General Asylum: REVIEW: Bryston 4B SST Amplifier (SS) by The Hawk

Model:	4B SST
Category:	Amplifier (SS)
Suggested Retail Price:	$2700
Description:	300 watt/channel dual mono amplifier
Manufacturer URL:	Bryston
Model Picture:	View

Review by The Hawk ( A ) on July 17, 2002 at 08:39:33
IP Address: 64.229.66.37

Add Your Review
for the 4B SST

I recently made the switch from a Bryston 4B ST to the new SST series. Bryston has completely redone this amp along the lines of the lessons learned with the 14B ST. It is not a simple cosmetic change. Everything is different inside from output transistors to power supply, it's all new. I'm no magazine reporter, but I will do my best to put into words my thoughts and perceptions after doing some extended listening sessions this weekend on what I feel has improved in terms of sound comparison between the ST and SST amplifiers.

The first thing I noticed was the openness. The SST images extremely well and throws out a big wide soundstage. On recordings that have a live club like sound it does a very convincing job of making you feel like you're there. The ST had this quality as well, but I feel the SST does it more effortlessly and takes the refinement up a notch or two.

Highs can simply be described as sweet. Silky smooth and natural sounding without a trace of shrillness, even at the limits of volume the sound doesn't get harsh and the amplifier doesn't come across as sounding strained. Again the ST had this quality, but the SST raises the bar.

Mids are also extremely good. Female voices sound very natural. Nothing like a little Diana Krall to evaluate mid range quality.

Last but not least is the bass. Nothing short of stellar. This is probably the area most people will notice the difference. This amplifier just does bass right. Nice tight and punchy. Lots of extension. No matter the material or volume level, the amp sounds in total control of the speakers without ever coming across as sounding like it's running out of gas. As I mentioned before, my Panamax voltage indicator flickers less on transients with SST as well. I can only attribute this to that massive power supply which has double the capacitance of the ST series.

Bottom line: Was it worth the extra expense? Does it put a smile on my face? You bet! I can highly recommend it to anyone looking for a solid state amplifier in this power class and wouldn't hesitate recommending it to current ST owners as well. The ST series are fantastic amplifiers, no question about it. But the SST offers a level of refinement that the ST can't quite reach. And to cap it all off, it looks nicer too! I'm sure in the months to come as the reviews start to come in from the audio press that they'll love these things. For the money, I don't think anything comes close. The best part is knowing that this thing will just sound better the more I play it as it gets more and more broken in.

So there you go. You wanted my two cents and now you have it. Maybe I can get a job with that toilet rag "Stereophile". You know the one. The "If it doesn't cost a small fortune, it's crap" magazine. They could use a real world audiophile writing about real world equipment

Product Weakness: Man this thing is heavy!
Product Strengths: Stellar performance from an amplifier real people can afford. If you can't afford Krell, Bryston is the amplifier to buy

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Bryston 4B SST
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Bryston BP 25
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	TEAC Esoteric P10 transport
Speakers:	Energy Veritas 1.8
Cables/Interconnects:	Audioquest and Kimber
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Rock, Metal and Jazz
Room Size (LxWxH):	23 x 16 x 8
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Panamax 1000+
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	Man this thing is heavy!
Product Strengths:	Stellar performance from an amplifier real people can afford. If you can't afford Krell, Bryston is the amplifier to buy