My favorite preamp on the planet came out about Christmas 2020, during the height of Covid 19. Many audiophiles missed it because they we’re worrying about… other things.
BR20 is as good a preamp as money can buy!
BR20 is actually a preamp/DAC. So much the better to kill two birds with one stone.
Brian Russell
Bryston preamps have always had the prefix of BP (Bryston Preamp). BR20 was so dubbed because Bryston’s gregarious president, Brian Russell, was a champion of this piece and died (9/26/2020) right before its introduction. Bryston knew they had a home run here and thought it the perfect piece with which to honor Brian. Hence, BR.
Bryston Preamps
I’ve been a great fan of Bryston preamps (and power amps, and DACs & speakers) for many years. Actually, it’s been since the 1980s (!!) for Bryston’s analog electronics. I replaced Threshold with Bryston in the mid 80s and have never looked back.
Bryston’s low noise floor allowed the exquisite detail of piano, guitar and the human voice to be more clearly elucidated through even modest speakers, than lesser electronics. Bryston… simply allowed music to cut through the speaker grills with information that most electronics masked.
The other guys had a gray background while Bryston’s was black. When you could hear them back to back… Bryston was clearly more transparent and dynamic. The lack of haze behind the music makes everything more evident.
If your speakers were FAST, you’d benefit even more. We often sold Bryston with Maggies, a perfect pairing.
Bryston power amps have ALWAYS gotten raves in the press. The preamps were too often ignored. I never quite understood that the rags recognized how great the amps were… but didn’t seem to know how good the preamps were.
I suppose the easy answer is, it was in the numbers. Bryston power amps always punched vastly above their weight. A Bryston 4B rated at 250×2 would invariably clear 300w. Each amp came with an actual test performance sheet of that amp! In addition to sounding wonderful, a reviewer or customer had proof positive that his amp did X number of watts at vanishing levels of THD. The amps always slaughtered claimed specs.
The preamps have been top notch too. But ya can’t deliver irrefutable proof with an equivalent number- like a power amp. Audio Emporium sold BP-20 and BP-25 very successfully for years. They were wonderful for their time.
Bryston BP26
However when BP26 came out in 2004 it was a real game changer. BP26 was a distinct step up and could compete with any preamp, at any price, in the most resolving of systems. BP26 actually DID get a lot of love in the mags too- albeit later than it deserved.
Bryston felt BP26 nailed it and pretty much ignored developing new preamps for many years. It makes total sense, because BP26 was (and is) so good. Butttt…
Our business is fickle. You have to come out with new models regularly or the consumer gets bored with you. The boys forget how good you are and… get excited by someone else’s new, shiny object.
Case in point… TAS’s 2022 Buyer’s Guide still lists Bryston’s BP-26 preamp instead of
BR20. They’re not up to speed on BR20. We forgive them. Covid 19 stomped into the cafeteria and tipped over all the trays in early 2020.
Back To BR20
BR20 is Bryston’s state of the art preamp today. When I say, state of the art, I mean it. I’m not implying that it is the best and everything else is suxx. What I’m saying is, BR20 is at the pinnacle of the preamp world- right there with the beaucoup expensive Swiss guys {CH & Solution run about $60k} at a fraction of the price.
Dead Silent Noise Floor
For my money, to be classified at the top of the mountain with a select few, performance starts with a dead silent noise floor. We just eliminated A LOT of the big names who buy advertising in the hi-fi rags with this stipulation.
I’m not accepting ambient hiss or hum in my preamp. Stereophile just did a review of several $60k ish preamps that had varying levels of hiss and hum. No thanks.
When you’re listening for the most beautiful character of piano, stringed instruments or human voices, we need to be sure there is no snow in the road. BR20 is unsurpassed with its low noise floor.
Salomie Input Circuit
We need to be sure the preamp’s input stage isn’t overloaded by the source. You can hear with BR20 that Bryston’s Salomie (as in Dr Salomie) input circuit allows a relaxed presentation of music, much like a power amp coasting during its performance.
The Salomie circuit uses novel (patented!) methods of maintaining stability and rejecting noise. Bryston Cubed power amps use the Salomie input circuit as well.
For music to sound open and flowing, you have to pay attention to the input stage of a component. The Salomie design assures that a fire hose coming in won’t get reduced to a garden hose at the input stage.
Balanced
The preamp has to be balanced in operation. BR20 is. It doesn’t just have XLR inputs. This drops the noise floor and increases dynamic contrast.
BR20 has two sets of pre outs, both balanced. You should be running a power amp with balanced inputs with this level or preamp. You CAN use cables or adapters to convert to RCA, but let’s not. We have wonderful power amps, like Brystons and NADs that run balanced, from $1k to the moon.
The DAC Section
Oh, I haven’t even mentioned the DAC yet. It’s great! The DAC in BR20 is the same as Bryston sells separately as the BDA3 for $3400. BDA3 is always appreciated for its stellar articulation and deep soundstage. It has been considered reference level since the day it came out. It still is!
Run your streaming device or CD player into BR20 and take advantage of its great DAC!
By the way, the Bluesound Node is the ideal streamer to use. Run digital out to BR20 and you’re set.
The box you buy for streaming is just the start. The company making that box has to dedicate a team of engineers to support that streamer. Bluesound is part of the NAD family. NAD is an international success with very deep pockets who you can trust will do updates as needed. NAD has supported streaming like a champ since about 2015.
Small potatoes streaming companies are always scrambling to prevent glitchy operation. They can make a nice box, but don’t have the engineering staff to support operations for many users.
Phono Pre
BR20 offers MM ($1000) as an option. It too is as clean and quiet as you can get.
HDMI
HDMI is not an option.
The Sound
BR20 will reveal IMMEDIACY like you’ve not heard before. BR20 gives your system its best chance to place the singer RIGHT THERE. Your speakers are likely better than you know!
BR20 has taut bass but wields a heavy sledgehammer. There’s no better preamp to articulate the skill of a great bass player or lower register of a grand piano.
BR20 plays musical content that starts and stops on a dime. There are no sloppy artifacts to muffle a guitar pick or drum’s transient attack.
BR20 delivers air and space, revealing the recording space, or room, for what it was. The character of what you hear goes beyond instruments and extends into a convincing soundstage perspective.
All Told
BR20 takes us to a new echelon of performance. There are many fine preamps for the money on the market. I highly respect the NADs in particular for $1200-2k. Yet make no mistake, BR20 is among the finest preamps regardless of price. And since I’m always cognizant of price/performance, BR20 is easily my choice as my favorite preamp.