The Legacy Lives On

4B-ST
I feel the 4B-ST occupies a market niche that should strike fear in opposing camps. Priced squarely in the upper/middle price range, its performance is on a par with the big guns, sacrificing little of their refinement. Even more enlightening is the fact that this level of refined performance is brought to market by a decidedly non tweaky manufacturer. If you are in the market for high-current, refined Amplification, the Bryston 4B-ST should be on your proverbial short list. It was on mine, and I didn’t cross it out.

Bryston 4B ST
A Class A Recommended Component just for the bass spectrum? No. While the amplifier is somewhat less impressive when driving the Quad ESL-63s full-range, where its speed and snap are more apparent than its transparency, the Bryston has the gutsiness and control that benefit dynamic drivers. This results in increased dynamics, definition, and detail. Bi-wired, the Bryston 4B tightens and deepens the Sonus Faber's bass response. It does a superb job of controlling the overly rich midbass of the Snell Type Bs. This solid-state dual-mono amplifier should be on everyone's must-hear list of amplifiers, particularly if one has dynamic loudspeakers.

VERDICT
More than simply workmanlike, the sound of Bryston’s 4B SST 2  is highly lucid and infectiously engaging. With its lack of ‘grain’ and tremendous clarity, it will have you discovering subtle details in recordings that may previously have gone unnoticed. You’ll require speakers that are up to the task, of course. You can buy it with confidence.

Bryston SST2
I suspect I will miss the unabashed control of the Bryston, which allowed it to be pushed while filling my whole house, if not the whole neighborhood, with high-quality and wonderfully reproduced music. I recommend that you audition the Bryston, and if you end up purchasing it, be confident that you, too, will be happy for a long time to come.