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Best Value in Used Bryston Amps and Monoblocks

As a long time fan of Magnepan's, I have always wanted to try Bryston amps, especially their monoblocks which are rumoured to be a very good match for my speakers, and have also been recommended by Magneplanar over the years, albeit off the record.

What I can't figure out, however, is the logic to the Bryston product line, where there is value in the used market, or which version or vintage I might buy for a reasonable price.

I can't tell which ones are monoblocks vs single chassis stereo amps, I don't care about "THX" designations or multi channel and I don't know what "SST" means.

From time to time, I will see a SINGLE monoblock for sale, which I keep in mind for my next mono system, or perhaps when I want a mismatched, high powered center channel.

I find weird ads which supposedly have brand new, never opened, but 5 years old "NOS" (new old stock) which I suppose were obtained through a time machine or recovered from a sunken ship in perfect shape.

Then I find ads for what look like basically new ones, which are suprisingly expensive, or battle scarred old amps with faceplates so scratched they look like they were traded in a drug deal and ended up in a pawn shop.

I read good things about Bryston's customer service, but every time I have reached out to them to try and better understand this, I get more than a whiff of we really don't care if you buy our products or not attitude, despite the fact that there is no dealer in my area.

So in summary, can someone please explain the history of these amps, which ones sound best, and what vintage might represent the best value in today's market?

I don't have a set budget, but thinking I would sell my Levinson 23.5 for $2-2500, so < $3K would be great.

Thank you,

cwlondon
cwlondon
raquel
841 posts
 
Like virtually all other high-powered amps, Bryston amps use feedback to stabilize the circuit. While they are reasonably clean-sounding and solidly constructed, the feedback and all of the output devices required to achieve high wattage make for a less-resolved, uninvolving sound compared to lower powered, no-global-feedback designs like darTZeel and Ayre (I'm not singling out Bryston - the same is true for Krell, ARC, etc.).

In any event, the vintage of Levinson you own is the better sounding amp - unless you are concerned about reliability, Bryston would be a step backwards. It you want a high-powered amp that sounds decent and will drive Maggies, I'd look at Parasound JC-1's.

PS - I ran a 4B-ST for five years.
chazzbo
1,007 posts
 
Spoke to son of Magnepans founder about amp matching and Bryston is it.I think the 3 series Maggie has been matched with the Bryston more often then any other combo because it works.Plenty of current in the 4B ST (rated at 225 and benches near another 50 watts more).Mono's would be better but you may not need it if room isn't too big and you don't play too loud (not a head banger speaker anyway) but they do suck it down.My choice would be a 4B ST and then when you have some more ching-a-ling get second one to bi-amp HORIZONTALLY with a Bryston 10B X-Over.I got the 3.6 4ST for buddy and I keep telling him it would be worth it.I have not heard that Levinson (latter models with other speakers yes and they are fine amps) but think Raquel has idea with those excellent 400 watt mono Parasounds.Love to hear by buddies hear with 'em.
blindjim
3,092 posts
 
One of the top five all time best sounds I've ever heard from a dealership setup was a pr of Maggie 20s connected to a pr of ML 100wpc mono block amps.. back then though the ML amps actually were ML amps. Mark hadn’t yet signed off.

The imaging was such that I felt I could step in between the panels and shake hands with the musicians. Sound pressure levels were modest, and the music was acoustic and from a SCD 1 SACD player into an ML preamp, all in balanced config. So I can’t account for any assignment of the low end output, nor the height of the volume knobs influence…. But the sound was startling. More so still when I found out the amps were only 100wpc…. In a fair sized room.

The odd thing here is I had that experience nearly 20 yrs ago.

Otherwise, I’ve not been impressed by ML or Maggiesseparately. Together however it’s a different story completely…. And I’ve never heard Bryston amps. But what I’ve heard about them is well represented here in this thread so far.
rcrerar
215 posts
 
Hmmm, SCD-1 twenty years ago? Not possible. Maybe ten years ago. The SACD format has only been around for less than ten years. Maybe some of that memory is mixed up with another one.
cwlondon OP
1,210 posts
 
Thanks everyone so far.

I have been very happy with my 23.5 and that was also recommended by a Magneplanar expert as "the best amp he ever heard with Tympanis".

I have never had a problem with it, but servicing it has become more difficult apparently, so the reliability of the Brystons was another consideration.

I have always heard that whatever the merits of Bryston amps, they had a special synergy with Magnepans.

Ultimately, actively biamping Tympanis is supposedly the way to go, where the Bryston monoblocks and crossovers could be used on the bass panels - another reason for my inquiry.
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