9B-ST for Home Theater Amp

I use Energy C-8's for front, C-6's for rears. Energy has no comperable center channel, so I went with the most neutral speaker, PMC LB-1 (essentially a professional monitor). I know I've broken every rule in the book by using a different tweeter and driver cone than the rest of my system for the center channel, but I must say the PMC does not color the sound at all. The transition across the front three speakers is seemless. But the PMC just strains the heck out of the center amp (Acurus 125x5). The Energy's are extremely efficient, but need to be tamed on the lower end (enter by Bryston 4B-ST). The PMC is woefully inefficient, but it utilizes a spectacular Dynaudio driver. This is why I toyed with getting an 8B and splitting it into a three channel amp (mongo power for center, and 120 at the rears). I feel that 120 on the center may be a hair underpowered. But if an 8B is more expensive than a 6B, I may just get the 6B. Anyway, thanks for everyone's assistance.

One final thought, Argent. While Bryston rates the 5B-ST at 120 wpc, their ratings are conservative. If you look at the laboratory test spec sheet that came with your 4B-ST, you will find that your amp actually produces in the 290-300 wpc range. Likewise with the 5B-ST: it produces around 150 wpc. Bryston amps have a lot of "slam" and bass control because they have very large power supplies, with top-quality toroidal transformers. Unlike some manufacturers that rely on 2-4 very large capacitor "cans" to filter the power supply, Bryston uses a number of smaller caps located very close to the output transistors (similar to the "distributed node arrangement" -- DNA -- used by McCormack in the "DNA" line of amps). The power supply, which doesn't have a "power" rating as such, has a great deal to do with an amp's sound quality, control, dynamics, transient response, etc. Hence, when you consider "smaller" Bryston amps, bear in mind that their actual performance is going to be better than its "statistics" may suggest.

To support the last comments, I have found the 9b to be a very strong compliment to the 4b in my system. I have seven channels and the difference in power is offset by the difference in the efficiency of the various speakers that I use (aerial in front and center, triad in the rear and the back) I could not be happier with the bryston, and that is after the audition of the proceed, ead and sunfire. good luck.

Has anyone compared the bryston to earthquake casa nova grande? It was reveiwed as the best for 2 or multi channel ever bar none by home theater magazine.The ead has also been highly reveiwed for its two channel abilitys.The 2001 sght has no bryston amp near the top and has not reveiwed the eartquake as of yet.

To answer the post above, check the 9B-THX review that Stereophile did (Vol.23 No.9) - also check Bryston's site for more reviews. Looking through my 2001 Recommended Components list from Stereophile I show they rated it Class A.