Bryston 7B Vs. Krell KAV250a

Please make sure you audition both amplifiers before you make your decision. These two amps sound very different.

I currently have a Krell KAV-1500 and a Krell 250a/3 for my home theater system. Two months ago, I bought a second-hand Bryston 4B-ST to try out, because I was intrigued by all the supposed rave reviews that Bryston has recieved from high-end audio magazines.

Honestly, I could not believe my ears when I heard the Bryston 4B-ST for the first time. The sound was absolutely horrible - very veiled, not transparent at all, and no top end. Even my wife thought that the amp was only slightly better than the high-end Yamaha RX-V2095 home theater receiver I used to have a few years ago. Needless to say, the 4B-ST didn't stay in my house for more than a week.

I have also tried two other amps, Meridian 557 and JBL Synthesis S650. Both amps are quite good, and way better than the Bryston 4B-ST.

So, within my own experience of having owned 4 brands of amp, I honestly don't know why Bryston has received all the hoopla that it has received.....

Maybe other people's ears would prefer the Bryston sound, but I know that my and wife's ears certainly would not.....

Foreverhifi, I usually agree with most of you comments and opinions but I strongly disagree here. I recently purchased a new Bryston 14BSST. I searched extensively and looked at many amps available under $10,000. I did not want to go that high but figured if I am willing to spend $5,000 I need to consider $8,000. I did not find the Krell units to be any better sounding than the Bryston at all. As a matter of fact I dismissed the possibility of buying a Krell in my price range almost imediately. I found the Bryston to be a more pleasing sound and had a deeper and more balance soundstage a lower listening levels in my system. Of course our ears are all different and this is only my opinion. However, your comment about people thinking Bryston is better than they are is a subjective opinion on your part and does not fairly represent those of us that decide the Bryston units sound better to us or in our system. I, however, have friends with Krell amps and they have decided they sound better in their system and are happy with that decision.

Further, ratings and reviews in magazines are baseline opinions at best. Having been involved with the publishing industry for years I can say with authority that EDITORIAL is almost always ADVERTISING driven. I am sure we have all read a rave review about a piece of equipment and once we hear it ourseves, scratch our head and wonder what the writer was thinking. A friend in Editorial review of Heavy duty trucks once told me, when you read a review, read between the lines and take any minor critisism offered and maginify it. This is true with all reviews in every publication. Consider this, one bad or even accurate negative review could cost a magazine many thousands if not millions of dollars in ad, trade show and banner advertising revenue. Your comment that
"someone got paid there" is speculative and posibly slanderous.

In any case, as I started out saying you are usually right on track and I look forward to your next opinion.

htong, as for your original question, I happen to love the Bryston 14 BSST which as been compared to the 7 BSST line in reviews. I am in the process of marrying it up with a tube preamp and have been very satisfied with the results I have found while going through the demo process. If you can get both units in your home to demo them in your own system, that would be the best way to decide. Both companies represent state of the art equipment offering their own sonic signature to music.

Happy listening.

Foreverhifi2000 yahoo, I would suggest that your insinuations should be taken back. You are free to like whatever brand you want, but a line should be drawn at accusing a well respected company of wrongdoing without any evidence at all. Your sideswipe of Bryston does not increase your credibility, in my eyes at least. I am very satisfied with my 7B STs and would recommend them to anyone who wants great sounding amps with bullet-proof construction and a company willing to stand behind their products for the long haul. My comments should not be interpreted as being negative toward Krell. Take all you read, especially by well meaning but often ill-informed but no less opinionated audiophiles, with a large grain of salt. Let your ears decide by using the amp in your system and room, listening to music you enjoy. All the rest is secondary.

Brystons and Krells have the same level of performance but Brystons are much cheaper and to me make more sence. I admit that Brystons can't be rated "Class A", but Krells despite being always rated "Class A" in Stereophile wouldn't go into that category as well even close... None is perfect on that issue.

This is very interesting. I too have been tempted to pick up a Bryston as a way of trying out BIG power at a low price. If the criticisms are warranted, it would call into question the judgement of the reviewers who use Bryston amps as their reference (REG in TAS, for one). Guess I'll have to find out for myself, but that's always the case, isn't it?