Bryston versus McCormack

[anm]

integrated already has a well matched pre/ power

 

[Soundstage]

I have grown up with the good old British theory that the quality of the source (including a smooth power supply)and the interconnects are the heart of the system. One can pick and choose the amplifiers and speakers later depending upon ones listening tastes, listening area, budget etc.

Regards

Hello!

Just curious, have you already finalised the source? Also, what music do you normally listen to?

Cheers

 

[miroflex]

going pre-power is "special" case. Unless you really need it or have a lot of money to throw in it is generally wiser to stick to a quality integrated amp.

Dr. Bass, I agree with you. Unfortunately, many of the present generation of integrated amps either have inputs only for MM cartridges or have no phono pre amplifier stage at all. This poses a problem for vinyl lovers. Hopefully this will change with the coming of what many of us see as a resurgence of vinyl and there will be a reintroduction of good phono stages into integrateds.

Meanwhile, there is the availability of older or even vintage integrated amps with MM/MC inputs, ranging from the beloved NAD 3020s and early Rotels to the Sansuis, Luxmans, Akais and others of more formidable ancestry. Sellers of older British, European and American equipment are scarce in India and hard to find.

Another option is lightly used equipment of recent origin, including Brystons and McCormacks that may be on sale by members of various hifi fora whose listening tastes or requirements have changed. Do you have any suggestions on buying a midrange integrated amp, new or used, for listening to vinyl?

Regards.

 

[miroflex]

integrated already has a well matched pre/ power

anm, I couldn't agree with you more. An integrated amp avoids all the headaches and difficulties (more so to one living in Allahabad) of mixing and matching equipment. You may like to see my response to Dr. Bass's comments, on lines analogous to yours, and post further advice to guide me in my choice.

Regards.

 

[miroflex]

Hello!

Just curious, have you already finalised the source? Also, what music do you normally listen to?

Cheers

Hi,

The sources are various valve and solid state tuners, an Akai reel to reel tape recorder (1/4" four track), a Nakamichi cassette deck and various direct drive turntables (I'm a keen collector of miscellaneous junk). I may also listen to CDs using my Akai player or Sony laptop.

I listen to Western and Indian classical and light classical music (including opera and waltzes), jazz, a little folk music, ghazals and film songs.

What kind of amp and which make and models do you advise?

Regards.

 

[binoymehra]

Any body who likes to listen a pure , real sound would love Bryston . It is a straight wire amp , which will not be boring even after listening it for many years. You enjoy the sound as real as u enjoy a live performance. world over Bryston is used in Recording Studios.

 

[odyssey]

Microflex -

Symphonic Line makes integrateds with MC and MM. Starting from the RG14 Edition to the Kraftwerk. I think Accuphase provides this as well, not sure if all Luxman models provide this. The SL RG14 Edition can be had for less than the Bryston power amp you are referring to

cheers

 

[miroflex]

Hi all,

I am being offered a Bryston B60R amplifier with Remote Control (60+60WRMS@ 8 Ohms 100+100WRMS @ 4 Ohms) for Rs. 45 k. It will require a separate phono pre amp for listening to vinyl. I am also being offered a more powerful McCormack DNA-1 for the same price.

Which will be a better deal from the point of view of sound quality and features? Why?

Regards.

 

[miroflex]

Microflex -

Symphonic Line makes integrateds with MC and MM. Starting from the RG14 Edition to the Kraftwerk. I think Accuphase provides this as well, not sure if all Luxman models provide this. The SL RG14 Edition can be had for less than the Bryston power amp you are referring to

cheers

Hi Odessey,

Where are you based? Can you provide me with an audition of the equipment you have mentioned using a vinyl source? We can fix up a mutually convenient date and time and I can bring along a few records.

Regards.

 

[longshanks]

I am being offered a Bryston B60R amplifier with Remote Control (60+60WRMS@ 8 Ohms 100+100WRMS @ 4 Ohms) for Rs. 45 k.

B60R is a very good integrated but i am not sure how much it is worth these days in the second hand market. if the price is right i think it will make good music with less power hungry speakers.

DNA-1 on the other hand has great drive and will be rolled off,warm.

IF you are looking at integrated amp then you should consider the musical fidelity A308(in the used market), i've listened to that on few occasions and must say one of the best integrated amps i've ever heard at any price.

 

[Soundstage]

Hi,

The sources are various valve and solid state tuners, an Akai reel to reel tape recorder (1/4" four track), a Nakamichi cassette deck and various direct drive turntables (I'm a keen collector of miscellaneous junk). I may also listen to CDs using my Akai player or Sony laptop.

I listen to Western and Indian classical and light classical music (including opera and waltzes), jazz, a little folk music, ghazals and film songs.

What kind of amp and which make and models do you advise?

Regards.

Hi Miroflex,

I havent heard the DNA 1, so I would not be able to offer any substantive input, but Bryston and Mccormack both make fine products and you would not go wrong with either. I have heard the DNA 125 & 250 they sounded pretty good to me. With Bryston I have first hand experience as I have had an 8B ST in my system for some years. For a couple of years I used it for my main 2 channel audio, then in my bedroom system, and now it is doing yeoman duty powering the front and centre channels of my HT. While some forum members like to dismiss Bryston as bright, I do not believe I have come across any credible professional reviewer saying the same. The consensus seems to be that Brystons are neutral, detailed and veritable bassmeisters, and I would agree. Total VFM. But if some do find them bright, so be it and I dont wish to take up issue with them.

You seem to have quite a laundry list of sources at your command! You will have to bear in mind that tuners and tape decks offer a level of performance that is compromised, when compared with good CDPs and TTs. I do not know how good your TTs are at retrieving detail and hence cannot really comment.

Since you are considering the B60 or the DNA1, the best course of action would be to listen to them, if possible with your TT, and then decide which sounds better to your ears.

But, taking into account the many variables relating to pre's/power's and the fact that you do not have many avenues open for auditioning, a good integrated would be the better choice. Since you are into vinyl, you could also go in for a tube integrated as tubes and vinyl mate well together. One option could be Primaluna. I recently heard a Prologue 2 and found it very good for the price, especially used.

However, dont rush into buying anything without hearing it, and others in that price range first. You will find opportunities galore, especially if you are buying used!

Cheers

 

[captrajesh]

Post is modified and reposted

 

[miroflex]

B60R is a very good integrated but i am not sure how much it is worth these days in the second hand market. if the price is right i think it will make good music with less power hungry speakers.

DNA-1 on the other hand has great drive and will be rolled off,warm.

IF you are looking at integrated amp then you should consider the musical fidelity A308(in the used market), i've listened to that on few occasions and must say one of the best integrated amps i've ever heard at any price.

Thanks for your very useful comments on the Bryston and the McCormacks. Both will need to be partnered with pre amps for listening to vinyl.

I am also being offered a Roksan Kandy (not sure which model exactly) in the the same price range. I am told that it is an integrated amp with phono inputs (which is a plus) and 110 wrms per channel. Have you heard any of these and would you like to comment on them?

Of recent speakers I have heard only PSBs, JBLs and Polks. How would the Wharfedale 9.5s or 9.6s sound with any of the above amps in a 16x20 room?
Any other suggestions for speakers?

 

[captrajesh]

I started experimenting with DIY kits and classic used amps for some time and have now settled with Acoustic Portrait Pre-Power combo and am a happy man. They are a perfect match to not only to my Acoustic Portrait MS101 but also to my latest acquisition, Cadence Aristas. With the two, I'm done with my up-gradation at least well into the near future. scouting for a good TT and a high-end DAC now.

The tube pre-amp needs a special mention here for it's ability to dig out all the nuances of the music from the source and bring about the 3 dimensionality to the sound.

I'm not sure if anyone in and around Lucknow or even up north has them but it is sure worth a listen.

 

[miroflex]

Miroflex,

If you have already finalized the Kef ( I wish you have not done that) then look for amps like the Marantz, CA, NAD, Rotel and used amplifiers like Cyrus, Arcam, Marantz Premium series. All these comes for similar budget.

cheers

Soundofmusic,

I have not finalised the KEFs and am considering various options, including a pair of Quad 22L2s. Since you have owned and listened to these speakers over a period of time, it would interest all of us to know what your listening experience has been with them. I hope you share it with us since these are highly regarded speakers and many of us would like to know more about them.

Would the Quads sound better driven by the Cambridge Audio Azur 840A or by the Roksan Kandy L III? Or do you recommend some other amplifier, preferably an integrated one as, like you, I would like to avoid the complications of a pre power set up.

Regards and looking forward to your views.

 

[miroflex]

Microflex -

Symphonic Line makes integrateds with MC and MM. Starting from the RG14 Edition to the Kraftwerk. I think Accuphase provides this as well, not sure if all Luxman models provide this. The SL RG14 Edition can be had for less than the Bryston power amp you are referring to

cheers

Odyssey,

I must apologise for asking you for information which is already there in your signature, which says it all. I seem to have missed it completely, despite reading several of you posts with great interest.

I will certainly contact you on telephone or meet you personally when I am in Bangalore next.

Regards.

 

[soundofmusic]

Soundofmusic,

I have not finalised the KEFs and am considering various options, including a pair of Quad 22L2s. Since you have owned and listened to these speakers over a period of time, it would interest all of us to know what your listening experience has been with them. I hope you share it with us since these are highly regarded speakers and many of us would like to know more about them.

Would the Quads sound better driven by the Cambridge Audio Azur 840A or by the Roksan Kandy L III? Or do you recommend some other amplifier, preferably an integrated one as, like you, I would like to avoid the complications of a pre power set up.

Regards and looking forward to your views.

Dear Miroflex Buddy. The quads are very good. I still have the quad22L and not L2. My experience with the Quads are very good and I think they are now outclassed by the Dali's and JM Labs and B&W 6 series. But when I purchased the quads ( around 4-5 years back), they were the market leaders and i liked it very much till i listened to B&W.
I have used various amps with my quads including the Roksan kandy , Arcam ,Nad pre power, Rotel, Cyrus and the Naim (loan from a dealer). Out of these amplifiers I would any day go for the Naim and then the Arcam. The Cyrus was good but very thin sound. The Nad ( 208 power and C160 pre) was a good match but not as clean as the naim and the Arcam. The Roksan was not able to drive my Quad's and even my tannoy 603 ( book shelf) and so had to return it to the dealer.

regards

 

[longshanks]

Would the Quads sound better driven by the Cambridge Audio Azur 840A or by the Roksan Kandy L III?

840A is a pretty damn good amplifier for the money, you need to partner it will a speaker which is forgiving though.

 

[miroflex]

Dear Miroflex Buddy. The quads are very good. I still have the quad22L and not L2. My experience with the Quads are very good and I think they are now outclassed by the Dali's and JM Labs and B&W 6 series. But when I purchased the quads ( around 4-5 years back), they were the market leaders and i liked it very much till i listened to B&W.
I have used various amps with my quads including the Roksan kandy , Arcam ,Nad pre power, Rotel, Cyrus and the Naim (loan from a dealer). Out of these amplifiers I would any day go for the Naim and then the Arcam. The Cyrus was good but very thin sound. The Nad ( 208 power and C160 pre) was a good match but not as clean as the naim and the Arcam. The Roksan was not able to drive my Quad's and even my tannoy 603 ( book shelf) and so had to return it to the dealer.
regards

Dear Soundofmusic,

Thank you very much for giving us a birds' eye view of your recent listening experiences. I am surprised that the Roksan Kandy with around 120 wrms per channel was not able to drive the Quads or even your book shelf Tannoys while the lower powered Naim could so so with ease.

Are the quoted power ratings of amps suspect or could it be the case that the Naim is able to put out greater current faster i.e. its a more dynamic amp in difficult conditions?

Would you say that the Quads are completely outclassed by the newer speakers you've mentioned at all levels or only in particular frequency ranges viz. high, medium or low frequencies? Your opinions would be highly appreciated.

Regards

 

[miroflex]

840A is a pretty damn good amplifier for the money, you need to partner it will a speaker which is forgiving though.

Thanks for your reply.

One demerit of the 840A in my eyes is that it lacks phono inputs, if What Hifi and the internet are to be believed. If one overlooks this shortcoming, which floor standing speakers do you recommend for pairing with it?

Regards.