Aragon, Parasound or Bryston


Trying to decide between a Aragon 8008ST, Parasound Halo A21 and a Bryston 4B.
My system consists of a VTL 2.5 preamp, Nad C542 Cd player, Paradigm Studio Ref 100 V3 speakers, Paradigm Servo 15 sub.
The three contenders come in at roughly the same price with the Aragon being just a tad cheaper.
Looking for opinions as I can't audition. I believe it would be easy if this were a 4B SST but that would be out of the price range so its the earlier 4B.
energeezer
should also note the Brystons have a 20 year fully trasferable warranty and a very good rep for repair services. get a 10 year old sst/sst2 and still have 10 years left of warranty. as I have not heard any of them I can't judge by sound but quality has always been a main stay of Bryston
 
"should also note the Brystons have a 20 year fully trasferable warranty and a very good rep for repair services. get a 10 year old sst/sst2 and still have 10 years left of warranty. as I have not heard any of them I can’t judge by sound but quality has always been a main stay of Bryston" 

All true all worth considering. Even though the 3Bs are getting a bit long in the tooth and no longer covered in the 20 year window Bryston is more than willing to repair or refresh them. I had an amp gone over and they even replaced parts that might go, no extra charge. There are plenty of early Bryston amps still active today while no longer covered under warranty thats serves as a testament to there longevity.
Thanks for the responses. Looks like Parasound for me. Not ready to mess with class D yet. Too many mixed opinions and no real way to audition.
I  had an old Yamaha receiver in the 80s. It was an R1000 with a switching power supply. It was the first time I spent real money on Hi Fi with it being almost $1000 (plenty for a receiver when you are a teenager). I remember being so disappointed with the sound.  I dont know if it was class D or something else but it touted a switching power supply and impressive output power for a receiver. Sounded fatiguing and lifeless. I fully realize todays class D is not the same but ever since that time I swore.  Where 2 channel is concerned its will be over built, heavy, class A or A/B.
I actually have an 8008ST which just recently died. Its out to get fixed but I'm doubtfull Ill be able to get it fixed here in Winnipeg and shipping out is questionable considering the economics of the process. I loved that 8008. Absolutely loved it and want something comparable. 
energeezer,

      Yes, I've learned that class D has made big strides over the years but I never heard the early examples.  My opinion of current good class D is that you give up nothing in the mids and treble to class A/B but gain better bass response and dynamics.  All the other benefits (smaller size, reduced weight, more affordable price, much cooler running and reduced electricity consumption) enticed me to give it a try. 

     I know not everyone respects class D yet, but others not knowing how good it really is, for me, just adds to its appeal and makes it even cooler.  Realizing there were no negatives to class D only made me wish I had tried it sooner.

     I understand your reluctance since I was a bit reluctant myself initially.  If you ever get curious though, most class D amp sellers offer free in-home trial periods of 3-6 weeks with full 'no questions' refunds so there's no real risk. 

      I know someone who gives it an open-minded comparison would really have to be biased to not admit class D is equal to or superior to class A/B in every meaningful criteria we care about. 

      The best class A/B (Aragon, Bryston, Pass Labs, Parasound Halo, etc.) may be close in sound quality but, when all the other benefits of class D are taken into account, class D is clearly superior in my opinion.

Good luck and Enjoy!

     Tim  

I just got an older 4B a few days before Christmas and Im driving Magnepan 1.7s thru an Aud Illusions 2B. Sounds magnificent. Good luck with any choice you make.