Bryston 3bsst Vs. Coda 11

bryston is not mid-fi. it is one of the finest electronics companies on the planet. giving a consumer bang for the buck does not mean a product is mid fi.

The primary difference is that the CODA has zero negative global feedback, so it may have difficulty driving the bass speaker and providing tight bass. I have 3 CODA's that all have this problem. The Bryston has negative global feedback, so its output impedance will be smaller, making it easier to drive complex speaker impedances. The advantage of the CODA is that it will have very sweet highs due to the lack of feedback. Amps with feedback can also have very extended, detailed and sweet highs, but not usually in stock form.

Loon: Everyone is welcome to their personal opinion, but that doesn't mean the opinion is necessarily correct. While I must make the disclaimer that I own Bryston equipment, I will state that I've been an audiophile for more than 40 years, have owned and sold a wide range of high-end audio equipment, and have found through personal experience that Bryston is not only a high-end manufacturer, but also offers fine value for the dollar. I realize that some audiophiles will argue that Bryston gear is not state-of-the-art, but it's interesting that virtually every review done by the audio critics (and I include many European writers in this group) has given Bryston high marks.

I'm curious: have you owned Bryston gear, or had the chance to listen to it over an extended time period? If not, then your comments become merely second-hand or ill-informed opinions. Please feel free to share with the readers the basis for your commentary.

Haven't heard the 3b st, but the 3b didn't give the Bedini 100/100 mk2 much competition so i got the Bedini. A few years later, the Coda 11 was an easy choice over the Bedini. The Coda is a pure class A design. I think the 3b st is an AB. This might make the Coda seem a bit quicker (or have more in reserve). The Coda is probably a more expensive amp to build (doesn't necessarily mean it's the better amp). Not sure why Coda has a fairly weak resale value, they definitely don't spend as much on advertising as Bryston or have the same kind of warranty. I've never had any reliability problems w/ the 11 and i've heard it in a system that sounded more like the real thing than other systems w/much more expensive amps. I'm sure some 3b st owners could honestly say the same thing, (putting together a good component chain is what counts). Sort of curious about which amps Audioenger has. Doug at Coda told me that the system 100 amp was specifically designed for the Apogee Scintilla which i guess is about as difficult a load as there is. I'm using Green Mountain Audio 1.5i speakers and haven't been aware of any bass deficiencies. If you're buying an amp to build a good system and not as an investment, the Coda 11 could end up being a steal.

"....they (Coda) definitely don't spend as much on advertising as Bryston."

I rarely pickup the Mags and I have never seen a Bryston add. Could someone clarify this for me? I was under the impression that Bryston doesnt do many, if any adds. Then again I rarely pickup any Magazines.

As far as the amp selection. The SST will be much better than the old 3B. The Coda is a nice peice as well. I personally dont think you will go wrong either way. Get whichever one suits your sonic taste better.

FWIW, I really like my Bryston gear. It compares very well against products in its price range and higher. Some much higher.