Bryston owners ONLY

Hi. I am new to this site and this is my first post here though I have occasionally inhabited a neighbouring low brow mid fi site.
I have just traded in an 11 month old 4BST & BP 25 for a similar vintage 14 BST.There was nothing wrong with the 4bst, its superb value for money,but I was never entirely happy with the BP 25.In my view it was too clinical and neutral and did't gel with the metal dome tweeter of the B&W CDM 9NTs.Hence out went the 4bst & bp25 to be replaced by the 14bst and an ancient ARC LS2B(on temporary loan from the dealer).This combination is heavenly.The tubes on the preamp add just a hint of sweetness to the brute strength of the 14bst. This is a match made in heaven.I wonder what Patrica Barber & Diana Krall will sound like when I add a new preamp.Its a toss up between the ARC SP 16 or the CJ PV 14 L.There are much better preamps out there but beyond my budget.
Basically the 14 bst is a brilliant power amp and the equivalent Krells/MLs cost two to three times as much with no dramatic or tangible improvement in any area.The 14bst ( the SST has only cosmetic changes) is the most musical of all brystons.
Cheers.

Thank you all for your opinions, Jazzdude is absolutely
right. I love the 4B-ST, why change? I think this hobby,
as much as I love music at this level, sometimes brings
out questionable behavior in us all i.e. maybe tuning out
the people we love too often, spending vast sums of money
with questionable results. I think I'm going to take my
wife to dinner, maybe listen to her abit more.
Thanks

Sunnyboy--I agree with you about the ARC LS2 with Brystons. I'm using an LS2 MK2R, into 7B-STs. Wish I had the version, like yours, with balanced inputs, however. So far I haven't found one with remote as well.
jp

Hello! Like you I've been thinking of doing the same. I have a 4B(NRB) driving a pair of Swans. Upon audition they were driven by the 7B(ST's). Haven't sounded the same since.

The past few days I have been e-mailing various high-end stores to get some input on my thoughts. Also spoke with James at Bryston. My idea is to upgrade my NRB to either the SST or purchase a used ST to go in its place. Then purchase a 3B of that series and bi-amp.

GOOD NEWS

For those of you who love tubes, you can use the 4B on the bass and drive the uppers via a tube amplifier.

Here is an excerpt from a reply by James Tanner:
"As for passive byamping usually the woofer requires more power than the mid
or tweeter so 1/2 power is fine. The thing to be careful about is the 'GAIN'
of the amplifiers have to be the same. The gain on the NRB is 30 dB the gain
on the ST and SST is 29 dB. So you would be better to get another NRB 3B to match."

Hope this may be of some use to some people.

Jarrod

Jarrod - just to add on here an NRB cannot be brought up to SST status only ST status. Actually the ST can't be updated either...There were too many changes with components and layout when Bryston went to the SST version.