Tube Preamp for possible Bryston 4B SST2 amp

Great amp. Great amp. What is your budget or range? What are you looking for in a tube pre? Put another way, what are your 'sonic priorities'? Extension? Dynamics? Transparency? Detail? Bass? Midrange magic?

Personally, i've favorted CJ pre's for 12 years, but have listened to many. ARC Ref 3, 5 are both good and available at steep discounst today. Shindo also good though strong emphasis on pure, pure tonality and low noise floor (signal-to-noise 119db), but perhaps not the strongest on deep, rythmic pulsing upper bass.

I bought a Bryston 4B-SST2 and wanted an Audio Research REF3 preamp. I bought the Bryston BP-26, really only to avoid tube replacements..
I half wish i had aquired the ARC REF3. As I bought a VAC Standard tube just as a buffer for the digital.
Hindsight is 20/20. but I think i should have bought the REF 3 instead of the Bryston. Though at this time i would not swap them. (more for $$ and bother than any other reason.) As I am very happy with my setup as it is.

Hi Elizabeth,

I've read many of your posts and enjoyed learning from them. Thanks for taking the time. Just curious - how would you compare the 4BSST2 to any of the earlier generation? i have read most of the reviews of the SST2...mainly focusing on it having a 'purity of treble' that in earlier generations might have been characterized as 'very clean' (sterile by other people's standards).

Where on the spectrum does the treble (and the rest of the amp's tonality) now sit (relative to Krell, ML, Gryphon, Vitus, Soulution, ARC, etc...) Thanks for any guidance!

I have the 4B SST2 for my bass speakers in a tramped system and use a Mystere CA21 tube preamplifier. Works great together.

Lloyddelee21: I would say the treble of the 4B-SST2 (all squared models) is superior to former bryston amps.

I do not have a lot of experience with many other amps.
My former amp was a Forte'4a (which has an excellent body of reviews stating it is a great little amp)

I am a high frequency nut. the Hf has to be perfect or I am not interested. I have to say the Brystom fulfills my every need.

When I auditioned it twice over several hours, listening to my own CDs.. i found the treble to be exquisite.
All the clarity and purity i demand from my equipment.
I am totally happy with the amp in my system.

The Bryston preamp is fine too. just i sort of wish i HAD bought my first wish, a used ARC REF3.
Just because I like ARC stuff too. At this point i do not have the extra cash to wast selling the Bryston and buying an ARC. And I am really happy with the sound anyway, and have NO IDEA if i would love the sound as much with an ARC REF3 in thesetup. Crazy hey.

Hello Maleja,

Quite some time ago a friend bought my BAT 5i to use with his Bryston driving Thiels 3.7's. It was a nice improvement over the ARC preamp he had at the time.

best,
Tom

Thanks, Elizabeth. I think the Forte 4 was an amazing amp and after all these years remains in my all time great list. Far better, imho, than the forte 5. There was a sweetness, tonality and grainless quality in comparison that the Forte 4 had which was memorable. So with that in mind, i can calibrate your post about the 4BSST2...thank you! Good to know. If i ever get a chance, i know now to make sure give them a listen. Enjoy!