Tag or Bryston

Gunner44

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I would be interested to hear members views on both the Tag 250W power amps vs the Bryston 4B-SST or even 7B SST. I am currently using a 2x250R and have been seeking (without success) a 3x250R to complete the power amps. How does the Bryston compare to the Tag, they seem easier to buy than Tag. For completeness my preamp is AV32R with Kef 207 front speakers, 202C centre and 203 rears.
 
I would go for Brysten because of one reason only. 20 years of warranty versus non existing company.

Otherwise I do not think you will find big audible differences between these amps.
 
A few years ago I hear the Bryston and TAG's and couldn't tell the difference to be honest. Both sounded fantastic and I ended up with a 250x3R and a 100x5R.

I'm sure that you could add the Bryston to your TAG gear and be extremley happy :thumbsup:
 
Kenny do you think 250W on the rears would be overkill.
Thanks
 
I've got the Bryston 7B SST for my front B&W 800Ds and the TAG 250x3 for the Rear 802Ds and front HTM2D.

Both amps give a superb account of themselves, and if my Tag evry gives me problems I wouldnt hesitate to get more Brystons.

I dont think that 250 watts for the rears is overkill - remember you can always lower the volume but it's difficult to get more out when you need it.
 
The Bryston 6BSST and the 250X3R were put head to head at TAG's HQ one very snowy evening (I arranged the Bryston), I don't think anyone could tell the difference between them reliably once all the gains were matched etc.
The Bryston was heavier and of course had the far longer warranty. I personally always preferred the Bryston as it has simply huge reserves even more so than the TAG, as the Bryston is the one still available, apart from the control of individual channels is the one to choose. And no its use as rear channels is not overkill, you can never have too much power!!!!
 
I lurk a lot, my day job gets in the way and all those customers that want answers to their 58 series questions......
 
Wait a second :cool: . Graham :rolleyes: ! Who was that once again? :D
:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: Come on guys I do have a 150 page thread of my own to manage!
Oh and BTW, I noted that a Barco CV80 projector and CV50 (50" plasma) with all the master unit and input modules has appeared on EBay, at the price it looks like a good deal...... (No they ain't mine!) would go nice with the TAG gear.
 
If you are considering the 7BSSTs then they are in a league of there own when compared to the Tag 250 monoblocs. The finesse, control, imaging and soundstage that these amplifiers produce is phenominal. The Kef 207 are a very large speaker and require a very substantial amplifier to drive them. I have a pair a kef 4-2s and i tried every Bryston Combination from the 3BSST to the 7BSST. I have even tried Bridging two 4BST stereo power amplifiers but i found there was huge slam and presense although there was a loss in refined detail. The difference from a 4BSST to a 7BSST is like night and day if the speakers are demanding and the 207s are. Dont get me wrong the 4BSST is a superb amplifier but your speakers will show huge differences between the two. Tag amps are good but i feel they are not as good as Bryston although the Tag processors and DVD players are superb.

With less demanding speakers the best match is a 3BSST or 4BSST.

Hope this helps.
 
Popped a channel in my Bryston 9B and it was back within a week
and it cost me just the price of shipping it one way - nothing more.

Lets think about an IAG service experience for a moment - mmm...

I guess these days everyone goes to Audio Cellar anyway. Whis is
his turn-around time?
 
I know everyone here is lambasting IAG but I had a problem with my Audiolab 8000AV and the service from IAG was very good. The response to my e-mail was within the hour and they answered all my queries very quickly.
 
Thats good news for Audiolab customers.

The pity is that they were hopeless with TAG kit when they had spares. I don't imagine things will have improved now that they don't - unless you count getting it sent back to you, unfixed, quicker.
 
If you are considering the 7BSSTs then they are in a league of there own when compared to the Tag 250 monoblocs. The finesse, control, imaging and soundstage that these amplifiers produce is phenominal. The Kef 207 are a very large speaker and require a very substantial amplifier to drive them. I have a pair a kef 4-2s and i tried every Bryston Combination from the 3BSST to the 7BSST. I have even tried Bridging two 4BST stereo power amplifiers but i found there was huge slam and presense although there was a loss in refined detail. The difference from a 4BSST to a 7BSST is like night and day if the speakers are demanding and the 207s are. Dont get me wrong the 4BSST is a superb amplifier but your speakers will show huge differences between the two. Tag amps are good but i feel they are not as good as Bryston although the Tag processors and DVD players are superb.

With less demanding speakers the best match is a 3BSST or 4BSST.

Hope this helps.

Well I eventually bought the 7BSST that Sean was selling, that now leaves me with a Tag 250x2, 2 x Tag 125 Mono and a 700:7. The intention is to try and get a third channel for the 250 x 2 making it a 250 x 3.
I am doing a bit of experimenting but would appreciate comments, epecially as some of my experiments would involve purchasing extra long lengths of speaker cable.
At present I am using the 250x2 for biamping the Kef 202C centre speaker , and the 125's one for each Kef 203's rear speaker .
Something has got to go, until I get get that third ellusive 250, would I be better parting with the 125's and bi or triamping the rears with the 700:7 or sticking with the 125's on the rears and selling the 700:7.
 
Well I eventually bought the 7BSST that Sean was selling, that now leaves me with a Tag 250x2, 2 x Tag 125 Mono and a 700:7. The intention is to try and get a third channel for the 250 x 2 making it a 250 x 3.
I am doing a bit of experimenting but would appreciate comments, epecially as some of my experiments would involve purchasing extra long lengths of speaker cable.
At present I am using the 250x2 for biamping the Kef 202C centre speaker , and the 125's one for each Kef 203's rear speaker .
Something has got to go, until I get get that third ellusive 250, would I be better parting with the 125's and bi or triamping the rears with the 700:7 or sticking with the 125's on the rears and selling the 700:7.

I'd not bother bi or tri amping the rears, not a lot of point really for the information that goes to them...

I'd also consider moving the amp closer to the speakers and using longer interconnects (balanced XLR preferably, but RCA's are a sensible option) as it is far cheaper and better than using long speaker cables......

I think that means you could sell the 700:7??
 
Well I eventually bought the 7BSST that Sean was selling, that now leaves me with a Tag 250x2, 2 x Tag 125 Mono and a 700:7. The intention is to try and get a third channel for the 250 x 2 making it a 250 x 3.
I am doing a bit of experimenting but would appreciate comments, epecially as some of my experiments would involve purchasing extra long lengths of speaker cable.
At present I am using the 250x2 for biamping the Kef 202C centre speaker , and the 125's one for each Kef 203's rear speaker .
Something has got to go, until I get get that third ellusive 250, would I be better parting with the 125's and bi or triamping the rears with the 700:7 or sticking with the 125's on the rears and selling the 700:7.

I would recommend selling all the tag amplifiers and consider replacing with a Bryston 6BSST power amplifier. Although if you decide to keep the Tag amplifiers i would recommend that you keep the speaker cable runs to a minimum as graham recommended and run longer interconnect runs. Balanced interconnects are better for longer runs.

So what do you think of the Bryston 7BSSTs against the Tag 250 monoblocs?

Just as a test you could compare the triamped 203 using the 700:7 then compare them to using a single 250 and see if you get a improvement as i found a better overall amplifier is better than biamping with most, although there are exceptions, hence try the above.

I currently use two 7BST monoblocs for rears as i was using a 4bst but its made a massive improvment.
 
The Brystons are certianly a very good amp with large power reserves that make a mockery of the rated output, having the ability to control the speaker properly requires reserves, the Bryston has it in spades. I do however have to say that the TAg 250 ain't bad....
 

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