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

The Bryston 3B Cubed Power Amplfier might just combine the best of both worlds: those that love tube amps and those that love solid-state. Tom Martin explains...

00:00-01:52 Introduction to the Bryston
01:52-02:35 A Note on Power Amplifiers
02:35-05:19 Marrying the Best of Tube and Solid-State Amps
05:19-06:18 Frequency Balance?
06:18--09:44 Dynamic Contrast?
09:44-15:52 The Soundstage, Spaciousness, & Compression?
15:52-19:17 dB Levels and Dynamic Range
19:17-23:09 What's not to like?
23:09-24:27 The Bryston Sound
24:27-27:24 Wrap-Up

#hifi
#audiophile
#theabsolutesound

[reidbounsall]

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.

[rpm]

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!

[guywilloughby]

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

[DavidJohnson-qqbo]

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.

[bcisn]

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

[davewin]

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

[SteadyRolling]

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

[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?

[danielesbordone]

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

[johnshaw]

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.

[ΓιαννηςΓκουλιακος]

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

[mostirreverent]

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

[mrpmj]

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

[Foxtrot]

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.

[thewoofer]

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.

[mostirreverent]

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

[seank]

Which speakers did you use to test this amplifier?

[criticalpath]

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