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| Model: | 4BST |
| Category: | Amplifier (SS) |
| Suggested Retail Price: | $3500 approx. Cnd. |
| Description: | SS Amp |
| Manufacturer URL: | Bryston |
| Model Picture: | View |
|
Review by Monty on August 02, 1999 at 20:04:49 IP Address: 166.102.96.44 |
Add Your Review for the 4BST |
I nearly got rid of this amp. After corresponding with Bryston and talking with several Bryston dealers I decide to wait it out and I’m glad I did. In fairness to Bryston, they immediately offered to go over the unit and replace it if necessary. This unit took over five months before it began sounding like it should.Right out of the box, the 4BST had an annoying mechanical or "white" quality on some recordings. These were mainly analog recordings reissued on older CD’s. Digital recordings sounded fairly good from the beginning. I also have a Bryston B60 which I use as a preamp. It took awhile for the B60(used as an integrated) to sound better, but not this long!
This amp has so many virtues I figured that even with the slight "hifi" sound, I could use it to biamp. I never had the 4BST clip and I’ve cranked it up to the threshold of pain powering PSB strat gold i’s. The bass capability of this amp is truly amazing, deep and tight even when brand new. The Telarc "Organ Blaster" disc will demonstrate this, as will Scott LaFaro’s bass playing on the Bill Evans’ trio disc "Waltz for Debby". I’m not into HT, but I think this amp would be a killer for that app.
The main adjective I would use to describe the 4BST is dynamic. A great dynamic range is available from a whisper to a cannon blast. This dynamic is evident even on chamber music or vocals. I guess I would say this quality is the opposite of polite. If you like polite you may not like this. It seems like there are more gradations of loudness between piano and forte than in other amps I have heard. Part of this may be due to the extremely low noise level. I turned the volume control to the max and could hear no noise with my ear right up to the speaker. That was after I operated the groundlift switch. Yes, ground loops will make the amp sound grungy. Just flip the groundlift switch and you clean it right up.
Neutral would be another adjective. A neutral perspective which when used with the PSB’s gives a slightly forward presentation that I enjoy on rock groups and jazz combos. This may not be what is desired on classical though. While you can hear the reverb of the room or hall, the presentation is much more forward than what you would hear on some amps like the Denon 100 watt integrated. Needless to say, it’s not totally the amp. Brass and woodwinds are impressive on a good recording, say Mehta’s version of "The Planets".
Resolution is quite good, but you need the right interconnects here. The amp sounded midfi with my old Monster Cables. When I switched to Silver Audio Silver Bullet 4’s several veils were lifted, unfortunately at this point the amp was brand new and the mechanicalness of the midhighs became troublesome. An audio dealer suggested a solution in the form of StraightWire Symphony II interconnects. These softened the highs, but also cast some of that veil along with a sense of compression back over the sound. Overall, though, the sound was musical and listenable, if somewhat midfi and bass shy as well. I listened to the amp with these interconnects for about a month until one night I noticed a change as the system was playing. I was reading and had a Haydn Quartet on. It was as if the recording went from mono to stereo. I set the book down and looked at the system. From that time on I seemed to enjoy listening to music more actively.Today I replaced the Straight Wire Symphonies with the Silver Bullet’s. At this point I’m hearing pretty much what I want to hear. Very good resolution, and the vocals and violins have smoothed out on some of the "problem" recordings. The tonal coloration is beginning to approach the "burnished golden" tone someone wrote about. The bass is unbelievably dynamic and deep. Oh yes, I’m playing it louder as well.
From the beginning the problematic areas of the amp were mainly noticed in classical vocal and violin reproduction, especially older recordings. Most rock and jazz sounded pretty good. Now that the amp has broken in, it is even suitable for classical.
My opinions on other amps which I’ve heard lately: Bryston B60—excellent sound, sweet highs, resolution perhaps not up to the 4B, a bit lightweight—clipping time; Denon 100 watt integrated—smooth sound, overly polite; Proceed(the model costs about 3K)—better resolution than the Bryston 4BST, but has a mechanical sound driving Martin Logans. Adcom 555 Mk II—great bass, but not as tight as the 4b, loads of power, limited soundstage, not much hall reverb, somewhat dry treble and some sibilance.
| Product Weakness: | Long break in period |
| Product Strengths: | Power, build quality, "dynamics", neutrality, 20 year warranty |
| Associated Equipment for this Review: | |
| Amplifier: | Bryston 4BST |
| Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | Bryston B60 (used as preamp) |
| Sources (CDP/Turntable): | Denon 1650 AR |
| Speakers: | PSB stratus gold i's |
| Cables/Interconnects: | SilverAudio Silver Bullet 4's |
| Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Classical, Jazz, Rock |
| Room Size (LxWxH): | 28 x 17 x 10 |
| Room Comments/Treatments: | Hardwood floor |
| Time Period/Length of Audition: | 5 months |
| Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
I found your review very useful. Thanks.BTW: Why didn't you suspect that the B-60 used as a preamp could be the main cause of that troublesome resolution ?. Was it impossible to try a BP-25 ?.
I suppose you are refering to the B-60 to the 4B interconnect.
I would also have suspected of the rather high crosstalk figures of the 4B. I suppose this would also affect soundstage but you do not mention troubles
with soundstage. And in fact resolution improved with a better interconnect (almost impossible to find in my country, I will have to be happy with Van
denHulls).Some suggestions to enjoy its bass capabilities: Charlie Haden on Don Cherry's "Art Deco" and "Dreamkeeper"
Luke DuBois on The Freight Elevator QuartetEnjoy,
Fernando
I own a Bryston 3B ST and love it; have even been considering a
4B even though I have no reason to need one. You sound mildly
unhappy with this amp; if Bryston has offered to go thru it for
you at no charge, take them up on it. It cant hurt. Mike
I'm wondering now how your 3B sounded right out of the box. Did you notice any nasties?My B60 sounded a little rough at first, but after 2 months or so it was decent and superb after 6 months.
Which front end and speakers are you using? Maybe you would consider reviewing your amp for this group. I know it seems hardly worthwhile after Stereophile and umpteen others stated their views, still, I would be interested in seeing it. When the 4B was still rough I was considering biamping using a 3BST for the treble.
I'm not sure the issue of break-in time has been covered on this forum. One dealer told me that none of the good solid state amps are at their best until after about 6 months of use. That includes Bryston, Krell, Mark Levinson. He wasn't familiar with Pass, Plinius, SIM or BEL.
Bryston tests all of their amps at high volume for 100 hours.I am not allowed to say breakin,as this will rile up the Disgruntled NaySayers.I am convinced that an additional 200 hours at a good volume level is necessary for best results.Through the years,I have read a few articles that suggested 300 hours for full results.So,if you have listened to your 4bst an average of 11 1/2 hours a week at a decent listening level,then 6 months would be about right for substantially improved sound.I also have a 3bst and the sound is much better than when new! MIT suggests 2 full weeks for best sound from there cables. 2 weeks x 24 hours = 336 hours !!! OK you D N S er's,I am your lightning rod ,hit me with your best crap,I mean zap.
I WAS mildly unhappy. As of yesterday when I changed the interconnects, I just want to listen to the music. Having the support of Bryston is a secure thought for the future.Like I said interconnects, are important as is a long break-in time. Bryston said the amps are broken in at the factory--I think for 100 hrs. From my experience that isn't enough.
I can't honestly say I've loved any amp I've ever heard. I can say that,for now, I am satisfied with this one.
I'm not familiar with politeness in an amp. Could you redescribe? If it helps, you can use comparable equipment. All I can figure is either an effortles sound which usually can't control anything, or dusty-blue sound where it didn't want to propell air as necessary in bass.You had me drooling with the Martin-Logans, but you own PSB. Were the MLs in the shop you first heard the amp? Does the amp tighten the PSBs. Although, I haven't heard thee gold, I'd almost recommend HKs for PSBs since they're typicly so loose which projects the image but irradicates detail. So, how's the detail now?
For me politeness consists of 1) A laid back perspective--the performers are further away from the speakers. 2) A sense of compression of dynamics, a kind of deadness, a lack of "jump" factor. 3) Smoothness and lack of irritation(good in itself, but not when coupled with a lack of dynamics).The 4BST is the perfect match for the bass response of the PSB strat gold. The golds can be boomy with lesser amps. I have heard the boominess while driven by Adcom and NAD amps, both of which I owned. With the Bryston, the PSB's are amazing! Thew energize the room and are rock solid.
I like the ML's a lot, yet I opted for the PSB's. Why? The PSB's are a better "real world" speaker. I do not have the room for the ML's which need to be well away from all walls. The PSB's need it too, but are less critical, especially with the blend between woofer and midrange.
The PSB's have better bass and can play louder too. Sometimes I want a loudspeaker to play loud.
I have never heard the Brystons drive ML's and I'd be curious as to how that combo would sound. Someone over at Audio Review has this set up, check the reviews on the 4BST over there.
Detail is excellent. There again, only with the Silver Audio interconnects.
I've found that in my experience that this "politeness" is attributable to the amp's damping factor. Whereas I've found most of the PSB line suffers from a dreadful lack of physical damping chiefly responsible for a lack of detail but an incredible projectedly forward albeit fuzzy image, the HK line has an unwieldy amount of electrical damping. This has been known to eradicate impulses & impact as well. The damped signal seems incapable of yileding sudden edgy sounds.Are you telling us that the Bryston has a similar voice, responsible for implemented detail? If this were so I'd hate to hear the articulate electrostatics with it. I'd still want to hear tube powered Quads, or a biamped ML with tube powered Ag cables connecting the ES tweeter via a single air-core transformer & Cu to the SS powered dynamic woofer.
BTW, tell me about real world speakers. I own MG2.7s & MGLR1s in a 20'x15' rool w/ dual FSR18s. Obviously, I gave up that entire concept a long time ago. Too bad my TV is a comparative scrawny 27". Although, I was waiting to a Panasonic XF32" to become real world afordable. I'm presently leaning towards an Arcam amp for an effortless sound with a Dennon preamp for the 96/24 Burr-Brown DAC in the DD. I liked Marantz PM-17s ability to establish dynamics in a Magnepan but seemed to have discarded details along the way. Plus, the SR-18 lost a lot of the effortless sound of the 17 it was supposedly modelled after.
Now, if I got you straight, what exactly opened up again after it broke in?
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