What Hi Fi Sound and Vision 17 OCT 2005

Bryston B100ST

£ 2995 5

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It’s a stonking performer for the money – if only it included a remote control

For
A powerful, dynamic and transparent sound; detail; excellent build
Against
Looks like a piece of lab equipment; no remote hand-set as standard; add-on options are expensive

This Bryston amp looks like a piece of lab equipment rather than luxury item. But look past the functional styling and you find a superbly built and finished unit that, given Bryston’s reputation for quality, might even outlast you.

The amp comes as a line-level stereo unit, or it can be equipped with a DAC (£1000) or a moving-magnet phono stage (£450). Even a remote costs £450, but that does buy a beautifully made metal handset that lights up in the dark. To save money, you could buy a universal remote and easily configure it to work with the B100ST.

Power to spare
Listening to it, concerns over the price soon evaporate. This amp sounds more formidable than the quoted 100-watt per channel suggests: Holst’s Mars at high volume levels is delivered with headroom to spare, regardless of speaker. The dynamics are forceful and insight is a match for anything at this price. Tonally, it’s spot on, and timing is crisp enough to please dance fans.

These wide-ranging strengths mean that this amp performs well irrespective of musical genre. It’s not cheap, but it is extremely good.

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