Old Bryston 2B-LP

[Colhogan]

I never thought that Bryston deserved the reputation as being "bright sounding ".
I have always found them to be great sounding and reliable amplifiers.

 

[NiagaraPete]

I never thought that Bryston deserved the reputation as being "bright sounding ".
I have always found them to be great sounding and reliable amplifiers.

I never heard bright sounding but work horses they are. Compared to Carver and others of the day Bryson’s were the best.

 

[Murphonics]

So I've acquired a Bryston 2BLP which is very clean and I'm listening to it and all in all it sounds quite good to my ears - like nothing jumping out as being objectionable. It sounds just a tiny bit darker up top than newer amps I've tried and bottom end a little fatter but not having measured it it could just be an illusion.

So I'm posting here to see what the general thought is on these old units. Looking online, it seems many dont like older Brystons saying they are forward or harsh but I dont find this to be the case at least this one.

This is my favorite amplifier of all time. I own 4 of them and just bought a 5th to use 9 channels for my Dolby Atmos theater. I’ve acquired pieces from eBay and have recapped a couple of them. They are VERY musical. Used with ribbon tweeters, it has one of the most musical, comfortable high end sounds I’ve ever heard.
I’m curious. The latest one I found on eBay has TRS inputs only (no XLR), so it’s not a 2b-LP PRO. It also has gain adjustments on back (never seen that before) and a CLIPPING ADVISOR port, looks like a VGA, on the back. The model number has CAE at the end instead of PRO. Anyone know what’s going on there? I ordered it but haven’t received it yet. I thought I knew everything about this amp, but this is different.

 

[MAB]

This is my favorite amplifier of all time. I own 4 of them and just bought a 5th to use 9 channels for my Dolby Atmos theater. I’ve acquired pieces from eBay and have recapped a couple of them. They are VERY musical. Used with ribbon tweeters, it has one of the most musical, comfortable high end sounds I’ve ever heard.
I’m curious. The latest one I found on eBay has TRS inputs only (no XLR), so it’s not a 2b-LP PRO. It also has gain adjustments on back (never seen that before) and a CLIPPING ADVISOR port, looks like a VGA, on the back. The model number has CAE at the end instead of PRO. Anyone know what’s going on there? I ordered it but haven’t received it yet. I thought I knew everything about this amp, but this is different.

I have some 2B-LP Pro, as well as 3B, 4B, 7B Pro. As you say, they have variable gain. Also, they are awesome amps.
According to James Tanner of Bryston:

We still build the 2B LP Pro unit for the professional market - broadcast studios love them.
http://www.bryston.com/2blppro_m.html. Also we sell hundreds of them a year to CAE and they use them in their flight training machines for testing pilots.

Anyway - the 2B LP has not changed a lot other than the power supply section and a few circuit board layout issues and different parts. It such a simple elegant circuit that it has stood the test of time.

2B-Lp vs Original 2B

2B-Lp vs Original 2B

www.audiocircle.com

So looks like your eBay item was from a Canadian flight-simulator. I would hit the BuyItNow button if the price is right...

 

[Murphonics]

I have some 2B-LP Pro, as well as 3B, 4B, 7B Pro. As you say, they have variable gain. Also, they are awesome amps.
According to James Tanner of Bryston:

2B-Lp vs Original 2B

2B-Lp vs Original 2B

www.audiocircle.com

So looks like your eBay item was from a Canadian flight-simulator. I would hit the BuyItNow button if the price is right...

That’s excellent! I’m excited. Already hit BuyNow and got it for 550 including shipping. A steal! Allegedly perfect working condition. I’ll report back. Thanks so much for the fast response! AND the word from James Tanner. Great news.

 

[Angsty]

Enjoy your Bryston! I have a 4B-ST and a B100–SST that are likely to be the last amps I’ll own.

 

[alary]

I own the pro unit with balanced inputs and I think it's fine and has plenty of muscle.
I use it in my home recording studio.

 

[jperel]

I bought 2 years ago an old 2B which was not in good shape (but quite cheap, knowing it was not working).

Inside it's worse:

Naturally, the culprit is the X2 cap. Exploded as usual.

A thoroughly cleaning, replacing the few capacitors (not many at all, filtering caps were slightly out of range), new grease on the transistors, taking out the pots on the faceplate (one wasn't working and I don't need them anyway), picture of the PCBs during progression:

Happy to share my winter workplace... (and the expresso cup)

After a full refurbishing, here it is :

Almost new.

Most important, how does it sound?

Well, it was kind of a shock to me. Here in France, Bryston is not very known. Good reputation but individuals seem to prefer more fashionable US amps, or UK (or French?) to the Canadian brand. Classe Audio, the other famous Canadian brand is probably better known. But concerning Bryston, it may be different in professional studios and like.

First time I plugged it was on my Apogee Duetta speakers. It replaced (for a listening session) the Levinson ML-9 which is usually in place. 50W vs 250W. 10kg vs 30. What I'd say is that it was good, very good. Of course, the small clipping red led came quickly when I was listening loud (as I like to play loud). But at a reasonable level, it shined like a clean and polished diamond. Dry and tout bass, clear medium with body, sparkling and delicate highs... Everything was there, with a balanced and immediate sense of pace, with an impeccable placement of instruments.

Duetta are not easy speakers to drive, with their unusually low efficiency (80dB if I recall). The baby Bryston didn't handle the power demand all the way, of course. But as long as it stays under clipping, I would say they do as well as the Levinson. I sometimes plug another 50W amp on the Duettas, a Cello Encore. I could make a comparison for a short period of time between the Cello and the Bryston, which turns in favor of the first one. The Encore amp is more delicate and transparent, more "real", the Bryston is not exactly in the same league then the baby Cello (I'd say that no amp plays in the same league than Cello, but I'm partial).

Anyway, 50W is not enough for these speakers, whether the watts (and Amperes) come from the Bryston or from the Cello. So now I'm looking for a 4B if I can find a cheap one to fix (my favorite hobby), sure enough it can be as good as any known large amp. The quality of Bryston manufacturing is top notch, very repairable. And when you ask them a question, they kindly and professionnaly and quickly answer. Even when you're way out of the 20 years guaranty period...

I bought the 2B to repair it, thinking I would sell it sometimes later. I won't do that.
I love my 2B.

My 2 cents.

 

[KL....]

I have quite a few Bryston amps... The above YouTube measurements are consistent with what I measure, except the YouTube amp seems to have something going on with the right channel, I never see one channel more than a dB or so different... It is a transparent amp, and is incredibly reliable, and has about the best warranty service on the planet. I have PuriFi and Hypex ClassD amps too, and I can't hear the noise or any audible improvements with the ClassD gear.

Thank you, @MAB intrigued, can -85db/THD+N/8R be considered transparent? For consideration....

• ASR suggest >=95db/THD+N can be considered as Transparent (sufficiently so), is this correct?
• It has been suggested/indicated, re Masking (Effect), that if the Signal is 70db larger than Noise/THD that the Noise/THD will not be audible, is this correct? If yes, then this implys that the Signal/Contrast will not be (sufficiently/audiblely) affected/Masked by Noise/THD, doesn't it? Unfortunately, SNR is a ratio/% rather than db (difference, db is a Quantity/Measure, not Relative), isn't it?
  • Consideration, for 20hz-20Khz, if SNR was SND (Signal to Noise Difference/db or SNDD (Signal to Noise/Distortion Difference/db, and the suggested/indicated Masking (Effect) is correct/reasonable, then SND/SNDD could indicate (a Type of) Transparentcy (>=70db), couldn't it?
  • Consideration, for the old Bryston 2B LP, can -85db/THD+N/8R be considered Transparent (sufficiently so), with reference to the Signal to Noise/THD Difference (db Relationship)? The Impressions (perhaps a Repeatable Conclusion) are suggesting so, aren't they, but the (appropriate) Measure will confirm, won't it?

 

[40th Anniversary]

I had purchased a new one in 2018. I eventually sold to an audio colleague in Gatineau; he used it sparingly in his living room system for background music.
Here we are in 2026 and I purchased it back from him complete with the original box, manual, test sheet, receipt and in mint condition.
It has a detachable IEC power cord; volume trim pots on the front. Built like a tank at a reported 28 lbs.
I hooked it up this afternoon and let it warm up and listened to music tonight. It certainly is a nice amp, a robust plump bass line; the highs are extended but I feel the midrange is somewhat muddled....strings and some piano notes don't come across as naturally as I would like. That said, anything horn like trumpets, sax and tubas are amazing. The dept of the soundstage is very nice and maybe that is a by-product of its bass heavy sound.
My other amplifiers are Benchmark AHB2 and a Musical Fidelity A1. They all have their qualities and please never ask me to pick one: there is a reason why I have more than one amplifier. LoL

 

[MAB]

I bought 2 years ago an old 2B which was not in good shape (but quite cheap, knowing it was not working).

View attachment 488229

Inside it's worse:

View attachment 488230

Naturally, the culprit is the X2 cap. Exploded as usual.

View attachment 488231

A thoroughly cleaning, replacing the few capacitors (not many at all, filtering caps were slightly out of range), new grease on the transistors, taking out the pots on the faceplate (one wasn't working and I don't need them anyway), picture of the PCBs during progression:

View attachment 488232

Happy to share my winter workplace... (and the expresso cup)

View attachment 488237

After a full refurbishing, here it is :

View attachment 488238

Almost new.

Most important, how does it sound?

Well, it was kind of a shock to me. Here in France, Bryston is not very known. Good reputation but individuals seem to prefer more fashionable US amps, or UK (or French?) to the Canadian brand. Classe Audio, the other famous Canadian brand is probably better known. But concerning Bryston, it may be different in professional studios and like.

First time I plugged it was on my Apogee Duetta speakers. It replaced (for a listening session) the Levinson ML-9 which is usually in place. 50W vs 250W. 10kg vs 30. What I'd say is that it was good, very good. Of course, the small clipping red led came quickly when I was listening loud (as I like to play loud). But at a reasonable level, it shined like a clean and polished diamond. Dry and tout bass, clear medium with body, sparkling and delicate highs... Everything was there, with a balanced and immediate sense of pace, with an impeccable placement of instruments.

Duetta are not easy speakers to drive, with their unusually low efficiency (80dB if I recall). The baby Bryston didn't handle the power demand all the way, of course. But as long as it stays under clipping, I would say they do as well as the Levinson. I sometimes plug another 50W amp on the Duettas, a Cello Encore. I could make a comparison for a short period of time between the Cello and the Bryston, which turns in favor of the first one. The Encore amp is more delicate and transparent, more "real", the Bryston is not exactly in the same league then the baby Cello (I'd say that no amp plays in the same league than Cello, but I'm partial).

Anyway, 50W is not enough for these speakers, whether the watts (and Amperes) come from the Bryston or from the Cello. So now I'm looking for a 4B if I can find a cheap one to fix (my favorite hobby), sure enough it can be as good as any known large amp. The quality of Bryston manufacturing is top notch, very repairable. And when you ask them a question, they kindly and professionnaly and quickly answer. Even when you're way out of the 20 years guaranty period...

I bought the 2B to repair it, thinking I would sell it sometimes later. I won't do that.
I love my 2B.

My 2 cents.

Nice job bringing this back to life! I agree, this is a keeper amp. I worked at a store that sold them in the '80s, and have been a fan ever since due to their incredible reliability and performance.
I've tested a few Bryston pieces here. They all have excellent performance. I also tested some Bryston 7BST monoblock amps which have tons of power, and can be configured into a parallel configuration for super-low impedance loads (in case you ever get a pair of Scintillas ). The 7B is basically a mono version of the 4B with a series and parallel mode.
So if you find a junkyard 4B that can be repaired you will have a great amp.

 

[40th Anniversary]

I bought 2 years ago an old 2B which was not in good shape (but quite cheap, knowing it was not working).

View attachment 488229

Inside it's worse:

View attachment 488230

Naturally, the culprit is the X2 cap. Exploded as usual.

View attachment 488231

A thoroughly cleaning, replacing the few capacitors (not many at all, filtering caps were slightly out of range), new grease on the transistors, taking out the pots on the faceplate (one wasn't working and I don't need them anyway), picture of the PCBs during progression:

View attachment 488232

Happy to share my winter workplace... (and the expresso cup)

View attachment 488237

After a full refurbishing, here it is :

View attachment 488238

Almost new.

Most important, how does it sound?

Well, it was kind of a shock to me. Here in France, Bryston is not very known. Good reputation but individuals seem to prefer more fashionable US amps, or UK (or French?) to the Canadian brand. Classe Audio, the other famous Canadian brand is probably better known. But concerning Bryston, it may be different in professional studios and like.

First time I plugged it was on my Apogee Duetta speakers. It replaced (for a listening session) the Levinson ML-9 which is usually in place. 50W vs 250W. 10kg vs 30. What I'd say is that it was good, very good. Of course, the small clipping red led came quickly when I was listening loud (as I like to play loud). But at a reasonable level, it shined like a clean and polished diamond. Dry and tout bass, clear medium with body, sparkling and delicate highs... Everything was there, with a balanced and immediate sense of pace, with an impeccable placement of instruments.

Duetta are not easy speakers to drive, with their unusually low efficiency (80dB if I recall). The baby Bryston didn't handle the power demand all the way, of course. But as long as it stays under clipping, I would say they do as well as the Levinson. I sometimes plug another 50W amp on the Duettas, a Cello Encore. I could make a comparison for a short period of time between the Cello and the Bryston, which turns in favor of the first one. The Encore amp is more delicate and transparent, more "real", the Bryston is not exactly in the same league then the baby Cello (I'd say that no amp plays in the same league than Cello, but I'm partial).

Anyway, 50W is not enough for these speakers, whether the watts (and Amperes) come from the Bryston or from the Cello. So now I'm looking for a 4B if I can find a cheap one to fix (my favorite hobby), sure enough it can be as good as any known large amp. The quality of Bryston manufacturing is top notch, very repairable. And when you ask them a question, they kindly and professionnaly and quickly answer. Even when you're way out of the 20 years guaranty period...

I bought the 2B to repair it, thinking I would sell it sometimes later. I won't do that.
I love my 2B.

My 2 cents.

That's a 'real' classique: félicitations. Une vocation ce genre de travail!
At the other end of the 2B or not 2B spectrum, a 2018 Bryston 2B-LP Pro - balanced with trim pots up front and IEC power cord receptacle out back.
All mine for now next to a Schiit Gjallarhorn...I'd love to get a second GJ Horn and run them in mono to compare with the Bryston.

 

[40th Anniversary]

And this morning I had the idea to connect the Gjallarhonr in mono mode on the left; Bryston with one channel on the right and let the music play.

Listening now to tunes with a relatively easy load on both amps - and both still running cool.

Listening to Jazz; modern beats with bass; new age. Trying to ascertain differences between the two amps.