Solid State Power Amp Reviews

Editor: When we read Michael Fremer's review of the Bryston 7B SST², we were pleased with the many positive things he said. The Bryston 7B SST² amplifier, like all of Bryston's SST²-series products, has received rave reviews, accolades, and awards from the audio press around the world since the products debuted in January 2009. John Atkinson's measurements of the product samples we submitted reinforce that the 7B SST² is a state-of-the-art high-powered amplifier with extremely low distortion: "Finally, when tested close to clipping into 4 ohms with the demanding combination of 19 and 20kHz tones, the Bryston's output spectrum (fig.8) was more like that of a preamplifier, with all intermodulation products at or below –100dB (0.001%)."

JA also reported, from the january 2009 Consumer Electronics Show: "With 'Superman's Song' from Crash Test Dummies, played back from a Music Vault source feeding a Bryston BDA-1 D/A processor ($1995), BPA-26 preamplifier, and [a] pair of 7B SST monoblocks ($7990/pair), and with the lowest octave (below the mid-30s—the CS2.4SEs were run full-range) reinforced by a Thiel SS2 subwoofer ($9800), the sound was simply superb."

In this most recent review, Fremer seems to concur: "The Bryston's tonal 'character' was virtually unidentifiable, producing an impressive sense of top-to-bottom continuousness and smooth neutrality. The top end was neither bright nor rolled off, neither etched nor soft. The bottom end was neither lumpy nor noticeably thin, neither over- nor underdamped. The midrange was creamy-smooth, without metallic or hollow aftertastes. In other words, the 7B SST²'s tonal balance was essentially seamless and fully extended. . . . Tonally at least, the Bryston was impressively spot-on from top to bottom, and remained so whether played at very low levels or cranked up to louder than comfortable."

All the above, of course, refers to extreme accuracy. Why is accuracy so important? Simply because "It's the music, stupid!" Bryston has always sought accuracy above all, free from the artificial tizz and zing that, to the naãve, can pass for drama, excitement, or "dynamics." Of course, every other reviewer in the world who has tested our SST² designs, especially including others here at Stereophile, has recognized the SST² products as the state of the art in accuracy, and beyond reproach. We wish to thank Michael Fremer most profusely for his review of the Bryston 7B SST².—Chris Russell, CEO, Bryston Ltd.