Bryston 4B SST or Rotel RB-1090 ? (1 Viewer)

[Levesque]

I just change my RSP-1066 for an Anthem AVM20.

I want a 2 channel amp to power my Paradigm Studio-100.

My dealer is offering me the 4B SST (2x300W) or the Rotel RB-1090 (2x380) for the same price (around 1500$ US... part of the deal with other gears...).

Surprinsingly, I like the sound of both. So I'm torn apart here.

Any opinion here please?

Thank you.

 

[Ricky T]

Bryston all the way. 20 year warranty, and the new SST model. And if you look at US pricing, the Bryston retails at 2500, the Rotel 2000....1500 for the Bryston is the better deal and a steal.

btw, I thought from previous posts that you could not hear much of a difference between the 1066 and avm20, and firmly against paying the price difference? What changed your mind?

 

[John-Tompkins]

BRYSTON !

 

[Levesque]

Ricky, please don't start on this! LOL. You sound like my wife! Always have to explain and justify my upgrade to her... Just kidding.

I'm alot more into music then HT since a year, so I can see a difference between the Rotel pre-pro and the Anthem in this area. For HT, much the same.

My other problem is bad wiring in my house, causing white noise in all the speaker. Electrician can't do a thing. So I'm going XLR balanced all- across. RSP-1066 and 1098 = no XLR, so not good for me.

Does someone here is using the combination of Bryston with Paradigm? Is it a good "association"?

 

[Andy Bell]

Levesque,

I also have the Studio 100s and had them with the Rotel RMB 1090 for a year. Last month the power switch started to act up, so my dealer let me borrow a bryston 4BST while the 1090 was being repaired. I like the way both amps sound with these speakers. I can't honestly tell you I heard a big night and day difference between the 2, especially at lower levels. What I did like more about the Bryston is that the amp is dead quite. With the Rotel I could hear some low level hiss through the 100s.
When the Rotel 1090 came back, my dealer let my trade it in for a Bryston 6BSST (3x300) I got this amp instead so I could power my Studio CC with it. I plan to trade in my Rotel RMB-1095 later(it powers my 4 surrounds right now) and get a 9BSST(4 channel version) or two 4BSSTs.
Since you can get either amp at the same price I highly reccommend the Bryston. The build quality is incredible and you can't beat the 20 year warranty!

 

[Levesque]

Andy. Glad you post. You can help me.

I'm concern about the fact that I already have the RMB-1095. Will I notice a big "sonic" problem by matching a Bryston amp for the mains with a Rotel for the 5 other speakers?

I know we read alot about the fact that "all amps sound the same" in alot of forum. So will it REALLY be a problem to match Bryston with Rotel?

Andy. You were using Bryston with the Rotel together? Was it sounding akward? I mean, sonically... i really need your opinion on this combination.

I appreciate you take the time to help me.

 

[Andy Bell]

Levesque,

While I borrowed the 4BST the 1095 was still hooked to my center channel and to my ears everything sounded fine. IMHO though I do think my front sound stage sounds better with the matching amplification to the 100s and CC.
As I said I still use the 1095 for my 4 surrounds and I can not hear a discernible difference between the front and back soundstage. I think you will be happy if you get the 4BSST for the 100s and use the 1095 for the center and surrounds.

 

[Levesque]

Thank you Andy. I really appreciate your help.

I think I will go with the Bryston then. Case solve.

Now I have to convince the wife...That's the hardest part.

 

[Martin Rendall]

Lévesque,

I have the 100's and the 4BST. Gotta say I love it. The combination is just slightly bright of neutral to my ears. And by slightly, I really mean slightly. personally, I prefer a neutral or slightly "hot" setup to a warm setup, as I don't want to lose the high end.

For the various formats, my observations are as follows:

1. DVD - For HT, the amp is superb. I am using my Yamaha receiver amplifcation for the other 6 channels, and it all works seamlessly. To be fair, my surrounds aren't Paradigm yet, but I have the CC powered by the Yamaha, and the front soundstage functions very well.

2. DVD-A, SACD: Considering two channel only, given the great resolution and wonderful production of these media, The Bryston-Paradigm combo sounds wonderful. This is why a neutral setup shines! The very slight brightness is anything but a hinderance - it adds to the "flare".

3. Redbook CD - Here's where it gets more interesting. Recording quality tends to be more hit and miss, the higher frequencies tend to suffer from both "poor" recordings and, er, interesting digital artifacts. Here's where a warm setup shines... it basically hides the flaws inherent on the CD. In this arena, Paradigm is, as you know, very unforgiving. Bryston is also very unforgiving; it will accurately reproduce all the "bad" stuff. I tamed my system by running Redbook through a tube pre, setup to be somewhat warm, yielding a very slightly warm of neutral final output. Redbook works very well this way. YMMV.

I haven't heard the 1090, but I understand Rotel to be on the warm side. In my mind, that's exactly what I personally wouldn't want in my setup, at least for HT and hi-rez.

Regards,
Martin.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Bryston.