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Bryston 4B³ (Cubed) Stereo Amplifier Review Roundup

Highly capable, highly recommended.

Bryston 4B3 Stereo Power Amplifier in white, front view

Consensus

The audiophile reviewers could find very little to complain about. All were impressed with its sound quality and musicality, most notably its bass.

4.7 out of 5

Average Overall Rating

★★★★★★★★★★

4.7 out of 5 stars (3 reviews)

Critics Reviews (Around the Web)

The 4B Cubed has the kind of sound that makes small speakers sound bigger while making big speakers sing. It is never in the way, and apart from always sounding rich and smooth, it does not impose an obvious character on the sound. Read full review →
·
The 4B³ excels in reproducing low level music cues required for the best high fidelity 'virtual reality', while clearly delineating busy compositions into easily discernible individual instrumental strands. Read full review →
·
I was blown away by its amazing transparency, absolute control, and very smooth, very linear sound. With virtually faultless sound and the ability to drive just about any speaker with ease, the 4B³ may well be the best value today in a high-end, high-powered, solid-state amplifier. Read full review →
·
The 4B Cubed is a total package of high-level performance -- it has great clarity and an authoritative bass. Read full review →
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It has the purest top end I have ever encountered in a solid state amp at anywhere near the price (and way beyond), and a tonal finesse that rivals a fine modern tube amp, especially from the mid-bass and into the lower treble. Read full review →
·

★★★★★★★★★★

5.0 out of 5 stars
The Bryston has an innate sense of precision in its timing, it achieves this by having little or nothing in the way of smear, there is no blurring of the attack and decay of each note. It’s very clean but not in a clinical way, it’s clean in a transparent way. It feels like the amplifier leaves little or no trace of itself on the signal save for increasing the voltage. Read full review →
·

★★★★★★★★★★

5.0 out of 5 stars
This amp is possibly the best choice for those looking for maximum emotional impact from their playback source of the music. I like the way it handles timbral purity and presents detail and sound-stage perspicuity of fine jazz, blues and classical music recordings. Read full review →
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The 4B³ goes far beyond being faithful to the soul of the music. Yes, it’s endowed with muscle; it is quick, dynamic, transparent, and has an iron grip of the frequency extremes but what makes the 4B³ most special is its finesse -- able to conjure subtleties that engender realism. Read full review →
·

★★★★★★★★★★

4.1 out of 5 stars
Supremely talented in all areas. Yes, it will blow you off your sofa if you really want it to, but it is so much more than that, thanks to the 'Cubed' upgrades. These dig right to the heart of the music and result in one of the best all-round power amplifiers I have encountered at the price. Read full review →
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Bryston 4B³ Stereo Power Amplifier in black, front view
Bryston 4B³ Stereo Power Amplifier in black, front view

Pros

  • Dual mono design
  • New (Salomie) input stage is more linear
  • Useful with greater choice of speakers
  • 300 watts-per-channel @ 8 Ohms
  • 500 watts-per-channel @ 4 Ohms
  • 900 watts bridged mono @ 8 Ohms
  • Harmonic distortion is rated at less than 0.005% (20Hz to 20kHz, at 300 watts)
  • Signal to noise ratio is -110dB (single ended) and -113dB (balanced)
  • Improved PSRR and reduced noise over predecessor

Cons

  • Fractionally more ultrasonic attenuation than predecessor
Bryston Cubed Series Specifications
Bryston Cubed Series Specifications

Our Final Conclusion

Highly capable, highly recommended.

Product Overview

January 6, 2016 - At CES 2016, Bryston introduced its new Cubed Series lineup of solid state power amplifiers, replacing the award-winning Squared Series (SST2) that made its debut at the 2009 CES. The Cubed series is available in two variants, one for professional applications (PRO version) and one for regular users (C-Series). The amps are designed to appeal to audiophiles, home theater enthusiasts, or for professional audio installations. The new lineup will roll out in phases, with the...

MSRP:
$5695
Type:
Amplifiers
Released:
Jan 1, 2016
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