2. amps-preamps
  3. 1188347634

Please tell me.

OK, so I recently got my OLD Harmon Kardon back. It's a PM 655 VXI (20 years old). I currently own a Bryston 4b SST... brand new (a 300/W monster). Why does the HK sound better??? It is SO warm and the bass is sweeter. Reminds me of the Krell KSA 150 I use to own. I can't believe HOW good it sounds on my dyns. WHY????? Is this really as good as it sounds to me????? I'm having a hard time justifying that I spent $2400 on my Bryston when I like the way my OLD HK sounds better. I realize the Bryston is "accurate" and less "colored" but it does not have the sweet warm sound that the HK does... tube like. I'm freaking out on the sound of this unit. Does anyone know anything about it? Please advise.

drum75
drum75
maineiac
649 posts
 
Did you listen to it before you bought it?

Is it broken in?
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
My guess is the Bryston is tuned for high resolution digital playback with that bent towards home theater applications.

The Harmon Kardon was built to play analog music..

The same thing is happening to speakers....older ones sometimes sound better for music in a lot of systems.
phd
1,318 posts
 
What preamp are you using on the Bryston? If your using an inexpensive preamp with the Bryston, you will not bring out this amp's best sonics & capabilities.
pbb
1,140 posts
 
You have to give it some time. The break-in period is for your ear/brain processor not the elecctronics!
andrewdoan
223 posts
 
If you search for warm sound, Bryston will not give you what you are looking for. Never heard any one claimed that Bryston gears are warm. More likely " neutral" and kind of leanning toward bright side. I owned and sold the 4 Bsst since in my own exprience, it is "dry", period. I agree that it is very good for HT application.
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