| Authorized
Reprint from
Hifi & Records
The Magazine for High-Quality Music Reproduction
Issue 3/2002
Test: Bryston Preamp/Amplifier Combination BP25
+ 14B-SST
For its 40th Anniversary Bryston surprises the audiophile world
and presents it with a superb power amplifier.
Superior power combined with the highest resolution: Tonally, the
Bryston 14B-SST amplifier is among the world's best power amplifiers.
Bryston amplifiers have the reputation of being extremely dependable,
practically "indestructible", audio components. That this
reputation is deserved is already discernible by their unusually
long, even outside the Hi-Fi industry, 20 year warranty period.
If there had been any truly serious problems during this period
of time, the Canadian manufacturer would have disappeared from the
market place a long time ago. But this year Bryston has already
outlived this period twice over: - Happy Birthday!
 Otherwise
Bryston amplifiers also have an image in audiophile circles of being
reasonably gutsy, but somewhat sedate, perhaps a little heavy in
the middle, and are not necessarily known to be 'fast'. In two words:
hardly sexy. However the output stages supply ample push in the
low frequency region and also drive power hungry speakers like the
Theil CS6 with ease. Bryston amplifiers are true "Amplifier
Animals" with sufficient reserve for all demands. Their origin
in the professional market was considered unmistakable. Furthermore,
only he who has heard Surround Sound reproduced by the five-channel
9B-SST Bryston amplifier may claim to have experienced acoustically
optimal movie enjoyment in his own home. In any case nit-pickers
among audiophiles often chose other brands, at least until now.
Always open for possible surprises, we'll look first of all at what
our two subjects have to offer. Of these the 14B-SST is almost a
new development rather than a continuation of what came before,
whereas the BP-25 preamplifier is a more well-known item which has
undergone a distinct uplift on the occasion of the birthday celebrations.
Let's start at the beginning, with the BP-25 in the version with
the MM/MC phono stages on board, which compared to the basic version
is priced at an additional 800 Euro. First of all, the considerably
larger external power supply enclosure presents itself. It now has
a toroidal transformer, two large coupling capacitors, and electronic
voltage regulation, which all has a positive effect on the sound.
The same is true for the refinement of the preamplifier circuitry.
The layout of the circuit boards, as well as the selection of components,
was improved. Polystyrene capacitors are now used extensively. Bryston
has made advances in the present design everywhere where there was
still room for improvement.
 Usability
has also not been overlooked. The chamfered edges of the slim but
heavy remote control have definitely made it more convenient, and
it now fits comfortably in one's hand. What remains is what was
good and proven until now; The completely symmetrical construction
of the preamplifier, its balanced and unbalanced connections, a
high quality headphone amplifier, an Alps motorized potentiometer
for the remote controlled volume adjustment, phase reversal via
the remote control, and high-quality shielded transformers in the
phono section, which continues to be completely discrete with no
integrated circuits. All of this in an elegant shallow chassis,
upon which you may confidently place your pet elephant without worrying
that it might cave in.
We won't keep you in suspense any longer. Before we describe the
construction of the power amplifier, we'll divulge how the preamplifier
sounds. Be it because of the brand new power-supply circuitry, be
it the modifications of the actual amplification stages, or a synergy
effect of all the innovations - this preamplifier has made a substantial
leap forward. It is clearly livelier and more transparent, without
losing the well-known charm of its warm basic sound, which is obviously
the concept of this preamplifier. In any case there is no longer
any trace of a lackadaisical gait.
This tonal reorientation, with a distinct addition of sparkle,
stands out particularly impressively in the phono section. But since
its design has undergone the least modification, everything speaks
for seeking the fountain of youth in other areas of the BP-25. I
bet strongly on the power supply, but no matter what, it is a successful
presentation. Yes, actually even a surprise. Can the power amplifier
hold its own?
 Visually,
the 14B-SST is genuinely magnificent. With its massive heat sinks,
its hefty 40 kilogram (85 pound) weight, and the largest chassis
of all Bryston power amplifiers, it's ready to tackle anything.
With nominally 600 watts into eight ohms - in our laboratory even
with only 220 volts it supplied 555 watts - it surely would not
shy away from any load. The concept of bridged amplifier stages,
which characterizes Bryston's 7B SST, is also true for the 14B-SST.
In fact Bryston preserved the basic construction of the amplifier
stages. In contrast to previous models however, the new amplifier
incorporates high current transistors from Motorola, which are characterized
by extremely wide bandwidth, and guarantee high uniformity between
the NPN and PNP transistor pairs. Bryston's very clever output stage
is unusual in that it uses both polarities of transistor for each
half wave of the signal. This eliminates the last vestiges of difference
between the top and bottom halves of an amplified sine wave. The
employment of back-to-back high current diodes above which the cabinet
is floated from ground is also clever and unusual. Ground-loops,
with no ground lift switch, are no longer an issue. Incidentally
one will not find any relays or fuses in the signal path.
One also searches in vain for the usual power supply fuse among
the connections at the back of the chassis. Instead there is a master
power switch which provides automatic cut-off protection. The actual
membrane On/Off switch is integrated into the front panel. Apropos
power connection: As a believer in high quality power cables you'll
be very surprised when you want to present the merit of your favorite
cable to the 14B-SST amplifier, because it does not accept the common
industry-wide 15 amp power line plugs, but only 20 amp plugs. This,
in turn, may call for installing a new plug, or obtaining a suitable
cable directly from the manufacturer. For our test we used a "Sunwire"
which was sent along with the amplifier.
Yes indeed, the newest power package from Bryston imparts a powerful
"push" to the CS 6 Thiel, no doubt about it, and it's
more controlled than its predecessors, with razor-sharp definition.
The biggest surprise however, is the ultra-fast manner in which
music is conveyed by the Thiel speakers via the 14B-SST. Not only
does this power amplifier control transients from within the overall
reproduction, its resolution is also one of its strong points, coupled
with its incredible transparency. This world class performance of
the Bryston amplifier is rounded off by a silky string sound previously
found only in successful tube amplifiers. All of this is addictive.
OK, it simply has to be said: This Bryston amplifier banishes my
favorites, the Gamut-Monos, to second place. At least in matters
of silken sound, but also because of the added resolution - where
it's no longer just a matter of the famous image - completely to
my surprise the Gamuts have met their master. One just never stops
learning.
An especially successful combination links the Bryston amplifier
with the Revel F50, the big sister of the F30 introduced in Issue
1/2002. At the last moment Sun Audio, the distributor (in Germany)
of both Revel as well as Bryston, brought us a pair of these really
great looking speakers. What a dream pair! Here power and elegance
unite in sheer breathtaking manner. However that's another story
which you can read about in the next issue.
Conclusion
With this preamp-amplifier combination Bryston has given itself
the best possible present for its 40th birthday. Now no one can
say any longer that longevity and reliability are the predominant
features. Now there is a truly superb sounding preamplifier and
also a true world-class power amplifier for an extremely reasonable
price. In any case the topic "power amplifier" should
be closed for many people once and for all in the shape of the 14B-SST.
Reinhold Martin
Translated from the German by Peter Ullman
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