The Best of Both Worlds? | Bryston 3B Cubed Power Amplifier Review

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 ก.ค. 2024
  • The Bryston 3B Cubed Power Amplfier might just combine the best of both worlds: those that love tube amps and those that love solid-state. Tom Martin explains...
    00:00-01:52 Introduction to the Bryston
    01:52-02:35 A Note on Power Amplifiers
    02:35-05:19 Marrying the Best of Tube and Solid-State Amps
    05:19-06:18 Frequency Balance?
    06:18--09:44 Dynamic Contrast?
    09:44-15:52 The Soundstage, Spaciousness, & Compression?
    15:52-19:17 dB Levels and Dynamic Range
    19:17-23:09 What's not to like?
    23:09-24:27 The Bryston Sound
    24:27-27:24 Wrap-Up
    To learn more about the 3B^3: bryston.com/amplifiers/3b3/
    For more show reports, expert reviews, features, and commentary subscribe to our newsletter at: www.theabsolutesound.com
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ความคิดเห็น • 50

  • @reidbounsall9098
    @reidbounsall9098 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    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!

  • @GeorgedeSa
    @GeorgedeSa ปีที่แล้ว +6

    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.

  • @mesonto
    @mesonto ปีที่แล้ว +5

    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.

  • @DavidJohnson69-qq2bo
    @DavidJohnson69-qq2bo หลายเดือนก่อน

    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.

  • @18000rpm
    @18000rpm ปีที่แล้ว +2

    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!

  • @guywilloughby5443
    @guywilloughby5443 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I agree with everything you said. I'd like to add it negotiates very busy peaces of music with great precision. I own one.

  • @bcisn
    @bcisn 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Great review. Any good streaming dac (Roon ready) recommendations?

  • @mostirreverent
    @mostirreverent ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Why didn’t this amp make it into the 2023 Editors’ Choice: Power Amplifiers $3,000 - $6,000 list

    • @johnshaw359
      @johnshaw359 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      Would upset the ultra-high end, it's the reason I bought one as my end game amp.

  • @johnshaw359
    @johnshaw359 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    IIRC Bryston drive a square wave into a capacitive load at full power for several days non-stop, if the amp survives, they will sell it to you.

  • @davewin1792
    @davewin1792 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    You can tell the reviewer really knows his stuff. I wonder how this would stack up to the very well received Parasound JC5.

    • @philrob4468
      @philrob4468 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Me too man..

    • @hitechburg
      @hitechburg 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I have the PARASOUND JC5.

    • @kevtn8
      @kevtn8 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Made in Canada with 20 year warranty vs made in Taiwan.

    • @davewin1792
      @davewin1792 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      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

  • @Foxtrot1967
    @Foxtrot1967 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    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.

  • @danielesbordone1871
    @danielesbordone1871 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Just out of curiosity , do you happen to know the power supply capacitance of the 3b cubed ?

  • @user-rw9rm8wr2g
    @user-rw9rm8wr2g ปีที่แล้ว

    Hi all.Very good analysis.Is Bryston a good match for Audii Research Ref5 preamp? Thanks

    • @MrZenderOne
      @MrZenderOne ปีที่แล้ว +1

      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

    • @user-rw9rm8wr2g
      @user-rw9rm8wr2g ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks Mr Zender One

  • @mrpmj00
    @mrpmj00 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    It's 2024 and no trigger input. and no RCA loopout for subwoofers? No sale.
    Instead I upgraded from Parasound 2125v2 to NAD C298.
    Apple Music

  • @SteadyRolling
    @SteadyRolling 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Do you think that the McIntosh C22 tube preamp would be a good match for this amp?

  • @thewoofer7955
    @thewoofer7955 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    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.

    • @thomasmartin2219
      @thomasmartin2219 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      This is the 3b3 which Bryston rates at 200 wpc into 8 ohms. The 4b3 is indeed 300 wpc @ 8 ohms. Glad you enjoyed the review!

    • @thewoofer7955
      @thewoofer7955 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@thomasmartin2219 sorry, my mistake, thanks

  • @toddhupp
    @toddhupp 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    cool thank you

  • @59seank
    @59seank ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Which speakers did you use to test this amplifier?

    • @TheTASmagazine
      @TheTASmagazine  ปีที่แล้ว +4

      The Magnepan LRS+ . Tom has a forthcoming review about the Bryston 3B^3 and the LRS+ pairing.

    • @59seank
      @59seank ปีที่แล้ว

      @@TheTASmagazine Thanks.

  • @realitytunnel
    @realitytunnel ปีที่แล้ว +1

    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?

    • @johnshaw359
      @johnshaw359 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Ebay...some cracking s/h deals, except for pro sony walkmans and Nakamichi tape decks.

  • @mostirreverent
    @mostirreverent ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Why is it not 400 w into 4 ohms? I’ve read that a good app should scale more evenly

    • @kevtn8
      @kevtn8 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      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.

  • @criticalpath4747
    @criticalpath4747 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    How does the sound of a Bryston amplifier sound compared to the sound of a solid state Audio Research amplifier?

    • @kevtn8
      @kevtn8 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Audio Research only makes tube gear.

  • @georgebartolo8856
    @georgebartolo8856 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Was this video reloaded?

    • @thomasmartin2219
      @thomasmartin2219 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Yes the original upload got screwed up a bit. YT uploads can work like a charm. Or not.

  • @jeanclaudelavallee4919
    @jeanclaudelavallee4919 ปีที่แล้ว

    bryston vs moon ??

  • @gryphongryph
    @gryphongryph ปีที่แล้ว +1

    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.

  • @wayneg296
    @wayneg296 ปีที่แล้ว

    👍👍😎✌️🤟

  • @tms372
    @tms372 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    So they were only tested with electrostatic speakers ?

    • @carlitomelon4610
      @carlitomelon4610 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      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
      @tgg9565 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@carlitomelon4610 The LRS+ is a 2-Way/Quasi Ribbon not a Planar Magnetic design.

    • @carlitomelon4610
      @carlitomelon4610 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@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
      @tms372 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Point was, they weren't demoed with conventional box speakers, that the majority of folks use.

    • @carlitomelon4610
      @carlitomelon4610 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@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
      🎶😉🎶

  • @mikehuntington4440
    @mikehuntington4440 หลายเดือนก่อน

    1.5x speed. Trust me.

  • @rickmili9893
    @rickmili9893 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    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.

    • @carlitomelon4610
      @carlitomelon4610 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Give him a chance.
      New medium for AS reviewers as they come out (of their basements;-)
      I enjoyed it for content
      🎶😉🎶

  • @user-oz4ph3qn3x
    @user-oz4ph3qn3x 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    more audiofile BS from this guy