Bryston 7B ST - Sounds anaemic. Any help?

A 7B ST anaemic? I have a pair and they could drive the proverbial brick. Two possibilities come to mind: the amp is sick and needs professional care; your level of anticipation was such that the amp can never be equal to the task. This second possibility happens more often than subjective audiophiles care to admit. After all, no matter how good an amp is, it's just an amp. The same goes for any other component: too much hype equals disappointment. Most level-headed audiophiles come to that realisation sooner or later. Those highly touted HUGE differences are, as likely as the sun is to rise in the East, in the ear of the behearer (did I write that?). Get the amp checked. If it's ok you have two outs: claim that there is some sort of mismatch between amp and speaker or, as a lot of audiophiles are wont to do, undermine the reputation of one of the most honest companies in high-end audio by repeating in every forum and to all concerned (heck throw in some not so concerned for good measure) that this amp is "thin", "lightweight" or any other purely subjective epithet. Oh, by the way, make sure that the switch at the back is properly set for series or parallel operation: it could make an appreciable difference. Good luck and good listening and don't give up on Bryston they are great amps.

Take a look at the thread below.

As to Pbb's comments, how is sharing experience and commenting on the experience of others ( even in published glossies ) "undermining" a company ? If what you say is true, devotees of Bose can lay claim to the same "mistreatment" on a X10 basis.

Personally, i would rather hear both the "good" and "bad" surrounding a product. This allows me to have a more informed idea of what i might end up dealing with. Like anything else though, i would form my own opinions of the product based on my own experience with it. Like anything else, that experience could be good or bad or a combination of the two. Sean
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http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/general/messages/200490.html

After having said the above, is the 4B higher gain than the 7B ? If so, you would be experiencing less bass output for the same amount of drive that the 4B used to give you. This could come across as less "oomph" or a slightly lean tonal balance. There would still be bass output, but just not as much as what you were used to. Do you find the bass lower in quantity or is it also poorer in quality ?

Keep in mind that many larger amps also offer better control over the drivers, so you might actually be hearing "less slop" and more accurate output. Sean
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Sean,
I have looked briefly at the Asylum thread you referred to. I think you prove my point that when subjective listening by an avid audiophile such as you does not jibe with any rational measurement, some sort of explanation is drummed up to support the golden eared. Two of the favourite ones being some incompatibility (less virulent a position) to questioning the reputation of the manufacturer (example: Bryston may have found a loophole in the mandated measurement method). Reading too much into what the insane press says is also a good way to shore up one's subjective defences (well this "critic" said that he heard clipping and saw the indicators and it sure sounded that it happened on more that one occasion). Reading between the lines is a hazardous propostion. Oh yes figures lie and liars figure. Where does that leave pure subjectivity though? I'm just happy I am not a high end manufacturer having to survive with the whims of audiophiles, with the flavour-of-the-week syndrome and where conjecture, if not out and out fabrication, passed off as "discussion" or "opinion", can force me into bankruptcy. In this search for every perceived fault in any piece of gear, it's a wonder you guys find any time to enjoy music.

When I first received my 14b-st I used balanced
from my vk-30 bat to the amp and had no bottom.
then I saw the switch on the back that said balance
+ 6db . flipped the switch and problem solved. this
made a huge difference not only the bottom end but also
a much smoother tonal quality.A friend of mine borrowed my
amp and just used the unbalanced innerconnects and had no
problems with bottom end either.With my system there is
no lack of bass.