Parasound vs. Bryston

disneyjoe7

Still looking for the amp upgrade needed, but will be adding a 2-channel amp of?


Any comparisons of these amp manufactures, Good or Bad.

dorokusai

Both are really solid manufacturers, you can't really go wrong in this bracket. I am partial to Parasound, and I have heard a few Bryston pieces in my travels.

disneyjoe7

Well I know your fondness on Parasound, but your statement of the high-end throw me some.

dorokusai

Huh?

disneyjoe7

Originally posted by dorokusai
Huh?

dorokusai
Polk Master

Registered: Feb 2003
Location: Damascus, MD
Posts: 5157

Terry - I am glad that the deal went smoothly. It was not a problem at all, waiting is a good thing. The only thing that matters is that you got your amplifier, and you are happy.

Parasounds trademark is nice, tight, low end performance...some might say, at the cost of a clear high end. That is subjective, but I will say that they aren't the clearest and most defined treble range amplifier I have heard. Midrange is often nice and clean, perhaps a little "chesty", to use a Russ Gates word.

It is a great amplifier in that price range, new I mean, but the used market drops these in so nicely...its a wonder they aren't more popular. Everyone wants the same stuff everyone else has I guess...

Have fun, and let me know what further listening pans out. Perhaps a mini-review? CYA



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01-09-2004 12:22 PM

disneyjoe7

Zero,

If I hear you right speakers $$ so amp $$ and speakers $$$ so amp $$$. But I will buy an amp used, under $1500 or so.

dorokusai

I understand what you mean now, high end as in the audible type.

I think that Parasound is a strong competitor, but aside from the Halo series, it's just normal in the top end. Nothing crazy, just simple reproduction....but the tradeoff is very strong low end control and a solid midrange...both of which I prefer personally.

I've demo'd almost everything from that manufacturer, beings it's my favorite.

I think Zero's comment is ridiculous, but again, this is all just an opinion.

I could easily buy a Bryston, but I didn't, I bought a Parasound.

shack

About a year or so ago, I stopped in a shop in Asheville and listened to a SB25 pre, 4B amp, Cary CD-308 CDP driving a pair of Vienna Acoustics Beethovens. A truely wonderful rig. He would let me have it all for $9,500 ± (unfortunately I had to pass ). Based on that demo I would not hesitate to purchase a Bryston amp. The Parasound could be every bit as good...I don't know....I just know that Bryston is 2nd on my list of "want" amps...right behind McIntosh.

tryrrthg

In that price range also look at Krell, Plinius, Pass Labs, Audio Research, etc. The McCormack DNA 225 is an amazing amplifer for the money, and you can probably get used Mark Levinson for around $1500.

disneyjoe7

Originally posted by Zero
So what type of gear do you plan on using with these products?

My famous or Infamous RTi150's for 2 channel right now would be using my Onk 898 for a Pre Pro for that (?) amp. In the future is to add a tube preamp to this amp so all analog 2 channel sources could be ran through that setup.

My other thinking is this 1 large amp (250-350w) or 2 smaller (200w) for Bi-amping?

reeltrouble1

Steve,

Procrastinating a bit my friend? Understand that if you were to get any of the amps mentioned they would all make a solid jump in your system over the Onk. I can say this because I have been there, me and my Onk. For whatever your reasons you narrowed it to Bryston vs Parasound I would stay there and make my pick for the best two channel I could get between the two.

Then one morning you get up and its in the rack, no more dreams, sit back, kick on Watercolors or what have you and enjoy.

You need to take a drive up and hear these SRS, after you get the amp, well you never know?????