My Bryston SP 1.7 Review (long)

[jimmyp58]

You do want to bring Rockland County to its knees don't you! :

Jim

[Blazar]

Does the Bryston SP 1.7 have dual-differential DAC's to complement the Balanced XLR connections?

I've read in so many forums you need dual-differential DACs in order to gain any sonic improvement with balanced XLR's beyond noise reduction on long runs.

Any comments would be appreciated. The SP 1.7 certainly has some nice reviews out there and video switching is something I wouldn't need anyway.

[jimmyp58]

Not sure what dual differential DACs are. Sorry. But if it is any consolation, many tv and movie studios use Bryston for their final editing.

[Adz]

To close the loop, just wanted to give a BIG shout out to bruce and jimmy for their advice with respect to my subwoofer set-up. I think I'm pretty much set (at least for a few days ) having finally solved the level issues. I wound up unplugging the subout which ran through a Y connector to the LFE in on both my front Def Tech speakers. At present, while continuing to run the Def Techs as large, I am now running two of my CineNova amp channels (300W each) into my passive sub using the separate XLR subout and the RCA subout signals on my Bryston 1.7. I can control / tweak the volume of the built-in subwoofer bass in the Def Techs through their own volume control and also control the passive sub through the pre/pro.

The Sub is positioned against the middle of my back wall which is about 5-6 feet in front of my couch. The couch runs almost from side wall to side wall.

As I mentioned before but now even better with this tweak, the results are nothing short of stunning (at least compared to what my setup was producing before). Amazing how a little tweak like this can increase on the deep tight clean bass with more musical detail and definition from passive sub, and as a by-product open up my front speakers which clearly had been masked before by the boomy, fuzzy, monotone bass being produced through the Def Techs. The positioning rocks my couch as if I was on a rollercoaster. Verry happy :T

Here is a picture of it (ignore all the wires which will be hidden shortly).

[jimmyp58]

Glad to hear this has worked out for you. It is an amazing phenomenon!

[JohnAM58]

I have just found this forum while searching for reviews on the Bryston SP 1.7.
From everything that I have read , I think the 1.7 might be for me. I have Sonus
Faber Grand Piano Home main speakers and am looknig for an opinion on how the
1.7 might mate with the Sonus Faber speakers? I have done a lot of research on
the 1.7 and it seems like one heck of a pre/pro!

JohnAM58

[jimmyp58]

Unfortunately, I haven't heard the combo.

[DeepPurple23]

Ok guys, here's one question for you...how do you handle your video switching? I have been considering the SP 1.7. My wife will live with what I chose to spend, I know she is the perfect women :T , but I live under one condition, make it simple to use from the remote. She likes to hit the macro to turn it on and then watch the Sat from the treadmill in the other room. So with that said does the SPV 1 integrate seemlessly or is there some better alternative?

I look forward to your advices.

DeepPurple


"I used to be confused, but now I just don't know."

[jimmyp58]

I don't use the SPV1. My RPTV has enough inputs so I keep it simple in that regards, I send everything to the TV. The 1.7 is very straightforward to use. Say for example that I want to watch an HD broadcast (e.g., a concert)and listen to it through my 1.7. Simple. I turn on the TV and change the input to my DTV then I hit the TV/SAT button on the remote and presto, it's a done deal. No different than if I want to listen/watch a movie on my dvd.

My wife, God bless her heart, is clueless with all this gadgetry and she finds this very easy to use.

I hope this helps.

Jim