Great review! Don't hear many reviews on Bryston components anymore, and had begun to wonder if they weren't any longer producing true audiophile gear. Well, I think your analysis lays those notions entirely to rest. Sounds like the Bryston 3B Cubed is something of an ultimate power amp in the $6,000 price range. I'm sold! Love their 20-year warranties and build quality. Install and forget!
Love that you listen to Metric! I’ve owned a 3B-ST, 4B-SST2, 4B Cubed and now the 7B Cubed and I think you’ve hit a number of key attributes of these amps. Thanks.
Nice to finally have a review of the new briston cubed line. Between the cubed line and the previous I think there's quite a difference. A couple of years ago when I was auditioning potential new amps, auditioned the 7B cubes, a few Tube amps, a Boulder stereo amp, and a few others. Long story short, I found much the same conclusions as you did in this review. And when it came to the Boulder amp for well over twice the money, I honestly don't think it was better then the 7B cubes, which I eventually bought.
I have a 4B-SST bought in 2005. Never once had an issue or ran into thermal shutdown despite me playing movies LOUD. No wonder they give a 20-year warranty!
I had a 4B3, powering my B&W 8o2 D3’s, but switched to McIntosh MC601 monoblocs, Which seemed to have better synergy and frequency balance with my B&W’s. To me, Bryston had an extremely super accurate crystal clear sound, to a fault, and what my B&W’s needed was an amp with a li’l more warmth.
This sounds exactly what I’m looking for. Except in the UK it’s over 6000 in ££, which in real terms is a lot lot more than the US price… is there anything with a similar sound signature that isn’t going to break the bank to quite the same degree?
Marketing BS. In truth no such thing exist once the measurement guys like JA @ Stereophile or Amir at ASR dissect and exposes their exaggerated specs for marketing purposes. Any experienced engineer can tell you this.
I have no problem with it being built in Taiwan. The JC5 is more than ridiculously good! Hats off to Bryston for the warranty. Speaks volumes for the company.@@kevtn8
very bad match,I have tried arc ref 3 with 2.5b3 and it was unlistenable,lean and bright.The same opinion was told in audiogon by other users who tried arc ref 5 with 28b3 monoblocks
Bryston has been trying to transitioning from from gear to audiophile gear, which will be a hard task. The majority of cost when you buy Bryston is for their 20 year warranty.
Great review, but one thing always seam strange to me, you don’t need a big power amp for good sound, most important is the size of your room, powerful amps are mostly for big rooms or very insufficient speakers. Many low power amps that are not crazy money will play just as good in a small room, especially tube electronics mixed with solid state, for example a tube pre with a small solid state power amp. Many of the high priced Hi-Fi speakers and electronics you pay 90% or more for the enclosure. Sure it looks impressive, but does it sound good? Mostly no, I would guess.
thanks for the detailed and great review. really appreciated it. one thing, I have the previous gen SST2, and it gives 300 watts into 8 ohms. I see on the internet that the 4b3 is also 300 into 8 ohms. So I think you quoted the wrong specs.
Magnepan are not electrostatic, they're"Planar Magnetic". They need a high current amplifier that can drive 3ohm loads. The LRS is a great test for separating the men from the boys! 🎶😉🎶
@@tgg9565 Magnepan do call them a quasi-ribbon to distinguish them from their other speakers that have ribbon tweeters. However the operating principle is still planar magnetic.
@@tms372 It's a review not a demo.....Reviewers do well to test with hard to drive speakers. Steve (the Audiophiliac) Guttenberg keeps a pair in his collection* for all his reviews. Since I'm an LRS owner, I appreciate that! *LS50s too 🎶😉🎶
This fellow should be writing his comments down, not delivering them in a video review. The number of "aaaahhhs" almost put me to sleep. He has a lot of good things to say that are offset or reduced in impact due to his delivery.
