Bryston B60 or old 3B + .5B


I am buying my first amp/preamp, and like Bryston for reputation/warranty. Looking at the prices of used Brystons on here. Recommendations on which I'll be happier with:

1. Bryston B60R integrated - $900 - $1100
2. 20-year-old Bryston 3B amp $345 + .5B Preamp $300

For almost $400 cheaper I could have separates (albeit without remote I'm guessing), but the stuff is older and I have no idea how it would sound.
matt8268
Your speaker choice would weigh heavily on which path to take. I owned the .5B/3B combo back in 1989 and it worked very well together (you're right, no remote with the .5B) but the B60 preamp section is the same as the current BP-20 which is a damn site better than the .5B. I owned a BP-25/4B-ST combo as well so I speak from experience. The age of the amp dictates a lot - there have been a number of variations or versions since the Bryston amps of 20 years ago and while they have always been a great buy you may be getting into quite aged technology at that vintage.

If it were me I would probably go for the B-60R - super integrated that could be used later on as a preamp if you were to require a more powerful amp down the line. You could even use in a bi-amp mode - the B60 powering the highs and say a more recent 3B powering the bass.
Matt:
Bryston makes superb equipment. However, I seem to recall that the original 3B occasionally had a problem. I had one and sent it back. I do have a 3B ST which is a real gem.
Play safe and turn down the older 3B.

Jeff
I was not impressed from the B60's performance: Extra-bright and coloured. It's far away from music. Creek 5330 is the tru-way to get music for the same buck. Now I want(just for the sake of the hobby) to give a try to listen to Unison Research Unico integrated 80W/ch amp with MC phono section that is new $1.3k. I read a bunch of reviews from impressed listeners on this unit. Won't ya give it a try for thirty days with small obligation(maybe 1% of a retail per week at most + shipping)?