Bryston SST Squared Series Amplifiers

Posted by WIRC Media T... on Monday, December 15, 2008 - 05:03 pm:

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Bryston, LTD has announced the introduction of the SST² squared series amplifiers, incorporating several upgrades to all eight models of the hand-built award-winning Bryston SST amplifier topology. Despite the substantial "Squared Series" upgrades, pricing remains unchanged throughout the lineup. Bryston's SST amplifier line begins with the 2B SST (100 watts per channel 8-ohms, 180 per channel 4-ohms at $2650 US) to the 28B SST (1000 watts mono into 8-ohms at $8000 US). See the Bryston Squared Series at CES 2009: The Venetian, Bassano 2601. Depending on the specific model, advances include:

• Balanced Input Stage: The redesigned input stage on all Bryston SST² amplifiers is fully balanced, providing superior EMI (electromagnetic interference) and RF (radio frequency) noise rejection resulting in improved signal to noise performance.
• Power Supply Circuit Board: The power supply boards in the new SST² design incorporate zero point-to-point wiring—all components plug directly into the power supply circuit board, also delivering improved signal to noise performance
• Output Chokes: The new output chokes designed specifically for the new SST² amplifier topology extend the high frequency bandwidth of the product at 20 kHz.
• Soft-Start Circuitry: Bryston amplifiers require an enormous supply of AC power when activated—the new soft-start circuitry in the SST² amplifiers ramp up power demand gradually, presenting less strain on the AC supply utilizing a micro-controller.
• Push Style Power Switch: Replacing Bryston's membrane switch found on previous models, SST² amplifiers feature an extreme-duty push style power switch for improved functionality and durability.
• Simplified Circuit Topology: The SST² amplifiers utilize a reduced circuit board count and substantially less point-to-point wiring, delivering maximized operating efficiency and stunning musical clarity and detail through improved signal to noise levels.
• New power supply transformer design: The SST² amplifiers employ a redesigned power supply transformer that delivers instantaneous current while reducing noise.

"Through extensive ongoing R&D at Bryston, our engineers identified a few key areas where we could bolster our existing designs and give consumers a higher level of performance," stated James Tanner, VP of sales at Bryston. "The SST² upgrades have been applied so as to best suit each model within the Bryston SST line," Tanner added. Bryston plans to ship the complete SST² amplifier series to authorized dealers beginning January 1st, 2009.

Digital artwork available at: http://www.wircmedia.com/~bryston/Squared

About Bryston: Bryston (www.bryston.ca) first opened for business in 1962 as a manufacturer of blood analysis equipment, and was named (as an acronym) for its three founders, Tony Bauer, Stan Rybb, and John Stoneborough. In 1968, NASA engineer John Russell, Sr. relocated himself and his family to Canada from the US and bought the company, where his son Chris set to work designing the first Bryston amplifier. The Pro 3 made its debut in 1973, and since that time, Bryston components have become legendary for their hand-assembled build quality, performance and reliability in both the pro audio and consumer audio market segments. Bryston amplifiers are utilized in some of the world's most renowned recording studios and owned by many discerning music industry professionals. Bryston applies manufacturing techniques and employs materials in the everyday assembly of electronic equipment that are more typically utilized by military and aerospace industries. Bryston is now based in Peterborough, Ontario Canada, just northeast of Toronto, and sold through over 150 dealers in North America and 60 countries worldwide.