Those who happened to see the really beautiful movie "Bowling
for Columbine" by Michael Moore will remember that a relevant
part of the work by the U.S. director is based upon the
comparison between the U.S. and Canada. In other words,
between the two Countries which occupy the whole North-American
continent. We also suggest those who haven't seen this film
to go see it, it won an Academy Award for Best Documentary
(an Oscar, that's incredible!), and it's far more than a
simple documentary. The U.S. and Canada: neighboring, linked
by most of their history, by important commercial treaties,
by their language (at least for most part of Canada). Linked
also by a way of life that appears, to the eye of the profane
one, at least similar, even by shared championships for
the most important sports. Nevertheless, so far from each
other in the concept of life and, most of all, of living
together. In Canada, Mr. Moore tells us, there are little
weapons in circulation, getting a permission to own one
is really difficult, and - what a strange venue! - there
is very little crime connected to fire weapons. New-Yorkers
or people from Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia or Indianapolis
like Tampa or Houston or Phoenix (not to mention Miami)
actually live barricaded in their houses. Those from Toronto,
or Montreal, like those from Vancouver or Ottawa, live with
their doors unlocked. We won't go here into the ethic, political
and social reasons why these two realities, that to the
eye of we profane not American look so alike, are so different.
We just take notice of this diversity, spotting out (since
it's relevant for the considerations to come) that Canadians
wanted hard to keep their roots in that reality, history
and culture of Europe which generated their grand nation,
sure much more than has happened with people in the U.S.
It's a way of thinking that reflects itself on all the human
activities practiced in this Country, and in the approach
to hi-fi even more than in other fields. It is an approach
that has always, and for all Canadian historical brands
from Dayton Wright to Classé (at least the early-time Classé)
to Mirage, expressed itself in the research of the best
sound performance possible. This attitude is accompanied
anyway - always and under any condition - by a high quality
/ price ratio and by an almost maniacal concentration onto
components quality and onto overtime reliability. If these
considerations are valid in general, they are even more
for Bryston, the only brand in the World (at least, as far
as I know it) to provide their products with a twenty -
I say twenty! - year warranty. Bryston is, on the other
side, a case of its own in World's audio outline, being
at the same time a high-end and "pro" gear manufacturer.
It has also often made the two terms coincide, in spite
of those who wake up sweating in their bed and discover
the tricks of pro audio manufacturers. The two product lines
often do not have an interruption between them so that those
hi-end products dedicated to the consumer market are the
same delivered on the pro market.
Bryston SP 1.7 the Best of Both Worlds
The SP 1.7 is the most recent preamplifier among those presented
in the thick Bryston catalogue; it is the upgrade, with
the opportunity to configure it for 7.1 channel tasks, of
the well-known (but not enough appreciated, in my opinion,
in its exceptionality) SP1 that is a 5.1 channel appliance.
The main feature of SP 1.7 lays in the fact that it's definitely
a double preamplifier. Starting from an excellent platform
like the BP 25 stereo preamplifier, it joins to this fantastic
device a state-of-the-art digital processing and decoding
section, keeping the two parts completely split though installed
in the same case. The BP 25 has been widely acclaimed by
worldwide press, that has always been trying to split hairs,
just saying that after all the Krell goes a bit better,
or the Mark Levinson or the AR, because saying this looks
so cool. Otherwise you'd risk a bad figure with your public:
"What? You mean that this "pro" Bryston sounds better than
those noble esoteric brands?" In a word this machine is
a pure joy for those, like the faithfully yours, who wish
at the same time to listen to their two - channel recorded
matter at the best and take advantage of the multi-channel
audio or see a nice movie enjoying its soundtrack if they
wish so. And, all of this without being forced to operate
two different set - ups or to carry out clumsy connection
swaps. Looking at the block diagram of the SP 1.7 it's easy,
even for those who are not technicians, to point out how,
operating the bypass button, it is possible for the audio
signal to follow a path that completely bypasses the processing
and decoding section. The SP 1.7 is after all my own reference
preamplifier, so it's even pointless that I praise its qualities,
a thing that will be evident in the comparison with the
"stereo only" version BP 25. Now I will say just that home-cinema
is another life, another sound poetry, when "passed through"
a surround decoder of the breed of that deployed by the
SP 1.7 and with its signal pre-amplified by an analog section
like the one originated by the BP 25. Of course the SP 1.7,
though clearly oriented to an audiophile market and therefore
rather 
essential
in its layout, is provided with all the decoding standards
reasonably desirable: Dolby Digital, DTYS, DTS Neo:6, Dolby
Digital EX, Dolby Pro Logic II, and complies with the new
THX EX correlation standards. A signal processing section
is not missing, though I have to say that I never felt the
need to use it. This also because, if I wished to process
a mono or stereo signal, I would no doubt use the Pro logic
II or Neo:6 decoding standard, definitely more reliable
than any DSP processing section. The capabilities in terms
of connecting to other appliances and of input / outputs
you can assign a task to are also good. It is present a
set of 5.1 analog inputs (essential if one wishes to use
multi-channel SACDs) and the 5.1 outputs are available both
in balanced configuration with XLR connectors, and unbalanced
with RCA jacks. For the 7.1 you must be satisfied with an
unbalanced set, or use 5.1 unbalanced channels plus two
balanced ones. The bass management section is complete and
effective, tuning is easy, and menus are remarkably easy
to operate and understand. What is completely missing is
a video-switching section (Bryston proposes one, very complete
and flexible, to support its pre), and this is absolutely
logic. In fact in a pre / decoder fully devoted to deliver
outstanding audio performances, the video switcher circuits,
which operate at very high RF frequencies, interfere in
terms of noise with audio circuits. The package is completed
by a really beautiful, stylish, glazed-steel-made, backlit
(most important feature) remote control unit. This latter
is also heavy, that is a great ergonomic advantage.
Bryston
BP 25
The
preamplifier that is the origin of the SP 1.7 pre / decoder
is, as I was saying, the BP 25, top model in the catalog
of the Canadian manufacturer, that is available in different
configurations: line-only, equipped with MM phono stage,
with MM /MC phono stage. It is on its turn the remotely
controllable version of the BP 20 model (to be seriously
taken into consideration where the remote control is not
a priority but the bucks are). It's an amplifier of that
conception once called "understating". I'd say that the
English saying "no frills" better suits the BP 25 philosophy.
That means, all one needs is present, there are no gadgets,
and all of the engineering and assembling effort is focussed
on the thoroughness of the circuits' layout, on the quality
of components, on the topology of the project. Almost all
of the circuits (except for the phono stages and a small
board delivering the signal to the unbalanced connectors)
are hosted on a large motherboard filling the room at the
chassis bottom. On the signal path, the BP 25 uses only
discrete components amplifier modules (extra low noise,
three for each channel) and is Class A polarized, so that
it warms up - but don't worry, inside a well 
acceptable
limit for a solid-state pre. All soldering is strictly hand-made
and hand-checked. The volume potentiometer is a top quality
ALPS. As I was saying, here we find all one can need. Five
unbalanced inputs including, in the device under test, a
Phono MM, the Phono MC version takes advantage of two sensational
potted Mu-Metal transformers, a true madness! Then we have
two balanced inputs, a set each of balanced and unbalanced
outputs, a useful and remote-controlled polarity switch,
and also an always rarer (annoyingly rare), very useful
phones jack socket on the front pane. The remote control
unit is a well-crafted piece like the SP 1.7's one. The
power supply unit is hosted in a separate case, connected
through a multi-point connector and a suitably long cord
in order to keep the two sections well apart.
SP
1.7 vs BP 25
Se
If you ask Brian Russel (please see the interview hereunder),
he'll tell you that the sound of the SP 1.7 operated in
bypass mode and the one of the BP 25 are absolutely identical.
And it's really difficult to say he's wrong, though the
SP 1.7 might - I say might - be hindered by the neighboring
digital section and by the power supply unit it bears. I
therefore took the BP 25 as a reference and, based on its
sound, I examined the SP 1.7 once again. First I wished
to check the BP 25 phono stage, connecting it to my Thorens
TD 124 with its Pritchard tone arm and its Grado Reference
Wood head. Well it's a "serious", very serious RIAA, that
after all (taking into consideration the price difference
with the line-only model) costs rather little money, sure
less than a separate RIAA of the same level. Extremely neutral
in its sound, it is also absolutely noiseless so that you
can ask the dealer where you'll be trying this preamp, or
the friend who owns it, or the exhibitor at the fair to
raise the volume to its maximum with no signal in. I'm sure
that my surprise will be yours. It appears particularly
extended and sculptured in its soundstage image, very solid,
very tri-dimensional. Features that we fully find in the
general sound of the BP 25, a pre, let me say it, which
intrigues at first listening. And, the longer it warms up
the more it conquers you, up to the point where it seems
almost impossible to forgo. The credit goes to the exceptional
micro-dynamic resolution, to an airy performance that often
seems unheard before, even taking as a reference amplifiers
of outstanding breed (and price as well). I hadn't heard
a preamplifier with such an "absolute-zero neutrality" from
the times of the Mark Levinson No 26, but its liveliness
makes it much more modern and catchy than its illustrious
benchmark. Very delicate but muscular as well, refined but
with guts, the BP 25 in my very humble opinion, thanks to
its musical performances and to its price, has actually
no competitors, except for the completely pointless snobbish
attitude of certain public and of certain (self-defining)
hi-end Press. The comparison to the SP 1.7 substantially
justifies Russel's statement. I can assure you that spotting
out any differences between the two units is a really (very,
very) difficult task, and you can check this yourself asking
a comparative test to a dealer or… see above. These differences
aren't, in our experience, any larger than the ones between
two samples of the same product. A bit more overall dynamics
and micro-detail resolution in favor of the BP 25, something
less in terms of noise, but it's substantially all humbugs.
What remains at the end of all these words is a fact, better,
two facts: two magnificent preamplifiers that today are
real tops of the lot, both in the field of multi-channel
audio and of pure stereo. So that, absurdly, they leave
us with a doubt: taking into account what Bryston can offer,
is it worth spending more, or - in other words - is it possible
to achieve more spending more? I feel I'll be bringing this
doubt with me for a long while.
Brian
Russel speaks
Mr. Brian Russel is half of Bryston's historical core, but
he can also be defined as the main man behind the stage
at Bryston's headquarters. Recently he came to Italy, and
we had a chat about the current trends in the audio market
and the company he manages.
BM: Mister Russel, many of us, including
myself, were amazed at the SP1.7 multichannel preamp (and
previously at the SP1). We are used to consider the home
cinema market as a kind of playground, where products are
equipped with a host of inputs and gimmicks, but can hardly
be taken seriously. The SP1.7 is an advanced and flexible
product, but at the same time it is uncluttered, and this
is clearly evident when listening to its pure audio performance.
So, do you think there is some kind of common background
or continuity between the multichannel and the two channel
world?
BR: We have been in sound reproduction
for many years now, and we've always had the same basic
idea: the signal, no matter how it's processed, must reach
the loudspeakers intact. So, be it a stereo preamp, a surround
decoding system, an amplifier or a simple switch-box, the
signal running through it must reach the end component of
the chain as linear and pure as it is possible to man. We
have been building high performance audio products for thirty
years, so the fact that we are now manufacturing multichannel
and audio-video products doesn't change our philosophy at
all: either the product is perfect, or we are not interested
in bringing it to the market.
BM: Ok, but what's your idea of the
current market situation, what's the importance of multi-channel
to you. Do you think that it will be the main market sector,
continuing as a separate segment, that it will become one
and the same with the pure audio market, that it will eventually
disappear…
BR: We think that Home Theater will become stronger and
stronger in the music reproduction market sector. Obviously,
there will always be a space for pure audio, but it is reasonable
to think that the two channel will become a niche, maybe
a strong one, but still a niche, where there will be a number
of people interested in improving their systems. But, to
answer your question, yes, multi-channel will take the place
traditionally belonging to stereo.
BM: So you see the chance of an integration
between the two market sectors…
BR: Yes, absolutely, absolutely. We see an always increasing
number of people buying high quality main speakers and high-end
stereo amplifiers, complementing them with smaller loudspeakers
and with two, three or more channel amplifiers for surround
sound. When they feel like listening in stereo or playing
a surround soundtrack, they just have to flip a switch.
We think it is a consolidated trend, and that's why we put
a complete BP 25 preamp in our surround processor. We do
that because we are fully aware of the importance and of
the quality of the heritage of stereo recordings we can
find out there, and of the fact that those same customers
require an uncompromised musical quality even when they
choose to go for a multichannel system. You should try and
compare the BP25 and the SP1.7 face to face…
BM: That's just what I am going to
do…
BR: Fine, we will be very interested
in reading the outcome. But there's another thing I would
like to add: our products carry a twenty years warranty.
That means they must work without a hitch for at least forty.
This is an essential point for us: purity, neutrality, linearity
and absolute reliability. Anyone can do a statement product,
you just need an outstanding design - but then, you have
to make that design work for a half century!
