016 at 16:07:34
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46291
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since: February 2, 2002
 Hi Jerry,

Yes, I put KT120's in the Stereo 90 after ordering them 'special' from Rogue. You see, the Stereo 90 was not mechanically designed to fit the taller KT120's with the amp cover on. The Stereo 90 was designed before the KT120 tubes became popular and readily available. Some KT120s are taller than others simply due to manufacturing tolerances so Rogue hand picked a quad of 'short' KT120's for my Stereo 90. And yes, they sound wonderful ! I also have KT120's in my Rogue Cronus Magnum integrated.

As for KT88 tubes, the last time I had those were in the ARC VT100mkII a long time ago but I preferred the 'clarity' of the 6550 which is what ARC shipped with the amp.

Hope you're doing well, too. Looking forward to your 2.5B-3 review.

...Abe


 

RE: Bryston 2.5B-3 is a winner, posted on August 4, 2016 at 17:36:00
Les Anderson
Audiophile

Posts: 1094
Location: So. Florida
Joined: May 12, 2003
 Very nice looking amp! Are they still doing the 20 year warranties?

Enjoy!

 

RE: Bryston 2.5B-3 is a winner, posted on August 4, 2016 at 18:23:54
JerryS
Reviewer

Posts: 2026
Joined: February 24, 2001
 Yes, their 20 year warranty is still "standard equipment".

 

RE: Bryston 2.5B-3 is a winner, posted on August 7, 2016 at 03:51:45
morricab
Distributor or Rep

Posts: 9178
Location: switzerland
Joined: April 1, 2005
 I found your review of the Rogue Stereo 100 interesting. It seems you greatly preferred this amp to the Pass XA30.8. What is interesting is that another experienced reviewer dumped his very nice Wavac EC300b for the Pass.

I would have expected your outcome between the two amps rather than his given my experience with both technologies. I was not surprised to find you prefer the tube treble and bass. A lot of raving has gone on about the Pass amp from some other reviewers. I have not heard it the same way they have so it is good to read a review that puts some perspective on that particular Pass amp.

I would infer from your review of the Rogue though that it is comfortably better than the Bryston as well??

However, I think it is somewhat premature to declare the Rogue as anything better than excellent for the money. There are quite a lot of very good tube amps, especially SETs with your high sensitivity speakers.

 

RE: Bryston 2.5B-3 is a winner, posted on August 7, 2016 at 09:55:51
JerryS
Reviewer

Posts: 2026
Joined: February 24, 2001
 The Rogue Stereo 100 has a purity and clarity in the mid to upper frequencies that is quite special. This unbounded freedom and openness is addicting! Note that I replaced the 12AX7s with Mullards, which helped some, but less than I expected. But yes, it betters the Bryston and Pass in this regard.

You wrote, "However, I think it is somewhat premature to declare the Rogue as anything better than excellent for the money. There are quite a lot of very good tube amps, especially SETs with your high sensitivity speakers". I tend to agree, but that could apply to any opinion or review for any component, since whomever is coming to the conclusion would not have every available amplifier and associated speakers available to make an unequivocal conclusion about anything he or she is hearing. And as you know, relying on aural memory of something that is no longer on hand is tenuous at best.

I mentioned in the Rogue review that I had not heard two other amps which use similar tubes, with the comment, "I have heard neither amp, but continue to be so happy with the sound of the Rogue Stereo 100 that my curiosity about these 3x more expensive products is quite muted." So there's certainly the possibility of being more impressed with these, or other, amps.

However, using the criteria for the rating scale (see link below), I'm just really diggin' the Rogue. Now, drop the level of transparency down a bit, and the Bryston is very impressive, and competitive in its power class below about $10k. As with any component, it might not be the best choice in a certain system, but in my room, it makes music that is enjoyable day after day.

Happy listening!

 

RE: Bryston 2.5B-3 is a winner, posted on August 9, 2016 at 02:49:25
morricab
Distributor or Rep

Posts: 9178
Location: switzerland
Joined: April 1, 2005
 No doubt the Rogue is a fine sounding amp for under $5K, but my point was that it is still clearly designed to fit a relatively low price point. Many more expensive products are using better parts and in some cases better design and would be worth your effort in reviewing those products. I would have thought that rather than muting your interest in more expensive tube amps, this would have increased your appetite to see how much better it can get.

If this relatively inexpensive tube amp can do this then what can more expensive brands/models do?? Since, in your opinion, it rather crushed a very highly regarded SS amp (Pass XA 30.8), then it seems to open a whole new path of awareness for you to journey on.

I moved on from some quite good SS amps quite some time ago and then went from Push/pull tubes to SET and (almost) never looked back. Try a push/pull triode amp like the Antique Sound Lab Cadenza DT. I have found good SET to be the best amplification for reasonable speakers.

 

RE: Bryston 2.5B-3 is a winner, posted on August 10, 2016 at 08:47:08
JerryS
Reviewer

Posts: 2026
Joined: February 24, 2001
 Thanks for the suggestion to try a SET amp. I reviewed an ASL amp years ago. Wish it was still on hand. Dennis Had has an interesting stereo SET using KT150s. Lots of options for things to try!

 

RE: Bryston 2.5B-3 is a winner, posted on August 11, 2016 at 02:11:49
morricab
Distributor or Rep

Posts: 9178
Location: switzerland
Joined: April 1, 2005
 Give KR Audio or Ayon Audio a try...these are two of the best brands for SET that are still on the edge of affordability.

 

RE: Bryston 2.5B-3 is a winner, posted on August 11, 2016 at 06:45:53
JerryS
Reviewer

Posts: 2026
Joined: February 24, 2001
 Thanks for the suggestions. What do you think of the Cary CAD-805AE?

 

RE: Bryston 2.5B-3 is a winner, posted on August 23, 2016 at 05:42:22
morricab
Distributor or Rep

Posts: 9178
Location: switzerland
Joined: April 1, 2005
 Don't know never heard one. They are claimed to be a bit on the warm and golden side of things tonally but that might depend a lot on the speaker load among other things.

I once had a pair of the Cary CAD-572SE monos and those were quite good sounding. Slightly warm but dynamically lively and well controlled bass. Tone was very nice an natural. Resolution was fine but perhaps not ultra. The big Cary might sound similar.

 

Page processed in 0.033 seconds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]