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There's really no need for us to re-introduce Bryston Limited, since we spoke at length about the Canadian company in a recent issue (number 7) when we reviewed their 9B amplifier. You may remember that we said that anyone looking for a high-quality home theatre system owed it to themselves to check out the 9B five-channel amplifier. At that time we had planned to run tests on the 9B's logical companion, the SP-1 surround sound preamplifier. However, since production models hadn't been released to the market, pending final adjustments to the processor, the Peterborough company politely asked us if we could rein in our journalistic horses until they finished beta-testing. Only a limited number of retailers had the latest pre-release version in their showrooms. This is normal procedure for manufacturers of high-end equipment since it allows them to evaluate new products in real-use environments. It's euphemistic to say that Bryston makes sure that its products are completely market ready ­ their 20-year warranty should be proof enough of that.

So, in spite of our curiosity (heightened because we were so smitten with the performance of the amplifier), we waited patiently until we could get our hands on one of the first production models (serial number 00033).

One of the features recently added to the SP-1 (and available on our test machine) is the option of displaying the operating and calibration settings in French. This kind of feature is rare in the (mostly English) audio world, especially in top-of-the-line components. Mr James Tanner of Bryston stated that the French-language version is available on demand at no additional cost. Any consumer can order a model with French-language menus. As well, the display language can be changed by simply replacing a chip. Your reseller can do this in a couple of minutes at no charge if they don't have the version you want in stock.

The Bryston SP-1 is the centrepiece of a high-performance surround sound system clearly aimed at a clientele of audiophiles who are in no way about to sacrifice musical quality on the altar of home theatre. One of the reasons for Bryston's relatively late entry into the surround sound dance is certainly due to the company's conservatism (in the best sense of the term). But, faced with a mature market (more and more music lovers are choosing this path but are unwilling to neglect sound quality), it was high time that the folks in Peterborough got on board.

The SP-1 has a traditional, elegantly refined, front panel with a main volume control and a series of digital toggle buttons for input selection and for choosing operating modes. Each button has a corresponding LED. A small LCD allows initial set-up and displays the type of input signal during normal operation. Two switches are located under the display window : one for power-on/off, the other limits the dynamic range so that you can listen to explosive sound tracks in the evening without infuriating the neighbours.

The back panel allows for hook-up of six different inputs, two of which have tape loops. The 4 others can handle standard S/PDIF coaxial digital inputs. As well, there are two TOSLINK fibre optic inputs which may be assigned to either input. The six outputs are available in balanced and unbalanced versions each with a discrete output amplifier. A DB-9 connector lets you integrate the SP-1 into a household control system (e.g., Creston or Phast). Two 12-volt outputs, one of which can be programmed from the system menu, allow you to run accessories (amplifier, motorised screen, etc.) as needed. Right off the bat, the remote control was a winner : the keys light up automatically when you pick it up! As well , it's made of metal and feels solid, something lacking in the plastic remotes that we've gotten used to.

On the technical side, the SP-1 is a combination of two units in the same case. You have a surround sound processor which can decode type 5.1 channel digital audio formats such as DolbyDigital and DTS, plus Prologic type matrix encoding systems with the corresponding THX features. The audio part of the SP-1 is derived from the BP-26 stereo preamplifier which has been highly praised by the industry press. To listen to music programs in stereo, it's easy to separate the unit's digital and analogue sections and enjoy the pre-amp's Oscar-winning sound quality. In such case, even the volume control is identical to the BP-25 analogue. In surround sound mode, the same volume control transmits digital commands to multi-port converters which adjust the overall level of the sound signal for all the channels. Bryston has clearly gone to great pains to ensure the best possible sound quality in any and all possible listening situations, whether in stereo mode coming from analogue or digital sources (including audio output from high-quality platinum CD's) or in surround sound mode for reproducing sound tracks from DTS or AC-3 films. In purest audiophile tradition, the audio planes are uncompromisingly put together with discrete components and no integrated circuits. When you choose the non-digital mode (as shown in the display window), the signal path is entirely analogue. Here the balance control on the front panel functions just like a stereo pre-amp, whereas in 5-channel mode, it is completely bypassed. In this case, the sound balance among the various speakers is determined by the settings in the initial calibration menu. Speaking of display, it's worth noticing that the words "muet" and "parlant" appear as you cancel the mute feature (only available on the French version of the SP-1). Also worth mentioning : Bryston decided not to incorporate a video switch. We find this a bit strange and are aware of only one other home theatre system that does this : the Theater Master Signature, the high-end version of the Ovation model, which we tested about a year-and-a-half ago. This is not necessarily a major handicap since specialty video companies (e.g., Extron) can provide the necessary accessories. Of course, this adds an additional expense and, as well, can complicate the overall integration of the audio/video system. However, with new video formats appearing all the time, it's always possible that the serious amateur who is willing to invest in a high-end video system will want to devote the selection of the video source to a dedicated device, especially if he or she is working with composite signals (Y, Cr, Cb) or RGB. Personally, I would have preferred being given the choice.

The initial set-up is easy to carry out and the calibration menu will walk you through the various steps without useless complications. You start by choosing the number and type of enclosures you use (« big » or « small », with reference to the ability of the speaker to reproduce low frequencies). Then the SP-1 asks for the distance separating your listening position from the various speakers. Finally, you have to adjust the sound levels of the various channels to achieve overall system balance. If your speaker enclosures fall into the category « small », the configuration menu allows you to direct low bass frequencies to your subwoofer rather than to your speakers. Being able to choose different switching frequencies lets you optimise bandwidth for your columns as well as getting the best possible control over the bass. And that's not all, a bass limiter sets an absolute ceiling for speakers classified as « big » and for the bass enclosure. As long as the unit functions in « processor » mode, nothing can go beyond limits you set. You will avoid blowing your speakers and protect your ears at the same time, even from sonically violent sound tracks.

Initial installation and set-up of the SP-1 in our listening room took about half an hour, including the connections. Then we spent several weeks getting familiar with all the features and carefully evaluating the performance before concluding that this home theatre pre-amplifier keeps its maker's promises to the letter. Used as an analogue stereo preamp, it brings out all the minute detail in our sample recordings with exceptional neutrality. The stereophonic image is convincing and the depth perspective is entirely realistic. Our version of the Beethoven Emperor Concerto, recorded in the Vienna Musikverein (Deutsche Grammofon) lets us measure the hall dimensions by ear. You can hear the notes from the piano bounce back off the walls before they softly die away and the double bass sounds move through the speakers like successive waves of the incoming tide without the least sonic confusion. The famous silky sound of the Vienna Phil string section is faithfully reproduced and you can feel the live audience breathe along with the beat of the music ­ in fact, you find yourself doing the same. In the Tallis Scholars' recording of the Allegri Miserere, you can pick out the individual voices in the choir. Even in a an acoustic environment full of complex echoes coming from the many stone arches in the chapel, the voices blend together without confusion allowing the various solos to emerge clearly. The harmonic vocal lines in the Mozart Requiem are reproduced without the least trace of confusion or harshness as if the floated atop the orchestration. All is transparent, ordered and smooth. In a completely different style, Holly Cole's 6.28 CD, recorded live at the Théatre Saint Denis, brings you back to the original performance : the double bass is deep and keeps an authoritative rhythm. The piano chords float in space and the singer's voice is full of emotion. The instruments are solid and spatially well-defined, the contours are clean and you hear a real flesh and blood singer.

For home theatre use, you will appreciate the transparency of the sound stages which make the voices sound realistic and make the dialog understandable, even in the midst of the hurricane in A Perfect Storm and in spite of the tonnes of water which seem to really crash over the bridge of the fishing boat. Of course I know that much of the effect is due to technical wizardry in the sound studio; but isn't that real reason you invest in a good home theatre system S you want to be swept into the heart of the on-screen action? In Music of the Heart , the sound environment of the streets of East Harlem and the noise from the kids playing in the schoolyard contrast strongly with the violin sounds from the heroine's students ­ even the wrong notes are true to life. When the group who are trying to save the music program ­ the film's central plot -- meet in the violin teacher's home, we literally dive into the middle of the discussion. The DVD version of the film U-571 has both DTS and DolbyDigital sound tracks and both are well-engineered. Even if the spatial aspects are more evident in DTS, you really feel the "cooped up" and, at times, oppressive, interior of the submarine. You can't help shuddering on the edge of your seat wondering if you'll come out of this alive when the depth charges explode around you. Or ducking quickly when the torpedo glances off the hull and breathing a sigh of relief when it goes by without exploding. In Gladiator, which is also in both DTS and Dolby Digital, there's a scene where a herd of horses comes from behind, gallops past only inches away from you and then runs off into the screen. You can feel the impact of their hooves on the ground. And you'll find that you jump when, out of nowhere, a tiger appears in the arena ready to pounce on you. Rules of Engagement has one of the best sound tracks we've ever heard, even if the DVD is only available in Dolby 5.1. The war scenes in Vietnam are strikingly realistic and you'll be grateful that you didn't have to live through the real war. When the Yemenese ambassador's family is rescued, viewers can really feel both the growing hostility of the crowd demonstrating outside and the inevitable outbreak of violence. The bullets ricochet around you and you can hear the thud as they shatter the bricks and mortar.

After four or five weeks of daily use, our conclusion is that the Bryston SP-1 is not only friendly, but it also offers a very high performance level, whether as a conventional stereo preamp (outstanding neutrality) or as a competent surround sound decoder. For the audiophile who wants to expand his or her horizons to take in the wonderful world of film, this unit is a must. At $5,495, the SP-1 is one of the best values currently available.

Reinhard Gurner

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20 Year Warranty - A Generation of Music