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Bryston is always the answer.

75.72.189.26
Posted on May 22, 2020 at 18:27:48
Tweets Inorout
Audiophile

Posts: 5
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Joined: May 14, 2020
 Yes or no?

And can I get in for $1500 bucks or less? (In the used market?)

Doing a bit of research, Bryston seems the default amp maker to drive the difficult load that the Maggies present.

And I love that they are hand built in CANADA.

I am planning on picking up my new pair of LRSs in mid July and am thinking my NAD 370 integrated will make an adequate pre amp, at least for now.

Searching the used market, what models should I be looking for?

And just how much would it cost to buy new?

Would very much appreciate any advice or leads.

 

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RE: Bryston is always the answer., posted on August 25, 2020 at 15:42:09
Mcmusicman
Audiophile

Posts: 26
Location: Wilmington NC
Joined: April 15, 2020
 OP,
I Purchased a brand New 4B3 this year that was a 30 Day demo from a dealer so it had about 100 extra hours.
1. The 4B3 is not at all bright, I listen 5-6 hours a day and never feel any fatigue with it driving my 1.7s
2. The Cubed Series input stage is worth getting the Bryston. I chose it over the JC5 and several others. Super quiet and they put a great deal of engineering into this input stage.
3. People like to follow trends, there is a reason Bryston has a 20 year warranty.
4. Not only is the High End sweet,clear and accurate, the Bryston 4B3 simply delivers the bass with Maggies.
5. The Neutrality is superb. When I roll my 6SN7 tubes in my preamp, I can hear the nuanced differences as it should be. I do not subscribe to the theory that an amp should color the sound.

Bryston may not "always be the answer", but regarding the Cubed series, Bryston will never be a wrong answer. I got by with an Odyssey while I saved the money to get the 4B3. Good Luck

 

RE: Bryston is always the answer., posted on August 24, 2020 at 16:44:02
pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008
 If maggies WERE a difficult load, what you say MIGHT be true.

As it stands? Good selection of capable amps out there.
Too much is never enough

 

RE: Bryston is always the answer., posted on August 21, 2020 at 15:25:08
owkone
Audiophile

Posts: 53
Joined: April 9, 2015
 I have been driving my 1.6's for last 18 years with a Lexicon NT225 (re-badged 4BST). I bought it used, it was already 12 years old. So far it needed service only once. The left channel was making a moaning sound when shutting down. Bryston happily fixed it, their service charge was surprisingly reasonable. It cost more to ship it back and forth. I can drive the 1.6's to 97db without clipping. I have seen 4BST and 4BSST on ebay.

 

RE: Bryston is always the answer., posted on August 21, 2020 at 17:52:02
TitaniumTroy
Audiophile

Posts: 626
Location: Mishawaka, Indiana
Joined: October 14, 2006
 In response to the OP, Bryston used to be the answer. Times change, even Magnepan doesn't demo with only Bryston anymore.

 

RE: Bryston is always the answer., posted on August 23, 2020 at 14:22:23
owkone
Audiophile

Posts: 53
Joined: April 9, 2015
 So what amps are Magnepan using for demos?

 

RE: Bryston is always the answer., posted on August 23, 2020 at 16:47:02
TitaniumTroy
Audiophile

Posts: 626
Location: Mishawaka, Indiana
Joined: October 14, 2006
 At AXPONA they used their own, a prototype and on the Wendell tour they used whatever the dealer had that was of high quality and lots current.

 

RE: Bryston is always the answer., posted on August 16, 2020 at 22:31:51
ASExplorer
Audiophile

Posts: 102
Location: Austin, Tx
Joined: January 28, 2002
 I know a lot people might consider it to be Mid-Fi, but I was pretty happy with the sound coming out of my MG3.6Rs (custom-built active xover that mimics stock crossover frequencies) using a Schiit Vidar for the Low Pass, and a Schiit Aegir for the High Pass. For the price and with a very reasonable return policy, it's worth trying if your budget isn't in the car category.

At least I was for about 2 weeks before my ~19 year old speakers started delaminating and I haven't had a chance to ship them back to MN to get refurbished. Been using an Aegir on my LRS for about 9 months now and they're actually reasonably pleasant.

I used to use 4 channels of a Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature.

 

RE: Bryston is always the answer., posted on July 30, 2020 at 18:40:00
LineSource
Audiophile

Posts: 145
Location: Iowa
Joined: July 29, 2014
 Magnepans do not present a difficult load to any amp that can provide current into four ohms. They are almost purely resistive. However they are very revealing to anything up stream.
LineSource

 

It's an answer, but not the only answer., posted on May 24, 2020 at 00:16:26
Audiophilander
Audiophile

Posts: 30200
Location: Fort Worth (D/FW Metroplex)
Joined: March 31, 2000
 The $64,000 question ...just kidding there... is how much power do you need/want to satisfy your listening tastes. A 20 year warranty is hard to beat especially if it's transferable, which Bryston does if the new owner is provided an original dealer bill of sale, But they aren't the only audio manufacturer offering long warranties.

Another amp well suited for Maggies is the Sanders Magtech, with lifetime warranty to original owners. However, 900 watts into a 4 ohm load is probably overkill for the LRS line.

Bottom line, there are lots of amps that work well with Maggie loads on the new and used market.

Cheers,
AuPh

 

the LRS is a flexible product, posted on May 23, 2020 at 16:57:57
Green Lantern
Audiophile

Posts: 16952
Location: San Diego, Ca
Joined: November 12, 2002
Contributor
  Since: June 17, 2003
 Unlike the larger Maggies that are extremely unforgiving when it comes to upstream equipment.

I've got my two Emotiva XPA-1's pushing my LRS's (was using them on my MG20 bass panels) and they sound splendid and slice right through the Maggie 'veil'.

They're 1kw mono amps and go for around $900 on eb.









 

RE: the LRS is a flexible product, posted on August 24, 2020 at 16:47:34
pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008
 You are paying UP FRONT for such extended warranty coverage.

Most competently built amps should go at least a decade....maybe 2, without problems ONCE they get past the infant mortality stage.....Say 6 months of regular use.....with some higher levels tossed in for stress....
Too much is never enough

 

RE: Bryston is always the answer., posted on May 23, 2020 at 07:08:11
Mike K
Audiophile

Posts: 13973
Location: 97701
Joined: September 23, 1999
 Well ... my experience with Bryston amps is that they sound rather harsh
and "transistory". Mind you, I have not auditioned the latest version,
or the prior one for that matter, so Bryston may have solved the problem.
I would avoid the originals (e.g., 4B), the ST, and the SST models.

Nonetheless, their 20 year warranty is real, and unique in the industry.
And their products are built for the ages.

Despite having reservations about their amps, I just L O V E my CDP1
cd player, and would have a CDP3 were the necessary funds to materialize
somehow.

Lack of skill dictates economy of style. - Joey Ramone

 

RE: Bryston is always the answer., posted on May 26, 2020 at 11:57:58
George S. Roland
Audiophile

Posts: 1470
Location: N W Pennsylvania
Joined: March 20, 2004
 My one experience with Bryston power amps was like yours: kinda "transistory".

I had a similar experience with Parasound. Now running a Pass Labs X-250.5, which is quite satisfying.

 

RE: Bryston is always the answer., posted on May 23, 2020 at 16:47:39
TitaniumTroy
Audiophile

Posts: 626
Location: Mishawaka, Indiana
Joined: October 14, 2006
 A lot people on here including me like Pass Labs, I got my used X250 off Agon and love it. I'll sell you a one of of my used NAD 218THX's which is rated 250w at 8ohms.

 

RE: Bryston is always the answer., posted on May 27, 2020 at 08:54:50
Snowpuppy77
Audiophile

Posts: 4
Location: Nebraska
Joined: May 18, 2020
 I just received a pair of LRS last week and have been playing them in a second system with a NAD 218THX. While I do aspire to some day have something nicer in my 2nd system like Pass Labs I will say that the NAD 218THX drives the LRS with no problem at all and sounds very good. I am blown away by the sound of the LRS so the NAD 218THX is doing its job. I think a used NAD 218THX is a very good if not excellent lower cost option for a pair of Maggies.

By the way I personally would not bridge two NAD 218THX amps and use them with Maggies. That is because when bridged a 4 ohm speaker load looks like a 2 ohm load to a bridged amp. Bridging them would be fine if not excellent for an 8ohm speaker. One NAD 218THX is enough.

 

RE: Bryston is always the answer., posted on May 24, 2020 at 07:42:26
Mike K
Audiophile

Posts: 13973
Location: 97701
Joined: September 23, 1999
 Assuming you are offering to sell to me, and not to the OP, I must
decline you kind offer as I have just recently purchased an all-PS Audio
setup which I find most satisfactory, and quite capable of driving
my LRS to any volume level I desire (which isn't very high).

Lack of skill dictates economy of style. - Joey Ramone

 

RE: Bryston is always the answer., posted on May 22, 2020 at 20:44:57
hahax@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 4306
Location: New Jersey
Joined: March 22, 2006
 Best warranty by far. It's a real 20 year. Knew an amp blown up by abuse that was overtly obvious and being ready to pay and they fixed it no charge anyway saying when we asked that Brystons don't blow up

 

RE: Bryston is always the answer., posted on May 22, 2020 at 18:42:10
Green Lantern
Audiophile

Posts: 16952
Location: San Diego, Ca
Joined: November 12, 2002
Contributor
  Since: June 17, 2003
 I remember a time when Bryston was 'the' go to amp around here, there was never an issue with them it seemed. Now all of a sudden it seems everyone is saying they're too 'bright'.

I owned the 2B back around the turn of the Century, never had an issue with it.

Very few amps remain on the "A" list around here for long unless they're in the 5 figure club.











 

RE: Bryston is always the answer., posted on May 22, 2020 at 19:55:45
Norman M
 I have and still use three Bryston amps; two 7B STs which have outlived their 20 year warrantys and a 4B ST squared and never a problem with any of them. (At my present age "brightness", if I were able to detect it, would be a plus.)

 

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