Bryston 3B SST ?
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savatage1973
Addicted Member
OUCH!!!--that's all I can say--OUCH!!! At one third that price, I might take a look...
soundmotor
super modified
$1500 CAD, yes? Better but still a lot. If you did not buy it keep searching. There are way better deals to be had.
Raynald
Addicted Member
Going price right now for the 3B-ST is $850 to $950 Canadian. I once saw a SST for around $1200, briefly. Have been watching and have not seen any for a while for much less than $1500. My recommendation is to research past sales in your area to determine fair market value.
Most people don't realise that Bryston MSRP rose sharply over the last few series. As did the SQ compared to early models. The pre ST stuff is not in the same league as the later stuff. I used to sell the NRB era amps and I have been using the 3B-ST for years, no comparison and the NRB were quite a bit better than the earlier ones. You can't compare a fist gen 3B you can pick for $500 to the SST. Also, the SST might just be a few years old with a over decade's worth of warranty left while an early 3B might be over 30 years old.
Most people don't realise that Bryston MSRP rose sharply over the last few series. As did the SQ compared to early models. The pre ST stuff is not in the same league as the later stuff. I used to sell the NRB era amps and I have been using the 3B-ST for years, no comparison and the NRB were quite a bit better than the earlier ones. You can't compare a fist gen 3B you can pick for $500 to the SST. Also, the SST might just be a few years old with a over decade's worth of warranty left while an early 3B might be over 30 years old.
charles 1973
Super Member
A new 3B SST 2 lists at $4,300 (and they almost never go on sale) and $3,000 used, and isn't a whole lot better than the SST you have. I see the 3B SST for $2,000 and $1,800 CDN so I'd say you pretty much paid market price if it is in very good shape. The ST is not the amp the SST is, But for the money is good enough, and likely a step up from a bunch of vintage amps. You should also get the remainder of the 20 year warranty. That alone buying used at these prices is a BIG bonus.
If you are looking for a good deal, You are looking at the wrong brand. Bryston amps, Like other high end amps aren't for people who want good deals, They are for those who want the most transparent sound, period. What ever you feed it, you get back in spades. Nothing more, nothing less. If you want want slamming bass, and concert level SPL's, that sound good, that can be done much cheaper. If you want to take it to the next level, Than Bryston is as good a way to go as any.
It should be noted however that unless the rest of your system is up to the SQ of Bryston, The improvement will be limited to your weakest link. If you can find a pair of Energy Pro 22 Monitor speakers that have had the tweeters serviced with fresh ferro fluid, and X-over caps replaced (that's the easy part) The speaker part of the equation will be done. I had my Pro 22's for 25 years before moving up to my Bryston amp from a decent NAD Preamp/Tuner and Audio Design power amp, and the difference is fine detail, Imaging and sound stage was significant. The backgrounds are so black with the Bryston it can be unsettling at first.
If you want a good matching Bryston Preamp, Try the BP 6 or BP 20. You can sometimes get a used B60 SST Integrated amp, which uses the BP 6 preamp for cheaper than the Preamp alone. Just make sure it has preamp outputs, I'm pretty sure it has.
If you are looking for a good deal, You are looking at the wrong brand. Bryston amps, Like other high end amps aren't for people who want good deals, They are for those who want the most transparent sound, period. What ever you feed it, you get back in spades. Nothing more, nothing less. If you want want slamming bass, and concert level SPL's, that sound good, that can be done much cheaper. If you want to take it to the next level, Than Bryston is as good a way to go as any.
It should be noted however that unless the rest of your system is up to the SQ of Bryston, The improvement will be limited to your weakest link. If you can find a pair of Energy Pro 22 Monitor speakers that have had the tweeters serviced with fresh ferro fluid, and X-over caps replaced (that's the easy part) The speaker part of the equation will be done. I had my Pro 22's for 25 years before moving up to my Bryston amp from a decent NAD Preamp/Tuner and Audio Design power amp, and the difference is fine detail, Imaging and sound stage was significant. The backgrounds are so black with the Bryston it can be unsettling at first.
If you want a good matching Bryston Preamp, Try the BP 6 or BP 20. You can sometimes get a used B60 SST Integrated amp, which uses the BP 6 preamp for cheaper than the Preamp alone. Just make sure it has preamp outputs, I'm pretty sure it has.
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cyclotronic
Well-Known Member
I briefly owned a 2B and 0.5B preamp and they were one of the few things I've had that made me consider replacing my McIntosh gear. Bryston's service is legendary, and I experienced this firsthand. I emailed them asking about buying a replacement for a missing phono grounding screw on the preamp. They asked me to send them a pic of the back including the serial number, and then they mailed me the part for free. This was despite the gear being over 20 years old and I was not the original owner.
charles 1973
Super Member
Those JBL's look like a fine match for the Bryston amp. And Nakamichi made some serious amps and preamps as well. If the preamp is up to spec, that should do fine job. After 30 years or so it may not be though, as with many vintage electronics. Hard to tell without comparing it to another good preamp.
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Will S.
Super Member
One thing to consider is whether or not you'll get what's left of the transferrable 20 year warranty. If the date code is lower than 0608, you will. Otherwise, you'll need the original sales receipt from the seller. http://bryston.com/pages/warranty.html . A 70s era receiver will almost certainly need some work sooner rather than later and if that's not your thing, it's not such a good deal any more.
soundmotor
super modified
Too much money. For $1500 you should get 4B SST. 3B SSTmodel should be close to $1000 to call it a reasonable deal. I am talking about US$ prices here. Canadian prices are greatly offset by original VAT added to new unit prices, so those who live there should comment.
Will S.
Super Member
Where on earth do you find a working 4B SST for $1500? I love to know because I could flip those on The Auction Site all day for more than $2000.
I got one for $1700 two years ago from a local owner. Now with release of 4B^3 they became even cheaper. Of cause that kind of deals are not likely happen on ebay or other world-wide marketplaces. But some people only sell locally and thus open for negotiation. Usually you can expect up to 20-30% down from original asking price.
And if you want to get $2000 on eBay, expect to wait for several months before right buyer appears. Also be ready for dealing with foreign buyers to get what you want.
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Will S.
Super Member
You're writing on a worldwide forum. Your local prices aren't likely to be applicable elsewhere. And then there's the whole issue of actually being able to find one locally.
$2000 is low for a 4B SST on ebay. A seller with a good history and a competent listing should be able to clear well over $2000 in a ten day sale, especially if the warranty is transferrable. Go look at the completed auctions. Audio gear generally does exceedingly well on ebay.
$2000 is low for a 4B SST on ebay. A seller with a good history and a competent listing should be able to clear well over $2000 in a ten day sale, especially if the warranty is transferrable. Go look at the completed auctions. Audio gear generally does exceedingly well on ebay.
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