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

[@reidbounsall9098]

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]

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]

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.

[@18000rpm]

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]

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

[@DavidJohnson69-qq2bo]

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.

[@davewin1792]

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

[@philrob4468]

Me too man..

[@hitechburg]

I have the PARASOUND JC5.

[@kevtn8]

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

[@davewin1792]

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

[@bcisn]

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

[@SteadyRolling]

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

[@johnshaw359]

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.

[@realitytunnel]

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]

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

[@danielesbordone1871]

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

[@mostirreverent]

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

[@johnshaw359]

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

[@mostirreverent]

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

[@kevtn8]

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.

[@ΓιαννηςΓκουλιακος]

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

[@MrZenderOne]

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

[@ΓιαννηςΓκουλιακος]

Thanks Mr Zender One

[@Foxtrot1967]

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.

[@59seank]

Which speakers did you use to test this amplifier?

[@TheTASmagazine]

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

[@59seank]

@@TheTASmagazine Thanks.

[@thewoofer7955]

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]

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]

@@thomasmartin2219 sorry, my mistake, thanks

[@criticalpath4747]

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

[@kevtn8]

Audio Research only makes tube gear.

[@mrpmj00]

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

[@gryphongryph]

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.

[@georgebartolo8856]

Was this video reloaded?

[@thomasmartin2219]

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

[@toddhupp]

cool thank you

[@jeanclaudelavallee4919]

bryston vs moon ??

[@mikehuntington4440]

1.5x speed. Trust me.

[@wayneg296]

👍👍😎✌️🤟

[@tms372]

So they were only tested with electrostatic speakers ?

[@carlitomelon4610]

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]

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

[@carlitomelon4610]

@@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]

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

[@carlitomelon4610]

@@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 🎶😉🎶

[@rickmili9893]

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]

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

[@wilfredmay-u9f]

more audiofile BS from this guy