tube pre for bryston

I started with a VTL TL 2.5 in front of a Bryston 4b-st. It sounded right fine for about two years. Then I replaced the VTL with a Rogue 99 Magnum -- and now it sounds considerably better. Both fine preamps, at different price points, with a commensurate difference in the sound quality (which, I must admit, isn't always the case). I am a Rogue convert, but I didn't listen around much before I upgraded from the VTL, so I don't have a lot to compare with at its price point. That said, I did A/B the two preamps on the same system and it only took about five minutes to decide to shell out the duckets. To my ears, the improvement is not subtle. Used price-wise, Rogue (like Bryston, with that iron-clad warranty) seems to hold its value better than most -- which can be either a plus or a minus, depending on which end of the transaction you're on....

I auditioned a Bryston 4B-ST and used my McIntosh C-22 as the preamp. The Mac is about 30 years old but was recently reconditioned with new tubes and it sounds very nice. My speakers are the Vienna Acoustics Mahlers. The soundstage width was the best I have heard...very wide past the speakers beyond the left and right walls. However the soundstage depth was a flat plane about 3 feet deep with no layering. The sonic signiture of the combinition was very nice. The bass was very deep with lots of control. The Bryston excells at bass control and the Mahler's can be bass heavy and loose with some amps. The midrange was very musical with voices sounding natural, very clear and with lots of air around the vocalist. The highs where very detailed and clear but lacking in warmth. Sometimes sounding a bit harsh. I have been told by others that Bryston is dark sounding but my experience with it is that it sounds on the bright side. This is probably a system matching issue. Bottom line....if you enjoy the sound of Bryston products, putting a tube somewhere in the system in front of it would be a very good decision. You will increase your chances of having a warmer sounding system that is easy to listen to and have great bass control and dynamics as well. Good luck.

I have a 4B-ST and have used an Audio Research SP9 MkII happily for a couple of years. Though its not the end all, it was a good place to start and readily available, reliable, and affordable. The ARC offers many of the tube virtues but is still quite neutral, not euphonic. It depends a lot on your room and your speakers. (I am not familiar w/the Legacy)

Though I haven't tried one, many people advised me that the Audible Illusions 3A was a good peice to associate with this amp.

Look at the Audible Illusions L-1 or the M3A. Both are excellent preamps and have been selling fairly cheaply lately.

If you would like to go with a balanced system check out the BAT line of pre amps. Great suggestions up to this point but Balanced Audio needs to be included in this mix.