Soliciting Member Perspectives: Levinson vs Bryston vs Audio Research


Wanting to start a discussion for which there are obviously ZERO absolute answers.  I want to hear various member perspectives on these three marquis brands of audio equipment: pro's vs con's, likes vs dislike & your emotional/visceral experiences.

Why?  #1, I think it would be fun & edifying.  #2, I am contemplating modifying the direction of my primary 2-channel system in my 'Man Cave' & your thoughts & opinions will be useful.

Please try to avoid pretentiousness, condescension & remember, these are your opinions & not necessarily facts.

Thanks in advance & I hope this proves to be as fun as I think it can be.
128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xoldmandave

All three companies make very nice equipment.  A lot depends on your surrounding equipment.  For example, if you are interested in new amps, then it would be important to know what the pre-amp and speakers are.  System integration is important and the ability to drive difficult speakers makes amp selection very detailed and important.

Unless you are going to remove all of your existing equipment at one time and replace them all together, then you are typically going to replace one piece at a time.  This makes it important to demonstrate that particular piece in your system.  Reputable dealers will allow in-home demonstration of equipment.  This way you can do A/B comparisons vs the original piece in your system in your home.  Listening to a piece in the dealer's show room isn't quite the same and many are very disappointed when they purchase and take it home without hearing it first in their own system.

I've heard many Mark Levinson and Audio Research equipment.  I've never heard Bryston (that I can remember). 

Much depends also on your price point and your existing system.

You didn't list your price point or your existing system, so you are going to get many responses that are biased based on particular preferences. 

Are you keeping your existing speakers?  if so, what are they?  are you replacing pre-amp and amp and CD transport or just one?  See?  many choices and questions that have to be answered before a more specific response can be provided. 

enjoy

Levinson:

It just exudes luxury and quality to me.  I love the way the buttons feel, the way the knobs turn, the displays, all of it.  They sweat the details in my opinion.  Pride of ownership is thru the roof.  I also love the sound.  It's smooth and refined yet open and detailed without being in your face.  I also like the flexibility of the SW and .1dB volume increments.  

Audio Research:

I've owned a couple of ARC preamps and enjoyed my time with them but never "fell" for them.  They are excellent pieces but I always worried about tubes degrading which bugged me.  I also think I just prefer a well executed SS preamp.

Bryston:

Again, just never really been blown away by their products but I know lots of people love them.
Oh, I forgot to mention that resale value on the ML and ARC gear is another key factor in my mind.
@minorl - thanks for your thoughtful post.  However, I am really just wanting people to talk about the three brands so we can all learn from the exchange.  As for specific recommendations pertaining to my direction - no need to worry about it right now.  I tend to collect vintage stuff & have pieces of equipment from all three of the brands I targeted for this discussion.  Eventually, I do plan to re-do my primary system in the brand I am leaning towards...but I do not want to bias the conversation by announcing which.  

Right now, my primary system makes me quite happy.  I am running a Parasound Model 2100 PreAmp & Model 2250 v1 amp into 2 different pairs of speakers [never play them simultaneously]: #1 Klipsch Forte II & #2 Gallo Reference 3.1.  I am running 2 DACs: Levinson No. 36 & ARC DAC-8.  My subwoofer is a Gallo CL-12.  The digital sources are SonyES 608ESD single CD, SonyES C77-ES 5-disc changer, Pioneer Elite MJ-17D mini-disc & Bryston BDP-1.  The analog sources are Nak CR-5A cassette, Marantz ST7001 tuner & an AT LP-1240 TT through a MacIntosh MP-100 phono preamp.  Definitely a mixed bag of toys!  However, they all cohabitate and make wonderful music together.  I am still amazed at how differently the Klipsch vs the Gallo speakers sound.  Also, the substantial difference between the music made by the 2 different DACs.  Thus far, I would be hard-pressed to declare either individual piece in each competing pair to be clearly superior.

Thanks again.